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Woods Ranch #2
His Reluctant Cowboy
From acclaimed author A.M. Arthur comes a tender, sexy new novel in the Woods Ranch series.
He thought his cowboy days were behind him. But life—and love—had other plans.
Michael Pearce left the small-town life of Weston and cattle ranching for the hustle of Austin, and never looked back—until his father suffers a stroke and requires in-home care.
Josiah Sheridan became a certified nursing assistant after seeing how wonderful his single mother's in-home aides were before she died. He wants to help people, and he does his best with the work he can find in small-town Weston, Texas. He also lives a complicated life with his lover—to the rest of the world, they’re just roommates. Behind closed doors, their life is…strained.
Meeting Michael, a kind and openly gay—not to mention much older—man, gives Josiah a glimpse into a brighter, happier world. He loves Michael’s self-confidence and plethora of life stories. But it will take patience, planning, and more courage than Josiah thinks he has to finally break free from his old life and find real love with Michael.
Woods Ranch
Book 1: His Fresh Start Cowboy
Book 2: His Reluctant Cowboy
He thought his cowboy days were behind him. But life—and love—had other plans.
Michael Pearce left the small-town life of Weston and cattle ranching for the hustle of Austin, and never looked back—until his father suffers a stroke and requires in-home care.
Josiah Sheridan became a certified nursing assistant after seeing how wonderful his single mother's in-home aides were before she died. He wants to help people, and he does his best with the work he can find in small-town Weston, Texas. He also lives a complicated life with his lover—to the rest of the world, they’re just roommates. Behind closed doors, their life is…strained.
Meeting Michael, a kind and openly gay—not to mention much older—man, gives Josiah a glimpse into a brighter, happier world. He loves Michael’s self-confidence and plethora of life stories. But it will take patience, planning, and more courage than Josiah thinks he has to finally break free from his old life and find real love with Michael.
Woods Ranch
Book 1: His Fresh Start Cowboy
Book 2: His Reluctant Cowboy
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2022
31 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
About the author
A.M. Arthur
87 books1,233 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
August 30, 2022
3.5*
While I ended up enjoying this more than I thought I was going to, I found myself incredibly frustrated at times by events in the narrative.
There's also a couple of inconsistencies which, while they don't affect the outcomes of the story, do take away slightly from it (involving what occurred to Michael's mother which I won't spoiler).
I loved Michael's dad Elmer, and was happy to see him be more a focus in the narrative having been a secondary character in book one of this series. He's a grumpy but kind-hearted man and I was very happy he and Michael managed to resolve their decades old falling out.
Josiah frustrated me immensely and I think a lot of that is simply to do with ALL the traumas the man has had to live though. I know the aim was to draw the reader's sympathy, but instead it just make him seem pathetic a lot of the time.
That's a harsh criticism to lay down, I know, and I don't want to make it sound like I'm victim blaming because I'm not, but there were times when a different direction could have been taken in the narrative and it seemed like the most dramatic and trauma-inducing one was chosen each time to try and make him appear more vulnerable but instead it made him weaker as a character.
Still, he does begin to grow in his own confidence and self-worth once he's at Elmer's farm, helping him after his stroke, and I eventually did start rooting for he and Michael to move from friendship into a romance.
However, overall this is an incredibly slow burn romance, which makes sense given Josiah's background (although again, here there was just so much trauma related events that I became a bit numb to them all in the end) with two characters who do work well as a pairing.
But I found the sexual element of the story was another area where I would have liked to have seen more interactions between them once they did turn their relationship physical, especially given that Michael makes himself vulnerable for Josiah and that whole scene is beautifully done. I wanted more of that.
There's guest appearances from the guys at Woods Ranch and it was great to catch up with Hugo and Brand again and I'm pretty sure that the author is lining up a redemption arc for the Sheriff which I'm in two minds about whether or not I want to read it, as well as possibly a story for fellow ranch hand Jackson.
I really liked the Clean Slate Ranch series, which this is a spin-off from, but so far neither of the two books in the Woods Ranch series have been as strong for me as they were. However, A.M. Arthur is an author I usually enjoy reading and the Clean Slate books got better as the series progresses, so I'm hoping it will be the same here.
There's a very strong sense of place, which this author is so good at, and the small town vibe is well presented, there's good secondary characters and overall the last quarter of the book pulled up my enjoyment significantly and I was very happy with where the relationship is left at the end.
Note the trigger warnings for the book, it includes references to off page sexual assault, homelessness, references to a past street life including sexual exchanges in return for accommodation and a toxic relationship on page, plus an on page act of violence.
#ARC kindly received from the publishers Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review
While I ended up enjoying this more than I thought I was going to, I found myself incredibly frustrated at times by events in the narrative.
There's also a couple of inconsistencies which, while they don't affect the outcomes of the story, do take away slightly from it (involving what occurred to Michael's mother which I won't spoiler).
I loved Michael's dad Elmer, and was happy to see him be more a focus in the narrative having been a secondary character in book one of this series. He's a grumpy but kind-hearted man and I was very happy he and Michael managed to resolve their decades old falling out.
Josiah frustrated me immensely and I think a lot of that is simply to do with ALL the traumas the man has had to live though. I know the aim was to draw the reader's sympathy, but instead it just make him seem pathetic a lot of the time.
That's a harsh criticism to lay down, I know, and I don't want to make it sound like I'm victim blaming because I'm not, but there were times when a different direction could have been taken in the narrative and it seemed like the most dramatic and trauma-inducing one was chosen each time to try and make him appear more vulnerable but instead it made him weaker as a character.
Still, he does begin to grow in his own confidence and self-worth once he's at Elmer's farm, helping him after his stroke, and I eventually did start rooting for he and Michael to move from friendship into a romance.
However, overall this is an incredibly slow burn romance, which makes sense given Josiah's background (although again, here there was just so much trauma related events that I became a bit numb to them all in the end) with two characters who do work well as a pairing.
But I found the sexual element of the story was another area where I would have liked to have seen more interactions between them once they did turn their relationship physical, especially given that Michael makes himself vulnerable for Josiah and that whole scene is beautifully done. I wanted more of that.
There's guest appearances from the guys at Woods Ranch and it was great to catch up with Hugo and Brand again and I'm pretty sure that the author is lining up a redemption arc for the Sheriff which I'm in two minds about whether or not I want to read it, as well as possibly a story for fellow ranch hand Jackson.
I really liked the Clean Slate Ranch series, which this is a spin-off from, but so far neither of the two books in the Woods Ranch series have been as strong for me as they were. However, A.M. Arthur is an author I usually enjoy reading and the Clean Slate books got better as the series progresses, so I'm hoping it will be the same here.
There's a very strong sense of place, which this author is so good at, and the small town vibe is well presented, there's good secondary characters and overall the last quarter of the book pulled up my enjoyment significantly and I was very happy with where the relationship is left at the end.
Note the trigger warnings for the book, it includes references to off page sexual assault, homelessness, references to a past street life including sexual exchanges in return for accommodation and a toxic relationship on page, plus an on page act of violence.
#ARC kindly received from the publishers Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review
October 1, 2022
It's so nice to visit this group again. Reading A.M. Arthur's His Reluctant Cowboy is a bit like getting caught up with family.
Fans of A.M. Arthur's Clean Slate Ranch series will want to dive right into the Woods Ranch stories. Start with His Fresh Start Cowboy because the characters from that novel do play a part in Seamus and Josiah's tale. You don't need to have read the Clean Slate Ranch novels to start this series though.
To go with the nice age-gap, His Reluctant Cowboy has a lovely slow-burn. And when you find out the details of the trauma poor Josiah has endured, you'll see why. Plus Seamus has been the victim of an unfaithful spouse, and he needs to focus his energy on his relationship with his dad.
I enjoyed watching these two damaged guys gradually let down their walls and let each other in. This is a really well written hurt/comfort story, with excellent family drama. And once the physical romance starts up, you can bet it's up to A.M. Arthur's usual standards *wink*, so hang in there... it's worth it!
Fans of A.M. Arthur's Clean Slate Ranch series will want to dive right into the Woods Ranch stories. Start with His Fresh Start Cowboy because the characters from that novel do play a part in Seamus and Josiah's tale. You don't need to have read the Clean Slate Ranch novels to start this series though.
To go with the nice age-gap, His Reluctant Cowboy has a lovely slow-burn. And when you find out the details of the trauma poor Josiah has endured, you'll see why. Plus Seamus has been the victim of an unfaithful spouse, and he needs to focus his energy on his relationship with his dad.
I enjoyed watching these two damaged guys gradually let down their walls and let each other in. This is a really well written hurt/comfort story, with excellent family drama. And once the physical romance starts up, you can bet it's up to A.M. Arthur's usual standards *wink*, so hang in there... it's worth it!
