Reviewed by Dan
TITLE: The Shepherd and the Solicitor
AUTHOR: Summer Devon and Bonnie Dee
PUBLISHER: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
LENGTH: 161 Pages
BLURB:
When a storm is brewing, taking shelter could be the most dangerous move of all.
One careless, public sign of affection cost Daniel Pierce’s lover his life at the hands of a hate-filled mob. Grief-stricken, Daniel retreated from society to a sheep farm in the wilds of the north. Years later, Gregory Tobin erupts into his solitary life.
Sent to confirm the existence—or the death—of the Pierce family’s lost heir, Tobin isn’t sure he’s found the right man. The gruff, shaggy hermit calling himself Jacob Bennet bears little resemblance to photographs of the younger Pierce. Tobin needs more time to study his quarry.
With lambing season in full swing, Daniel grudgingly admits he could use an extra hand. Through a long, exhausting night, they parry back and forth as Tobin probes closer and closer to the truth. And something beyond casual attraction simmers between them.
They come together in a crash of desire, but ultimately Daniel must overcome the terrors of the past to reconcile the man he was with the man he’s becoming—a man capable of loving again.
Warning: Many sexy encounters on a sheep farm—NO, not like THAT!—between two adult males with temperaments as different as night and day.
REVIEW:
What a delightful period piece. I’ve never been a huge fan of historical romance, but after reading books from both authors recently that I really liked, I decided to give this one a shot.
Set in the late 1800’s in England, “The Shepherd and the Solicitor” tells the story of a man named Daniel Pierce. Daniel is the son a wealthy manufacturing family, and the chosen heir of his grandfather to own and run the entire business. Daniel isn’t that keen on that idea though.
At the same time, Daniel has been carrying on a forbidden sexual relationship with a man named Jacob. One night while “slumming” in a downtrodden area of London, the two are recognized as “nancies” or “sodomites”. The confrontation ends with Jacob dead on the sidewalk at the hands of the mob, and Daniel running away at Jacob’s urging. But Daniel didn’t stop running and now four years later, he is missing, and the Board of Directors of the company want him found or him declared dead so that they can take over the company.
The law firm that employs Gregory Tobin has been hired to find the missing heir or find out for sure that he is dead. Gregory doesn’t want to have to bother to go off to Yorkshire of all places, but circumstances dictate that it must be him that goes.
When Gregory finds a scruffy hermit sheep farmer, living on an isolated farm in Yorkshire, he doesn’t believe it can be the same Cambridge graduate he is searching for. To get more information the Solicitor must become a helping hand during a lambing season. Will he find out the truth somewhere along the way?
As the blurb says there is some sex on the farm, and it doesn’t involve any sheep! I enjoyed this nice story of two men getting to know each other, and unlike a lot of books I’ve read this year, I can definitely tell you this one has a HEA. There might, however, be some confusion, denial, and hesitation along the way to keep it interesting!
The book was very well written, expertly edited, and had very well developed characters and storylines. I read it straight through in one sitting, and was disappointed when it ended. Not because it didn’t have a great ending, but because I was enjoying it so much!
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a historical m/m romance with a HEA.
RATING: 
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