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The Griffith Brothers #2
Downpour
Ray
Rule #1 of almost dying: Make sure someone knows your passwords. It’s hard to cancel your phone plan if you’re dead.
Rule #2 of almost dying: Make sure your house is clean before you walk up the steps to the pearly gates. It makes selling off your life easier.
Back-up plans are for people who plan on losing.
All it took was eight seconds for me to win the biggest competition of my life, and one second to lose everything except that championship buckle.
I had left my family’s cattle ranch at eighteen with no intention of ever coming back for good.
Now I was back, stuck in a wheelchair with a beautiful disaster attempting to burn my house down.
Brooke
Rule #1 of trying to not get fired: Don’t piss off the grumpy bull rider.
Rule #2 of trying to not get fired: When you do get fired, keep your chin up. The grumpy bull rider was hot.
It was just a little fire. Tiny, even. But that didn’t change the fact that Ray Griffith didn’t want me anywhere near him.
But we came to an agreement: I ignore him, and he doesn’t fire me.
Easy, right? Not so much when we can’t keep our hands off each other.
Rule #1 of almost dying: Make sure someone knows your passwords. It’s hard to cancel your phone plan if you’re dead.
Rule #2 of almost dying: Make sure your house is clean before you walk up the steps to the pearly gates. It makes selling off your life easier.
Back-up plans are for people who plan on losing.
All it took was eight seconds for me to win the biggest competition of my life, and one second to lose everything except that championship buckle.
I had left my family’s cattle ranch at eighteen with no intention of ever coming back for good.
Now I was back, stuck in a wheelchair with a beautiful disaster attempting to burn my house down.
Brooke
Rule #1 of trying to not get fired: Don’t piss off the grumpy bull rider.
Rule #2 of trying to not get fired: When you do get fired, keep your chin up. The grumpy bull rider was hot.
It was just a little fire. Tiny, even. But that didn’t change the fact that Ray Griffith didn’t want me anywhere near him.
But we came to an agreement: I ignore him, and he doesn’t fire me.
Easy, right? Not so much when we can’t keep our hands off each other.
354 pages, Paperback
First published May 16, 2024
About the author
Maggie C. Gates
19 books1,231 followersMaggie Gates writes raw, relatable, romance novels packed full of heat and humor. Maggie calls North Carolina home. In her spare time she enjoys daydreaming about her characters, jamming to country music, and eating all the barbecue and tacos she can find! Her Kindle is always within reach due to a love of small town romances that borders on obsession.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,373 reviews
May 22, 2024
i’m scared to write this review because i’m worried my words won’t accurately portray just how much i loved this book or how perfect it was so PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF ICED COFFEE, READ THIS GD BOOK.
ray was a champion bull rider until an accident left him paralyzed. an experimental surgery gave him some mobility back but his life will never be the same and because of that, he’s shut his entire family out and isolated himself from the world. unfortunately for him, his family’s a lot more annoying than he is reserved so they keep meddling and trying to send him home aides that he fires repeatedly… until brooke, the clumsy, absent-minded hurricane who desperately needs the job.
GOD, everything about this book was amazing. brooke was such a funny, kind-hearted, and relatable character. the way she was a disaster in most areas of life despite having the best intentions made for a hilarious story and the way she got through to ray and had such a deep understanding of him was just so sweet.
AND MY POOR, GRUMPY RAY 😭 his journey of finding his self-worth after losing the life he once knew was just heartbreaking but his strength and love for brooke exactly as she was was truly everything!!!! AND HE WAS HOT AS FFFFFFF. he really said, i haven’t been with anybody in a long time… let me pull out some rope. OK PURRRRRRRRRR ROPE DADDY ILYSM.
what took this story over the edge for me was all of the familial relationships and how they had to heal after ray’s accident. he distanced himself from everybody and seeing them all care so much about him being okay and try to show support and love to someone who acted like he didn’t want it but really just didn’t feel like he deserved it made me so emotional the whole book.
i’m just obsessed with maggie gates and you all have to read this perfect book!!! 🥲
ray was a champion bull rider until an accident left him paralyzed. an experimental surgery gave him some mobility back but his life will never be the same and because of that, he’s shut his entire family out and isolated himself from the world. unfortunately for him, his family’s a lot more annoying than he is reserved so they keep meddling and trying to send him home aides that he fires repeatedly… until brooke, the clumsy, absent-minded hurricane who desperately needs the job.
GOD, everything about this book was amazing. brooke was such a funny, kind-hearted, and relatable character. the way she was a disaster in most areas of life despite having the best intentions made for a hilarious story and the way she got through to ray and had such a deep understanding of him was just so sweet.
AND MY POOR, GRUMPY RAY 😭 his journey of finding his self-worth after losing the life he once knew was just heartbreaking but his strength and love for brooke exactly as she was was truly everything!!!! AND HE WAS HOT AS FFFFFFF. he really said, i haven’t been with anybody in a long time… let me pull out some rope. OK PURRRRRRRRRR ROPE DADDY ILYSM.
what took this story over the edge for me was all of the familial relationships and how they had to heal after ray’s accident. he distanced himself from everybody and seeing them all care so much about him being okay and try to show support and love to someone who acted like he didn’t want it but really just didn’t feel like he deserved it made me so emotional the whole book.
i’m just obsessed with maggie gates and you all have to read this perfect book!!! 🥲
May 21, 2024
2⭐️
DNF @26%
I was so excited for this book. I’ve read Maggie Gates before and loved it. When I saw she was writing about a grumpy paraplegic cowboy who likes rope play, I couldn’t open my kindle fast enough.
But I just couldn’t get into this story. Brooke was a hot mess and not in a good way. I love a grumpy sunshine dynamic, but Brooke was too sunny. She crashed through like with all the grace of a rhino chasing a butterfly. I didn’t find her inability to navigate the world cute or charming. I found it infuriating.
I wish I had liked her even a little bit because I really wanted to read Ray’s healing journey but I had to tap out because of Brooke.
DNF @26%
I was so excited for this book. I’ve read Maggie Gates before and loved it. When I saw she was writing about a grumpy paraplegic cowboy who likes rope play, I couldn’t open my kindle fast enough.
But I just couldn’t get into this story. Brooke was a hot mess and not in a good way. I love a grumpy sunshine dynamic, but Brooke was too sunny. She crashed through like with all the grace of a rhino chasing a butterfly. I didn’t find her inability to navigate the world cute or charming. I found it infuriating.
I wish I had liked her even a little bit because I really wanted to read Ray’s healing journey but I had to tap out because of Brooke.
