Review: wonderful haunting romance
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 10, 2014
I love ZA Maxfield, she's written some of my all time favorite rereads...  (not at all Western,  but Drawn together and epistols are dawn are terrific reads,  as are the St Nachos series.) So I preordered this and one day it just popped into my kindle.This is a moving,  thoughtful, present day cowboy romance, which doesn't skate over the issues of being gay in a ranching environment, but allows things to work out beautifully anyways.Malloy is head foreman and foster son to the wonderful Crandall Jenkins,  who was a vibrant character and formative influence on all the men in this book.  Malloy was indeed living like he was a coyote, not daring to get to close the warmth of the fire,  but then Crispin Carrasco arrives and everything changes.The writing is beautiful and that elevates this book way above the standard m/m romance.  Larger themes of family,  loyalty,  self perception and willingness to risk are explored,  as are love and loss and meaning.  I did so enjoy spending time with Malloy who discovers his warrior name and Crispin, whose smile was so intense I can see it in my mind's eye.  I've read it several times now and expect to read it many more,  I rate this a reread and a keeper.