And... once again Ashley wrote a story that I read in one sitting. Which then makes me mad because that means a looong time until I can read another book by her! Seriously speaking, the end of December and the first few days of January were really hard for me in my personal life, and being able to immerse myself in these stories by authors that I really like is a great comfort.

Shooter and Sterling meet after Shooter won his third world tournament as a Bronc rider, where they hook up and then, months later, they meet again when Sterling moves to Copper Lake, where Shooter lives and trains with his group of friends. To say that Shooter was shocked when he finds out that his one night stand is none other than his new competitor is an understatement, because where Sterling knew who Shooter was when they hooked up, Shooter had no idea.

These two men are like day and night. While Shooter considers himself charming, he is also moody and...ok, let's call him what he is, an asshole. He drinks a lot, sleeps badly, and inside, he feels so tangled in knots that sometimes it's difficult for him to even breathe. He feels that nothing he does will ever be enough for his father and everything in him is about to explode. Sterling's arrival doesn't help, as his father begins to compare them, which causes the attraction Shooter feels towards him to mix with resentment, causing him to treat Sterling badly more than once. Until he reaches a point where he explodes and decides to take a step aside in his career to find out if it's really what he wants to do.

Sterling, on the other hand, is someone more sensitive, easier to get along with. He's new to the circuit but he knows his worth, he knows how talented he is. He worked hard to get to where he is and knows that now is not the time for distractions. But he feels really drawn to Shooter, they're explosive together and he can't help but try be close to the other man every time he can. Not to mention that Shooter is the only man he's ever been with. He can see below behind the walls that Shooter has built around him and sees the cracks, managing to soften and somehow comfort the wounds that he carries inside.

Like I said, they're like night and day, but somehow, when they get past the barriers that Shooter tries to put up between them, it's like they were made for each other. They just fit. They belong to each other.

The story focuses a lot on Shooter and his relationship with his father and how it affects his professional and personal life, almost ruining everything, but it also shows how Shooter grows and learns about himself, seeking help and finally allowing himself to love someone that he feels deserves the world, like Sterling.

I was given an advanced copy and voluntarily wrote a review.