So this is actually the first book in this series that I've read. I didn't feel lost at all though it was clear that the established couples already had their stories. Definitely going back to read their books.
This book follows Reyes, cowboy on the Clean Slate ranch, and Miles, new chef at the new local ghost town. Both many are wary of relationships and focusing on friendship is a good way for the new cabin mates to start.
Both men have dark moments in their history, Miles' is more recent with his stalking ex, and it can make for a little hard reading but it just endeared me to them more. A.M. Arthur is fantastic at drawing you into the characters lives, feeling connected to them and all that is going on. The highs, lows and in-betweens are engaging, completely pulling the readers along for the ride.
The attraction that both men experience simmers nicely and even with both men having their own reasons for not wanting to have a relationship, it's hard to resist when they could be the one.
What is great is that we still get to engage with characters from the previous books and though I haven't read those (yet!) I still felt as if I knew them because I was connecting with them through Reyes and Miles.
The setting for the story is beautifully written. I was imagining myself right there under a starlit sky as they went on a camp out on the ranch. The ghost town sounds like an amazing place to visit, it's clear that all of the people that are involved really get a huge sense of enjoyment out of working there and taking part.
Highly recommend the book and A.M. Arthur's work.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and am happily giving a review

This one was a bit of a slow starter for me. To be fair, I haven't read the first two books in the series, so I was a bit lost on some of the backstory at times. That aside, other than a couple of hints at danger from an obsessive ex, the first half of the book was slow going. The second half did pick up the pace, but there was a lot of drama from both Miles and Reyes. That drama is understandable and the story touches on dark subject matter, but with so many hints at where things were going, it wasn't hard to figure out the gist of the secrets both men kept. I did like the patience Reyes showed with Miles even before he knew what had happened to him. He was both tender and understanding. I don't want to give spoilers, so I'll just say that Miles' behavior later in the book was a bit of a turn off for me given everything that had happened to that point. It felt like drama for the sake of drama and didn't really fit with the relationship. Nevertheless, this pair does have good chemistry and their relationship is a mix of sweet and sexy once it gets started. I would say that anyone who has followed the series to this point would probably have a better connection to the secondary characters as there are things going on that revolve around them. As it stands, I didn't dislike the story, but it was a bit too slow in the beginning for my tastes.

Miles and Reyes get their HEA!

Saddle Up is book 3 in the Clean Slate Ranch series but it also stands alone well. I think this is my favorite of the series books. It really got me in the feels departments. The story touches on some pretty heavy subject matter (non-consent in someone's past and something else that would be a spoiler) but never in a gratuitous way.

We met Miles in book one and you could just tell that there was something going on by the way he acted and now we get to find out in Saddle Up. He ends up being a much stronger person than I would have guessed from his earlier appearance in the series.

Reyes was also a quiet character in the first two books and now we find out why he is that way. Something truly awful in his past threatens his budding relationship with Miles. It's something that he's never even told his best friend, Mack.

I loved how we get to see Miles grow and become a strong person in this book. While Reyes loves to take care of Miles he's also proud of how strong he's become and how he is able to handle a nasty ex-boyfriend.

When Miles finally learns Reyes secret things take a bad turn but this is a romance and it's "part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!"

I wouldn't mind visiting Clean Slate Ranch again, and again, and again. 😊

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

I really liked Saddle Up, but there are a couple of things I wished… My heart broke for these two, but I really wish that they felt like they could trust the people closest to them. Of course, that would have lessoned the conflict in the story… *sigh*

Miles was a lot stronger than he thought he was and a lot of that strength came from his friends. I love that about this series and since they’re all so close and supportive, readers get to spend time with all of them.

Reyes is even more closed off than Miles, but with good reason. At least in his eyes. He’s lived with the secrets he holds close for a long time. Because of those secrets, he doesn’t think he’s worthy of anyone’s love, much less Miles’.

