Review by: Alexander
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ITLE: Crooked Tree Ranch
SERIES: Montana, Book 1
AUTHOR: RJ Scott
NARRATOR: Sean Crisden
PUBLISHER: Love Lane Books Limited
LENGTH: 6 hours and 20 minutes
RELEASE DATE: April 3, 2017
BLURB:
When a cowboy meets the guy from the city, he can’t know how much things will change.
On the spur of the moment, with his life collapsing around him, Jay Sullivan answers an ad for a business manager with an expertise in marketing, on a dude ranch in Montana.
With his sister Ashley, niece Kirsten, and nephew Josh in tow, he moves lock stock and barrel from New York to Montana to start a new life on Crooked Tree Ranch.
Foreman and part owner of the ranch, ex rodeo star Nathaniel “Nate” Todd has been running the dude ranch for five years ever since his mentor Marcus Allen became ill.
His brothers convince him that he needs to get an expert in to help the business grow. He knows things have to change and but when the new guy turns up, with a troubled family in tow – he just isn’t prepared for how much.
REVIEW:
I must admit that the attraction mixed with frustration and a bit of disdain that constituted Jay and family’s arrival in Montana struck the right balance, and allowed Jay and Nate to gradually appreciate each other, and eventually establish a relationship that felt natural and dare I say, logical. They were both extremely likeable, attractive guys, and once they got together, it was apparent that they would never be the same, but that their personalities and skills were complementary.
I would have liked more backstory at times, like Ashley’s, or Nate’s, since the many secondary characters were featured quite prominently at the beginning, but not explored in depth. There were also instances of gaps left in the story, like Marcus’ health and something with Nate that felt lost because of the romantic side of the story.
As far as the plots goes, I didn’t find the move across the country to be as far-fetched as I once might have. The reason for this was because it wasn’t that long ago that a co-worker moved across the country when her husband lost his job in the recession and that was their only choice. So yeah, stuff happens, and sometimes drastic measures are required.
Overall, Crisden was a good choice to narrate Jay and Nate’s story. I wasn’t terribly fond of how he portrayed Jay, who sounded a bit too nasally, but overall, he did a good job. Since I am picky when it comes to the technical aspects of an audio performance, I would be remiss if I didn’t include some notes on the subject. The pace of the narration was ideal, Crisden’s diction was impeccable, and the production value was the best I have heard in a while…quality from beginning to end.
RATING: 
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