Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Guys Like Him
SERIES: Redemption Ridge
AUTHOR: Aimee Nicole Walker
NARRATOR: Lance West
PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio
LENGTH: 9 hours and 32 minutes
RELEASE DATE: December 12, 2023
BLURB:
Kieran Sullivan is broken when he arrives at Redemption Ridge. A wrongful conviction and twenty months in lockup will do that to a man. The ranch is a place for second chances and fresh starts, but for him, it’s an opportunity to discover who set him up. Get in, get answers, and get out. The plan sounds easy enough until Kieran meets an equine specialist whose sunny smile could warm the coldest heart.
Finley Ashe is a sucker for bruised spirits and sad eyes. The horse whisperer and broken-boy magnet is six months into a hiatus from love when Kieran, the king of emotionally unavailable men, gets assigned to work under his supervision. Mutual attraction is gasoline on proximity’s flame, testing Finley’s resistance in new ways.
Priorities shift, shields come down, and truths get exposed. Will the inevitable combustion redeem Kieran and Finley or consume them?
Contains mature themes.
REVIEW:
When this story starts, Kieran Sullivan is being released after 20 months in prison. For a crime he didn’t commit. He is picked up by Cash, an ex-con who runs Redemption Ranch where he tries to give back. Kieran worked with Cash’s dog rescue and training program in prison and he has a way with animals so Cash offered him a place at the ranch.
Kieran meets Finley Ashe upon arrival and he’ll be working with him in the equestrian program. Kieran hasn’t been around horses before so he has a lot to learn. He also cannot believe how gorgeous Finley is. Having been celibate for the 20 months in prison and locking down his libido entirely, well it’s difficult to ignore the gorgeous guy who can turn any conversation into inuendo.
Finely has had a breakup with a guy who then joined a religious homophobic cult. And Finley has been on a dating hiatus for six months. Oh, and he has a penchant for bad boys – like he’s a MAGNET for them. And Kieran is a gorgeous bad boy if ever he saw one. But there is a lot going on below the surface.
Kieran is very reticent to discuss anything about his past. But Finley eventually breaks down his walls. When Kieran finally starts letting Finley in, it’s clear that he’s really been wronged and that he just wants to get revenge on the guy who set him up. Finley is there for him, but it turns out that there is a lot more going on with the perpetrator than meets the eye. Will this sting operation results in more damage than good?
Aimee Nicole Walker is pretty much an autobuy author me. I’ve been enjoying her work for years and she has written a number of really enjoyable series. This is the kick-off to a new series in a new setting for her. While I really enjoyed the new setting, I will say I struggled with the pacing of this book. I’m hoping it’s just because it’s setting the stage for the larger world here and will not be the case with the next book. There is a lot of telling here and it was quite slow for me. Even taking into account that Kieran was totally locked down after spending time in prison, it felt VERY long before we even had a clue what his deal was. I kept waiting for something to actually happen – like probably until chapter 10, I was a toe-tapper. Just waiting for something to break. The twist was good although it was a very long wait to get any information. I liked Finley and his family right away. His mother is a HOOT! I sure hope we get to see more of her and Finley’s sister in future stories 🙂 Cash, Reuben, Ivan and the rest of the ranch crew proved to be an interesting bunch and obviously there are lots of opportunity for more stories with this bunch.
This is my first experience with Lance West as a narrator. I thought he did a very good job. His voice choices were distinct and appropriate and fit the characters in my opinion. He did a great job of expressing by Kieran’s isolation and stress and anxiety and damage. He also did a great job with Finley’s naturally buoyant nature but also his reluctance to give in to his natural tendency to trust and give away his heart to someone who didn’t deserve it. The emotions were right there in their interactions. For me, the performance elevate the story. I’m looking forward to the next book 😉 Recommended.
RATING: 
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