There was more drama going on at Clean Slate Ranch than just the tension between Miles and Reyes that kept the pages turning. Saddle Up was a great addition to this series.

Saddle Up is the third book in the Clean Slate Ranch series. While I really loved the first, Wild Trail, I wasn’t as enthusiastic about Roped In. Regardless, I was pretty sure I was going to love Saddle Up – based on the characters it was going to focus on – and I was right! These books can be read out of order, as each one focuses on a new couple, but reading them in order might provide a better understanding of the ranch and secondary characters. Plus, both Reyes and Miles are in previous books – they just get their own story in Saddle Up.

From previous books, readers know that Miles has had some issues with an ex boyfriend but the full details aren’t revealed until Saddle Up. It’s so easy to feel bad for Miles – he’s such a good guy who just wants to have a simple life, but his ex keeps him in an almost constant state of anxiety. When he decides to move to Clean Slate Ranch, he reconnects with Reyes, who is very protective of Miles. He’s also attracted to the man, but he knows that Miles isn’t ready for anything to happen so he keeps a respectable distance and is simply there for Miles as his friend.

I loved both Miles and Reyes so much. It was heartbreaking to hear all that Miles had gone through, and how he didn’t really feel like he could tell anyone. I loved that Reyes was there for Miles but he wasn’t pushy about his feelings, even knowing that Miles liked him back. There is a bit of an age-gap here – Reyes is older than Miles – but Miles is very mature and has gone through a lot in his young life, so it wasn’t anything that was really touched on in the book.

Now, the biggest mystery in the book surrounds Reyes. He has a secret that he’s never even told his best friends, and it’s something from his past that he’s just devastated about. He seems to believe he doesn’t deserve love, but he can’t stay away from Miles, even know that Miles might leave him when he finds out. The secret is shocking, but it also made me love the man that Reyes became. However, my biggest problem is probably that the reader doesn’t really get to see Miles and Reyes working through this “issue” in their relationship, and it’s a big deal! Regardless, I still gave this one four stars and I’m curious who will be the focus in book four (there better be a book four!)

Since this is my first read of this series, I do not have a standard to go on. So, flying blind, this is my first meeting of all of the character's.

This installment is about character's Miles and Reyes. I found them likable, and enjoyed the their falling in love story. Miles has had a bit of a rough past, and my heart ached for him and the pain and suffering he had endured at the hands of an ex.

At first I was unsure about Reyes. but he eventually grew on me. He definitely loved Miles fiercely.

All in all, a decent read with likable character's and a good story.

saddle up continues the clean slate ranch series, and finally tells us miles and reyes's story. from the earlier books, wild trail and roped in we know that both miles and reyes are carrying around bad things from their pasts. how they overcome them and find their way to each other is the heart of this story.

one of the things i found so refreshing about this, is that from the beginning both miles and reyes are honest about their interest and attraction to one another. the issues between them are more about timing, than anything else. miles has been dealing with a cycle of abuse that being at the clean slate ranch is finally helping him break. he needs to find his way to solid ground before opening his heart of someone.

reyes cherishes the ground miles walks on. there is nothing he wouldn't do for the other man. but there is this dark secret that weighs him down. and until he can actually open himself up to the people who matter most to him, there's no way that he can move on from that. i will say this, his secret is bad. but his culpability in the events of the past was negligible. yes, he didn't intervene in a situation he knew was wrong. but he was a scared teenager who had every right to think that his intervention could have been a death sentence. i'm not saying he is absolved of everything. and i understood why miles felt like his image of reyes as a safe space was rocked. but i also felt like miles would have also understood that reyes wasn't to blame for what happened. he's not innocent, but he's not guilty either.

i don't know. maybe i'm being too lenient? maybe i should be as outraged as miles and wes are? i was horrified, but i also felt and understood reyes's terror. i understood why he felt guilty, but i also didn't think that all the blame rested on him.

in spite of that dark moment, this was an enjoyable entry in the clean slate series. and while this closes out the stories for the three main friends, mack, colt and reyes, i can see a future for the series with characters like robin and ernie and shawn.

