Blurb:

Sometimes the wildest ride isn’t in the arena – it’s falling in love.

Bull rider Hoyt Knox has spent his life chasing applause, adrenaline, and the next eight-second ride. With his body starting to break down and sponsors pulling out, he finds himself facing a possible life change. Confused and hurting, he heads to Snow Creek Ranch to try his hand at something a little easier as he heals while trying to figure out what’s left for him besides a sore back and a fading spotlight.

Enter Aubrey Lancombe, a quiet, bookish man who’s just moved to Chance to escape the city life – and the loss of his beloved grandmother followed by a bad breakup – and finally open the bookstore of his dreams. Aubrey has always preferred words to people, quiet to chaos, and certainly has no time for cocky cowboys with something to prove.

When their worlds collide over a shared love of poetry they strike up a friendship that teeters on the edge of something else entirely. But Hoyt’s not out and Aubrey is scared to fall again. As his time at Snow Creek Ranch passes Hoyt must decide if he’s ready to hang up his spurs for good – or risk his heart on the bookworm who’s rewritten everything he thought he knew about love.

The Bull Rider and the Bookworm is a 58K opposites attract, age gap, gay MM contemporary western romance with a weary rodeo rider, a shy bookhound, a ranch that heals all manner of hurts, a gentleman rooster, a plethora of romantic poetry, and a shiny as a gold buckle happy ending.

Content Warning: This story has references to past sexual abuse and death of a parent.

*****

Review:

These two are so sweet and gentle and understanding with each other from the start. And it is just the absolute sweetest!

Hoyt is such a contradiction, probably because he’s spent so many years hiding who he is. He’s had to stuff down any softness that could be used against him and it’s made him so closed off. When an injury forces him home, and puts him face to face with his abusive father and the brother he left behind … it’s hard.

Then he meets sunshine and happiness personified in Aubrey. Aubrey is all sorts of bubbly, with a loud wardrobe, a big vocabulary, and an even bigger heart. His love for the stray cat and rooster that comes with his little cottage in the woods is absolutely precious. I just adore him.

These two are so different but fit so well. Both have experienced abuse from someone that should love them. Both have a poet’s heart. And both appreciate the other for exactly who they are. Gah, it’s so sweet!

(I didn’t read Jesse’s story, but this one can stand on its own.)