Reviewed by Kimberley
TITLE: Happy’s Ever After
SERIES: Cade Creek #1
AUTHOR: Stormy Glenn
PUBLISHER: Siren Bookstrand
LENGTH: 131 Pages
BLURB:
Happy O’Brian spent the better part of his life isolated from the rest of the world. He was told he was evil down to his soul. It was physically beat into him on a daily basis. He lived with it, believing that his ultra conservative religious grandparents were right until the day his mother was attacked. Seeking help changed Happy’s life in ways he could never imagine and showed him a world he didn’t know existed.
Answering a disturbance call, Deputy Marc Walker meets a man that shocks him with his gentleness. When he discovers Happy’s true nature, Marc wants to know everything about the man. He wants to show him the world.
When the past rears its head, and their lives are put in danger, Happy tries to do the right thing and distance himself from his handsome deputy. But Marc has other plans for his gentle giant and he’s not going to let a little thing like getting shot or having escaped prisoners gunning for them interfere with those plans. Happy will get his happy ever after.
Note: Some graphic depiction of extreme violence against the hero when he was a minor.
REVIEW:
I will admit that I over-looked this series for quite a while but my interest was piqued after recently reading the blurb. I’ve always liked Stormy Glenn’s work but it had been awhile since I’d read anything from Siren so that’s why I over-looked this series.
I’m really very glad that I gave it a go. This is a spinoff from her Blaecleah Brothers Cowboy series, which I really enjoyed. This book takes place in Cade Creek, a small farming town where everyone knows each other and your neighbors look out for one another.
Happy O’Brian and his mother, Anna have been isolated from the rest of the town for years and suffered physical abuse at Anna’s parents, Happy’s grandparents. Happy is slightly mentally challenged (a result of the physical abuse) gentle giant of a man who adores and is protective of his mama. If there was a character that deserved a HEA in a book, he and Anna were it.
Deputy Marc Walker meets Happy while he was being harassed by the town’s bullies and is immediately smitten by the beautiful, gentle giant. Marc loves Cade Creek and his job as a deputy but he comes home to an empty house every night.
The romance that develops between Happy and Marc is absolutely wonderful. You realize that even though Happy has suffered so much abuse at the hands of people who were supposed to love him, he had the most loving soul and beautiful spirit. I adored Happy’s character. He was a beautiful man-child, gentle giant.
If you enjoyed the Blaecleah brothers and family, you’re in luck because they make appearances in this story.
This book was heartbreaking in places. The abuse Happy and his mother suffered at the hands of her parents is sickening and a bit hard to read in the beginning so if those are your triggers, I would skip those parts.
There were a few minor editing mishaps but not enough to distract and didn’t deflect from the overall enjoyment of the story.
This book is part of a series and as such should be read in sequential order. It is also recommended that you read the Blaecleah Brothers Cowboy series as the characters cross over into this series.
RATING:
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