**saddle up will publish on september 17, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press in exchange for my honest review.

Book three of A.M. Arthur's Clean Slate Ranch series, "Saddle Up" picks up where "Roped In" left off, with the Bentley Ghost Town attraction about to open and everyone working hard to make it a success. This includes Wes Bentley's best friend, Miles, who has been talked into becoming the town's chef by his extremely pushy BFF. Miles ends up rooming with quiet, sexy Reyes Caldero, the ranch hand he's been secretly crushing on for months. But Miles isn't ready for a relationship and his abusive ex isn't ready to let go. Luckily, Reyes is patient and willing to give Miles all the time he needs. But will Miles be as understanding when Reyes's past comes calling? 4/5 stars.

I’ve been waiting impatiently to get my hands on A.M. Arthur’s Saddle Up, and it delivered. If you’re on the lookout for a contemporary m/m western, I recommend you start with this series!

I gobbled this one down! Reyes Caldero came to the Clean Slate Ranch a while back, but he keeps his past close to the chest. The only person who has come close to breaking down his walls is all kinds of wrong—but oh, so right!

Miles Arlington has a stalker ex, and he needs out of San Francisco. An opportunity working at a ghost town is just what he needs. But he’s rooming with a man who gets his libido running for the first time in too long. Can he trust the newfound feelings?

There’s so much character development, especially on Miles’s part that it just kept me flipping pages. Miles is shier and he has gone through hell. He needs to heal, but he also needs someone to make him feel safe and alive again. I was rooting for him from the beginning. And Reyes is so sweet, too. He gives Miles space to just be…and oh my gosh, it hit me in the feels. But Reyes has one big ole secret of his own.

This was a roller coaster of a read, but I’d go through it all over again. There are some pretty dark moments for Miles so beware there are content warnings for sexual assault, stalking and rape. There is also mention of suicide.

If you’re looking for a tale that grabs you and has you invested in two people and their journey to healing, you’ll find this book fits the ticket.

4.5 stars!

Cowboys are my thing.  Seriously.  I don't know if I watched too many westerns as a kid or because I grew up in what was once the Old West, but it's true.  So, when I spotted Saddle Up, I had to read it.  Bonus: Miles is a chef, something else that interests me.  

Miles was probably my favorite of the two main characters.  I could relate a lot to his love of cooking and turning it into a career by accident.  Not that that's how my life went but because it was what I had once wanted to do.  He has a rough past and is desperate for a new start.  And if that new start happens to have the sexy cowboy Reyes Caldero in it?  All the better.  Miles is charming and strong, even when he doesn't think he is.  That he's able to cope with everything happening around him is amazing.  

Reyes really is the perfect match for Miles.  He's older, more experienced, and has dealt with his own catastrophes, giving him unique insight into how to help Miles get through his own.  That, and having experienced first hand the reason why Miles is fleeing his home for Clean Slate, he's already aware of part of Miles' troubles.  

The interactions between Miles and Reyes were sweet and fun and it's obvious that they care for each other, even if neither is willing to make that first move.  But that's okay, I prefer my romances that way.  Take that time to get to know each other before you land in bed.  The thing that bothered me were the secrets each man was holding onto.  Miles not telling Reyes makes some sense because he was running for his life, essentially.  It was real and present and current.  However, Reyes holding on to his secret, beating himself up over it, and declaring himself unfit to be loved was rather annoying.  He'd been a frightened kid when it happened and had no control over what had occurred.  I do undestand why he was worried, why he carried that guilt, but I do not understand why it made him push Miles away like he did.  That said, I loved the entire premise of the story.  The ghost town reminded me so much of my visit to Tombstone, AZ, that I felt like I was there.  I hadn't realized there were two other books in this series.  Now, I need to pick them both up to find out how Mack and Wes got together.  