May 22, 2024
₊ ⊹”in every lifetime, you are the most brilliant thing in existence.”₊ ⊹
*:･ﾟmy thoughts┊ honestly? i’m not impressed with this one. i feel like i read a totally different book compared to all of the four and five star ratings lmao
for one, brooke has got to be the most annoying female lead i have ever read about. she was written to be so ditzy and oblivious and accident prone and showed no emotion besides utter happiness and the occasional tear. she came off as childlike to me, which made the relationship feel a little icky, ngl. she struggled with being on time and remembering the smallest things and somehow got herself into so much trouble at the beginning, but then that persona of hers almost drops like halfway. she gets that job at a ranch and suddenly she’s like a proper working woman? that was unbelievable lmao and you could chalk it up to character growth or something but nothing happened! this girl didn’t go through anything.
ray was…fine. his story was really touching with him recovering from an accident like that, but idk. i felt for him, but both of these characters felt very one dimensional and it killed the vibes for me. i thought i’d love the whole age gap/technical boss kinda relationship but it fell flat for me. it felt like ray was only pissy sometimes to accent how happy-go-lucky brooke was. like the author took the grumpyxsunshine trope a little too seriously, especially with how many times she highlights how “brooke is the sun and ray is the moon and she eclipsed his darkness and he’ll reflect her light back to her when she needs it” and yada yada yada.
also, the spice? i’m all for some more bdsm/kinky aspects, but at least have a conversation about consent beforehand, not during the sex. he literally blindfolds and ties her up the first time they get together. it all felt so forced, like it was mostly for shock value or for people on booktok to talk about how smutty this book is.
as for the plot… what plot? i felt like nothing happened in this book. the whole thing with brooke’s roommates was stupid too, definitely added just to spice up the non-existent plot.
idk lmao i’m rating it two stars because i did like seeing ray’s character growth and how he worked to fix the relationships within his family, and for how brooke never really viewed ray as less than normal even with his disability. there were some sweet moments, but overall this was kind of a pain to get through, which is sad. i do think i’ll still be picking up cj’s novel, because i’ve grown interested in his character and am intrigued to his “enemies to lovers” plot, i guess. we’ll see!
*:･ﾟmy thoughts┊ honestly? i’m not impressed with this one. i feel like i read a totally different book compared to all of the four and five star ratings lmao
for one, brooke has got to be the most annoying female lead i have ever read about. she was written to be so ditzy and oblivious and accident prone and showed no emotion besides utter happiness and the occasional tear. she came off as childlike to me, which made the relationship feel a little icky, ngl. she struggled with being on time and remembering the smallest things and somehow got herself into so much trouble at the beginning, but then that persona of hers almost drops like halfway. she gets that job at a ranch and suddenly she’s like a proper working woman? that was unbelievable lmao and you could chalk it up to character growth or something but nothing happened! this girl didn’t go through anything.
ray was…fine. his story was really touching with him recovering from an accident like that, but idk. i felt for him, but both of these characters felt very one dimensional and it killed the vibes for me. i thought i’d love the whole age gap/technical boss kinda relationship but it fell flat for me. it felt like ray was only pissy sometimes to accent how happy-go-lucky brooke was. like the author took the grumpyxsunshine trope a little too seriously, especially with how many times she highlights how “brooke is the sun and ray is the moon and she eclipsed his darkness and he’ll reflect her light back to her when she needs it” and yada yada yada.
also, the spice? i’m all for some more bdsm/kinky aspects, but at least have a conversation about consent beforehand, not during the sex. he literally blindfolds and ties her up the first time they get together. it all felt so forced, like it was mostly for shock value or for people on booktok to talk about how smutty this book is.
as for the plot… what plot? i felt like nothing happened in this book. the whole thing with brooke’s roommates was stupid too, definitely added just to spice up the non-existent plot.
idk lmao i’m rating it two stars because i did like seeing ray’s character growth and how he worked to fix the relationships within his family, and for how brooke never really viewed ray as less than normal even with his disability. there were some sweet moments, but overall this was kind of a pain to get through, which is sad. i do think i’ll still be picking up cj’s novel, because i’ve grown interested in his character and am intrigued to his “enemies to lovers” plot, i guess. we’ll see!
May 21, 2024
4.5 stars!!
i would literally read a grocery list if maggie gates wrote it and i would be ENTHRALLED. she has quickly become one of my all time favorite authors.
i loved this book. grumpy sunshine, mental health rep, paraplegic/disability rep, amazing ranch setting and family. so so good.
as someone who has been paralyzed before for an extended period of time due to chronic illness, i really appreciate the way this was approached!! i thought it was very well written and i loved that brookes love did not "fix" ray. he continually messed up, but also continually worked on himself and worked towards being a man who could deserve her. so so beautifully done.
i cant wait for the next one!!
i would literally read a grocery list if maggie gates wrote it and i would be ENTHRALLED. she has quickly become one of my all time favorite authors.
i loved this book. grumpy sunshine, mental health rep, paraplegic/disability rep, amazing ranch setting and family. so so good.
as someone who has been paralyzed before for an extended period of time due to chronic illness, i really appreciate the way this was approached!! i thought it was very well written and i loved that brookes love did not "fix" ray. he continually messed up, but also continually worked on himself and worked towards being a man who could deserve her. so so beautifully done.
i cant wait for the next one!!
May 30, 2024
4/5
Please, I cried. AGAIN.
Please, I cried. AGAIN.
May 21, 2024
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice Rating:🌶🌶.5
HEA (Engaged w/ Baby OTW)
❗️Safety and Small Spoilers Below❗️
📌 Triggers: Thoughts of Suicide (on-page) Injuries from Dealing w/ Dementia Patients (on-page) Traumatic Spinal Injury and Aftermath (on-page) Depression (on-page) Parental Loss (off-page)
📌 No Cheating/Sharing
📌 No OWD: It's been a while since MMC has been with anyone
📌 No OMD: It's been a while since FMC has been with anyone
📌 No Third-act Breakup/ separation
Spice Rating:🌶🌶.5
HEA (Engaged w/ Baby OTW)
❗️Safety and Small Spoilers Below❗️
📌 Triggers: Thoughts of Suicide (on-page) Injuries from Dealing w/ Dementia Patients (on-page) Traumatic Spinal Injury and Aftermath (on-page) Depression (on-page) Parental Loss (off-page)
📌 No Cheating/Sharing
📌 No OWD: It's been a while since MMC has been with anyone
📌 No OMD: It's been a while since FMC has been with anyone
📌 No Third-act Breakup/ separation
May 31, 2024
DNF
Respectfully…..
