Review: Very sexy and emotional tale of love and trust
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 12, 2010
"ReneCade" is the third in the Hawkins Ranch series. This one differs from the other in that the main characters are not part of the Hawkins clan and there are no supernatural elements. It's a straightforward male/male romance with very compelling and unique characters.Cade is a deputy of Quinten, Montana. He came there two years prior and now works for Sheriff Duke Boone. He's honest, friendly, and strong, and is respected by everyone around him. He does close a part of himself off to everyone though and tries to maintain a distance. He's a great guy, but his face is horribly disfigured. It, and its cause, keep Cade closed up pretty tight. But he's strong, he can handle it. About the only thing he can't handle is his fiery attraction to Ren, Sheriff Boone's son.Ren is in his twenties and has a job he loves at the Hawkins Ranch. Over time, the stream running through the ranch got overfished and lost a lot of its normal biodiversity. Ren and woman named Risa work a special project reintroducing life back into the stream to try to restore its ecosystem. He loves the project, and is horrified when it's discovered someone is trying to sabotage it.Cade winds up being the one to work on the crime. Having to deal with Ren takes a great deal of willpower for him since he finds Ren so attractive. And it seems Ren is just as drawn to Cade as well, and is testing Cade's willpower by flirting with him. Pretty quickly, both men are thrown into an erotic romance.The book is wonderful on many levels. Cade is a deeply flawed individual. His scars aren't the noble sexy scars in some stories. They cover half of his face and tug at his mouth, making it hard to tell if he's laughing or snarling. It's a refreshing change to have a character without the classic good looks you usually find in these stories. The very reason for the scars influenced Cade greatly, and his romance with Ren resembles those reasons far too closely. Cade holds everything within, but he's still a pretty strong man. Once he decides to let things loose, there's no hesitation or censorship on his thoughts or mouth. He's a fascinating character! He has uttered some things during romantic encounters that almost sent shivers down my spine, the strength of the words and emotions were so strong.Ren is a perfect counterpart to Cade, though he's equally as flawed. He's had a semi-unrequited crush on his best friend for years, the "semi" making it difficult in its own way. His mom abandoned him when he was a kid. Duke Boone had married his mom when he was a kid, and had put the adoption process into effect when he realized how important it would be to take control of Ren from his addict mother. Duke Boone has been the best father in the world to him, and even though he knows Duke befriends gay people, he's still afraid to let him know he's gay. He doesn't want his father to be disappointed in him in any way at all. Ren has a lot of insecurities, but he masks it well. He forces himself to be outgoing and casual, and that's how he eventually works his way into Cade's heart. The only problem is that Cade's heart is a very complex place, and Ren, being younger, doesn't have the maturity and wisdom to handle it well. His defenses and charms got him in, but they're not enough to keep Cade, and a stupid act on his part tears them apart.And there's also that sabotage going on, and its escalating to the point where Cade is getting shot at!This is a complex tale that is wonderful in so many ways. It speeds along, it has incredibly engaging and powerful language, and the characters are endearing. The romantic scenes are steamy, and the dramatic scenes fully engage you. It's really a wonderful tale and adds a great deal to the series.