Reviewed by Sarina
TITLE: Physical Therapy
SERIES: Cattle Valley #5
AUTHOR: Carol Lynne
PUBLISHER: Pride Publishing
LENGTH: 93 pages
RELEASE DATE: June 23, 2008
BLURB:
Doctors Sam Browning and Isaac Singer opened the Cattle Valley Medical Clinic when they were both fresh out of medical school. It was the best thing they ever did, other than loving each other for more than twenty-five years. They’ve enjoyed a thriving practice and an even better sex life, but lately routine has started to set in.
With the growth of the town, the doctors decide it’s time for the clinic to hire a physical therapist. They thought hiring Matt Jeffries over the phone and offering him the use of their garage apartment was the smart thing to do. That is until Matt shows up, suitcases in hand. Three months after returning from the war in Iraq, Matt has bigger problems than his attraction to two gorgeous older men. Night sweats and flashbacks are keeping him locked in his own shell.
Can two doctors offer the physical therapist a little therapy of their own?
Reader Advisory: This book is best read in sequence as part of a series
REVIEW:
I would say that out of all the Cattle Valley books I’ve read so far, this is the one that has had the most in the way of drama and ‘issues’ to be worked through by the main characters. After living together and loving each other for more than twenty-five years, Sam and Isaac thought their relationship was solid but that belief is shaken when their new physical therapist shows up and shakes them both up. Unwilling to admit to the growing feelings they each have for their current house guest, Sam and Isaac find their once stable relationship beginning to fray a little at the seams. Matt isn’t unaware of the problems the other two men are having and with the attraction he feels in return for both of them, he feels it would be best for everyone if he were to just move out and continue to ignore the connection all three of them seem to share. Add in the persistent nightmares and lingering problems with PTSD and survivor’s guilt and Matt appears to be falling apart himself. When the attraction between all three men is finally acknowledged and brought out into the open, things seem to be going well but the lingering pain and guilt Matt deals with on a daily basis might just tear the trio apart in the end anyway.
While I’m always up for an easy low angst read, I found this to be a nice change of pace for the series and I really enjoyed the direction the author took it. Matt fit well with both Sam and Isaac and it seemed as though he was always meant to be there instead of just an extra that was added later. It was also nice getting to see all three men dealing with various problems, both individually and as a group, in regards to the relationship aspect as well as the healing that Matt really needed help achieving. None of the issues were resolved easily or early on in the book and the PTSD was an ongoing issue right from the beginning that was only really being addressed by the end of the story. Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed not having everything fall into place so quickly.
This was a great installment to the series and just further reinforced my enjoyment of it as a whole; if you like a lot of variety in your books but enjoy seeing and catching up with previous characters, this series could be for you. So far I’ve liked every one that I’ve read and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.
RATING: 
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