When Rory gets caught up in a scandal in the midst of his father's ongoing campaign, bringing unwanted attention and chaos, his brother Nick calls in a favor with his best friend Cash, who runs Redemption Ranch, in order to help Rory get away from the city and lie low while things cool down.

Cash reaches out to Ivan, the foreman of the ranch, to help Rory settle in and see where his skills would be best put to use while he stays there. Rory's situation hits a little too close to home for Ivan, and he's initially reluctant to be a part of this arrangement but complies when Cash talks him into it.

There is an immediate attraction between the two, but they toe around it for a while, with Rory unable to stop himself from flirting with Ivan and Ivan unwilling to get things complicated with anyone working on the ranch. However, the two slowly start forming a bond while working on the ranch and with Rory helping Ivan prep for an interview for his business. With all this growing attraction and sexual tension between them, they decide to get into a no strings attached relationship for the course of Rory's stay.

Ivan came to Redemption Ranch about 6 years ago after he was released from jail. Studying bees was something he had taken to during his time in jail, which was therapeutic for him, and he built on it after coming to the ranch by slowly setting up his business over the years with Cash's help. His past experience had made him shut out the world, and he was uncomfortable with letting anyone know his personal business. Learning about the environment he had grown up in and the way he loathed himself at such a young age for being gay was so heartbreaking, knowing how alone and confused he was.

Rory on the outside seemed like he had everything. Coming from a family as rich as his meant he'd want for nothing. But he still struggles with the grief of losing his mother and the fallout with his father after, as they both processed and reacted to the loss in their own way. Which also led to him veering down a dark path for a while. When he initially comes to the ranch, he feels like Ivan could be the perfect distraction during this messy time since he wasn't looking for anything too serious given how the last person he trusted had let him down.

I liked how their relationship progressed from the initial flirting to them trying to keep their distance from each other and failing. Their late-night conversations and confessions lead to them connecting on a much deeper level than either was ready for, but they can't seem to stop themselves. The feeling of rightness when they are together makes them want more than the limited time they have.

Ivan's past and Rory's current situation had quite a few similarities, which was another thing that got them closer. I loved how the two opened up about their struggles with their respective pasts and also helped the other overcome certain beliefs that they had instilled about themselves. So many heartfelt moments that make you feel so good and happy that these two found their way to each other. The spice was definitely good, and I enjoyed it a lot. Rory finally felt like someone liked him for him and not what he could do for them or the connections he could get them. For Ivan, whose last relationship ended on such a bad note and left him with so many issues, Rory's patience allowed him to reflect on his past and finally open up to the idea of wanting more for himself.

Given their pasts, people were wary of Rory when he first arrived on Redemption Ranch, but Rory worked really hard to show everyone that he wasn't some spoilt rich kid who couldn't handle the ranch work, and he gradually fit in with the rest of the team. I especially loved how his bond grew with Harry.

The people on the ranch were truly family, and that was so heartwarming. I loved how these people gave Ivan and Rory so much shit for the way they were trying to be sneaky, but they also stood by them and were so happy when the two finally openly accepted their feelings. 

I loved Hope just as much as I had in book one, and her antics made me laugh so hard. She was so supportive, funny, and a lively character that you can't help but adore. I also loved watching Harry and Dylan get together after all that reluctance in Book 1.

The thing I had an issue with is that Rory's situation wasn't clear, and I didn't know what had happened to result in there being a scandal in the first place. What led to the altercation with the man that forced Rory to leave the city and lay low in the first place? How did it turn so huge? Who had he trusted and been betrayed by since it was mentioned that he got into this mess because he trusted the wrong person, but we don't know what actually happened?

That epilogue has me excited for Nick and Cash's story.