December 16, 2024
This was the 2nd book in the Woods Ranch series. The two main characters were interesting as well as fairly likeable. They both had issues, but they fit well together. Josiah, a home health-care nurse, who has been hired to care for and rehab Michael's father after he has suffered a stroke, is being abused in his current relationship with the town sheriff that we met in book #1. Michael suspects that something is wrong but doesn’t interfere at first. Michael had left home several years ago after an argument with his father and felt that if Josiah was having problems in his relationship that unless he chose to talk about it he'd let well enough alone...after all, he had just gone through a split up with his business partner and lover and was back in Texas not only to see about his father but to lick his wounds and try to fix the heart that his partner had stomped on...his ex-partner had even given his dog away without telling him.
Things came to a head when the sheriff Josiah was living with and being mistreated by, locked him out of the house and refused to let him take any of his own things ...Michael and the Woods Ranch guys came to his rescue. What Michael had done for him made Josiah rethink what he might be able to have with a guy like Michael if he could only bring himself to convince his heart to try.
The connection between Josiah and Michael was amazing. It was wonderful how caring Michael was with Josiah. This was a really slow-burn romance...not necessarily my favorite, but okay occasionally. I liked that the bad guy got what was coming to him and the good guys got their happiness. Hope there are more Woods Ranch reads out there.
Things came to a head when the sheriff Josiah was living with and being mistreated by, locked him out of the house and refused to let him take any of his own things ...Michael and the Woods Ranch guys came to his rescue. What Michael had done for him made Josiah rethink what he might be able to have with a guy like Michael if he could only bring himself to convince his heart to try.
The connection between Josiah and Michael was amazing. It was wonderful how caring Michael was with Josiah. This was a really slow-burn romance...not necessarily my favorite, but okay occasionally. I liked that the bad guy got what was coming to him and the good guys got their happiness. Hope there are more Woods Ranch reads out there.
October 29, 2022
Thanks to Harlequin Carina Press and Netgalley for the early copy. Below you'll find my honest review.
Major content warnings galore for this one: abuse (physical and sexual).
I've loved the Clean Slate Ranch series and the first book in this Woods Ranch spinoff, but I really am not sure how much I liked this one. It just felt like nonstop pummeling of one of the main characters mixed in with a lot of repetitive phrases and a very formally wooden naughty scene.
I didn't hate it, but I really was hoping for more from the story, and less of the trauma.
Major content warnings galore for this one: abuse (physical and sexual).
I've loved the Clean Slate Ranch series and the first book in this Woods Ranch spinoff, but I really am not sure how much I liked this one. It just felt like nonstop pummeling of one of the main characters mixed in with a lot of repetitive phrases and a very formally wooden naughty scene.
I didn't hate it, but I really was hoping for more from the story, and less of the trauma.
August 23, 2022
*This ARC was recieved from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to them and Carina Press.*
Long story short, I did not like this book. I also reviewed the first book in this series an ARC and only rated it two stars. This was...worse. I wasn't sure that was even possible. I thought to myself, "How bad it could it possibly be?". Well, there was so much from the get-go that I took notes. So…if you’re reading this before getting started, be aware: spoilers abound here. Let’s start right at the top with Chapter One.
The author is repetitious immediately. Within the same paragraph, the author uses the phrase “doesn’t know what to call Seamus” –AND IT CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE BOOK that Josiah doesn’t know the appropriate label for him, their relationship (or lack of), and it’s just maddening. How about ask? Especially if you’re going to let the guy take advantage of you sexually?
I immediately did not like Josiah. He comes off as weak and complacent. Caring about people doesn’t make you either of those things, and that was the message I got. Later in the book, there is a discussion about how in abusive relationships, the abusee doesn’t “realize” it’s abuse until its too late. But…that doesn’t vibe with Josiah’s story AT ALL. He’s been alone since he was in his late teens. He’s done what he’s had to do for survival. I am not victim blaming (and I would never say this about or to an *actual person*), but…I have no sympathy for Josiah here. In fact, I KINDA want a redemption arc for Seamus. But more about him later.
Chapter Two, and Michael seems like a whiney asshole. When Seamus stops by and brings up the previous theft saying “nothing to do with what’s going on now”…that makes no sense. Elmer had a heart attack. Of COURSE it has nothing to do with the current circumstances. This is just really, really poor writing and storytelling.
There is also a lot of really crap stereotyping here. Like Michael’s diet and “not eating garbage”. Honey…I have two words for you and I’m resisting real hard from typing them out. 47 pages into this book and I wrote “I’m already exhausted”. I then have a note about Josiah’s glasses. FFS. It mentions Josiah having a “degenerative eye issue”, which IS NEVER MENTIONED EVER AGAIN, but just seems like an excuse to not introduce the guy to Zenni. Seriously. I buy glasses for less than $10. I had to get a storage box for all of them, and I am virtually blind without my glasses. Also, it seems like a really shitty thing to give a guy who already has a really crap background. Like, he can’t catch a break and he just gets more and more pathetic (and unlikable).
Chapters 3-5 and I started noticing all of the really unnecessary prose (“the meat thermometer in the chicken pleased him”…wtf?). The dialog is just ANNOYING and fake. So fake. No one talks like this, do they? Is it a Texan thing? I doubt it. Would it be less annoying in a southern/Texan accent? I doubt that too. Everything in these chapters is so overly dramatic and I hate Josiah more and more. The hold out on explaining his past is just…mind-numbingly annoying. It’s like reading an extremely long Vaguebook post.
There is also a line here that says Michael cut’s Elmer’s meat “as small as he dared without tempting the mans wrath”. Is this supposed to juxtapose against Josiah’s relationship with Seamus? Because if so…ew. Comparing them is really wrong on a variety of levels.
Chapter Six and on (because I really didn’t want to use more paper) I hate the assumption that small towns are full of homophobes. Like, c’mon. Not everyone knows or even cares.
On page 272 it says “Michael climbed out of the cab” when he arrives at Woods Ranch. …Michael doesn’t drive a truck, and it never states that he’s driving Elmer’s. Later, when Josiah buys a chicken and asks to put in the fridge, I have the note “How big is this chicken?” Like four people are getting a weeks’ worth meals out of it? I’m ONE PERSON and if I’m cooking a full chicken, I’m lucky to get a full week out of it.
Around Chapter 10 is when I made the realization that Josiah could be named Josie, swap the pronouns, and this is a heterosexual romance. And it might actually be more tolerable that way. I probably would have enjoyed the eventual sex scene as a pegging scene more…
My notes go a little wonky, but some other things I have written down:
The Pot Luck: Foam plates. Ick. It is far more cost effective for them to be paper, AND better for the environment.
Pg. 332: “young bull to pet”. WOW. NO. Absolutely not safe unless it is a BABY. Later on, this “bull” is named “Minnie Moo” and referred to as a “cow”. Either way: beef cattle are not for petting. They typically are very skittish around humans. If you want to pet a cow, find a dairy cow. They love people (…typically. They have personalities like any other animal).
I also have a note to “decide on the timeline”. Have Michael and Elmer been estranged for 15 years? 20 years? A decade? Make up your mind already. Use a literal calendar or a timeline software and figure it out because it is MADDENING. Josiah’s timeline is also wonky, but slightly more consistent. If the math works out, Josiah is roughly 28-29. Which makes more of this even more frustrating because he is an adult with life experience.
Around this time is also when I start having a VERY hard time with the dialog. Everything they say to each other is just so painfully awkward. It’s secondhand embarrassment just reading it.
After the “incident”, Michael begins calling Josiah “baby”, which feels very gross to me. And that whole thing is just…so. Much. Drama. I also note here that Elmer offers Josiah his bed (in the downstairs). Previously, when he moves into the trailer, it was mentioned that they have a guest room. And then, also, uh, Elmer’s upstairs bedroom –to which Michael says “take my bed, I’ll sleep in Dad’s”… What? Why? What difference does it make who sleeps in what bed?
There is a typo on p. 460; a missing question mark, where I believe Elmer asks “How’s Josiah doing?”
Pg. 537: After they (finally) bang, Josiah “throws his glasses to the end of the bed”. I don’t know about other eyeglass-wearing-folks, but I personally prefer to take mine off BEFORE we get too far into fooling around and I sure as hell don’t just throw them at the end of the bed. That’s a surefire way to get them knocked to the floor. He also mentions he’s “dealt with bruised ribs once before”, which is very inconsistent with the level of abuse he has apparently been subjected to. Which is just one more reason why I continue to find Josiah insufferable. And, continuing with the glasses problem, they are suddenly on the side table in the morning? Why not just put them there to begin?
Later on, I don’t find Seamus’s apology to be genuine. Like, at all. Like I said previously, I would almost read a Seamus redemption story. He has obviously dealt with some shit. And it is not uncommon for abusees to become abusers. I feel like this was more of a non-communicated kink, with D/s element. Does that make it okay? No, that makes it look really terrible for the kink community, and frankly I’m not here for that either.
So…over all. I wouldn’t suggest this book to literally anyone. Michael is slightly more tolerable than Josiah, and frankly if he'd been set up with anyone else it would have been fine. In fact, reading this, I almost thought Jackson had an interest in Josiah, so maybe there would be some kind of a dynamic there...but that never came to fruition (and honestly might have been more interesting). I am not a fan.