4/5

*thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an advance copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

WOW. I think that this one is my favorite in the series! I just LOVED reading about Miles and Reyes falling in love with each other. This had a bit of a slow burn (I don't think they kissed until somewhere between the 50-55% mark of the book) and I just adored them! I loved how Reyes was just completely in love with him, and willing to settle as being just Miles' friend rather than not have him in his life. Little bit of an age gap (I think 10 years) but that's not a big deal for either of them.

Both Miles and Reyes have had a tough past, and neither one of them wants to talk about it. They work on building a relationship in the present, still knowing that the past needs to be discussed before things blow up. And things kinda do blow up. I loved that Miles just didn't forgive and forget what Reyes told him, that he thought about it logically before knowing that he still loved Reyes.

I also loved getting to see so much of Will and Mack and Avery and Colt in this, and I love the sense of family that is through this book now that Mack and Colt have been able to move past their shared history. This place is home for them all, and I love the world here at the Clean Slate Ranch. Definitely my favorite in the series, and I can't wait for more - I hope there's more! I'm kinda not sure who the next one would be about, but I'm hoping for a repeat visit with this group at the ranch.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I’m going to preface this review with the fact I went into this book not knowing it was part of a continuing miniseries. While it does a decent job of standing alone plot wise, I think quite a few of my “issues” with the read had to do with things related to it being part of a series I wasn’t previously invested in. I might not have perceived certain items as problematic if I had an attachment to the side characters and their world already.



That being said, let’s dive in, shall we? This week, I read Saddle Up by A.M. Arthur. It’s part of the Clean Slate Ranch miniseries from Carina Press. Ms. Arthur is a well-established and successful author, with books from Carina, Dreamspinner Press, SMP Swerve, and Briggs-King Books.



Our two heroes are Miles and Reyes, and I will admit, I adored both of them. Ms. Arthur certainly does a good job of building broken men, and their backstories were unique and heart wrenching. I was rooting for them from the get-go to get together, and the development of their relationship was satisfying and far from insta-love (a personal pet peeve, so yay!)



There were quite a few side characters—almost to the point of overwhelming, considering I was just meeting all of them—and I had a hard time at first getting settled into the story because so many names kept flying my way. There was also a significant amount of info dumping, especially at the beginning, that I gather had to do with previous plot lines from prior novels in the series. I could have done without pretty much all of that, as it had little if anything to do with the present story, and really bogged things down. The beginning dragged, and I think the biggest reason for that was because so much of it was dedicated to backstory.



I’m also going to be brutal here and say, aside from the excessive exposition at the beginning, I also think the story itself started in the wrong place. The main characters don’t even get on page together until maybe 15% into the book. Again, most of that 15% was dedicated to backstory and minor scenes with little to no importance. Anything we learned during that time would have been much better interwoven in an organic fashion throughout the novel rather than shoved rather heavy-handedly down our throats right out of the gate. Again, perhaps if I had a prior connection with these characters, I wouldn’t feel as I do.



Another thing that struck me as odd—and might have something to do with the series I can’t relate to as a first time reader—was the introduction of a third POV around the 20% mark. Mack, who is Reyes’ best friend and Miles’ best friend’s boyfriend, made a sudden and jarring appearance… with no apparent purpose. Nothing we learned from his very brief scene needed to come from him (any and all of it could have come from either of the main POV characters) and wound up being just another opportunity to info dump. Then, he showed up twice more (for a grand total of only three occurrences) with barely a page or two to his name each time.



Not one of the three times his POV appears does anything happen of any great import. None of it needed to come from him and, in fact, could very easily be removed entirely from the book and not a thing would be missing. This was one of the most glaringly confusing things about this story, and it made me wonder: does Mack make appearances in all the novels as a POV character? Does it serve a specific purpose I don’t understand because I haven’t read the rest of the series? Who knows. Maybe. But it was disconcerting and bizarre either way.



