If you want to read a sweet, funny and light story? Then you have to read R.M.Neill's books. Especially after reading a much heavier story with harsh themes and you need some comfort. And by this I don't mean that her books aren't exempt from some difficult themes, but her focus isn't on them, but on how the characters develop from them.

In this instance, the author brings us the story of Blaze and River, showing us how despite being adult men, they don't necessarily have their lives figured out, especially in the case of Blaze.

It shows us a Blaze that despite having achieved his goals of rising out of the poverty he was born into and becoming a successful and truly wealthy man, he is at a point in his life where he feels empty and confused. In order to achieve that wealth and fit into that world, he had to change a lot about himself and along the way, he lost a big part of himself. Used and betrayed by the people around him, which leaves him even more defeated inside, he decides to do a 180 degree turn and leave that life behind to go back to his roots and see if there he can rediscover himself and also find a true purpose in his life. So he returns to his town and works on the ranch he silently co-owns with his best friend, Dan, who is the one that supported him all those years. There he meets River, and is immediately and deeply drawn to this man who seems to enjoy the simple things in life and whom everyone on the ranch seems to gravitate towards. But the distrust of being betrayed again, and especially that feeling of not being enough, all those old fears that make him doubt himself and his worth in the eyes of others, make Blaze close off and pull away from River.

And River, a hard-working, honest and incredibly sweet and beautiful man, just seeing Blaze, a really hot Blaze, for the first time feels like he's been swept off the ground. He has no problem flirting with Blaze and making him see that he is attracted to him but he soon realizes that Blaze, while at first flirts back, soon shuts down and walks away. So River is content to maintain a friendly relationship, mostly related to work, and settles down to wait, hoping that one day Blaze will let him get close. And it is after a year that the opportunity presents itself.

Blaze feels more grounded. He still hasn't figured out what he's missing, but life on the ranch somehow fills him up. And then one day he finds himself accepting River's unexpected invitation to have a date with him. He still finds it hard to believe that someone like River is attracted to him, but little by little; River manages to break down the walls that surround Blaze, making him feel wanted and loved for the first time in his life just for himself and not for what he can give in return. River accepts him as he is, weird accent and all, and encourages him to be himself. And Blaze realizes that that part of himself he thought was lost is no longer. For the first time ever, he feels complete and capable of giving River what he deserves.

I love seeing how the characters grow through the story. Blaze goes from being a shell of himself, to someone vibrant with enjoyment, and River, well, despite the fact that he had his life more determined, more on track, thanks to Blaze he is also encouraged to take certain risks.

And now to wait for Alec, and pleaseeee Zane????

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