Recent Release Review: Blind Ride (Roughstock #1) by BA Tortuga

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Blind Ride

SERIES: Roughstock (Book 1)

AUTHOR: BA Tortuga

PUBLISHER: Turtlehat Creatives

LENGTH: 231 pages

RELEASE DATE: November 18, 2025

BLURB:

Jason Scott is a cowboy who has it all. Until he doesn’t.

He’s at the top of the bull riding game, heading for a championship buckle, living the good life on the road with his buddy Andy Baxter. But one wreck brings about what every rodeo cowboy dreads. A career ending injury.

When the doctor tells Jason he’s blind, he’s ready to give up. He goes to lick his wounds at his momma’s ranch, but his best friend Andy “Bax” Baxter refuses to let him sink instead of swim. Andy has wanted to be more than friends for years, and he’s going to find a way for Jason to get what he’s always wanted.

With the help of a meddling momma, a persistent bull fighter cowboy protector named Coke, and a host of other friends, Andy hatches a plan to give Jason hope again. Can he give Jason a reason to get back up and ride, and give Jason all the love he has in his heart at the same time?

This is a previously published title. The publisher has changed.

REVIEW:

I’m a such a fan of BA’s rough and tumble cowboys. Especially when they are part of the rodeo circuit. And this is a revamp and start up of a whole new addition to this series and multiple seasons are promised. So make sure your rope is pulled tight and hang on for dear life because this is going to be one heck of a ride!

Jason “Mini” Scott is at the top of his game and that shiny championship buckle is so close he can practically see himself in it. So that moment when everything went south and changed his life forever was definitely not on his radar. Andy “Bax” Baxter had been his Mini’s best buddy for forever. Mini’s Momma adopted him him into their family years ago. So when his Mini is hurt real bad by that bull it scared him something bad. Now he has to keep his buddy, that he’s had a hidden thing for for years, alive and sober. Then he winds up out with a broken leg from his ride. So right back to Mama’s Bax heads to heal up. And hope that he doesn’t kick him out for discovering that Bax wants Mini for his own.

Bull riding is dangerous. It’s like a game of Russian roulette every time one of those brave men sits on the back of those huge bulls. All for our entertainment. Yes, it’s a paycheck for them. But an iffy one. And there are way less dangerous means of earning money than trying to stay atop a huge, and very mad, bull for eight long seconds. Eight seconds of holding on for dear life while trying to make it look effortless! That’s what the heroes of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) do. But every once in awhile tragedy strikes. Like when Mini’s ride went horribly bad. A bull’s horn and a human head colliding so hard that the thwack could be heard around the arena is really bad. Or the crack of bone when Bax got hung up between the arena fence and that big old bull. These are just a couple cases of what PBR riders go through while chasing that elusive championship buckle and the big pay check.

I loved that Bax and his Mini finally got to be honest about what each had been feeling for each other. It’s a very macho environment when you choose bull riding as your profession. And, like with other sports, a lot of the gay athletes choose to stay in the closet. The other thing to remember was this story was originally penned back in 2007. Athletes weren’t rushing out to share their sexuality. They went in, got their job done, and went on with their business. They weren’t as open and accepted as today. Heck, athletes are still dealing with major male toxicity daily even now. Back then you just kept in the closet and kinda snuck around when an itch needed scratched. Bax and Mini getting to be together was a rare occurrence. And doing it around other bull fighters and protectors took courage. And I got that they didn’t go flaunting it…much!  But it’s kinda hard to stay quiet when you are getting what you have secretly desired for years!

I was so thankful that their family of the PBR stepped up to help. Coke and AJ, with Missy, stepped up and showed what real friends are. That your secrets are safe with them and you are family.

I miss out out on this series years ago, when it was first released, but had been wanting to “get around to it”. Well that time has finally come. BA has re-edited it a bit and dropping the rest of season one (6 more books/one a month) followed by the newly announced season two to start up in June 2026! I am so looking forward to getting my BA’s bull riders and their buddies fix!!

This kind of ended on a bit of a tiny cliffhanger. We know things are going good but don’t know how it ends. Thankfully book 2 of this wonderful series will be here next month and I, for one, can’t wait to read what happens next. Great start to a new series for me. Yahoo!

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Amazon