Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Buttermilk Ranch

SERIES: The Hard Riders #1

AUTHOR: Patricia Logan

PUBLISHER: Westburg Publishing

LENGTH: 189 pages

BLURB:

Wendell Blackowl has spent all his life in the working cow horse show ring where toiling with sweaty cowboys all day is the fodder for wet dreams. Though privately he’s come to terms with his sexuality, publicly Dell’s had to build a façade. When his beloved horse Buttermilk dies, Dell finds himself at loose ends so he decides to pick himself up by his boot straps and do what he’s always wanted to do… open an environmentally friendly organic vegetarian café.

Pace Avila, well known music critic, has been drawn to Austin by the live music scene. When friends invite him to check out a fresh new dinner experience, Pace reluctantly agrees to push the deadline on his national column. He isn’t interested in vegetarian food or a restaurant with the cheesy name of Buttermilk Ranch Café, but the moment Pace lays eyes on the stunning cowboy chef, things begin looking up.

When openly gay Pace walks into his cafe and his life, Dell realizes he’s tired of living a lie and tired of being alone. When Mother Nature throws an unprecedented storm at Austin, the muddy waters threaten to wipe out everything Dell’s worked so hard to build. He soon realizes that with a man like Pace by his side, love really can conquer all.

REVIEW:

I have stated before, but it keeps coming back to me, how fortunate I am to have been selected to become a reviewer and introduced to new books. I have grown to realize how few authors I was reading and how many really good authors I was missing out on. Patricia Logan definitely falls into the category of missing out on a really fabulous author! Her writing is clean, crisp and full of vivid images that awoke my mind. She kept me captivated from the very beginning and I only wish that I had gotten the chance to start the book earlier in the day so I could have read it straight through in one setting. As it was, I was found fallen asleep with her book still in hand on my iPad. This is a really great tribute to a wonderful writer, that I couldn’t put her book down, no matter how tired I was!

Ms. Logan tells the captivating story of Wendell “Dell” Blackowl, a very handsome Native American man that was a former working cow/horse competitor who retired after his beloved horse Buttermilk, who was his best friend since he was ten years old, passes away. After Buttermilk dies, he decides to leave the competition circuit with his other best friend, traveling companion and beard, fellow Cheyenne/Arapaho, Paisley Meadowlark. He decides to return to the large spread in Westbury, Texas his father, the famous cowboy and horse breeder Thomas Blackowl, had left him. Once there he plans to chase his other dream, to start an organic farm and open a healthy vegan/vegetarian restaurant.

Fast-forward two years to the celebration of the one-year anniversary of the hugely successful Buttermilk Ranch Café. Paisley has outdone herself for her best friend and has helped organize the extravaganza to celebrate their success. His best friends and most of Austin turned out for the event. One of his closest friends on the circuit, Branch, brought along his very cute little half-brother, Pace Avila, who was quite obviously living an openly gay lifestyle. Dell noticed the slightly younger, small built beauty and he awoke his desires immediately. Dell had not only been living deep in the closet but had never acted upon his desires, as he is a 30 year old virgin. Pace returns the next day, eager to get to know the gorgeous longhaired and built beauty he met the night before. He is immediately sure that Dell is not only gay but there is a major attraction by both men.

Buttermilk Ranch is the story of their journeys. Dell’s journey of self-discovery and Pace’s desire to not only date and bed the dark haired beauty, but to show him what true love really is all about.

The story is set right when SCOTUS was making its decision on same sex marriage rights. This story also includes a rich cast of family and friends that not only accept Dell’s new life with Pace but encourage their journey. It was very touching to see his friends, rough and tough Cowboys on the competition circuit, helping-out and accepting their friend for who he really is. I look forward to more of this wonderful and touching series of love and acceptance. I will definitely be looking into more of Ms. Logan’s other series as well. I am delighted to give this novel a solid 4.5 as I truly loved the book and can’t wait for more. I recommend you pick it up today!

RATING:

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