This is note to myself: DO NOT pick up anything by this author again. It just is not worth it and I’m sure she would greatly appreciate my not ripping her work apart to this extent (or worse) in the future.
Long story short, I did not like this book. I also reviewed the first book in this series an ARC and only rated it two stars. This was...worse. I wasn't sure that was even possible. I thought to myself, "How bad it could it possibly be?". Well, there was so much from the get-go that I took notes. So…if you’re reading this before getting started, be aware: spoilers abound here. Let’s start right at the top with Chapter One.
The author is repetitious immediately. Within the same paragraph, the author uses the phrase “doesn’t know what to call Seamus” –AND IT CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE BOOK that Josiah doesn’t know the appropriate label for him, their relationship (or lack of), and it’s just maddening. How about ask? Especially if you’re going to let the guy take advantage of you sexually?
I immediately did not like Josiah. He comes off as weak and complacent. Caring about people doesn’t make you either of those things, and that was the message I got. Later in the book, there is a discussion about how in abusive relationships, the abusee doesn’t “realize” it’s abuse until its too late. But…that doesn’t vibe with Josiah’s story AT ALL. He’s been alone since he was in his late teens. He’s done what he’s had to do for survival. I am not victim blaming (and I would never say this about or to an *actual person*), but…I have no sympathy for Josiah here. In fact, I KINDA want a redemption arc for Seamus. But more about him later.
Chapter Two, and Michael seems like a whiney asshole. When Seamus stops by and brings up the previous theft saying “nothing to do with what’s going on now”…that makes no sense. Elmer had a heart attack. Of COURSE it has nothing to do with the current circumstances. This is just really, really poor writing and storytelling.
There is also a lot of really crap stereotyping here. Like Michael’s diet and “not eating garbage”. Honey…I have two words for you and I’m resisting real hard from typing them out. 47 pages into this book and I wrote “I’m already exhausted”. I then have a note about Josiah’s glasses. FFS. It mentions Josiah having a “degenerative eye issue”, which IS NEVER MENTIONED EVER AGAIN, but just seems like an excuse to not introduce the guy to Zenni. Seriously. I buy glasses for less than $10. I had to get a storage box for all of them, and I am virtually blind without my glasses. Also, it seems like a really shitty thing to give a guy who already has a really crap background. Like, he can’t catch a break and he just gets more and more pathetic (and unlikable).
Chapters 3-5 and I started noticing all of the really unnecessary prose (“the meat thermometer in the chicken pleased him”…wtf?). The dialog is just ANNOYING and fake. So fake. No one talks like this, do they? Is it a Texan thing? I doubt it. Would it be less annoying in a southern/Texan accent? I doubt that too. Everything in these chapters is so overly dramatic and I hate Josiah more and more. The hold out on explaining his past is just…mind-numbingly annoying. It’s like reading an extremely long Vaguebook post.
There is also a line here that says Michael cut’s Elmer’s meat “as small as he dared without tempting the mans wrath”. Is this supposed to juxtapose against Josiah’s relationship with Seamus? Because if so…ew. Comparing them is really wrong on a variety of levels.
Chapter Six and on (because I really didn’t want to use more paper) I hate the assumption that small towns are full of homophobes. Like, c’mon. Not everyone knows or even cares.
On page 272 it says “Michael climbed out of the cab” when he arrives at Woods Ranch. …Michael doesn’t drive a truck, and it never states that he’s driving Elmer’s. Later, when Josiah buys a chicken and asks to put in the fridge, I have the note “How big is this chicken?” Like four people are getting a weeks’ worth meals out of it? I’m ONE PERSON and if I’m cooking a full chicken, I’m lucky to get a full week out of it.
Around Chapter 10 is when I made the realization that Josiah could be named Josie, swap the pronouns, and this is a heterosexual romance. And it might actually be more tolerable that way. I probably would have enjoyed the eventual sex scene as a pegging scene more…
My notes go a little wonky, but some other things I have written down:
The Pot Luck: Foam plates. Ick. It is far more cost effective for them to be paper, AND better for the environment.
Pg. 332: “young bull to pet”. WOW. NO. Absolutely not safe unless it is a BABY. Later on, this “bull” is named “Minnie Moo” and referred to as a “cow”. Either way: beef cattle are not for petting. They typically are very skittish around humans. If you want to pet a cow, find a dairy cow. They love people (…typically. They have personalities like any other animal).
I also have a note to “decide on the timeline”. Have Michael and Elmer been estranged for 15 years? 20 years? A decade? Make up your mind already. Use a literal calendar or a timeline software and figure it out because it is MADDENING. Josiah’s timeline is also wonky, but slightly more consistent. If the math works out, Josiah is roughly 28-29. Which makes more of this even more frustrating because he is an adult with life experience.
Around this time is also when I start having a VERY hard time with the dialog. Everything they say to each other is just so painfully awkward. It’s secondhand embarrassment just reading it.
After the “incident”, Michael begins calling Josiah “baby”, which feels very gross to me. And that whole thing is just…so. Much. Drama. I also note here that Elmer offers Josiah his bed (in the downstairs). Previously, when he moves into the trailer, it was mentioned that they have a guest room. And then, also, uh, Elmer’s upstairs bedroom –to which Michael says “take my bed, I’ll sleep in Dad’s”… What? Why? What difference does it make who sleeps in what bed?
There is a typo on p. 460; a missing question mark, where I believe Elmer asks “How’s Josiah doing?”
Pg. 537: After they (finally) bang, Josiah “throws his glasses to the end of the bed”. I don’t know about other eyeglass-wearing-folks, but I personally prefer to take mine off BEFORE we get too far into fooling around and I sure as hell don’t just throw them at the end of the bed. That’s a surefire way to get them knocked to the floor. He also mentions he’s “dealt with bruised ribs once before”, which is very inconsistent with the level of abuse he has apparently been subjected to. Which is just one more reason why I continue to find Josiah insufferable. And, continuing with the glasses problem, they are suddenly on the side table in the morning? Why not just put them there to begin?
Later on, I don’t find Seamus’s apology to be genuine. Like, at all. Like I said previously, I would almost read a Seamus redemption story. He has obviously dealt with some shit. And it is not uncommon for abusees to become abusers. I feel like this was more of a non-communicated kink, with D/s element. Does that make it okay? No, that makes it look really terrible for the kink community, and frankly I’m not here for that either.
So…over all. I wouldn’t suggest this book to literally anyone. Michael is slightly more tolerable than Josiah, and frankly if he'd been set up with anyone else it would have been fine. In fact, reading this, I almost thought Jackson had an interest in Josiah, so maybe there would be some kind of a dynamic there...but that never came to fruition (and honestly might have been more interesting). I am not a fan.
This is note to myself: DO NOT pick up anything by this author again. It just is not worth it and I’m sure she would greatly appreciate my not ripping her work apart to this extent (or worse) in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2025
The 2nd book in the Woods Ranch series - very different to the first. This one moved away from the 'coming out as gay/bi' story with the main two characters openly gay. I appreciated very much the content warning for the DV, as it was quite jarring at first, but necessary to the plot.
Michael is a likeable cowboy and is beautifully empathetic to troubled Josiah. I personally found the intimacy scene a little rushed, considering the trauma Josiah had suffered.
I always like series as it's nice to see characters from the first book. I listened to the audiobook but I found the quite feminine voice used for Josiah a little off putting.
I'll be interested to read/listen to more from this author.
Michael is a likeable cowboy and is beautifully empathetic to troubled Josiah. I personally found the intimacy scene a little rushed, considering the trauma Josiah had suffered.
I always like series as it's nice to see characters from the first book. I listened to the audiobook but I found the quite feminine voice used for Josiah a little off putting.
I'll be interested to read/listen to more from this author.
April 21, 2023
I liked it. The back and forth between Michael and Josiah was a delight. I loved seeing them handle their issues together
January 18, 2023
*Carina Press, while an imprint with HCvia Harlequin, is not on strike according to HC Union because the imprint is not eligible to join. This is why this review is being provided*
This was terrible, no way around it. The one star was for the random and non linear drama and angst, the harshness of homelessness, and the dog Rosco.
This was terrible, no way around it. The one star was for the random and non linear drama and angst, the harshness of homelessness, and the dog Rosco.
January 11, 2023
I really enjoyed the Clean Slate ranch series and looked forward to another cowboy series from AM Arthur.
Michael and Josiah have both been poorly treated by their partner. Michael now divorced from the man who cheated on him, then took most of his money and his dog! Josiah's is a lot more painful and follows on from years of hard living on the streets. Two men who deserve to catch a break and find that in each other, though with extreme caution especially on Josiah's side.