I really tried to push through to finish this one, but the blatant lack of connection between the main characters, the obnoxious fmc who has all the traits of a CHILD (be so fr) and the writing just being so splotchy, I can’t. It felt rushed, forced and just not well put together.
She works at an agency that provides in home care to those who need it and we meet her by her boss telling her she is on the verge of being fired because shes late all the time and mixes up MEDS and meals! MEDS!!! Was this supposed to be quirky???
I’m sorry, I hate to be negative but I truly need to get my thoughts out.
Respectfully…..
I really tried to push through to finish this one, but the blatant lack of connection between the main characters, the obnoxious fmc who has all the traits of a CHILD (be so fr) and the writing just being so splotchy, I can’t. It felt rushed, forced and just not well put together.
She works at an agency that provides in home care to those who need it and we meet her by her boss telling her she is on the verge of being fired because shes late all the time and mixes up MEDS and meals! MEDS!!! Was this supposed to be quirky???
I’m sorry, I hate to be negative but I truly need to get my thoughts out.
June 23, 2024
5/5 ⭐️
«Життя - це бик. Іноді ти можеш триматися. Іноді воно скидає тебе з ніг. Іноді тебе повністю ламає. Треба встати, обтруситися і їхати далі.»
Мені ця частина сподобалась більше ніж перша. Це красива історія з болісними моментами. Історія Рея мені розбивала серце, але його шлях до зцілення та пошук нового життя після травми вартий аплодисментів. Брук сонячний промінчик, але вона також має свої страхи та невпевненість.
Їх взаємодія та динаміка мені сподобалась, вона була справжня з помилками, наївністю і іноді з агресією. Я в неї повірила.
А що вийшло з роботи Рея над дрібною моторикою з вузлами? Це була пожежа.
Мені подобається як пише авторка, буду чекати наступну історію з серії.
«Життя - це бик. Іноді ти можеш триматися. Іноді воно скидає тебе з ніг. Іноді тебе повністю ламає. Треба встати, обтруситися і їхати далі.»
Мені ця частина сподобалась більше ніж перша. Це красива історія з болісними моментами. Історія Рея мені розбивала серце, але його шлях до зцілення та пошук нового життя після травми вартий аплодисментів. Брук сонячний промінчик, але вона також має свої страхи та невпевненість.
Їх взаємодія та динаміка мені сподобалась, вона була справжня з помилками, наївністю і іноді з агресією. Я в неї повірила.
А що вийшло з роботи Рея над дрібною моторикою з вузлами? Це була пожежа.
Мені подобається як пише авторка, буду чекати наступну історію з серії.
May 24, 2024
i thought this was gonna be like a sweet book about a guy in a wheelchair and his assistant but then out of literally nowhere he tied ropes around her and nicknames like baby girl and daddy where thrown around💀and i knew i couldn’t take it seriously anymore even if i tried so yeah..book ruined but i was already halfway through and didn’t want to dnf so i basically skimmed the rest and yeah..the only word that comes to my mind when i think about this book is just yuck
May 27, 2024
Spicy and hopeful
After debating overnight, I'm going to say the same thing I did for book one - I’m rounding up my rating, because I liked it, and I binged it, and I’m definitely coming back for more. It wasn’t a perfect ten for me (a few things were a little too convenient), but I absolutely enjoyed the reading experience. I find Gates’ writing style to be so easy to binge, and it really does give me Elsie Silver vibes, especially since the side characters have drawn me into the series so much. I loved the grumpy/sunshine dynamic, small town setting, found family aspect, and the sexual tension. I also loved that the hero is a former bull rider whose life was changed by an accident that left him paralyzed. He uses a wheelchair throughout the story, and it was great to see that front and center. He’s this strong, tattooed, moody and broody bull rider who has been in a dark place since his accident, and the sunshine heroine is exactly what he needed to find himself again. It’s a lot spicier than I anticipated based on the situation, which I both loved to see and thought was slightly unrealistic (given some of the positions). But that was really the only roadblock to my enjoyment. I binged it in a single day and cannot wait for the next book in the series, so I can’t call it anything but a highly successful reading experience.
The story follows Ray (35), a man who hasn’t truly been living since an accident left him paralyzed 18 months ago. He’s gone through some dark times, and he just wants to be left to suffer alone - which is why he fires every nurse his family sends his way. Out of options, the agency sends over their worst employee, a 23-year-old hot mess of a woman. Brooke is a terrible employee, but she’s also the only person who makes Ray feel alive again. They couldn’t be more different, but spending time together makes Ray realize that maybe he does have a future ahead of him. But he’s not getting out of his wheelchair anytime soon - if ever - and he would never subject someone he loves to a life of caretaking.
After reading Dust Storm, I was excited to dig into Ray’s book. While Dust Storm is not required reading, you do get to see what he’s like before the accident and experience the immediate aftermath, which makes it a richer experience. I loved that there wasn’t some miracle cure - yes, Ray shows improvement and seems to be heading in a positive direction, but he’s still paraplegic and using a wheelchair. That doesn’t change how Brooke views him, and it was great to see Ray get some of his confidence and self-worth back. He’s a great guy underneath the grump, and this series has been so positive about therapy, which has been awesome to see. There were a couple of things I thought could’ve been done a little better (I saw one conflict a mile away), but my only gripe is with the spicy scenes. It’s actually pretty high heat, which I didn’t mind. But I do think a man in Ray’s situation wouldn’t have quite that much mobility; it was all too convenient. I’m no expert though, and I appreciated the effort to show some less conventional… techniques, shall we say. And the representation is solid in nearly every other way. All in all, I flew through this and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.
After debating overnight, I'm going to say the same thing I did for book one - I’m rounding up my rating, because I liked it, and I binged it, and I’m definitely coming back for more. It wasn’t a perfect ten for me (a few things were a little too convenient), but I absolutely enjoyed the reading experience. I find Gates’ writing style to be so easy to binge, and it really does give me Elsie Silver vibes, especially since the side characters have drawn me into the series so much. I loved the grumpy/sunshine dynamic, small town setting, found family aspect, and the sexual tension. I also loved that the hero is a former bull rider whose life was changed by an accident that left him paralyzed. He uses a wheelchair throughout the story, and it was great to see that front and center. He’s this strong, tattooed, moody and broody bull rider who has been in a dark place since his accident, and the sunshine heroine is exactly what he needed to find himself again. It’s a lot spicier than I anticipated based on the situation, which I both loved to see and thought was slightly unrealistic (given some of the positions). But that was really the only roadblock to my enjoyment. I binged it in a single day and cannot wait for the next book in the series, so I can’t call it anything but a highly successful reading experience.