My final “gripe” has to do with the black moment and its resolution. I’m not going to go into detail, because I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say this: There were some seriously overblown reactions and an unsatisfactory resolution. Then, just, bam, happily ever after and it’s over.



But… aside from that, I did enjoy the read, which is really all that matters, right? I’m approaching this from a writer’s perspective, so I’m watching out for things most readers don’t even know to look for. (I remember those blissful days when I was a clueless reader who didn’t understand the mechanics of good writing and storytelling… writerly knowledge has ruined more than a few of my favorite books, trust me.)



Ms. Arthur does a beautiful job at world building, and the side characters—while overwhelming in sheer number at first—were unique and did add quite a bit to the story as a whole. There was an agreeable amount of natural conflict throughout the book; the main romance arc (until the end) was well done and believable; and the characters are well fleshed out.



Overall, this really was a pleasant read. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of A.M. Arthur, but also to anyone who enjoys m/m romance and might be looking for a light read with quirky, sexy, and adorable leads.



Saddle Up is available for pre-order or can be purchased for immediate enjoyment on or after its release date, September 17th, 2018!



Until next time,

E💕

*I RECEIVED AN ARC OF THIS NOVEL VIA NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

3.5 Stars Book 3 in the Clean Slate Ranch series, Saddle Up brings us Miles and Reyes. I enjoyed this story the character interaction was engaging and made for a good afternoon read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Carina Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really love Clean Slate Ranch. It's one of my absolute favorite MM Romance series, and it just works for me.

I've been waiting for two books now to get to Miles story, and the hints dropped since book one proved true as Miles and Reyes finally got their day in the sun, and it was chock full of heartache, struggle, and two broken people find their missing pieces together.

I don't want to spoil the story, but if you're a fan of N.R. Walker's Red Dirt Heart, this series should be on your to-read pile. Add it, and get to it as soon as you can, because you'll love this ranch where people come to start over, find their way, and make a new life.

great story just very slow paced for me. the struggles this couple go through break my heart but they overcome so much together.

A little long, and a little too much inner "processing" IMO. However, Saddle Up is a touching, sweet and steamy M/M romance with a believable story arc and a nicely wrapped up ending that wasn't preachy or trite.

I’m enjoying this Clean Slate Ranch series that so far has featured love matches for three young men who were friends in San Francisco—two in law enforcement, one a fireman. A series of accidents and heartbreaking injuries and the death of a friend sent them north to work on Mack’s grandfather’s ranch. In book three, it’s Reyes Caldero’s turn to finally find love and happiness and he finds it with Miles Arlington, Mack’s lover Wes’s bestie. Complicated? Not really, but it does show that the book is best read after reading the first two since the characters are intertwined.

Miles takes a job as chef for the newly created ghost-town attraction that Mack is starting on a plot of land surrounded by the main ranch. Wes has talked him into it but Miles is really going because his former abusive lover, Dallas, is back and threatening to ruin the peace of mind Miles has nurtured over the past year away from him.

Reyes is tall, dark, handsome and a former firefighter. He’s stepped into Mack’s role of foreman of the ranch now that Mack is devoting all his time to making the ghost town a success. He and Miles are assigned to bunk together and though they’ve previously met, they finally get a chance to really know one another. And though a romantic attraction develops over the course of time, neither is ready to jump into anything—especially Miles who never told anyone about being sexually abused last year.

The story is fairly long, and it’s the perfect kind of slow burn romance I enjoy. Each man has ghosts to deal with and each needs to learn to trust the other before they can act on their attraction—maybe Miles more so than Reyes, but the author allows time for both the main storyline and several subplots to develop.

Dallas, meanwhile, has set out to find and then harass Miles from a distance, and he refuses to back off. I was pretty happy with the action in this adventure romance and very surprised at what occurs near the end of the story.