My heart went out to them both but Josiah's spirit is totally broken before meeting Michael and his father, Elmer, who Josiah is caring for after a stroke. They are friendly, welcoming and offer any help he might need which never comes free in Josiah's world. Michael is starting over in the home town he left twenty years ago with a father who he's barely spoken to in that time. Now he has the chance to look at a fresh start in his life whilst reconnecting with the things that matter.
The characters really take the time to at first build trust and a friendship ahead of anything else. It becomes apparent that Josiah's home situation is untenable which Michael, with his protective instincts, needs to help with but understands everything has to be Josiah's choice. I liked that part especially as he noticed and made sure that whatever happened was Josiah's decision, a thing that had been taken away from him. Both men's exes need to be kicked to the curb but both bring drama to the story that heightens tensions, even for a moment. It's also heartwarming to read Michael's relationship with his father and his home improve after the way things had been left between them, which is a slow reveal in the story.
I loved the sense of community that comes across between the Woods ranch and the MC's. Friendly and offering to help with anything they might need, even a late night phone call to pick some things up has everyone up and ready to go. I definitely need to go back and read book one of this series.
A really good slow burn, hurt/comfort romance that has a fair amount of drama with some trigger content warning but no events happen on page, it's all spoken about after the fact or in a round about way.
I received an ARC via NetGalley and am happily giving a review
Michael and Josiah have both been poorly treated by their partner. Michael now divorced from the man who cheated on him, then took most of his money and his dog! Josiah's is a lot more painful and follows on from years of hard living on the streets. Two men who deserve to catch a break and find that in each other, though with extreme caution especially on Josiah's side.
My heart went out to them both but Josiah's spirit is totally broken before meeting Michael and his father, Elmer, who Josiah is caring for after a stroke. They are friendly, welcoming and offer any help he might need which never comes free in Josiah's world. Michael is starting over in the home town he left twenty years ago with a father who he's barely spoken to in that time. Now he has the chance to look at a fresh start in his life whilst reconnecting with the things that matter.
The characters really take the time to at first build trust and a friendship ahead of anything else. It becomes apparent that Josiah's home situation is untenable which Michael, with his protective instincts, needs to help with but understands everything has to be Josiah's choice. I liked that part especially as he noticed and made sure that whatever happened was Josiah's decision, a thing that had been taken away from him. Both men's exes need to be kicked to the curb but both bring drama to the story that heightens tensions, even for a moment. It's also heartwarming to read Michael's relationship with his father and his home improve after the way things had been left between them, which is a slow reveal in the story.
I loved the sense of community that comes across between the Woods ranch and the MC's. Friendly and offering to help with anything they might need, even a late night phone call to pick some things up has everyone up and ready to go. I definitely need to go back and read book one of this series.
A really good slow burn, hurt/comfort romance that has a fair amount of drama with some trigger content warning but no events happen on page, it's all spoken about after the fact or in a round about way.
I received an ARC via NetGalley and am happily giving a review
August 21, 2022
Thank you to the author and publisher, Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin), for sharing an ARC of this book with me through NetGalley!!
Trigger Warning: sexual abuse, toxic relationship and traumatic experiences
“Josiah also wasn’t sure he needed better than what he had now … No matter what the cost to his physical and mental health”
A beautifully deep and complicated love story between two men, with a wonderful heart who were abused from their previous partners and finally find peace in each other’s arms.
This book was amazing !!!
I’m so glad I had the chance to read it!! It was a romance story with spice enough to make it entertaining but a great plot to keep you interested and focused on what was happening. I deeply appreciated the fact that the author took the time to set a trigger warning list, at the beginning of the book, because dealing with sexual abuse and toxic relationship may be triggering for a lot of people.
The characters were so good and the dynamics between the main couple were so sweet, they almost got me a toothache!!!
They both deserved happiness and peace they found and the ending really good !!!
“He could almost imagine Josiah on a horse, face titled up to the sunshine, enjoying the freedom of wandering the vast acres of the ranch … A freedom he hoped they both got to feel for a long time to come”
Trigger Warning: sexual abuse, toxic relationship and traumatic experiences
“Josiah also wasn’t sure he needed better than what he had now … No matter what the cost to his physical and mental health”
A beautifully deep and complicated love story between two men, with a wonderful heart who were abused from their previous partners and finally find peace in each other’s arms.
This book was amazing !!!
I’m so glad I had the chance to read it!! It was a romance story with spice enough to make it entertaining but a great plot to keep you interested and focused on what was happening. I deeply appreciated the fact that the author took the time to set a trigger warning list, at the beginning of the book, because dealing with sexual abuse and toxic relationship may be triggering for a lot of people.
The characters were so good and the dynamics between the main couple were so sweet, they almost got me a toothache!!!
They both deserved happiness and peace they found and the ending really good !!!
“He could almost imagine Josiah on a horse, face titled up to the sunshine, enjoying the freedom of wandering the vast acres of the ranch … A freedom he hoped they both got to feel for a long time to come”
October 22, 2022
3.5
I've read a few of A.M. Arthur's book, and I've always encountered the same issues with her books: I really adore the first half of it, but then, I start skimming because I suddenly get a bit bored.
"His Reluctant Cowboy" has a gorgeoursly angsty and sweetly lovely beginning: the story, the writing, the characters, were all fantastic and I was pleasantly surprised by how angsty it was. Nothing gets me going more than a good ol' hurt/comfort romance, featuring an even better "who hurt you" moment. I really adored the first half of the book, but then... I got bored. And a tiny bit annoyed.
A.M. Arthur is a really good writer, but I think her characters here lacked a bit of spark. Don't get me wrong, the leads were fantastic and the side characters even better, but I felt like something was missing, something, like snark or emotional depth or anything really, that made them stand out clearly. I also got a bit annoyed at how the sheriff was kinda turned into a "misunderstood and broken character that deserves sympathy", when in reality he's an abusive, horrific person who deserves jail time. I don't know if that was the author's intention, but I got that distinct feeling and it made me very uncomfortable.
On the other hand, the romance between the two leads was fantastic and sweet and lovely, and I also adored the setting: it was vividly described and I could clearly picture it in my head.
All in all, this WAS, regardless of my issues with it, an enjoyable read and I'm curious to see if there will be a third book, and who it will be about.
TW: domestic abuse.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I've read a few of A.M. Arthur's book, and I've always encountered the same issues with her books: I really adore the first half of it, but then, I start skimming because I suddenly get a bit bored.
"His Reluctant Cowboy" has a gorgeoursly angsty and sweetly lovely beginning: the story, the writing, the characters, were all fantastic and I was pleasantly surprised by how angsty it was. Nothing gets me going more than a good ol' hurt/comfort romance, featuring an even better "who hurt you" moment. I really adored the first half of the book, but then... I got bored. And a tiny bit annoyed.
A.M. Arthur is a really good writer, but I think her characters here lacked a bit of spark. Don't get me wrong, the leads were fantastic and the side characters even better, but I felt like something was missing, something, like snark or emotional depth or anything really, that made them stand out clearly. I also got a bit annoyed at how the sheriff was kinda turned into a "misunderstood and broken character that deserves sympathy", when in reality he's an abusive, horrific person who deserves jail time. I don't know if that was the author's intention, but I got that distinct feeling and it made me very uncomfortable.
On the other hand, the romance between the two leads was fantastic and sweet and lovely, and I also adored the setting: it was vividly described and I could clearly picture it in my head.
All in all, this WAS, regardless of my issues with it, an enjoyable read and I'm curious to see if there will be a third book, and who it will be about.
TW: domestic abuse.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2022
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I have received this book from NetGalley, Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin), and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review. The Pub date of the book is October 25, 2022.
I will post this review on my Goodreads, Facebook page and Instagram.
I liked it, but I didn't love it.
It was nice to have CW at the beginning of the book because it helped to understand what could come further in history.
I thought that because of the characters, the situation of the two might be something more mature and understandable, but there were several things that annoyed me in this story. Especially the line that didn't make sense to me.
I liked the characters on an individual level, but together it was complicated to believe in the chemistry of the two as one. Maybe it's just my point of view, but I couldn't understand much more than what little I understood.
I'm sure the author's message is there and not all books can have the desired rhythm. I kind of feel like I don’t have much to say about it because I didn’t really feel this story.
I want to continue reading the series, and more books by this author, given that I liked previous ones, but I think this was not the best of hers for me.
I will post this review on my Goodreads, Facebook page and Instagram.
I liked it, but I didn't love it.
It was nice to have CW at the beginning of the book because it helped to understand what could come further in history.
I thought that because of the characters, the situation of the two might be something more mature and understandable, but there were several things that annoyed me in this story. Especially the line that didn't make sense to me.
I liked the characters on an individual level, but together it was complicated to believe in the chemistry of the two as one. Maybe it's just my point of view, but I couldn't understand much more than what little I understood.
I'm sure the author's message is there and not all books can have the desired rhythm. I kind of feel like I don’t have much to say about it because I didn’t really feel this story.
I want to continue reading the series, and more books by this author, given that I liked previous ones, but I think this was not the best of hers for me.
