A Daring Ride The Bullriders Book 2
M/M Romance
Dreamspinner Press
September 15, 2013
200
Reviewed by: Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Review Team
Twenty-two year old Simon Frizzell is a rodeo bull rider. At his last rodeo, he met Dante Rivers a World Champion bull rider, his boyfriend, Ryan Abbott, and Jacky Douglas, their friend. That night at a bar, Simon found himself going back with Jacky to his hotel room, where for the first time in his life he made love to another man. Simon has always known that he was different and always felt like an outsider. He did what his family expected and refused to do anything he knew his family would hate him for.
That night with Jacky was beyond anything he could have expected. He convinced himself that once would be enough, but he opened Pandora’s Box. Now he is back home and has decided to reveal one of his two secrets to his family. His parent’s never knew about his bull riding, since his mother’s brother died riding one. Admitting his love for bull riding, he is surprised when his father supports his choice and encourages him to find a place to work and learn.
Being gay is something Simon knows he can’t reveal since his father recently fired one of his manager’s for being gay. Simon’s family owns Frizzell’s Family bookstores with almost three dozen stores; Simon doesn’t want to be fired as their son. When Simon finds a job working at Dante’s ranch, his life will change. Dante will help train him, and he is once again greeted by Jacky who is a constant visitor. Jacky knows he has strong feelings for Simon, but is afraid of being hurt by a man who is still living in the closet. The last relationship he had ended with his lover choosing to live a lie when he married a woman.
Now Simon is able to be free to be himself, but is still haunted by the idea of having his family find out. He has seven younger brothers and sisters; not having them in his life would be torture for him. His parents always tell him they love him and are proud of him. However, he is convinced that will all change when they find out he is gay. He grew up being taught that being gay was a choice, and that it was all about sex. Now with Dante, Ryan, and Jacky he realizes being gay is about love. As far as choosing to be gay, what idiot would purposely pick to be something that puts you in a position of being hated, or emotionally and physically being harassed?
Once again Andrew Grey writes a book that brings out my emotions. I feel such anger toward people who judge someone by their sexual preference, and not by the kind of person they are when the sex factor is removed. Every time I am given an Andrew Grey book to review it goes to the top of my list; I know I will not be disappointed. It will be a story of men who are just looking for love and the repercussions they face when they come out to their family, people who are supposed to love them no matter what.
I can honestly say as a woman with three sons and three grandsons, if any one of them came to me and said they were gay, I would hug them and tell them I loved them and would do my best to protect them from people out there looking to harm them. I am so glad that there is someone like Andrew out there writing books about the hardships faced by men who are gay because there are still young men out there who are hiding who they are. These books can give them hope.