Cajun rodeo star Easton Faucheaux is fighting to reclaim his bull-riding glory, despite a recent injury, unsettling arena incidents, and a complicated attraction to his best friend, Royal Guérin. As the rodeo finals approach, both men wrestle with hidden feelings, mounting dangers, and supernatural mysteries, until they’re forced to confront their secrets in a high-stakes battle for survival on multiple levels.

So the actual description makes this book sound more mystery! paranormal! exciting! but this description is better because it’s truer - the book is mostly about the romance. To such an extent that I spent most of this book thinking, “well this is pretty good, but I was promised paranormal mystery action stuff”. Finally, I decided that the notes of New Orleans Voodoo that we were getting was as paranormal as we were going to get (which I’m fine with, but just tell me that). Except I was wrong then too, because in the last handful of chapters, all the paranormal mystery stuff I was missing from the rest of the book gets cranked up to eleven.

I like books that surprise me, but this one just can’t decide if it wants to be a romance, a book about voodoo or bull riding or about paranormal mystery with ghosts and things. In the end, the only one it does feasibly well is the romance but even that is colored by the ending that comes out of left field. In the end this was ….. the kind of wild ride that just makes me tired.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hot Tree Publishing for a copy of this book. This review is honest and my own.

2.5 stars rounded up. This was an okay book. Not the best, not the worst. I never really felt connected to the plot (which I found fairly thin) or characters. The friends to lovers aspect was pretty cute and that's about it. It's a quick read if you're in the mood for that trope.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

I really enjoyed the romance aspect of this book. I am a bit disappointed that there wasn’t more to the demon/paranormal aspect. The end felt very rushed. I’m not sure if there is going to be a book two but maybe since it didn’t feel like it was finished. Parts of the book felt rushed and I would’ve loved more background on characters.

Lort, what did I just read?

This book was a conundrum. Too much and not enough at the same time. We have Cajun dialect, a crap ton of dialogue, soooo much rodeo jargon, gay panic, and it feels like it’s trying to be like Brokeback Mountain, just without the plot.

I think if it were a bit longer and developed it could have worked for me but as it is, it’s just not a right fit. 3 stars because the author at least deserves a neutral rating.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.

This one didn't really work for me. There seemed to be a bit too much going on. Most of it didn't make sense together for me.

**4-Star Review of *Demon Rodeo* by Genevive Chamblee**

*Demon Rodeo* by Genevive Chamblee is a captivating and unique story that blends the high-stakes world of rodeo with a dash of supernatural mystery. The novel centers on Easton Faucheaux, a Cajun bull rider determined to win another championship, despite facing several daunting challenges—an unhealed injury, strange occurrences in the arena, and his growing feelings for his best friend and rival, Royal Guérin.

Easton’s struggle is compelling, as he battles not only physical and professional hurdles but also the emotional turmoil of falling for Royal. The tension between them is palpable, and Chamblee does a great job of portraying the complexities of their relationship. The dynamic between Easton and Royal adds depth to the story, making their journey both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

Royal, with his own set of issues and hidden feelings, is a well-crafted character who complements Easton perfectly. The challenges they face, from mysterious happenings at the rodeo to the internal battle of whether to reveal their feelings, keep the reader engaged throughout.

The supernatural elements, while intriguing, sometimes feel a bit underdeveloped, leaving readers wanting more explanation or connection to the main plot. However, they do add an interesting twist to the story, setting *Demon Rodeo* apart from other romance novels.

Overall, *Demon Rodeo* is a gripping and enjoyable read with strong characters, a compelling romance, and a unique setting. While it might leave some questions unanswered, the emotional journey of Easton and Royal makes it a memorable and satisfying story. If you enjoy a mix of romance, competition, and a touch of the supernatural, this book is definitely worth a read.
#NetGalley #DemonRodeo

Boy did I have high hopes for this book. Paranormal M/M Cajun bull riders sounded like a fun time.
However, it read like the author had a whole bunch of ideas and just threw them into one book because YOLO.
I’m sure this will scratch someone’s itch but it left me scratching my head.

I couldn't finish this one due to the distracting language. Too florid and difficult to follow. Is there an actual demon? I couldn't tell. The sex wasn't that great either. It's a no from me.

This book, was wild. Like, when I tell you that you can at no point know where the story will go, I'm not lying. It's described as a paranormal MM cowboy romance. But it's like, I dunno. It's confusing. So many plot points and none are fully fleshed out. I would say the bull riding is the biggest plot point, next to the gay romance, and the paranormal aspect being the next. There are also several side plots. I was so confused most of the book, but also wildly entertained. I laughed, and was thoroughly entertained.

This is the first book in a new paranormal sports romance based series. The books can be read independently, but there may be some overlap between them.

