A Daring Ride (Lily G’s Review)

Title: A Daring Ride (The Bullriders #2)
Author: Andrew Grey and John Solo (Narrator)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC
Release Date: March 23rd 2018
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Length: 7 hrs
Reviewed by: Lily G. Blunt
Heat Level: 3 flames out of 5
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Blurb:

Simon “Frizz” Frizzell sneaks away to the rodeo on weekends, and it’s not until after he wins a buckle that he tells his parents about his bull-riding. He knows they won’t approve of his choice of sport, but his parents own a Christian bookstore, and he couldn’t possibly tell them the whole truth: He’s gay. And so are some of his rodeo friends, like Dante and Ryan, and Jacky – a young man he wishes could have been more than a one-night stand. When Simon sets his sights on his dreams, he finds work with Dante and Ryan, and bumps into Jacky on the job.

Jacky Douglas is a rodeo fanatic, plain and simple. He loves the ride, and he loves the cowboys. He fell hard for Frizz when they met, and theirs was a one-night stand made in heaven. When they meet again, Jacky thinks it’s a stroke of luck. Frizz takes some convincing, but once he’s on board, they begin a relationship. The fledgling romance faces a challenge when news of it travels all the way to the one place Frizz doesn’t want it to go: his parents’ bookstore.

There was a lot I liked about this story. I’m glad it continued from #1 and that we get to see more of Dante, Ryan, and Jacky because they are involved in the story.

Frizz/Simon is the new character here. He’s been keeping two secrets from his religious parents: the fact that he is gay and that he’s a secret rodeo bull rider. Jacky becomes his love interest and supports Frizz in the choices that he makes. It’s not an easy journey and Frizz is conflicted for much of the story, fearful that he’ll have to choose between the man he is falling in love with and his family. Despite being ultra conservative and stuck in their ways, the parents didn’t totally cut off ties with Frizz nor ban him from seeing his younger siblings. I guessed how the conflict would be resolved and it was sorted out fairly easily, so the story is not high on angst.

What I liked most about the story was the development of Simon/Frizz and Jacky’s relationship and the support given by the guys at the ranch, especially Dante and Ryan. Frizz was a nice guy and it was great to see him sort his feelings and beliefs out. The rodeo action and events were exciting, the bedroom scenes were sizzling, and the overall thread of the story was interesting.

Andrew’s writing and storytelling is clear and straightforward. Scenes and events are well described with the odd poetic flourish here and there. As with the previous story, there are a couple of plot points that are introduced but not resolved e.g. the gay employee Frizz’s father sacked from the book store. What was the outcome?

John Solo’s narration and pacing were spot on as always. He matched the characters’ voices to their personalities and made each one distinctive and believable. He portrayed the right emotion and passion when needed.