October 25, 2022
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
His Reluctant Cowboy is the second book in the Woods Ranch series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone. This is a slow burn romance, as both Michael and Josiah have big trouble to overcome before they can trust new partners. Josiah has to get past his trauma, and it helps that Michael is so patient and kind, giving him the space he needs to recover, without demanding anything but good care for his dad. The sheriff is a bad man, but it’s a more nuanced story than ‘the bad guy gets his comeuppance,’ which was refreshing. Josiah isn’t a damsel in distress who swoons for his rescuer; he’s a wounded man who needs to learn to love himself and stand on his own for a time. Michael helps him do that while Michael sorts out his own issues. I loved how Michael also got some good karma intervening in his love life, his family life, and his professional life.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
His Reluctant Cowboy is the second book in the Woods Ranch series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone. This is a slow burn romance, as both Michael and Josiah have big trouble to overcome before they can trust new partners. Josiah has to get past his trauma, and it helps that Michael is so patient and kind, giving him the space he needs to recover, without demanding anything but good care for his dad. The sheriff is a bad man, but it’s a more nuanced story than ‘the bad guy gets his comeuppance,’ which was refreshing. Josiah isn’t a damsel in distress who swoons for his rescuer; he’s a wounded man who needs to learn to love himself and stand on his own for a time. Michael helps him do that while Michael sorts out his own issues. I loved how Michael also got some good karma intervening in his love life, his family life, and his professional life.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
October 26, 2022
I really have enjoyed the Woods Ranch world and this book gave me even more reasons to love it. It's difficult reading in the beginning, but true to life and not too graphic. Josiah is a home health care nurse who is also a roommate of the local county sheriff. The sheriff is deeply closeted and what no one knows is that he is in an abuser also in sexual relationship with Josiah.
Josiah accepts a position to help a recent elderly stroke victim and soon he meets the man's openly gay son, Michael. Michael is recovering from a recent difficult divorce and has lost most of his money. Michael left town twenty years before after a vicious argument with his father and the two have been loosely estranged ever since. Josiah and Michael feel an attraction for each other, but neither one is ready to act on it due to their hurt. Can these men overcome the odds to find a relationship and love each other? This book has it all - hurt, danger, healing, friendships, the cowboy life, and a love built on a solid foundation of trust and respect.
Josiah accepts a position to help a recent elderly stroke victim and soon he meets the man's openly gay son, Michael. Michael is recovering from a recent difficult divorce and has lost most of his money. Michael left town twenty years before after a vicious argument with his father and the two have been loosely estranged ever since. Josiah and Michael feel an attraction for each other, but neither one is ready to act on it due to their hurt. Can these men overcome the odds to find a relationship and love each other? This book has it all - hurt, danger, healing, friendships, the cowboy life, and a love built on a solid foundation of trust and respect.
October 23, 2022
This isn't my favourite Arthur title. It was much darker than usual. I know I have read previous books of hers that were tough reads, but generally these 'cowboy' stories have left much of the trauma off the page.
I was interested mostly in how she develops the villains here. There are two of them, and despite their despicable behaviour, by the end, readers are being asked to change our minds about them. Not sure how I feel about that.
But given his terrible past, I am happy to see Josiah in a safer place by the end. It's not a HEA which guarantees another book, so there's that.
There's a strange mixture of sweetness and spoiled fruit here, and I struggled a bit with the uneven tone. I trust that this author knows where this is all headed and that readers will ultimately be satisfied, so I will keep an eye out for more.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for advanced copy. His Reluctant Cowboy is out on October 25.
I was interested mostly in how she develops the villains here. There are two of them, and despite their despicable behaviour, by the end, readers are being asked to change our minds about them. Not sure how I feel about that.
But given his terrible past, I am happy to see Josiah in a safer place by the end. It's not a HEA which guarantees another book, so there's that.
There's a strange mixture of sweetness and spoiled fruit here, and I struggled a bit with the uneven tone. I trust that this author knows where this is all headed and that readers will ultimately be satisfied, so I will keep an eye out for more.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for advanced copy. His Reluctant Cowboy is out on October 25.
September 12, 2022
⭐️I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher.
Unfortunately, this was not my favorite couple from AM Arthur’s cowboy romance options. Very slow pacing. Not a lot was unpacked here. Issues were mentioned but we never really dug deep and explored any of their backstory. Just a lot of shuffling around for 2/3 of the book them BOOM we’re a couple now. 😏 I was left wanting when all was said and done. I am however still looking forward to what comes next in the series as historically I have enjoyed AMA’s writing and characters.
Unfortunately, this was not my favorite couple from AM Arthur’s cowboy romance options. Very slow pacing. Not a lot was unpacked here. Issues were mentioned but we never really dug deep and explored any of their backstory. Just a lot of shuffling around for 2/3 of the book them BOOM we’re a couple now. 😏 I was left wanting when all was said and done. I am however still looking forward to what comes next in the series as historically I have enjoyed AMA’s writing and characters.
Read
October 1, 2022Western, Contemporary Romance, Male/Male, Western Romance, Western Fiction, Gay
Miniseries
Woods Ranch (Book #2)
Miniseries
Woods Ranch (Book #2)
May 29, 2023
If an author is going to write a book centered around a rape plot, it should be reviewed by sensitivity readers and people who have been in those situations. If asking someone who’s been there makes the author uncomfortable out of fear of triggering them, then you shouldn’t be writing it. Let victims tell their own stories. Don’t make a mockery of them.
Everyone processes trauma differently, but for him to be able to be anywhere near his “ex” within weeks of the long-time abuse ending without him having a full scale mental breakdown… well, that’s just wishful thinking on the author’s part. Stop trying to romanticize rape as some sort of recovery plot if they “just find the right person.” I assure you, that person won’t fix anything, and the victim will have to work every single second of every single interaction to not listen to their paranoia and PTSD.
Trust is obliterated after being abused in any nature, but most especially rape—even more so when it’s someone you love.
There’s no actual steps toward recovery in this book, and he’s seemingly “magically” cured of what little PTSD he has when he picks up his ex from the hospital and “finally” has a “spine” when taking no bullshit. There’s no justice. No resolution. There are no real consequences for the abuser. There’s absolutely zero closure.
Books like these are part of the rape culture problem. It’s so inaccurate that it makes victims look “weak” for not being able to process their trauma and “move on.” It makes them look “neurotic” because here’s this character that’s been sexually abused and raped nearly his entire life, but hey, a few weeks with a sweet man treating him “right” was able to “fix” him and allow him to find confidence.
It’s not enough to give a character some basic traits of anxiety toward the *thought* of them seeing their abuser and for them to be afraid of being touched—or flinching at raised voices/sudden movements. That’s literally the bare minimum. PTSD strikes hard, strikes out of nowhere—even 10 years later—and it takes you to your knees. Anything and nothing at all can trigger it, and there isn’t PTSD in this book so much as basic responses to triggers. His reactions should’ve been far more severe than they actually were.
Everyone processes trauma differently, but for him to be able to be anywhere near his “ex” within weeks of the long-time abuse ending without him having a full scale mental breakdown… well, that’s just wishful thinking on the author’s part. Stop trying to romanticize rape as some sort of recovery plot if they “just find the right person.” I assure you, that person won’t fix anything, and the victim will have to work every single second of every single interaction to not listen to their paranoia and PTSD.
Trust is obliterated after being abused in any nature, but most especially rape—even more so when it’s someone you love.
There’s no actual steps toward recovery in this book, and he’s seemingly “magically” cured of what little PTSD he has when he picks up his ex from the hospital and “finally” has a “spine” when taking no bullshit. There’s no justice. No resolution. There are no real consequences for the abuser. There’s absolutely zero closure.
Books like these are part of the rape culture problem. It’s so inaccurate that it makes victims look “weak” for not being able to process their trauma and “move on.” It makes them look “neurotic” because here’s this character that’s been sexually abused and raped nearly his entire life, but hey, a few weeks with a sweet man treating him “right” was able to “fix” him and allow him to find confidence.
It’s not enough to give a character some basic traits of anxiety toward the *thought* of them seeing their abuser and for them to be afraid of being touched—or flinching at raised voices/sudden movements. That’s literally the bare minimum. PTSD strikes hard, strikes out of nowhere—even 10 years later—and it takes you to your knees. Anything and nothing at all can trigger it, and there isn’t PTSD in this book so much as basic responses to triggers. His reactions should’ve been far more severe than they actually were.
July 21, 2023
Normally, I wouldn't give a book a 1 star rating because that is a pleasure I reserve for the books I don't bother to finish, but I kept going with this one because it was just SO BAD that I couldn't help but get curious about how low it could actually go in terms of sucking.
This book is a great example of a white woman writing incredibly harmful M/M romance. For starters, one of the main characters is in an abusive relationship that feels SUPER heterosexual. Gay men experience physical abuse as well, but it would have been helpful to see how nuanced it is given heteronormative ideas of what we perceive of domestic violence and intimate partner violence should be. I didn't come away from this being any wiser or understanding of intimate partner violence as it pertains to gay man, and that is a lost opportunity that falls squarely on the shoulders of the author.
