Reviewed by Cindy
TITLE: Captivated
SERIES: Salvation Book 3
AUTHOR: K.C.Wells
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 537 Pages
RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2025
BLURB:
Zeeb Nolan has spent twelve quiet years working at Salvation. It’s a good life: honest work, wide skies, and the kind of found family he never imagined having. The ranch is open, accepting, even tender in its rough-edged way. Most of the guys wear their hearts—and preferences—on their sleeves.
Zeeb is still figuring himself out. But he’s ready to admit he wants more than a bunk and a job.
He wants someone to come home to.
Nate Caldwell, quiet, sharp-eyed, and all coiled tension, is still learning to live again. His stay at Salvation for equine therapy, an addition to years of traditional treatments, fills him with trepidation. People make him uneasy. Trust is nearly impossible. Maybe horses will prove safer than people.
Maybe they’ll help him trust again.
Assigned as Nate’s point person, Zeeb expects a challenge. What he doesn’t expect is the way Nate’s silence speaks louder than words, or how fiercely he wants to understand the man behind the guarded stares and reluctant smiles. Nate resists at first, but Zeeb’s steady presence chips away at the walls he’s built. As days stretch into weeks, Zeeb begins to see Nate—not just the trauma, but the courage it takes to show up, to try. Nate starts to see Zeeb as something solid, something safe.
Something he might even deserve.
Captivated is a tender age gap, slow-burn romance about second chances, healing hearts, and the quiet power of being truly seen.
This story contains references to conversion therapy and emotional abuse, depicted in flashbacks. While these scenes reflect painful experiences, the story centers on healing, resilience, and the transformative power of love.
REVIEW:
The ads for this story did not lie. Nate really did break my heart but he put it back together again.
Nate has spent so much of his life trying to overcome the trauma of his childhood, but he hasn’t yet and has no idea what to do. When his father suggests something a little out of his comfort zone, Nate decides to give it a chance. After all, there’s nothing left to lose!
Zeeb is a good guy. One who is still trying to figure out who he is. Or maybe he just needs the right inspiration. When his boss asked him to be the guy to help his friend’s son, Zeeb is sure the boss is making a big mistake.
But maybe, Nate and Zeeb are two people who just needed to be in the right place at the right time for both their sakes.
I enjoyed this story very much. K.C. Wells always creates characters that are easy to empathize with and who capture our hearts right from the beginning. This is a bit of a slow burn and that’s exactly what it needs to be. Figuring yourself out takes time. It’s never a quick process if it’s done right.
Nate’s backstory is sad and horrifying and made me very angry. And worst of all, I know that so many people have gone through it. The thought of it tears my heart apart. Watching him heal and come to terms with his past is a very satisfying story.
Zeeb? He’s sweet and understanding. He never pushes unless he needs to. His first thought is always for someone else, especially for Nate. Zeeb’s struggle is different than Nate’s. It’s a little less horrifying but far more sad in some ways.
Of course seeing our old friends from Salvation is satisfying as well. I love those glimpses into the previous storie’s happily-ever-after. I mean it’s not all sunshine and roses but it’s nice to see our guys still going strong.
There are some triggering elements to this story, but if you can work your way past them, this is a story of survival and hope that will bring tears to your eyes and make you smile as well.
No problem giving this story 4.5 hearts!
RATING: 
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