Reviewed by Cindy
TITLE: The Cowboy and the Dealer
SERIES: Farthingdale Valley Book 4
AUTHOR: Jackie North
PUBLISHER: Blue Rain Press
LENGTH: 356 Pages
RELEASE DATE: August 1st, 2024
BLURB:
The valley works its magic, even on the most broken of hearts.
Galen Parnell is the type of guy who would stop at a four-way intersection, even at midnight with nobody around.
Obadiah “Bede” Deacon is a drug dealer who was sentenced to five years in prison.
Newly released with a broken heart that simply won’t heal, Bede is now a free man. But now he needs to decide whether to return to his old life, wheeling and dealing drugs.
His other option is to remain in the Fresh Start parole program, digging up knapweed and sleeping in a tent each night, all while doing his best to figure out what the hell his team lead’s problem is.
His team lead is Galen. He’s got eyes full of disdain, a mouth full of truth, and he does not like ex-cons at all. Doesn’t like that they’re getting a free ride in the valley, when he’s been working hard for years and is still broke.
Galen thinks his biggest problem is keeping his job in the valley long enough to pay off medical bills after his dad died last spring. That, and getting new tires for his truck.
What Galen’s actual problem–so hard for him to admit–is that even with his preconceived notions about the kind of men he’s in charge of–criminals, all–he’s unable to remain blind to the fact that they’re people, too.
Especially Bede. OMG, Bede. Who, in spite of the fact that he’s a freaking drug dealer, is smart and funny and the kind of dark and handsome that is Galen’s favorite kind of eye candy.
The summer is turning into a disaster. A deliciously confusing whirlwind-of-discovery disaster.
Enemies to lovers, boss/employee, opposites attract, forbidden love, hurt/comfort, midnight swims, and, of course, an HEA.
REVIEW:
Bede is a man who is looking for something, but what he wants and what he needs may be two different things. Getting out of prison doesn’t alway mean you are free.
Galen wants something too, but he’s not sure what. Life has left him lonely and looking for something better but first he has to convince himself that he deserves it. When he meets Bede, he has no idea his whole life is about to change.
Both these men are broken in their own way. Life has beat them down and taken everything they love and neither is sure how to lift themselve back up. This story is as much about them finding themselves as it is about finding each other. I love how they both find joy in small things and learn how to share them.
I haven’t read the other books in this series but I don’t think it took much away from the story. Of course it would be nice to know the backstory of the other characters that we get to meet, but this book is just find on it’s own.
I love how the author shows us the little things that got lost when Bede was in prison. Things that we take for granted when we don’t have to ask for permission to have them. Like hot showers.
Watching Bede and Galen go through their own struggles while trying to find ways to help each other was so heartening. Both men could have been forgiven for giving up completely but they didn’t. They both had a little help from some friends along the way and it goes to show you how much even a little encouragement can make a difference.
This was far sweeter than I was expecting but it had enough angst to keep it interesting. The characters are compelling and the sex is smoking hot so it’s got a little bit of everything for everyone.
Now I have to decide if I’m going to read the rest of the series.
RATING: 
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