On top of this, that same MC is also a victim of sex trafficking, past homelessness and being a young runaway after being kicked out of the house by his homophobic parents. This is a serious issue in the LGBTQ+ community, and I feel like it just wasn't handled with the delicacy and dignity it deserves. After all this character has been through, he just gets to start up a new, healthy sexual relationship with none of the healing and harsh realities of what it means to move on from trauma. In the end, Josiah feels like a caricature of all the horrible things that can happen to a young gay man with a happily ever after slapped onto the end because he's certainly suffered enough and "deserves" one.
If you're interested in seeing how m/m romance hurts the LGBTQ+ at large, read this book. It contains wonderful examples that bring shame over the genre as a whole. It serves as an amazing example of a horrible book.
This book is a great example of a white woman writing incredibly harmful M/M romance. For starters, one of the main characters is in an abusive relationship that feels SUPER heterosexual. Gay men experience physical abuse as well, but it would have been helpful to see how nuanced it is given heteronormative ideas of what we perceive of domestic violence and intimate partner violence should be. I didn't come away from this being any wiser or understanding of intimate partner violence as it pertains to gay man, and that is a lost opportunity that falls squarely on the shoulders of the author.
On top of this, that same MC is also a victim of sex trafficking, past homelessness and being a young runaway after being kicked out of the house by his homophobic parents. This is a serious issue in the LGBTQ+ community, and I feel like it just wasn't handled with the delicacy and dignity it deserves. After all this character has been through, he just gets to start up a new, healthy sexual relationship with none of the healing and harsh realities of what it means to move on from trauma. In the end, Josiah feels like a caricature of all the horrible things that can happen to a young gay man with a happily ever after slapped onto the end because he's certainly suffered enough and "deserves" one.
If you're interested in seeing how m/m romance hurts the LGBTQ+ at large, read this book. It contains wonderful examples that bring shame over the genre as a whole. It serves as an amazing example of a horrible book.
September 14, 2022
This is definitely not my favorite series by the author. I enjoyed Clean Slate Ranch and even the older series, All Saints, Much like my review of book 1, this book also seemed to drag. And once again, we get a HFN instead of a HEA. The epilogue, if you can even call it that, takes place just a few days after the final chapter. That's not an epilogue, that's simply another chapter. Epilogues provide some closure or updates to the couple in the future, or they setup a future story about different characters. That was frustrating as a reader to reach the end, only to be disappointed by the lack of movement in the relationship of Michael and Josiah. Hearing how they celebrated Thanksgiving 3 days after the previous chapter was not adequate enough.
Josiah has had A LOT of bad luck in life. Like, over-the-top bad. His parents died in a terrible accident. He was homeless while his parents were still alive and continued to be homeless for years after their death. He traded sexual favors to stay alive, lived on the streets and basically did what he had to do to survive. It sucked. Then he moves in with an abusive jerk. So the 'series of unfortunate events' continue for Josiah. His saving grace comes when he gets a job caring for Elmer, Michael's dad who had a stroke.
Michael is also down on his luck. He's broke, divorced and now back in his hometown caring for his estranged dad (20 years estranged). But things begin to change for him after he comes back and for the better at that.
Michael and Josiah are obviously attracted to one another, but with Josiah's past trauma, I wasn't sure how their relationship would evolve. They did eventually go from acquaintances to friends to lovers, but it was a slooooow transition. Then when they finally take that next step, it's wonderful, but the author gives us just that one time. That seems very different from previous books and was honestly a bit disappointing. We needed some steam given all the depressing subject matter. It would have made their relationship seem like it was progressing instead of just staying stagnant.
Elmer was a character we met in the first book and I was happy to see him have a big role in this book. I liked the old man.
I'm interested to see what happens with Seamus. That was definitely surprising. I mean I still hate the guy, but I guess even he deserves happiness...eventually.
I really hope the rest of the series improves. I want to like the town (although they are incredibly homophobic and judgmental) and I really want to love the cast of characters, but so far it's been a letdown from the excitement of Clean Slate Ranch.
Side note: I hated the cover model for this book. If that's supposed to represent Michael, it's so far off the mark. Michael is a city boy (who grew up on a ranch) and is a software developer. The guy on the cover looks like he's nearing 50 and a hateful man to boot with that expression.
Josiah has had A LOT of bad luck in life. Like, over-the-top bad. His parents died in a terrible accident. He was homeless while his parents were still alive and continued to be homeless for years after their death. He traded sexual favors to stay alive, lived on the streets and basically did what he had to do to survive. It sucked. Then he moves in with an abusive jerk. So the 'series of unfortunate events' continue for Josiah. His saving grace comes when he gets a job caring for Elmer, Michael's dad who had a stroke.
Michael is also down on his luck. He's broke, divorced and now back in his hometown caring for his estranged dad (20 years estranged). But things begin to change for him after he comes back and for the better at that.
Michael and Josiah are obviously attracted to one another, but with Josiah's past trauma, I wasn't sure how their relationship would evolve. They did eventually go from acquaintances to friends to lovers, but it was a slooooow transition. Then when they finally take that next step, it's wonderful, but the author gives us just that one time. That seems very different from previous books and was honestly a bit disappointing. We needed some steam given all the depressing subject matter. It would have made their relationship seem like it was progressing instead of just staying stagnant.
Elmer was a character we met in the first book and I was happy to see him have a big role in this book. I liked the old man.
I'm interested to see what happens with Seamus. That was definitely surprising. I mean I still hate the guy, but I guess even he deserves happiness...eventually.
I really hope the rest of the series improves. I want to like the town (although they are incredibly homophobic and judgmental) and I really want to love the cast of characters, but so far it's been a letdown from the excitement of Clean Slate Ranch.
Side note: I hated the cover model for this book. If that's supposed to represent Michael, it's so far off the mark. Michael is a city boy (who grew up on a ranch) and is a software developer. The guy on the cover looks like he's nearing 50 and a hateful man to boot with that expression.
November 10, 2022
This is a good hurt/comfort story that hits you right in the heart. I really enjoyed reading this story.
September 27, 2022
This was a slow-burn romance, normally I'm not a fan of slow-burn, but due to the trauma experienced by Josiah, anything else would not have been realistic.
In book 1 His Fresh Start Cowboy, we met Elmer (a secondary character), a grumpy man who is estranged from his son but has a good heart. In His Reluctant Cowboy, Elmer becomes one of three main characters and we get to know him really well. After having a stroke his estranged son Michael comes home to help care for him. Michael has just been through the end of a relationship, one that didn't end well and is looking for a new start, the opportunity to come home after 2 decades away and possibly reconnect with his dad is perfect timing. I really felt for these two characters, they'd suffered a huge loss which instead of drawing them together pushed them apart and I was saddened for all the time they had lost. I really liked seeing them slowly reconnect and build something new between them. I thought the author handled Elmer's stroke recovery really well, portraying what Elmer was going through with his loss of independence in a realistic way, and also how Michael felt having to care for his dad in ways a son doesn't expect to.
Josiah, oh poor Josiah he had been through one traumatic experience after another and his latest 'relationship' with the local sheriff has wiped him of his confidence and belief in himself and scared to trust anyone because his experience tells him no one helps without wanting something in return. What a horrible person the sheriff was, and finding out what he'd been through just made what he did to Josiah even worse. Josiah was a wonderful nursing assistant and his care for Elmer was so genuine, and the friendship the two formed was one of family rather than carer and patient. I liked seeing Josiah heal and bloom through his relationships with Michael and Elmer.
I loved the connection that grew slowly between Michael and Josiah, I understood that each needed time to learn to trust again and appreciated how Michael gave Josiah the chance to decide where he wanted their relationship to go and how fast while reassuring him all the time and supporting him fully. Both men had their pasts to deal with and I liked that they communicated well with each other, opening up and not allowing for misunderstandings to take hold.
I liked that we got to catch up with the Woods family, I wish I had friends and neighbours as supportive as they were.
Please take note of the trigger warnings in this novel.
I'm looking forward to more in this series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Carina Press for a digital copy in return for an honest review.
In book 1 His Fresh Start Cowboy, we met Elmer (a secondary character), a grumpy man who is estranged from his son but has a good heart. In His Reluctant Cowboy, Elmer becomes one of three main characters and we get to know him really well. After having a stroke his estranged son Michael comes home to help care for him. Michael has just been through the end of a relationship, one that didn't end well and is looking for a new start, the opportunity to come home after 2 decades away and possibly reconnect with his dad is perfect timing. I really felt for these two characters, they'd suffered a huge loss which instead of drawing them together pushed them apart and I was saddened for all the time they had lost. I really liked seeing them slowly reconnect and build something new between them. I thought the author handled Elmer's stroke recovery really well, portraying what Elmer was going through with his loss of independence in a realistic way, and also how Michael felt having to care for his dad in ways a son doesn't expect to.
