Advanced Reader Copy Review: The Bull Rider and The Bookworm by V.L. Locey
ARC provided by Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest opinion. My thanks to them and the author for the opportunity to review.
The Bull Rider and The Book Worm by V.L. Locey is book 2 in the Snow Creek Ranch Series. After a potentially career-ending injury, closeted Bull Rider Hoyt returns to Snow Creek Ranch to heal and work out what comes next. While there he meets book shop owner Aubrey, who has moved to Chance following a relationship breakdown and the passing of his beloved Gee-Gee. The two bond over a mutual love of poetry and quirky opposites attract friendship blooms into something more.
I really enjoyed this book and the relationship development and dynamic between Aubrey and Hoyt was such a joy to read. Hoyt was such an interesting character, an abusive father and very difficult childhood had resulted in him denying parts of himself and being forced to live a closed off and closeted life. Returning to Snow Creek was such an important event for him as it brought Aubrey into his life which was literally life-changing for both of them. I adored Aubrey, his love of literature and of his love of poetry was fun, funny and endearing and I really liked that Hoyt never shamed him for how he was and that they both accepted each as is. There are a lot of difficult subjects covered in this book, and it is a credit to the writing, that although there is angst it doesn’t overpower the story, which is surprisingly light and joyful. I am glad that Hoyt and Jesse are able to rebuild their sibling relationship. I really enjoyed the exploration of poetry throughout the story and felt that it summed up Hoyt’s and Aubrey’s relationship with such beautiful imagery.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
