Review: Welcome to Cattle Valley  - Be prepared to fall in love
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 20, 2010
Founded by the father of a man who was killed from a gay bashing, Cattle Valley is a Wyoming community owned and funded by a trust fund and built on tolerance. Here, same-sex couples (and sometimes threesomes) can live in harmony. Mainly alternative lifestyle, some traditional-lifestyle families do exist as some families have moved there to be with loved ones who have relocated there.Ryan and Rio are a long-term committed couple. Ryan's in law enforcement, and Rio works for a company as a mercenary. They both had the hots for Nate, and when they saw Nate fall victim to a date-rape drug in a bar, they stepped in, protected Nate, and invited him into their relationship. Taking a job as the Sheriff of Cattle Valley, Ryan has Nate and Rio move to Cattle Valley where the three of them will live openly and happily. Well, happily-ever-after once Nate helps Wyn, the owner of a high-end designer clothing store who is being abused by his boyfriend. It's a good thing Nate's a private investigator.And so begins the soap opera.That's what this series basically is. A same-sex erotic soap opera. The books overlap, and plots hinted at in one story are brought out in more detail in the next. They're not overly romantic, nor are they overly erotic. They're not overly suspenseful, but still interesting and engaging. It's a light fun read that opens up the series. Each book deals with a different couple and a different relationship. Characters are established and maintained throughout the entire series. Wyn owns the clothing store, Nate and Rio own The Gym, Hal is the contractor, Casey the preacher, Ezra the ranch owner, Kyle the baker. And that's the strength of the books.... it's like an ongoing soap opera with a large cast. A car accident mentioned in one book has ramifications three or four books later, for instance. For many of the books, Nate makes appearances. He so does like getting into people's business and playing matchmaker.If you want blistering erotica or tear-jerking romance, look elsewhere. If you want something light and fun, with recurring characters to give a sense of stability and familiarity, then give this series a try.