REVIEWED by Jen B.
TITLE: Always Mine
SERIES: Love in Eden
AUTHOR: Sloane Kennedy
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 256 Pages
RELEASE DATE: June 17, 2019
BLURB: I had one reason for never going back to the small town I once called home, but I never guessed it would be the same one that made me want to stay…
Brooks
I grew up in the small town of Eden, Wyoming, but never really felt like I fit in.
Until I met the one boy who changed all that.
When we were kids, Xavier Price understood horses, but somehow, he got me too. He’d made me feel like I wasn’t just the overdressed, too sensitive fifteen-year-old geek who loved math and didn’t always say the right thing. But all that changed the night he threw my trust back in my face and betrayed my family in the worst kind of way.
And while I’m back in Eden to make sure my uncle’s horse ranch is operating in the black, the one thing I know I won’t have to deal with is the man who’d been on the verge of stealing my heart ten years ago.
Because Xavier Price is still in prison for what he did and even if he weren’t, he wouldn’t be foolish enough to show his face in Eden ever again.
Right?
Xavier
Wrong.
That’s what returning to Eden after ten years behind bars feels like. But it wasn’t like I had a whole lot of choices. And it wasn’t like I was going to be handed any decent job offers, let alone my dream one of working with horses.
But that’s exactly what happened and now that I’m foreman of Black Hills Ranch, I’m not letting this job go for anything.
Not even the spoiled little rich kid I’d thought was different when he’d glommed onto me ten years ago.
I have no doubt Brooks Cunningham didn’t wait long to move on to bigger and better things the second my jail cell was locked behind me, and that’s just fine by me. I’d been wrong about the sweet, emotional boy who’d had a habit of wearing his heart on his sleeve anyway.
Except fate has decided to have another go at me by tossing Brooks right back into my sometimes too small world. Gone is the scrawny, stars-in-his-eyes nerd who used to do math problems just for fun. In his place is a gorgeous specimen of a man who thinks he can go toe to toe with me and once again destroy everything I’ve worked for.
Not happening.
REVIEW:
This was a classic Sloane Kennedy that sucked me right in. There are a few elements at play here, from the backstory of Brooks and Xavier, Xavier’s own past issues involving his incarceration, Brooks’ issues with his father and what is going on at his uncle’s ranch. The events surrounding Xavier’s incarceration also caused the riff between he and Brooks bringing them to the current day enemies. Brooks was not happy to find Xavier as the ranch foreman when he shows up to uncover the financial status/issues of the ranch.
Xavier is just trying to get his life back after spending 10 years in jail. Eden being the only home he knows and where his mother and sister still live make it the only real choice for him, despite how horrible everyone in town actually treats him. Thankfully, Brooks’ uncle, who has a few secrets of his own, gives Xavier the second chance he needs and treats him like a son.
Brooks is a city slicker now, though he never really fit in with ranch life in a small town. He always cherished his time visiting his uncle, so he didn’t hesitate to use his financial skills to help figure out why the ranch was seemingly losing money. The past comes crashing back in spectacular fashion when he is “reunited” with Xavier. The two have some explosive chemistry hidden behind their various issues, but they press forward choosing instead to ignore the past.
These two have some smoking hot sexual encounters, filled with delicious dirty talk and hints of D/S, but unfortunately, when that smoke clears, Xavier treats Brooks pretty badly. Brooks is torn – Xavier is the first guy who seems to totally get his needs, is able to read him and doesn’t make Brooks feel dirty or shameful for having them. But, he also can’t handle the other way Xavier treats him. Thankfully, it doesn’t take too long for the issues to be discussed and cleared.
Likewise, the past is slowly revealed explaining everyone’s actions, much of which involves various people hiding the truth to spare others. Some aspects felt a little slow, but the different angles made it interesting and suspenseful. I really enjoyed watching these Brooks and Xavier reconnect, especially once the truth was revealed. There is a wonderful cast of characters to enjoy as well. It was a nice start to a new series that I’m looking forward to continuing. Everyone ends up in a mostly comfortable and happy place, but there are hints of what’s to come that have me ready to jump into the next book. Recommend if you like stories of second chances and reunions with cowboys and geeks and an array of colorful characters.
RATING:
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