This adult romance follows Easton and Royal, Cajun bull riders, and lifelong friends.

I loved the rodeo setting of this book. I grew up watching local rodeos and always enjoyed them. It was great to read about them from the standpoint of the competition. The tension and attraction between Easton and Royal was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher/author for this copy of the book.

While I did enjoy the storyline of DR, I felt like while the story dragged on a bit, and we weren't able to see more of their relationship before it ended. I would have liked to see how it was handled within the association and the outcome of it. I don't think this story was really for me, but I do think other readers may enjoy this.

Hoo boy. It is like pummeling myself with hammers to try and care about a sports romance, but I wanted to give this a go. I thought that if anything could make me enjoy the genre, it would be something gay.

The machismo and desperation to cling to it is definitely something. It's not my taste, but I understand its intention in this book... even though it feels a little outdated. We also go from "cowboys are never gay and even though I love to look at my bff's lips, neither am I!" to "the sound of my bff's voice makes me nut" within the span of one POV chapter and, like, 10 in-world minutes.

There's almost too much going on here. There's bull riding, there's major injuries, there's gay panic, there's demons - and not only are you learning bull riding jargon as you go, but a bunch of scettershot Cajun and Creole French as well. This might all work if the book itself had a more drawn out, cohesive plot, where these aspects had individual time to shine, but in its current form it just feels like everything and the kitchen sink.

There's also so much dialogue. Like, sooo much. Which can be great, but often it feels like characters are popped in on the fly just to hear the main two protagonists yap. So you can see what good people they are. At times it can feel trite and borderline lazy, like no character work has to happen if you're privy to a hundred conversations that are happening.

This wasn't really my cup of tea, but if you like sports romances that are a little cheesy and a lot yappy, it might be for you.

Intensely captivating! Demon rodeo dives deep into the rugged world of bull riding, with a hero whose struggles and passions pull at your heartstrings. The writing is raw and powerful, capturing the adrenaline and danger of the sport while delving into the emotional battles of the characters. The chemistry between the leads is electric, filled with tension and longing that kept me hooked. It's a rollercoaster of emotions, perfectly blending grit and romance.

Thanks for letting me have a copy of this book.

It was an interesting read. I enjoyed the dive into Lousianan culture. I LOVED the characters. Roy and East own my heart - they're some damn cute. I enjoyed that you really got a sense of how the characters feelings - like how East came to the realisation that he was gay. I would recommend this book to people who love a cowboy romance.

I feel like the paranormal aspect could have had a deeper entanglement throughout the story but it was still enjoyable.

Also, all I want is an epilogue. I crave an epilogue - who won? How did the world react to their relationship? Is it really a relationship - they've said I love you but I need more!!!

Again, thank you for letting me read - I'll definitely be reading more!

I was given an eARC of this book by NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review and, unfortunately, my honest opinion is that I did not like this book.

I did not get what I wanted or was expecting out of this read. The blurb and even cover sold me a "paranormal sports romance", I therefore find it fair on my part to imagine that most of the chapters would center around actual bullriding, competition and ghosts with the romance supporting it all. It was wrong of me to assume, I guess.

In all of it's 281 pages Easton rides a bull twice and the paranormal plotline is both developped and wrapped up in the span of three chapters. I understand now that Demon Rodeo is, above all, a romance novel. However I cannot help but feel a little lied too.

The writing style was also not for me, especially in the dialogues. I am certain that the constant wit and idioms/jokes that the characters throw at one another will be most entertaining to some, but I found it to be too much and often even disruptive to the flow of the story.

So all in all, yes I did not like this book, but my opinion is only one out of many. If everything I have mentionned does not bother you and you are tempted to read a romance with a background rodeo scenario and ghosts popping up once in a while, go for it! This is your book :)

First of all thanks to NetGalley and Genevieve Shamble for the Advanced Reader Copy of Demon Rodeo.

Before this book I didn't know the author and it's amazing. I enjoyed every chapter. This book is now one of my favorites. Since chapter one I couldn't put it down. The mystery got me hooked.

Talking about the plot, it's so well developed which for me is very important, and the characters are amazing. The relationship between Royal and Easton? Chef kiss. I really liked their story development throughout the story. If I have to choose, Royal is my favorite.

If you are someone who enjoys reading paranormal books with romance, but if you just added to it a bull rider competition with forbidden relationship to the mix, the result if this amazing story that you didn't know you needed.

4.5 ⭐
This is my first book from the author, and surely it won’t be the last. The story was really good and engaging, I just kept reading. I loved the writing and the characters. I really loved the Easton and Royal relationship, and their dynamic with each other.
I just wanted a little bit of the romance more and the paranormal side of the story was kinda dumped in the end and I would have loved it if it was more present. But overall it is a really good book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Genevive Chamblee for the opportunity to read this book.