Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: The Words We Never Said 
AUTHOR: J.H. Knight
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 323 pages
RELEASE DATE: November 29, 2022
BLURB:
Sam Northwick’s dreams have always been simple. Keep his ranch going the same way his father had and his father before him. Be a part of the community he grew up in and take care of his neighbors, the same way they always take care of him. And, mostly, be the kind of man his parents would’ve been proud of if they’d lived long enough.
Finding out his train wreck of a sister has two kids he’s never heard about isn’t much of a surprise, but finding out he has to take in and raise his niece and a nephew shakes his world to pieces. Almost as much as running into Billy Jones for the first time since high school.
Billy would be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about Sam more than a few times over the years. Mostly in the shower. Seeing him again, watching him struggle through daily life as a caretaker to a pissed-off teenage hellraiser and a little boy who is exactly like Sam wakes up that little crush and gives it a life of its own, making Billy do everything he knows he shouldn’t. Including start up with a man so deep in the closet he can’t see the door.
Is a little time, a little patience, and a little Texas heat enough to bring them together, or will it take more than either of them is willing to give?
REVIEW:
Sam is a deeply closeted cowboy trying to keep his family’s ranch going. His older sister had run off long before – nearly bankrupting the family with her addictions and running away. His parents were killed in a car accident and he’s been running himself into the ground with the business. Then he gets a call out of the blue that his sister is in jail – for murder – and he’s got a niece and a nephew who need him. He has never been around kids and he’s got no idea what he’s doing with a pissed off teenage girl Bree and a scared 7 year old boy Winston.
Billy is taking over his Aunt Loraine’s floral business. Billy has never had the option to be in. Sam had saved him from an ass-kicking back when he was not yet in high school and he’s always kind of been Billy’s crush. He arrives with food after Sam gets back to the ranch with the kids and really helps out. He seems to be able to communicate with Bree and thank god for that because Sam sure doesn’t seem to be able to.
Neither of the kids has every been on a ranch. They do seem to take to the horses although Bree isn’t happy about the work. She is full of anger and takes it out on Sam. Sam does his best, but it isn’t easy. He’s grateful to Billy and he’s also really attracted, but he’s in the closet. You just know this isn’t going to go well. They are on the DL for a bit.
Sam is scared to death of being out and what that might mean for him and his business. Billy won’t be happy being anybody’s secret though – and Sam knows it isn’t fair. There is so much going on for him and he just has a lot of struggles. Those kids need him, his sister is a mess and he’s unsure what to do. They hurt each other a bit in the process and there is so much at stake. Somebody is gonna have to do some work here.
When I saw J.H. Knight had a book coming out I full out squee’d! The Last Thing He Needs has been one of my favorite books forever, especially the audio book which I listened to back in 2015. I have been looking forward to this book since I discovered it in the coming soon. This story has all the hallmarks of this author’s previous work – emotional story line with less than perfect families. You know. Families. Certainly Sam has had to deal with a lot, more than most, less than some. I do wish I knew a little more about Billy, but I liked how good he was with Bree and how he was with Sam. Sam’s loss of his parents, keeping the ranch going, not know anything about where his sister was or what she was doing was hard on him. He had to live up to expectations – most especially his own. But when he was determined to do right by his sister’s kids he worked hard at it. I though Bree was especially a difficult character to like – but honestly I have no idea how I would react to the stuff she went through, so I tried to keep an open mind about her behavior and it helped that there was an unbiased therapist that helped her. Sam’s sister Lisa had of work to do too but Sam is still a family guy all the way. I absolutely love this author’s writing and am so glad to have this new book. I sure hope it’s not so long before the next one! Highly recommended for those who are ready for the feels of this family coming together and Sam and Billy getting their HEA!
RATING: 
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