I had never read this author before this series, but I’m definitely coming back for more. There’s a sense of family, friendship, trust, and support throughout this story and the secondary characters were as well-rounded as the two MCs. Thoroughly enjoyable, I definitely recommend this to lovers of MM romance, especially if you’d like a little Western flavor to your romance.

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5



Reyes Caldero keeps his past buried deep and his emotions buried deeper. But what he doesn’t say he always makes up for with his actions. When the hot chef he once saved from an abusive ex turns up at Clean Slate Ranch, the quiet cowboy is happy to act on their sizzling chemistry, even if he’s not ready to share his secrets—or his heart.

Miles Arlington needs to get the hell out of San Francisco, and heading north for a job near Clean Slate Ranch seems like just the thing. It doesn’t hurt that his secret crush slash onetime rescuer happens to work at the ranch. Miles has never been one for the outdoors, but the superhot Reyes has him ready to saddle up.

Reyes is happy to keep things casual, even though his heart has other ideas. And when Miles is forced to confront his past again, Reyes and Miles will have to put all their trust in each other if they want any chance at building a future together.

Saddle Up by A.M. Arthur is part of the Clean Slate Ranch series, one I haven't read. However, I didn't feel that diminished my enjoyment in reading the third book in the series where several of the couples were well established.  Arthur gave enough of their back history and the universe for this series that I felt that I knew some of the relationships not to feel that there were holes in the story or overall fabric of the group dynamics.

A.M. Arthur does broken men so very well and Reyes and Miles are no exception.  Each man is both running from their pasts. Reyes from his gang member teenage years and a horrific, brutal crime that he has kept his deepest secret secret.  Miles from his abusive, possessive ex-boyfriend and a night he can't remember, an ex-boyfriend who won't leave him alone. Both have come to Clean Slate Ranch for second chances.  Reyes as the head cowboy at the ranch and Miles under a new name as the head chef at the Saloon at the Ghost Town they have just opened up.

Assigned to bunk in together, both fight their attraction to each other while fighting their own demons.  Miles his fear and Reyes his anger, a combustible combination.  I liked how Miles slowly found his footing through creativity through his food, the Ghost Town's history, and of course, the horses.  Helping him is Reyes, falling in love even though Mile's isn't in any emotional condition to handle it.

I liked their romance.  And perhaps, this is where not reading the other stories does hurt, but Reyes' anger issues threw up red flags for me where Miles was concerned.  For someone coming off of a controlling, stalker abusive ex, to then have a older man wanting to "protect" him showing huge flashes of barely in control anger?  Uh, maybe not.

It does come out later on in the revelations in Reyes' back history...still you do have to wonder.  Fear and anger/fight and flight can be two sides of the same coin but that doesn't necessarily mean they belong in the same relationship.

I loved the elements with the horses, appreciated how they became part of Mile's adjustment and more, part of Mile's finding himself.  I could also have done with more of the Ghost Town and it's merry group of workers, including Mile's partner in the kitchen.

The drama with Geoff clearly showed me that perhaps I should go back and read the previous stories as I do enjoy this author's writing.  More to add to my TBR list!

There was a suspenseful ending along with the wonderful HEA, almost a too quick HEA. I think I would have settled for a HFN with all that went on in this novel.  So many trials and tribulations, so many emotional upheavals and adjustments, that this ending almost felt to unrealistic.  Sweet, romantic, and lovely.  But unrealistic.

If you love A.M.Arthur, are a fan of this series, or just adore broken man and their road to HEA, then this is a story for you.



Cover art seems almost right for Reyes but that figure is too muscular for Miles, that stance too combative.  Would work great for another story however.

Miles comes to the Clean Slate Ranch to start over. His ex boyfriend turned stalker has him terrified. He leaves everything he knows to try and make a new life at the ranch, becoming the cook at the ghost town. His new job has him sharing a room with Reyes. The beautiful hero who once helped him.