The story follows Ray (35), a man who hasn’t truly been living since an accident left him paralyzed 18 months ago. He’s gone through some dark times, and he just wants to be left to suffer alone - which is why he fires every nurse his family sends his way. Out of options, the agency sends over their worst employee, a 23-year-old hot mess of a woman. Brooke is a terrible employee, but she’s also the only person who makes Ray feel alive again. They couldn’t be more different, but spending time together makes Ray realize that maybe he does have a future ahead of him. But he’s not getting out of his wheelchair anytime soon - if ever - and he would never subject someone he loves to a life of caretaking.
After reading Dust Storm, I was excited to dig into Ray’s book. While Dust Storm is not required reading, you do get to see what he’s like before the accident and experience the immediate aftermath, which makes it a richer experience. I loved that there wasn’t some miracle cure - yes, Ray shows improvement and seems to be heading in a positive direction, but he’s still paraplegic and using a wheelchair. That doesn’t change how Brooke views him, and it was great to see Ray get some of his confidence and self-worth back. He’s a great guy underneath the grump, and this series has been so positive about therapy, which has been awesome to see. There were a couple of things I thought could’ve been done a little better (I saw one conflict a mile away), but my only gripe is with the spicy scenes. It’s actually pretty high heat, which I didn’t mind. But I do think a man in Ray’s situation wouldn’t have quite that much mobility; it was all too convenient. I’m no expert though, and I appreciated the effort to show some less conventional… techniques, shall we say. And the representation is solid in nearly every other way. All in all, I flew through this and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.
May 21, 2024
i know books are subjective but anyone giving this 5 stars is simply wrong
October 21, 2024
This was so much better then the first one in this series. I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting!! Great small town cowboy palate cleanser. 4.5⭐️
May 26, 2024
the fmc was so annoying i was jealous when the old man gave her a black eye bc i wished it was me
May 19, 2024
eARC review - 5 million stars!
Maggie is a new author to me, and I’ll always be grateful to Sarah for insisting I read “Dust Storm”, the first book in this series. Ray’s story was highly anticipated after the end of Dust Storm, and it did not disappoint. It was impeccable, and no words can do this book justice. I left part of my soul with Ray and Brooke.
Ray is a former bull rider whose career is shattered when one ride goes wrong. He is left with a life changing injury and in turn has isolated himself and refusing all the help that had been forced upon him. Until her. Until Brooke. The beautiful, chaotic, walking disaster. She is the epitome of sunshine; he is the epitome of a grump. THIS is how a grumpy x sunshine romance should be written.
What to expect: small town, grumpy x sunshine, age gap (12 years), forced proximity, disability rep, found family
Brooke is my new favourite FMC. She waltzed into Ray’s life and forever changed him. She was his perfect match. The beauty to his beast. She saw Ray, and I absolutely loved how patient, kind and understanding she was with him. She gave him the autonomy he craved, and never once made him feel less. The chemistry was incredible between them right from the beginning and Ray definitely took me by surprise, as did Brooke with that slip of the “D” word 😏😏
I just loved everything about Brooke and Ray together; their banter, their chemistry, the sharing of their vulnerabilities, the way they worked through their anger and trauma together. They truly found their peace and calm within each other. This book made me so emotional, it was written in the most beautiful way and I left part of my soul with Ray and Brooke.
I loved the found family vibes, too. Brooke found her true home with the Griffith family and I loved seeing more of Christian, their girls and crazy, Cass. She was so great in this book, in only the way Cass can be. I am so ready and excited for CJ’s book!
⚠️ Please check your triggers before reading this book as it does deal with some sensitive topics, but in the most beautiful and respectful way.
Thank you Maggie and Greys Promo for the arc. It is always much appreciated! 🫶🏻
Maggie is a new author to me, and I’ll always be grateful to Sarah for insisting I read “Dust Storm”, the first book in this series. Ray’s story was highly anticipated after the end of Dust Storm, and it did not disappoint. It was impeccable, and no words can do this book justice. I left part of my soul with Ray and Brooke.
Ray is a former bull rider whose career is shattered when one ride goes wrong. He is left with a life changing injury and in turn has isolated himself and refusing all the help that had been forced upon him. Until her. Until Brooke. The beautiful, chaotic, walking disaster. She is the epitome of sunshine; he is the epitome of a grump. THIS is how a grumpy x sunshine romance should be written.
What to expect: small town, grumpy x sunshine, age gap (12 years), forced proximity, disability rep, found family
Brooke is my new favourite FMC. She waltzed into Ray’s life and forever changed him. She was his perfect match. The beauty to his beast. She saw Ray, and I absolutely loved how patient, kind and understanding she was with him. She gave him the autonomy he craved, and never once made him feel less. The chemistry was incredible between them right from the beginning and Ray definitely took me by surprise, as did Brooke with that slip of the “D” word 😏😏
I just loved everything about Brooke and Ray together; their banter, their chemistry, the sharing of their vulnerabilities, the way they worked through their anger and trauma together. They truly found their peace and calm within each other. This book made me so emotional, it was written in the most beautiful way and I left part of my soul with Ray and Brooke.
I loved the found family vibes, too. Brooke found her true home with the Griffith family and I loved seeing more of Christian, their girls and crazy, Cass. She was so great in this book, in only the way Cass can be. I am so ready and excited for CJ’s book!
⚠️ Please check your triggers before reading this book as it does deal with some sensitive topics, but in the most beautiful and respectful way.
Thank you Maggie and Greys Promo for the arc. It is always much appreciated! 🫶🏻
May 20, 2024
Maggie Gates writes crack.
Every time I read one of her books there is always something new or refreshing about them.
The MMC, Ray, is a paraplegic/quadriplegic after a bull riding accident. A hot tattooed guy in a wheelchair.
Like I was saying, her books are one of a kinds.
Brooke, ok not gonna lie the first little bit I was unsure of her. She slowly did grow on me.
His nickname for her, I loved!
My only real down is that I feel like I didn’t get a true feel of her backstory.
Raw.
Realistic.
Ranch.
Found family.
Age gap
Grumpy/sunshine
Boss/employee
Forced proximity
Bondage
Topless bull riding
Every time I read one of her books there is always something new or refreshing about them.