Josiah, oh poor Josiah he had been through one traumatic experience after another and his latest 'relationship' with the local sheriff has wiped him of his confidence and belief in himself and scared to trust anyone because his experience tells him no one helps without wanting something in return. What a horrible person the sheriff was, and finding out what he'd been through just made what he did to Josiah even worse. Josiah was a wonderful nursing assistant and his care for Elmer was so genuine, and the friendship the two formed was one of family rather than carer and patient. I liked seeing Josiah heal and bloom through his relationships with Michael and Elmer.
I loved the connection that grew slowly between Michael and Josiah, I understood that each needed time to learn to trust again and appreciated how Michael gave Josiah the chance to decide where he wanted their relationship to go and how fast while reassuring him all the time and supporting him fully. Both men had their pasts to deal with and I liked that they communicated well with each other, opening up and not allowing for misunderstandings to take hold.
I liked that we got to catch up with the Woods family, I wish I had friends and neighbours as supportive as they were.
Please take note of the trigger warnings in this novel.
I'm looking forward to more in this series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Carina Press for a digital copy in return for an honest review.
October 24, 2022
It's been a minute since I got to read some of AM Arthur's cowboys. I missed them.
This is book 2, but you don't have to read book 1. In fact, I kind of like that they are basically 2 new characters. We met Josiah briefly in book 1, but he wasn't one of the guys working at Woods Ranch. And Michael is back in town to help his estranged father after he had a stroke. His estranged father we also met in book 1. Elmer, the metal sculpture artist who rented out his trailer.
Both of these guys are broken. Michael's brand new ex husband weasled him out of a lot of money, his business and his patent. Josiah is in a relationship that is a secret, but they live together and he is being abused.
This led to a nice, slow burn between them. The attraction is immediate and obvious, but they are both wary. Partly because Josiah is Michael's dad's home nurse. But partly because of what they each just got out of.
Josiah just broke my heart. He is one of those people that just keeps having crappy things happen to. To be honest, a few too many tragic things. He seemed to have a permanent black cloud. What I assumed about what had happened to him wasn't even close.
The Big Fight that strained the relationship between Elmer and Michael was also a bit...anticlimatic. Not that the trauma that caused the fight wasn't exactly that- trauma. But these two men should have mended fences long ago. I think because we also met Elmer previously, we know he is a good guy. So Michael being mad at him for something 20 years ago just didn't seem right.
I did appreciate how gentle Michael was with Josiah, even before he knew everything that has happened to him. But I wished he would have stopped Josiah from doing things around the house. That isn't part of being a home nurse. But he cooked and cleaned everyday. Breakfast and lunch for Elmer? ok. But having dinner in the crockpot for Elmer and Michael just seemed a little much.
You could see the coming conflict toward the end from a mile away. I could have made a list that would have been checked off.
I don't not like the story. I did. But I think Elmer deserved more grace from Michael. Michael should have been WAY more angry at his ex and everyone should have noticed what was going on with Josiah. They went from the slowest of slow burns to moving in together.
And not for nothin, but the Woods family is a little too good. Silly, but still.
This is book 2, but you don't have to read book 1. In fact, I kind of like that they are basically 2 new characters. We met Josiah briefly in book 1, but he wasn't one of the guys working at Woods Ranch. And Michael is back in town to help his estranged father after he had a stroke. His estranged father we also met in book 1. Elmer, the metal sculpture artist who rented out his trailer.
Both of these guys are broken. Michael's brand new ex husband weasled him out of a lot of money, his business and his patent. Josiah is in a relationship that is a secret, but they live together and he is being abused.
This led to a nice, slow burn between them. The attraction is immediate and obvious, but they are both wary. Partly because Josiah is Michael's dad's home nurse. But partly because of what they each just got out of.
Josiah just broke my heart. He is one of those people that just keeps having crappy things happen to. To be honest, a few too many tragic things. He seemed to have a permanent black cloud. What I assumed about what had happened to him wasn't even close.
The Big Fight that strained the relationship between Elmer and Michael was also a bit...anticlimatic. Not that the trauma that caused the fight wasn't exactly that- trauma. But these two men should have mended fences long ago. I think because we also met Elmer previously, we know he is a good guy. So Michael being mad at him for something 20 years ago just didn't seem right.
I did appreciate how gentle Michael was with Josiah, even before he knew everything that has happened to him. But I wished he would have stopped Josiah from doing things around the house. That isn't part of being a home nurse. But he cooked and cleaned everyday. Breakfast and lunch for Elmer? ok. But having dinner in the crockpot for Elmer and Michael just seemed a little much.
You could see the coming conflict toward the end from a mile away. I could have made a list that would have been checked off.
I don't not like the story. I did. But I think Elmer deserved more grace from Michael. Michael should have been WAY more angry at his ex and everyone should have noticed what was going on with Josiah. They went from the slowest of slow burns to moving in together.
And not for nothin, but the Woods family is a little too good. Silly, but still.
August 15, 2022
This book is the second in a series, again it wasn't a series I was familiar with but looked forward to picking it up.
Michael returns to his home town after 20 years due to his father suffering a stroke. The timing is bittersweet for Michael as he is adrift in his life, having split from his husband, after his husband moved onto a brighter shinier prospect, taking Michael's money and a fair portion of his dignity. Michael seizes the opportunity to mend his relationship with his father, and luckily picks up a job at a neighbouring ranch, that happens to be run by a group of like-minded, and spirited men who welcome Michael into the fold.
Josiah is a nurse Michael hires to care for his father. We learn Josiah has a history of trauma and experiences intimate partner violence at the hands of his (not outed) boyfriend, who is the local sheriff. When Josiah has nowhere to go after being assaulted by the sheriff, Michael and his father offer a safe haven. Gradually, the couple spend more time together, and catch feelings .....
The bright and warm moments in this book are counterbalanced by the foreboding, and sense of unease that can accompany stories about intimate partner violence. Josiah's story is heartbreaking, and his circumstances are depicted so vividly. Where the story for me is a little underwhelming, is in the sexual relationship. I'm thinking the intention with their sexual interaction was to give Josiah back his power, but I'm not sure if it worked for the story. I'll be interested to hear other's opinions in that regard.
Michael was a great character, and his father was similarly great. Gentle and caring, it made me wonder about the whether the 'rift' between them was sufficient to result in their not maintaining contact for such a long period.
Definitely glad to read this one, and I'm looking forward to more books in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a gifted copy of this book to read and review.
3.5 stars
Michael returns to his home town after 20 years due to his father suffering a stroke. The timing is bittersweet for Michael as he is adrift in his life, having split from his husband, after his husband moved onto a brighter shinier prospect, taking Michael's money and a fair portion of his dignity. Michael seizes the opportunity to mend his relationship with his father, and luckily picks up a job at a neighbouring ranch, that happens to be run by a group of like-minded, and spirited men who welcome Michael into the fold.
Josiah is a nurse Michael hires to care for his father. We learn Josiah has a history of trauma and experiences intimate partner violence at the hands of his (not outed) boyfriend, who is the local sheriff. When Josiah has nowhere to go after being assaulted by the sheriff, Michael and his father offer a safe haven. Gradually, the couple spend more time together, and catch feelings .....
The bright and warm moments in this book are counterbalanced by the foreboding, and sense of unease that can accompany stories about intimate partner violence. Josiah's story is heartbreaking, and his circumstances are depicted so vividly. Where the story for me is a little underwhelming, is in the sexual relationship. I'm thinking the intention with their sexual interaction was to give Josiah back his power, but I'm not sure if it worked for the story. I'll be interested to hear other's opinions in that regard.
Michael was a great character, and his father was similarly great. Gentle and caring, it made me wonder about the whether the 'rift' between them was sufficient to result in their not maintaining contact for such a long period.
Definitely glad to read this one, and I'm looking forward to more books in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a gifted copy of this book to read and review.
3.5 stars
October 28, 2022
I am so happy that A.M. Arthur is continuing this series. I fell in love with both Michael and Josiah and hoped that they truly found their way into each other’s lives. They were both sweet and kind and deserved a happily-ever-after.
Josiah wasn’t out. Well, he wasn’t allowed to be out by his current lover. You can’t be out when your lover is a pubic figure and public homophobe. And, an abuser. All he wants to do is help people. He’s had a hard life and is hiding who he is from everyone. Until he meets Michael and sees how life can be with the support of family and a little self-confidence.
Michael lost everything that he worked so hard for. He was used by the man who he thought he would spend the rest of his life with. Returning to Weston to be with his father was not what he was expecting or looking forward to. There was a rift that he is going to have to mend and wasn’t sure if that door would be open for him to walk through. He’ll do what he has to to get his father back on his feet including giving up his Tech career to cowboy again. Circumstances has him reevaluating his life, his goals and his love. It’s time to forgive and forget … it’s time to move forward and not live in the past … it’s time to find his true love.
