Reviewed by Vicki

TITLE: Lonely Cowboy

SERIES: Uncommon Cowboys #7

AUTHOR: Jan Irving

PUBLISHER: Totally Bound

LENGTH: 98 pages

BLURB: Navy SEAL Simon Morrison came home broken. But quilter Tate Stevens is slowly healing him. If only Simon’s secret didn’t endanger them both.
Tate… I fell in love with a man I didn’t understand. You know how that is? Simon Morrison has long silver blond hair in a ragged ponytail and blue eyes more alive than I’ve ever seen, like he’s walked with death so everything else has burned away. He’s a warrior who came back broken, who hides in the shadows. And there’s something dangerous about him, but I didn’t understand until the night I ran after him and they were waiting—the other wolves. They tore into me and I died. My name is Tate Stevens and I died but something keeps me here. I can’t leave my warrior behind, no matter how much it hurts or how whatever it is I am becoming confuses me.
Simon… I came back from Afghanistan with one goal, to find a place to die. But slowly, watching Tate working on his art quilts, it got so it didn’t hurt so much. I felt the colours coming back. He is my light. He is my heart. They tried to take him away from me while I screamed his name. And now he thinks he’s a monster. He is so alone. I have to find a way to bring him back to his light…

REVIEW:

Oh… I love this concept. Damaged and lonely warrior, meets lonely artist. Add in the paranormal aspect and I’m a happy girl! I’ve followed this series for some time now, although it’s been a while since I read the last ones, I honestly don’t remember them that well. Only that there were cowboys and werewolves, and that I liked them! So in this one, we have Simon the werewolf returning from war, mentally and physically damaged. He’s lost and alone, hiding in the woods, contemplating suicide. He starts this slightly creepy stalking of quilt artist, fellow loner, Tate. Tate lives in the woods is also lonely and a bit lost, desperately seeking love. How he’s going to find love as a gay man in the woods in Montana is a little vague! He begins to see Simon in his wolf form and feels someone watching him. Instead of freaking out like a normal person would, he literally embraces his stalker, but Simon freaks and runs. Then the drama begins…

Both of these men are wonderfully stubborn, Simon warns Tate about some issues in the area, Tate blows him off. Tate tries to get Simon to let him in, but Simon is too damaged to open up. They both obviously want each other, but can’t seem to get it together for a while. Until some badness happens and they are forced together. So it seems, but more drama awaits them.

Characters from other books make appearances, enough that I want to go back and read the older books. I do remember Micah and Sasha, they pop in and out of this story. But this is really about Simon and Tate. There are bad guys and good, drama and angst, healing and happiness. They have to work for it, but do eventually get there, although it is bittersweet. I was starting to get a bit mad at Jan at one point, after the big drama, but relaxed and let the story unfold. It was very much worth the concern and pain. Simon and Tate spend as much time apart as together in this story, but it is perfect when it all works out. There isn’t a lot of on page sex, but what there is works very well. Gentle and healing, not as rough as I would have expected with big bad Simon.

This book is part of a series, it would be helpful if you have read the other books, but not critical. It is a great story on its own, and a wonderful part of the series as a whole. Other than not knowing the community Simon and Tate live in, and a character or two, it can be understood and enjoyed just fine on its own.

RATING:

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