The MMC, Ray, is a paraplegic/quadriplegic after a bull riding accident. A hot tattooed guy in a wheelchair.
Like I was saying, her books are one of a kinds.
Brooke, ok not gonna lie the first little bit I was unsure of her. She slowly did grow on me.
His nickname for her, I loved!
My only real down is that I feel like I didn’t get a true feel of her backstory.
Raw.
Realistic.
Ranch.
Found family.
Age gap
Grumpy/sunshine
Boss/employee
Forced proximity
Bondage
Topless bull riding
May 22, 2024
this one just wasn’t for me. I really didn’t like Brooke as a character - she was too happy go lucky for me and was incredibly naive (the roommate stuff?? her showing up 2+ hours late for work on a regular basis?? The coffee aura thing?? Come on) and this paired with the age gap!? Felt like she had major growing up to do. We also know nothing about her other than her family died when she was younger and she gets a trust fund when she’s 25 if she’s able to hold a job for 2 years? (which seems like she still hasn’t been able to do by the end of the book??)
I also didn’t like the nurse/patient dynamic just a bit weird since it’s not like they are coworkers - she’s been assigned to help “care” for him (quotes bc he doesn’t actually need much care). There also wasn’t enough tension or chemistry between them for me to root for them. The love declaration was SO underwhelming I was genuinely confused on if I skipped a page/a whole chapter. At about 80% I was actively thinking when is this ending?? How is there still 20%?? Bummed bc I really liked the first of this series and was really excited for Ray but fingers crossed for CJ’s story🤞🏻🤞🏻
I also didn’t like the nurse/patient dynamic just a bit weird since it’s not like they are coworkers - she’s been assigned to help “care” for him (quotes bc he doesn’t actually need much care). There also wasn’t enough tension or chemistry between them for me to root for them. The love declaration was SO underwhelming I was genuinely confused on if I skipped a page/a whole chapter. At about 80% I was actively thinking when is this ending?? How is there still 20%?? Bummed bc I really liked the first of this series and was really excited for Ray but fingers crossed for CJ’s story🤞🏻🤞🏻
May 20, 2024
I was so excited for this book but I had to DNF at 30% 🙁 I’m sorry but the fmc was beyond insufferable it ruined it for me
May 23, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
THE DEFINITION OF GRUMPY X SUNSHINE
Small town romance
Ex bull rider
Disability rep
Bondage
Age gap
Tattooed mmc
🌶️🌶️🌶️
THE DEFINITION OF GRUMPY X SUNSHINE
Small town romance
Ex bull rider
Disability rep
Bondage
Age gap
Tattooed mmc
September 2, 2024
Spoilers ahead
When I think of grumpy/Sunshine THIS is what I mean!
H is a now ex bull rider after a fall that broke his spine and left him quadrapledric, with some experimental surgery and intense physical therapy he's in a wheelchair and has the use of his arms and could stand and shuffle a little but his life will never be the same. He's been rude, mean and a terror to the staff that his family keeps trying to hire for him.....until her.
Brooke has lost all the family members closest to her but she keeps soldering on, she's just trying to survive until her 25th birthday when she can collect her inheritance. Unfortunately she's on the verge of being fired, working for Ray is her only shot at keeping employment and a roof over her head. Though things are tough Brooke never loses her optimism. Working for Ray on the family farm feels like home but she knows her situation is temporary....or is it?
********
I really enjoyed this one, Brooke was a Disney princess who loved animals and old people and kids. She's clumsy perpetually late but utterly adorable. Most times with a h like this I get annoyed quickly with how everyone loves her 🙄 but Brooke really was just loveable and deserved alllll the good things. I did think she could've used a bit more sense in her dealings with her despicable roommates but it set a little action to the plot
Ray was mean and grumpy, he really struggled with the sudden changes in his life especially as it brought him back home. He hated being a burden to his family and just wanted to be left alone. Brooke really brought him back to life. He was an asshole to her at times and had cause for frequent apologies as he struggled with his feelings of inadequacy but when he messed up big he had to really take a chance on rebuilding his life and working on himself to be with her and earn forgiveness from his nieces. His situation was not easy at all, I liked him well enough
Again well written with excellent secondary characters who have their own stories, though I've yet to read them I didn't struggle in understanding the family dynamics. A little jerky on the transition to them being together but all in all another hit for me from this author
*ETA I would've liked some details on the inheritance 🤔
No cheating
H was in a wheelchair
h wasn't a virgin
GrumpyH/sunshine h
When I think of grumpy/Sunshine THIS is what I mean!
H is a now ex bull rider after a fall that broke his spine and left him quadrapledric, with some experimental surgery and intense physical therapy he's in a wheelchair and has the use of his arms and could stand and shuffle a little but his life will never be the same. He's been rude, mean and a terror to the staff that his family keeps trying to hire for him.....until her.
Brooke has lost all the family members closest to her but she keeps soldering on, she's just trying to survive until her 25th birthday when she can collect her inheritance. Unfortunately she's on the verge of being fired, working for Ray is her only shot at keeping employment and a roof over her head. Though things are tough Brooke never loses her optimism. Working for Ray on the family farm feels like home but she knows her situation is temporary....or is it?
********
I really enjoyed this one, Brooke was a Disney princess who loved animals and old people and kids. She's clumsy perpetually late but utterly adorable. Most times with a h like this I get annoyed quickly with how everyone loves her 🙄 but Brooke really was just loveable and deserved alllll the good things. I did think she could've used a bit more sense in her dealings with her despicable roommates but it set a little action to the plot
Ray was mean and grumpy, he really struggled with the sudden changes in his life especially as it brought him back home. He hated being a burden to his family and just wanted to be left alone. Brooke really brought him back to life. He was an asshole to her at times and had cause for frequent apologies as he struggled with his feelings of inadequacy but when he messed up big he had to really take a chance on rebuilding his life and working on himself to be with her and earn forgiveness from his nieces. His situation was not easy at all, I liked him well enough
Again well written with excellent secondary characters who have their own stories, though I've yet to read them I didn't struggle in understanding the family dynamics. A little jerky on the transition to them being together but all in all another hit for me from this author
*ETA I would've liked some details on the inheritance 🤔
No cheating
H was in a wheelchair
h wasn't a virgin
GrumpyH/sunshine h
May 21, 2024
„Do you think we’ll make it?”
The lines around his eyes relaxed, but deepened over his nose. „Why do you ask that?”
