Review: A lot of potential but overall too many conflicts stuffed into one story
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 03 20, 2012
3.5 starsI'm not quite sure how to describe this book. It's kind of like controlled chaos I guess. There were so many elements and conflicts within the story that it was almost too much but they all pretty much had their own window. Once one issue was brought in and finished, another one would pop up and cause more conflict. It was both entertaining and exhausting.The plot revolves around Jasper, a London stockbroker, looking to learn how to unwind and relax on a ranch in Wyoming. Instead, what he encounters is Calum, the ranch owner's son, a bunch of verbal abuse, threats, danger, and disappointment. Calum was just looking to stay on rocky ground with his father. When he meets Jasper, all his hopes of being the best son go out the window and he realizes what it's like to have something you truly desire. Doesn't take long for their fledgling relationship to get damaged, though, when Jasper's vacation turns fatal. Now their feelings and emotions are tested to see if they stand the vast expanse of the ocean.I really liked Jasper as a character. He's uptight, prissy and a neat freak. He's aggressive with his job but hesitant when it comes to intimate relationships. He's afraid of what might happen if he makes the first move on a guy. Calum is the exact opposite. He's rough, loose and brash. But Calum is also conflicted. He likes Jasper enough to withstand his father's wrath but he's afraid of letting Jasper in, which causes tension between them. They are both likable characters, I mean cowboys and Brits! How can you not like that? Although I liked Jasper more than Calum. Although, I did enjoy the art Calum made.Like I said, the book is like controlled chaos. There are a lot of conflicts and resolutions which kind of took away from the story, IMO. I think I would have enjoyed the story more if it would have stuck to one conflict throughout the whole book instead of adding so many littler issues. Like the wife, the father's illness, the threats, etc.  Not to say they weren't entertaining just that it got a bit annoying to be hit, yet again, with another issue.With that said, I did like the book. Mostly. There was a point (probably between mid-beginning to mid-end) where I got so caught up in reading I didn't want to put it down. But the beginning was hard for me and it seemed like the end was almost all sex. That's in the addition to the already too much sex there was. I felt like whenever Jasper and Calum promised to talk, they ended up having sex instead and didn't talk until it was almost too late. I also wasn't very satisfied with the ending because I was expecting a bit more on where Jasper and Calum would end up and how they'd cope but instead got a small scene of what would happen. I'd have like to see it happen instead of being told more was going to happen. Especially with how much stuff Jasper went through (which, by the way, I'd have been way passed pissed off if I was treated like Jasper on my vacation... I mean holiday).Overall, it's an okay story. Some parts I loved, some parts I didn't. There were too many conflicts brought in for me to absolutely adore the story, though. I liked the characters and it was nice seeing them both in their own elements and different worlds. Oh, and if you like a lot of smexing in your story, you'd enjoy this one. As it was, it was too much for me to the point I ended up skimming some.