Reyes is not sure how he will share a space with the man he is very interested in. He knows he can't be honest with his feelings. When Miles tells him he only wants friendship Reyes is willing to live with that for the time being.

Both men have crippling secrets which control their daily lives. A few steps forward, a few steps back, slowly coming together. Until the secrets split them apart.

This was an okay book. I never was really invested in these characters. To much angst and second guessing. The secondary players were just as engaging as in the previous books though.

Saddle Up is the third book in the Clean Slate Ranch series, and this is my first introduction to this author. I don't get a chance to read too much gay romances very often, but I have been itching to read more diverse reads which include those in the LGBTQ community and I saw this one available on Netgalley and I was so thrilled to be accepted to review this one. I just love a good western and with some sexy male love....BRING IT!! I first want to say that this book was AMAZING, so much better than I ever imagined, and I will say that this won't be the last time that I pick this author up, I was so intrigued by the idea of the Clean Slate Ranch and even though I started at the "end" of the series, I was still able to enjoy this one since you can read it as a stand alone, alone from seeing the other couples, I definitely want to grab up books one and two. The character that we find in this story was so endearing and just thinking about them just makes me smile, I love how close knit their ties of friendship are with each other.

So our fun story begins when with one of our main characters Miles. Miles is a chef and currently works in a restaurant in California, but he is being stalked by his ex boyfriend, Dallas. Now Miles has some serious issues with his ex boyfriend who was very manipulative and abusive and Miles suspects that he raped him a couple of times. Because of how Dallas has treated Miles, Miles is more reserved and a bit shy. He doesn't feel too comfortable around men, and when his friend Wes convinces him to move to Clean Slate Ranch, to have a fresh start where Dallas can't reach to him and he would be the head chef in their saloon restaurant. And Miles knows that this is what he needs and he knows his roommate...Reyes who protective him once from Dallas.

Reyes, has his own torment that he deals with in his life, and he hasn't ever found anyone that he would want to be in a relationship with. Reyes, has a dark past. He turned rebellious as a teenager, hoping to get attention from parents that ignored him, and turned to drugs and a gang but then something horrible happened and changed his life forever and he vowed from then on to only do good in his life. He became a firefighter, but lost a friend in a fire and damaged his legs which brought him to the Ranch which has brought him a semblance of peace but his past still haunts him.

When Miles comes to the ranch, there is a strong attraction between Reyes and Miles, but Reyes knows about Dallas and that Miles is trying to get over the abuse he suffered and offers his hand in friendship. Miles wants Reyes more than anything, but there is a part of him that is terrified, but at the same time he is intrigued and feels excitement around Reyes, a kind of thrill he has never felt before. They take it slow for a while, go riding together, camping out under the stars and just being comfortable together. But much to Reyes shock, Miles makes the first move in the relationship and boy I loved that. We see how much he is tormented by his ex, so I really liked seeing him get stronger every day and make active moves in the relationship.

Their romance was so heartfelt, there were so many poignant moments that took my breath away, these small moments just breathes life into this story. We see them go from good friends to lovers, plus a slow burn romance and you get one full belly satisfying romance that will curl you from head to toe. I just wanted to do a little dance with every move these two made in their relationship. They are both damaged from their pasts, and it was so provoking seeing them move past their struggles, be open and honest with each other and find peace in each other and of course passion....and LOVE!!!

The sex scenes in this story were pretty hot....but not too hot. I really admired the way that this author wrote the sex scenes, they were so informative but also sensual and with just the right emotion mixed in to create some elegant love scenes that I just wanted more of. Each of these intimate moments that build between Reyes and Miles just added to their romance step by step. I really don't think I have read such a diverse read that filled me up with so much emotion. It's a story that will fill you with pleasure, learning to overcome abuse and rising above the ashes of your past to conquer the demons of the present to savor your future. It's a love tale that will give you all those happy feels and has such an intense yet tender feel that will bring you to tears and smiles!!