„We don’t have a lot in common. You’re a lot older than me. I fell for you the moment I saw you for the first time, and I never stopped to think. I have a bad habit of not thinking before I speak or act, and I just—”
Ray chuckled. „Look at Chris and Cass. Do you think they’re alike? Or Nate and Becks? She was a lot more like Cass when she first moved to the ranch. I know one thing for certain. I want this, so I’m gonna work for it.”
you see… 2.5 🌟
i always have one thing at the back of my head, when i try to gather my thoughts about a book and decide on if i liked it or if it held me hostage — do people make sense. in this one? i felt like not really.
the whole resentment and hating the whole world after such an accident and everything that ray had to go through was 1000% believable. i could totally understand him throwing a fit left and right, even though sometimes it was a little bit too much for a grown man, but listen… his whole life? in shambles. i truly don’t know what person i’d become if something like that happened to me.
talking about being grown. oh, boy. the heroine brooke. she just felt like a 22 year old mess causing chaos everywhere she went and it was just too much for me. the things she was saying in almost every scene and how she acted… i know this was supposed to be the grumpy and sunshine dynamic, but as i said when ray took it too far sometimes and he happened to be cruel, she was just… i’m speechless. i really did find her „sunshiness” irritating, even infuriating and extremely child-like at times… especially at the very beginning, i was really close to dnfing… towards the end i felt like it kind of disappeared, so she just started being tolerable, but then what does it say about this character when i feel like she didn’t really develop in her personality, she just stopped being the way she was almost overnight?
and, for example, i really liked the scene where brooke and ray where out in that pub and she kind of put another woman in her place and spoke her mind, when she was being flirty with ray (kind of? again), but now that i think about it, it felt SO out of character for her. make it make sense.
and when sometimes it is funny to joke with your friends about turning up music when you hear your car make strange sounds, her driving that car of hers around with it being fifteen thousand miles past due for an oil change. just walk girl. i’m begging you. or like basically setting your patient’s house on fire during (i don’t really remember) your first day?
it’s good that it all worked out for them in the end and i’m happy that they are happy and in love. but what are we doing.
June 17, 2024
My heart absolutely broke for Ray oh my gosh. This was such a tender and raw heartfelt story that had me crying and feeling all the emotions. Maggie gates has officially become my comfort author. Her writing is amazing and I love how connected you feel to her characters.
These characters absolutely broke me in the best way. Brooke is such a fresh breathe of air and so full of sunshine. I love her and how good she is for ray. Also she is clutzy like I am so I relate to her. And ray is such a grumpy and devastating man that I just want to hug for hours. This was such a heavy and heartbreaking situation that I think Maggie handled amazingly. This accident is such a real and very heartbreaking experience that a lot of bull riders actually go through. So to read the thought process behind the accident and what ray goes through is such a raw experience.
Brooke and ray are forever my favorite couple now, they are just so perfect for each other and they help each other the best they can while making sure to communicate and understand one another.
I can’t wait for CJ’s book to come out! I’m so interested in him!
These characters absolutely broke me in the best way. Brooke is such a fresh breathe of air and so full of sunshine. I love her and how good she is for ray. Also she is clutzy like I am so I relate to her. And ray is such a grumpy and devastating man that I just want to hug for hours. This was such a heavy and heartbreaking situation that I think Maggie handled amazingly. This accident is such a real and very heartbreaking experience that a lot of bull riders actually go through. So to read the thought process behind the accident and what ray goes through is such a raw experience.
Brooke and ray are forever my favorite couple now, they are just so perfect for each other and they help each other the best they can while making sure to communicate and understand one another.
I can’t wait for CJ’s book to come out! I’m so interested in him!
May 28, 2024
i feel like this author doesn’t know how to write likable female characters because why is this girl 22 years old, almost 2 hours late to her job every day, tripping and falling on her face every 5 seconds, and acting like a literal child???
like love the sunshine/grumpy trope but come on….
she also has a trust fund?? from who?? her roommates continuously call her the wrong name and steal from her
but here i am, committed to the series
like love the sunshine/grumpy trope but come on….
she also has a trust fund?? from who?? her roommates continuously call her the wrong name and steal from her
but here i am, committed to the series
May 31, 2024
I feel like I can’t put into words how much I loved this book!🤭
Ray Griffith is my new favourite grumpy cowboy!!!
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞? 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲? 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡? 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞? 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬. 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐨, 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞. 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐈 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞. 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠—𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠—𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞.”✨
Ray was extremely grumpy, blunt & also didn’t like people coddling him. After going through countless home aids after his accident & firing them, Brooke comes along & he has a soft spot for her. He went from “I don’t want you here” to “I want you to stay.” He cared so much about her & I loved that we got to see the vulnerability of his character after his accident. We got to see his mental & physical struggles.
Brooke was about absolute ray of sunshine! I loved her constantly questioning Ray & pushing her luck with him. She stood her ground no matter what he said to her. Brooke was so bubbly & fun to read about as well as being extremely likeable. She had her quirks which I absolutely loved. I think she may be one of my favourite fmc’s ever.
Brooke was also extremely patient with Ray & she always supported him even if that meant giving him a little space to have independence.
There were so many sweet things to unpack in this book; the reason behind Ray’s tattoos, the tire swing, moments between Brooke & Ray, moments between Brooke & Ray’s family, Ray being protective of Brooke & so much more!
The spice was great in this book! I loved that Ray had a kinky side with the ropes😏.
I love the dynamic of the Griffith family & how different everyone’s personalities are!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book & would highly recommend it.
Ray Griffith is my new favourite grumpy cowboy!!!
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞? 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲? 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡? 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞? 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬. 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐨, 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞. 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐈 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞. 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠—𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠—𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞.”✨
Ray was extremely grumpy, blunt & also didn’t like people coddling him. After going through countless home aids after his accident & firing them, Brooke comes along & he has a soft spot for her. He went from “I don’t want you here” to “I want you to stay.” He cared so much about her & I loved that we got to see the vulnerability of his character after his accident. We got to see his mental & physical struggles.
Brooke was about absolute ray of sunshine! I loved her constantly questioning Ray & pushing her luck with him. She stood her ground no matter what he said to her. Brooke was so bubbly & fun to read about as well as being extremely likeable. She had her quirks which I absolutely loved. I think she may be one of my favourite fmc’s ever.
Brooke was also extremely patient with Ray & she always supported him even if that meant giving him a little space to have independence.
There were so many sweet things to unpack in this book; the reason behind Ray’s tattoos, the tire swing, moments between Brooke & Ray, moments between Brooke & Ray’s family, Ray being protective of Brooke & so much more!
