Reviewed by Donna
TITLE: Blind Ride
SERIES: Rough Stock #1
AUTHOR: BA Tortuga
PUBLISHER: Pride Publishing
LENGTH: 54,484 Words
BLURB:
Jason Scott has everything a bull rider wants—success, money and traveling partner Andy Baxter. When he loses his sight in an accident, he stands to lose it all.
Jason Scott is at the top of the bull riding game, on his way to a winning season. Along with his traveling partner, Andy Baxter, he’s riding hard on the circuit, working around the country with all of the other bull riders and bullfighters, living the good life. The only thing he wishes he had is Bax, but he’s afraid to take the step that would make them more than friends, worried that it will ruin everything.
When a terrible accident leaves Jason unable to see, his whole life goes south. Jason decides to chuck it all, determined to go home and hide at his momma’s ranch. Bax has other ideas. He wants to make sure his best friend doesn’t give up, and he hatches a plan that stuns Jason and makes their friends and family think he’s crazy.
With the help of the other bull riders and a very persistent bull fighter named Coke, Bax convinces Jason to give life one more try. With Jason cautiously learning to hope, and his relationship with Bax going to the next level, life gets pretty complicated. Everyone gets in on the project, from Jason’s strong-willed mother to an entire ranch full of children, all of them working to help Jason do what he loves.
Publisher’s Note: This book was previously released elsewhere. It has been re-edited for re-release with Pride Publishing.
REVIEW:
I reviewed a BA Tortuga book last year, and I have another one just waiting on my list that I’m really excited for. I’ve also read a couple more and I’ve enjoyed every one of them. When Blind Ride popped up on our review list I didn’t hesitate to claim it because I was craving some cowboys and I was sure this author would deliver. And deliver on the cowboys she did! This may be the most “cowboy” of any cowboy book I’ve ever read. But unfortunately, I just wasn’t feeling any intensity between the two main characters.
Jason and Bax have been on the road together, working the bull riding circuit, for about six years. They’re best friends, and both men are attracted to the other. When an accident in the…arena (is it called an arena?) leaves Jason blind, Bax and their good friend Coke come up with a plan to ensure Jason can continue doing what he loves most. And at the same time, Bax and Jason finally decide it’s the right time to change their relationship from best friends to lovers.
Firstly, let me tell you what didn’t work for me before I move on to the good stuff. I really don’t think I understood Jason and Bax’s relationship, not even by the time I reached the end. To begin with, I don’t understand why they were so hesitant to get together romantically. There’s kind of a hint that maybe something happened between them before and they are obviously attracted to each other. I thought maybe it was the usual story of dealing with homophobia on the bull riding circuit but that is never (unless I missed it) brought up as an issue in this book. The blurb says that they’re worried that it will ruin their friendship but when they do get together it’s like that concern just vanishes. Bax and Jason seem to go from friends to committed couple with little fuss or fanfare. Nothing about it seemed special, well, except for their sex life. But I still didn’t feel any thing for them.
The biggest let down for me was the ending. Bax’s “plan” to get Jason living his life again was pretty awesome and I think that the author could have carried it off and made it seem feasible. I was waiting impatiently to read the outcome but the book finished before we got to see the results of their hard work. I know that this is book one in a series, and maybe in a future book we will get to see what happens next with Jason, but I really would have preferred it here, from Jason’s perspective.
I’m sorry, that sounds like a whole lot of whining for a book that I still gave three stars but now for the good part. So, when I said this book was all cowboy, I wasn’t joking. There’s actually a note from the author in the front that tells us (completely unapologetically, which I love) that this is how cowboys really talk, so deal with it. Okay, she says it much more tactfully than me, but you get the idea. I guessing that given the fact I live in Australia I’m already at a disadvantage when it comes to “cowboy culture talk” but seriously, at some points in this story I felt like I was reading a different language. And that is in no way a complaint. I enjoyed it immensely, though I have no idea how I’d go deciphering an audio version of this book. When it comes to cowboys and rodeos, this author knows her shit. The confidence that she obviously feels when showing us this world comes through in her writing. The world she gives us is exciting to explore and while it may be new to the reader, you never feel disoriented by what’s going on. I loved the way we were given a good long glimpse into Bax and Jason’s life before all the drama begins. And when the accident does happen, the author again writes it all so realistically that it’s scary to read. It feels as though you’re right there watching it all happen.
People who like a good cowboy story will probably enjoy this book. I’ll definitely be giving the next one in the series a read when it releases.
RATING: 
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