I have to commend A.M. Arthur on her character building and story-telling abilities. I am never disappointed that I didn’t understand something or where the character was coming from. She’s a master of giving her readers a complete and compelling story. His Reluctant Cowboy was no different. It had a little bit of everything in it .. some suspense, a couple of laughs, a whole lot of love. I love how she brought Michael and Josiah together and kept them together. I love the support Michael had from his father and the men at Woods Ranch who also turned out to support Josiah as well … to his surprise. From Clean Slate Ranch to Woods Ranch, A. M. Arthur has brought us another amazing story.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Josiah wasn’t out. Well, he wasn’t allowed to be out by his current lover. You can’t be out when your lover is a pubic figure and public homophobe. And, an abuser. All he wants to do is help people. He’s had a hard life and is hiding who he is from everyone. Until he meets Michael and sees how life can be with the support of family and a little self-confidence.
Michael lost everything that he worked so hard for. He was used by the man who he thought he would spend the rest of his life with. Returning to Weston to be with his father was not what he was expecting or looking forward to. There was a rift that he is going to have to mend and wasn’t sure if that door would be open for him to walk through. He’ll do what he has to to get his father back on his feet including giving up his Tech career to cowboy again. Circumstances has him reevaluating his life, his goals and his love. It’s time to forgive and forget … it’s time to move forward and not live in the past … it’s time to find his true love.
I have to commend A.M. Arthur on her character building and story-telling abilities. I am never disappointed that I didn’t understand something or where the character was coming from. She’s a master of giving her readers a complete and compelling story. His Reluctant Cowboy was no different. It had a little bit of everything in it .. some suspense, a couple of laughs, a whole lot of love. I love how she brought Michael and Josiah together and kept them together. I love the support Michael had from his father and the men at Woods Ranch who also turned out to support Josiah as well … to his surprise. From Clean Slate Ranch to Woods Ranch, A. M. Arthur has brought us another amazing story.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
August 3, 2023
FIRST AND FOREMOST: MIND THE CONTENT WARNINGS FOR THIS BOOK. THERE IS EXPLICIT SA AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON THE PAGE. Take care of yourselves.
The first book in this series was good but this one was a million times better. The story was well developed, the characters were so lovable, and the stories of the previous book and current characters blended together so well. It felt like a lot more care and time was put into the plot this time, which was my biggest complaint with the last book. This is especially important, seeing as a lot of the subject matter is very delicate and needed to be dealt with appropriately. I loved the way this developed, though and I was literally living my best life the whole time I read it. Is it the deepest novel of all time? No. But as I’ve discussed before, THAT IS NOT WHAT WE’RE HERE FOR.
I did, however, get some whiplash when it came to the ending with the sheriff. That was very hastily wrapped up for something so serious. So I would have liked to have seen a little bit more of that whole situation because it felt a lot like an afterthought, means to an end situation. BUT, clearly it wasn’t that big of a deal because it’s still a five star read for me.
I will also note that Arthur’s books kind of scream angsty fanfiction vibes, which is, for me, a pro. But if that’s not your cup of tea, bear in mind that this is chock full of the dramatic, “I love my characters so much that I want to put them through HELL just so they can comfort each other through it” kind of angst that I see most often in fanfiction.
Anyway, onto the next.
The first book in this series was good but this one was a million times better. The story was well developed, the characters were so lovable, and the stories of the previous book and current characters blended together so well. It felt like a lot more care and time was put into the plot this time, which was my biggest complaint with the last book. This is especially important, seeing as a lot of the subject matter is very delicate and needed to be dealt with appropriately. I loved the way this developed, though and I was literally living my best life the whole time I read it. Is it the deepest novel of all time? No. But as I’ve discussed before, THAT IS NOT WHAT WE’RE HERE FOR.
I did, however, get some whiplash when it came to the ending with the sheriff. That was very hastily wrapped up for something so serious. So I would have liked to have seen a little bit more of that whole situation because it felt a lot like an afterthought, means to an end situation. BUT, clearly it wasn’t that big of a deal because it’s still a five star read for me.
I will also note that Arthur’s books kind of scream angsty fanfiction vibes, which is, for me, a pro. But if that’s not your cup of tea, bear in mind that this is chock full of the dramatic, “I love my characters so much that I want to put them through HELL just so they can comfort each other through it” kind of angst that I see most often in fanfiction.
Anyway, onto the next.
October 25, 2022
Audiobook review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5
I loved the audiobook.
I've read some of the other reviews for this book and was a bit surprised at how harsh some of them are. My experience/opinion is vastly different and that may be due to the fact that I listened to the audiobook rather than reading with my eyes.
I love listening to Michael Dean and I thought he did a wonderful job with the story. Maybe because I listened to it, I didn't notice any of the issues that other reviewers mentioned. I thought the MCs were interesting. They both had issues but they meshed well together.
Josiah is being abused in his current relationship when he agrees to be a private nurse for Michael’s father. Michael suspects that something is wrong but doesn’t call him on it at first. Michael left home several years ago after an argument with his father. He became very successful in the tech world and then was betrayed by his now ex-husband.
I could feel the connection between Josiah and Michael and I thought it was wonderful how caring Michael was with Josiah. This was pretty much a slow-burn romance and I do enjoy those from time-to-time.
I liked that the bad guy – Josiah’s ex – kind of got what was coming to him. I’m not sure if he could ever be redeemed or not.
I’m enjoying this series and I’m looking forward to reading the next one.
A review copy of the audiobook was provided to me at my request by the publisher and a copy of the ebook was provided via NetGalley. My review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5
I loved the audiobook.
I've read some of the other reviews for this book and was a bit surprised at how harsh some of them are. My experience/opinion is vastly different and that may be due to the fact that I listened to the audiobook rather than reading with my eyes.
I love listening to Michael Dean and I thought he did a wonderful job with the story. Maybe because I listened to it, I didn't notice any of the issues that other reviewers mentioned. I thought the MCs were interesting. They both had issues but they meshed well together.
Josiah is being abused in his current relationship when he agrees to be a private nurse for Michael’s father. Michael suspects that something is wrong but doesn’t call him on it at first. Michael left home several years ago after an argument with his father. He became very successful in the tech world and then was betrayed by his now ex-husband.
I could feel the connection between Josiah and Michael and I thought it was wonderful how caring Michael was with Josiah. This was pretty much a slow-burn romance and I do enjoy those from time-to-time.
I liked that the bad guy – Josiah’s ex – kind of got what was coming to him. I’m not sure if he could ever be redeemed or not.
I’m enjoying this series and I’m looking forward to reading the next one.
A review copy of the audiobook was provided to me at my request by the publisher and a copy of the ebook was provided via NetGalley. My review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.
February 5, 2025
This started out ok but by the end I did not like this at all. Likable characters with good chemistry but there was waaay too much trauma. Death of a parent, parent with health issues, cheating spouse, homelessness, sexual assault (off page), financial insecurity, abuse, violence. Though most of this is not described in detail, it was still too much. Also the abuse storyline line is really poorly handled. And there are several characters that could really use therapy and other mental health services but mental health is never mentioned. Also problematic that the romance seems to magically make everyone’s traumas disappear. And yet the romance gets very few pages in the book and the book ends kind of abruptly. The characters are pretty sugary sweet with each other - their dialogue was not natural or believable. And there’s a lot of instances of characters describing how they feel in their inner monologues rather than the story revealing that through their words and actions.
tl;dr: this was trauma p0rn with an insensitive approach to abuse and a pretty good romance plot line that was diminished by all the over the top drama. If you do read, heed the trigger warnings!
tl;dr: this was trauma p0rn with an insensitive approach to abuse and a pretty good romance plot line that was diminished by all the over the top drama. If you do read, heed the trigger warnings!
June 30, 2024
A slow burn, but a fast read. As with other AM Arthur books this one had beautiful characters you want to love and protect; a setting you wish you could step into; a sweet, patient romance; and a plot with drama but not *too much* drama.
This one did veer a bit more serious and heavy than some others in this series/the Clean Slate Ranch series, but it was handled quite well.
Looking forward to reading the next one.
This one did veer a bit more serious and heavy than some others in this series/the Clean Slate Ranch series, but it was handled quite well.
Looking forward to reading the next one.
December 4, 2024
I enjoyed most of this book really well.
I enjoyed the well done depiction of DA and the trauma it causes on someone. And I enjoyed the relationship and how they took it slowly to make sure the other felt comfortable.
What I did not like was the “change of heart” the abuser had. It felt like we were supposed to empathise with him because he also had been abused in a past relationship and that was why he did it to one of the main characters?! I think that’s just bullshit.
Triggers for DA and nonconsensual sex off page outside of the main relationship
I enjoyed the well done depiction of DA and the trauma it causes on someone. And I enjoyed the relationship and how they took it slowly to make sure the other felt comfortable.
What I did not like was the “change of heart” the abuser had. It felt like we were supposed to empathise with him because he also had been abused in a past relationship and that was why he did it to one of the main characters?! I think that’s just bullshit.
Triggers for DA and nonconsensual sex off page outside of the main relationship
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