The spice was great in this book! I loved that Ray had a kinky side with the ropes😏.
I love the dynamic of the Griffith family & how different everyone’s personalities are!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book & would highly recommend it.
August 9, 2024
3.75/5
i’m having very confusing feelings about this book. like i honestly can’t tell if these characters were supposed to be charming at times or just dumb??
this book had lovely representation and a very cute love story but brooke was simply bad at her job. showing up late consistently and mixing things up isn’t quirky it’s bad work… but sure of course she gets to live on a ranch and fall in love with a hot ex bull rider. ray was actually really interesting to read about. he has to go through a lot of growth in this book and i feel like it was written well even if it got slightly repetitive towards the end. he does however sometimes say things that people just don’t say, like the notes he wrote her in therapy… men are not talking like that and using the word incandescence.
the romance was strong but sadly brooke didn’t charm me as much as cassandra did, i just really loved her. plus the “suspense” element of this book was ridiculous and basically unnecessary. i do love cj so i’ll be reading his book when it releases in september, i just hope it doesn’t become too romantic suspensey.
i’m having very confusing feelings about this book. like i honestly can’t tell if these characters were supposed to be charming at times or just dumb??
this book had lovely representation and a very cute love story but brooke was simply bad at her job. showing up late consistently and mixing things up isn’t quirky it’s bad work… but sure of course she gets to live on a ranch and fall in love with a hot ex bull rider. ray was actually really interesting to read about. he has to go through a lot of growth in this book and i feel like it was written well even if it got slightly repetitive towards the end. he does however sometimes say things that people just don’t say, like the notes he wrote her in therapy… men are not talking like that and using the word incandescence.
the romance was strong but sadly brooke didn’t charm me as much as cassandra did, i just really loved her. plus the “suspense” element of this book was ridiculous and basically unnecessary. i do love cj so i’ll be reading his book when it releases in september, i just hope it doesn’t become too romantic suspensey.
December 27, 2024
5⭐️
I wouldn’t change a single thing about this book, i loved it.
I wouldn’t change a single thing about this book, i loved it.
August 15, 2024
Однозначно книга заслуговує найвищої похвали 🥰❤️🩹
May 24, 2024
This book actually had countless ingredients to be a gut-wrenching, yet emotional support blanket kind of book, but somehow it didn't hit the mark for me. But first things first!
Maggie C. Gates takes readers on a heartfelt journey of healing, love, and self-discovery against the charming backdrop of a ranch with a very nosy but loving family. The story revolves around Ray Griffith, a former bull-rider grappling with life-changing injuries, and Brooke, a young woman in dire need of a job.
Ray's character arc shines brightly in this book. Gates skillfully portrays his evolution from a troubled soul with plenty of emotional and physical scars to someone rediscovering trust and connection. Ray's journey feels genuine and captivating, drawing you into his world of ranch life, family, and personal struggles. His interactions, whether with the ranch, his loved ones, or Brooke herself, are imbued with emotional depth, inviting readers to empathize with his ups and downs. I wish the leitmotif of “not feeling man enough” would have been used in a more nuanced way throughout the book, but his introspection was still good enough to feel empathy for his struggles. The situation with his nieces could have been resolved better, but that's me nitpicking on a very high level here.
Where Ray's character shines, Brooke's portrayal falls short. Her constant tardiness, clumsiness, and apparent naivety at times felt overdone and lacked depth. It's challenging to fully connect with Brooke or understand her decisions when her motivations remain unclear. I can tolerate a Pollyanna-like character, but I need insight into the why. Explain why she is this way to help readers relate to her. Luckily, this got better at some point in the book, but her character was still all over the place. Her passivity and willingness to endure exploitation by her roommates really begged for deeper exploration. Ray overshadowed Brooke as a character, and her lack of character depth made it challenging to fully connect with her and understand her choices, ultimately detracting from the overall impact of the story.
Moreover, the romantic aspect between Ray and Brooke felt too abrupt. It seemed implausible that Ray, who typically keeps people at arm's length, would quickly develop strong feelings for Brooke. His sudden change of heart, especially considering his insecurities about his masculinity, felt rushed. A stronger push and pull could have worked wonders here. Additionally, certain aspects of Ray's behavior within their relationship were inconsistent. For instance, his possessiveness towards Brooke (he was jealous of his brother's attention toward Brooke, for crying out loud!) clashed with his seemingly nonchalant reaction to her provocative actions in public settings. Overall, the romantic dynamics between the characters lacked the gradual development and consistency needed to feel believable.
Finally, the suspense factor, which was added to the plot line, had a lot of potential but was not really thought through.
Despite these flaws, Downpour effectively captures the theme of seeking solace and new beginnings in unexpected places. The ranch serves as a sanctuary, offering both Ray and Brooke a chance for healing and renewal.
In conclusion, this is a touching tale that shines in portraying Ray's emotional journey. However, the underdeveloped character of Brooke leaves a noticeable gap in the story's depth. While the story offers a satisfying exploration of healing and personal growth, it could have delved deeper into Brooke's inner world. Nonetheless, for readers who appreciate character-driven narratives set in picturesque locales, Downpour remains a worthwhile read, flaws notwithstanding. 3.25 stars!
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. Receiving the ARC didn't affect my opinion of the book.
Maggie C. Gates takes readers on a heartfelt journey of healing, love, and self-discovery against the charming backdrop of a ranch with a very nosy but loving family. The story revolves around Ray Griffith, a former bull-rider grappling with life-changing injuries, and Brooke, a young woman in dire need of a job.
Ray's character arc shines brightly in this book. Gates skillfully portrays his evolution from a troubled soul with plenty of emotional and physical scars to someone rediscovering trust and connection. Ray's journey feels genuine and captivating, drawing you into his world of ranch life, family, and personal struggles. His interactions, whether with the ranch, his loved ones, or Brooke herself, are imbued with emotional depth, inviting readers to empathize with his ups and downs. I wish the leitmotif of “not feeling man enough” would have been used in a more nuanced way throughout the book, but his introspection was still good enough to feel empathy for his struggles. The situation with his nieces could have been resolved better, but that's me nitpicking on a very high level here.
Where Ray's character shines, Brooke's portrayal falls short. Her constant tardiness, clumsiness, and apparent naivety at times felt overdone and lacked depth. It's challenging to fully connect with Brooke or understand her decisions when her motivations remain unclear. I can tolerate a Pollyanna-like character, but I need insight into the why. Explain why she is this way to help readers relate to her. Luckily, this got better at some point in the book, but her character was still all over the place. Her passivity and willingness to endure exploitation by her roommates really begged for deeper exploration. Ray overshadowed Brooke as a character, and her lack of character depth made it challenging to fully connect with her and understand her choices, ultimately detracting from the overall impact of the story.
