Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Jack Be Nimble
SERIES: Boxcar Boys (Book1)
AUTHOR: Jackie North
PUBLISHER: Blue Rain Press
LENGTH: 354 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 16, 2026
BLURB:
On the run. Riding the rails. Looking for love.
Nimble doesn’t know anywhere else but the streets of his hometown, but when his father’s alcoholism spirals out of control, Nimble decides he can’t take the abuse anymore. With fifty bucks in his pocket, and a duffle bag of stuff he probably won’t need, he hops a freight train headed west.
Alongside new friends Blue and Star, he rides the rails chasing warmth and freedom. But betrayal strikes, leaving him stranded in a small Montana town that is shutting down for a blizzard.
Nimble must find shelter. He does, but Morgan, who runs the town’s feed and grain doesn’t like strangers, let alone visitors. He’s older. And sad. He walks with a limp. His heart is broken. He just wants Nimble gone.
But Nimble is strangely drawn. The small town is amazing. He makes friends. And falls in love with Morgan.
Will they find a happily ever after together?
REVIEW:
Start of an interesting new series.
Jack Foxley, aka Nimble to the boxcar boys, can’t believe that Blue and Star just left on the freight train and took what little earthly possessions of his with them. Now he’s stuck in this little podunk town in the middle of nowhere Montana. A town that is literally closing down because a blizzard is on the way. It’s a town that they shouldn’t have even gone through except for that derailment happened. And all Nimble has now is his meager clothing on his back. He has a stroke of luck though, finding the door unlocked at the feed and grain. That is until he is discovered by the grumpy but handsome owner. Morgan Malone is in Hysham, Montana to attend his late Aunt Oralee’s funeral and figure out how to sell the Feed and Grain store, that he has been told repeatedly is the cornerstone of this tiny town. He just wants to be done and get on with his life. He’s in pain from his automobile accident and the cold, snowy weather isn’t helping. That and all the nosy older townsfolk. When he discovers a young man in his store he’s shocked at the disheveled appearance and the lack of proper clothing. And, against his better judgement, offers Nimble a place to wait out the blizzard with him. Nimble helps the injured Morgan and the two become “friends” through the wait. Morgan realizes that Nimble might just be who he needs to help him out while sorting through his Aunt’s mess of a business. But when feelings might be catching can either man learn to trust someone else?
This was a slow burn kind of book. Both of these men are damaged souls and trust comes hard.
Jack/Nimble has a history that is dark and damaged. Having to escape from his drunken homophobic father, via hopping on a freight train, is a pretty desperate getaway for a teenager. Meeting two other boxcar boys that he put his trust in only to have them turn on him and keep his only possessions not on his back was doubly cruel.
And then there is Morgan. Yes, he was needy and dependent. His relationship was probably shaky at best with his ex, Bradley. But it still was a rotten thing to do to a guy that just got out of the hospital. Then, to throw on top of all that, this development with his aunt’s sudden death and his inheritance and now his life is in major turmoil. Morgan was a guy that liked order and consistency. Thrust into small-town living and all the busybodies wasn’t his kind of life and he was struggling big time.
The melding of these two damaged and recovering men helped to smooth out the transition to this new found life. Jack is a ray of sunshine on a dreary day but doesn’t need help. He’s been doing just fine on his own. But he’s a natural caregiver. Morgan is a grumpy sourpuss but knows how to do the right thing. Together they not only smooth out the rougher edges of the other but hopefully can learn by the mistakes they’ve made. And then try and make each other happy. Because they really are made for each other.
One of the things I truly loved about this book was the local townspeople. Mabel was obviously my favorite. She took to Jack and made sure he was safe and cared for. And Morgan learned quickly it’s best not to get on her wrong side! But this town looks after their own and Jack and Morgan quickly became their own.
Great start to this new series.
RATING: 
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