The storyline drew me in from the beginning with an unexpected plot twist since the book opens in Kandahar, Afghanistan with Katya as a female medic. Due to an injury she sustains there while in the army she’s sent home to heal. Not having a good home life with her parents we learn about her childhood and her beloved Grand. Watching her deal with her post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is reflected realistically and as her support system dwindles we see her torn about how best to heal to return to fulfill her remaining Army stint. When she gets hired as a physical therapist with a rodeo sports medicine team I can feel her emotions – raw, trying to learn the ropes of the rodeo and bull riding, trying to put her PTSD behind her even though every loud noise or bright light has her freezing, throwing herself to the ground, etc. and afraid to get attached to anyone or show them who she really is. Seeing the walls she surrounds herself with so no one gets too close crumble only endeared her to me more especially when her true self is revealed. Enter the cowboys and other medics and her interactions with them were real. She and the aging Cam who is set to retire after this year’s finals didn’t get off on the right foot but each was harboring their own secrets and demons and it was nice to see them begin to connect, rely on each other and watch it become more. Throughout I could see her taking one step forward towards healing and two steps back and Cam sometimes did the same with his feelings. Seeing him with his family was eye opening for Katya especially when she realizes what she’s missed out on and what she may never have.

I enjoy books with cowboys front and center and this one was enjoyable but there was a lot more to it than just the rodeo and bull riding. There were lots of emotions, cowboys, injuries, treatments, travels from town to town, friends, family, laughter, dreams met, hopes dashed, tears and a war being waged by Katya both in the US and back with her Army “family” in Kandahar. There was romance and love and a happily ever after. Seeing how Cam and Katya were helping each other to heal was heartwarming especially when neither seemed to realize what was happening between them. The descriptions of the bull rides, the land, and the buckle bunnies all made me feel like I was there.

There was closure, especially with the inclusion of the press releases at the end, but the story ended too abruptly for me. A few more chapters would have been nice. I was disappointed that although this is the third book in the series it really is a stand alone book. I prefer when a series really has connections to people, places and events that have been in the other books but all in all it was an enjoyable and quick read!

I look forward to reading more of Drake’s books since so far I’ve enjoyed the ones that I’ve read.