Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Changes Going On
SERIES: Changes #2 of 3
AUTHOR: Kaje Harper
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 399 Pages
RELEASE DATE: March 24, 2020
BLURB:
Three men, one summer of media, mentorship, and murder.
There’s a reason Scott Edison came out as gay and poly on national TV— now no one can try to push him back into the closet. But as his men and his hockey team deal with the fallout from fans and paparazzi, moving forward isn’t as easy as he’d hoped.
Will Rice was looking forward to a quiet summer, sharing the work with his guys and giving Scott a refuge from the spotlight. He’s hired a couple of young ranch hands, and finally feels ready to give back some of the mentoring that turned his life around decades ago. But good fences won’t be enough to keep trouble off the ranch.
Casey Barlow left the Sheriff’s Department on his own terms, out and proud. But when the new sheriff is murdered— and Casey’s one of the few with a watertight alibi— he’s asked to investigate, and he can’t resist. He’s determined to solve the murder, and still take care of his men on the home front. Then one murder becomes two…
It’s a summer of risks and challenges, and working together is the only way they’ll make it through.
REVIEW:
After Scott came out on national TV, the paparazzi lurked, waiting for that wrong step and the big headline. Life is challenging for Scott, Casey and Will. Add to that murder, and drugs, and the ranch becomes not only their bolt hole but a salvation for others, too.
Changes Going On is a long read, but a good one. Could it be shorter? Probably, but everything seems to be ramped up a notch. Encounters are more physical, and emotions are more intensified. Their spheres of expertise overlap, and other people enter their bubble, making more at stake. What this story illustrates is the men’s solidarity in the face of everything thrown at them.
The story is told in the third person from the viewpoints of Scotty, Will and Casey. Technically, the tale is in good order, too. Worldbuilding is detailed. The ranch, like Will, is (mostly) the steadfast, place of safety and reason, while everything outside the gates can be mayhem.
Scotty’s parents are understandably concerned about his coming out and being in a poly relationship. His mom clearly has favorites, and I loved Casey’s mom’s intervention. However, I’d have liked to have seen the outcome of this. Instead, the arc was cut short in favor of other drama.
With Scotty being the first NHL player to come out, it was heartening to see support from various sources, and the homophobic aspect was not overlooked either. The relentless chase of the paparazzi was well portrayed and added that shark-infested element.
As the blurb states, Casey is recruited back into the police force. He has a drugs and murder in his hands, and the fallout has people using the ranch as a sanctuary. This is where Will comes into his own. His staunch support becomes a rock to all who need his protection. He remains quiet, steady and almost in the background until he decides it necessary to become a force of nature. I’m glad that Scotty and Casey ensure he is always thought of and included in everything.
There was a good balance of emotion and high octane action in this story, and as it is so long, a couple of extra pages to deal with the parents wouldn’t have been out of place.
RATING: 
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