Moreover, the romantic aspect between Ray and Brooke felt too abrupt. It seemed implausible that Ray, who typically keeps people at arm's length, would quickly develop strong feelings for Brooke. His sudden change of heart, especially considering his insecurities about his masculinity, felt rushed. A stronger push and pull could have worked wonders here. Additionally, certain aspects of Ray's behavior within their relationship were inconsistent. For instance, his possessiveness towards Brooke (he was jealous of his brother's attention toward Brooke, for crying out loud!) clashed with his seemingly nonchalant reaction to her provocative actions in public settings. Overall, the romantic dynamics between the characters lacked the gradual development and consistency needed to feel believable.
Finally, the suspense factor, which was added to the plot line, had a lot of potential but was not really thought through.
Despite these flaws, Downpour effectively captures the theme of seeking solace and new beginnings in unexpected places. The ranch serves as a sanctuary, offering both Ray and Brooke a chance for healing and renewal.
In conclusion, this is a touching tale that shines in portraying Ray's emotional journey. However, the underdeveloped character of Brooke leaves a noticeable gap in the story's depth. While the story offers a satisfying exploration of healing and personal growth, it could have delved deeper into Brooke's inner world. Nonetheless, for readers who appreciate character-driven narratives set in picturesque locales, Downpour remains a worthwhile read, flaws notwithstanding. 3.25 stars!
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. Receiving the ARC didn't affect my opinion of the book.
August 7, 2024
2.5 ⭐️
- 12 years agegap
- She takes care of him bc he is in a wheelchair
- Former bull rider
- Former player
I felt so disappointed over this book. He is so mean, and I get that ending up in a wheelchair makes you hate life, but I couldn’t get over how he was constantly mean and shouting towards the FMC.
I actually liked the FMC and how sweet and happy she was, but I whised she had a little more backbone.
I feel like he just enjoys her because it’s the first female attention he’s gotten since his accident and the way he was sort of a player before, I don’t get the wibe that she means something more for him other than she’s available and wants him. Would he still be a player if he never got hurt or would he still fall in love with her?
Their first time and he ties her up and blindfolds her - didn’t like that, and liked it less when he tells her he used to use rope on the people he slept with…
And he took her to a bar where women rides bulls naked? And all the brothers know about this, and he used to go there before his accident - no thank you.
- There is no OWD, some omd with her ex roommates.
He is a reformer playboy, but been celibate since his accident.
The brother CJ is actually the one I liked the most.
- 12 years agegap
- She takes care of him bc he is in a wheelchair
- Former bull rider
- Former player
I felt so disappointed over this book. He is so mean, and I get that ending up in a wheelchair makes you hate life, but I couldn’t get over how he was constantly mean and shouting towards the FMC.
I actually liked the FMC and how sweet and happy she was, but I whised she had a little more backbone.
I feel like he just enjoys her because it’s the first female attention he’s gotten since his accident and the way he was sort of a player before, I don’t get the wibe that she means something more for him other than she’s available and wants him. Would he still be a player if he never got hurt or would he still fall in love with her?
Their first time and he ties her up and blindfolds her - didn’t like that, and liked it less when he tells her he used to use rope on the people he slept with…
And he took her to a bar where women rides bulls naked? And all the brothers know about this, and he used to go there before his accident - no thank you.
- There is no OWD, some omd with her ex roommates.
He is a reformer playboy, but been celibate since his accident.
The brother CJ is actually the one I liked the most.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2024
This book just didn't hit for me. The cadence of the romance is really off, to the point that I don't even get it -- why exactly do these characters like each other? We go from him not really liking her and her being afraid to lose her job to...well, he does slip a random ily in way too early when they've barely demonstrated feelings for each other, but yhen we're right back to him not wanting to be with her and her worried she's about to get fired.
Also, people do heal and the immediate aftermath of an accident isn't the end, but I wish there weren't some magic cure that took him from no motion neck-down to ambulatory, and I wish his disability weren't basically ignored when they have sex and he ties her up and takes her from behind. That doesn't feel realistic for someone who's in his situation.
Also, people do heal and the immediate aftermath of an accident isn't the end, but I wish there weren't some magic cure that took him from no motion neck-down to ambulatory, and I wish his disability weren't basically ignored when they have sex and he ties her up and takes her from behind. That doesn't feel realistic for someone who's in his situation.
August 13, 2024
5/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶️
this book is a perfect example of why i read romance 😭👏
i had the giggles, the feet kicks AND i stayed up way past my bedtime bc i couldn't put it down. checked all my boxes!
i genuinely loved everything about this book. and it's a cowboy romance which i usually don't like so i was so happy 🤣
i was laughing out loud so many times. this wasn't even necessarily a romcom, but the characters were just so effortlessly funny. their banter was top tier and reading their interactions was just the most fun i have had reading in awhile 🥹
and then they were so SWEET too?! like the emotions that came with this book, the character growth, the bonding moments, the cute flirty moments, the spice. this book HAD. IT. ALL. 🫠
ray is the grumpy to brooke's sunshine. and i mean grumpy x sunshine times 10 bc they are both on complete opposite sides of the spectrum 🤣🤣🤣
ray is an ex-bullrider due to an injury that left him paralyzed. brooke is a home health aide who is assigned to ray at the last minute (bc he fired like 10 different people before her lol) and surprise surprise.... she sticks 🤣 no matter how much ray wants to hate her, he can't 🥹
i really thought for the first like 10% that i was gonna hate brooke. she was lowkey a disaster who seemed childish, but then once you actually got to know her (it doesn't take long to start loving her), she was so incredibly fun and had way more depth to her than i thought she would.
the way she loved ray despite him being a prickly asshole half the time was so precious. and when we got that "who did this to you?" moment from ray!!!! ugh i was done for 🫠
i am honestly still jumping back and forth on my rating. my kneejerk reaction was to rate it 4.5 ONLY bc i think it could have flowed better towards the end. but the more i sit on it, the more i think it may be 5⭐️. i think it will end up in my top reads of 2024 🥹
update: i changed it to 5⭐️ 🤣
i am obsessed with ray, brooke, all the other characters and Maggie Gates' writing so much so that i need to go read every book in the series 🤣 like my girl cassandra... i need her story bc i love her
i do not hear about this book enough and it deserves way more hype. don't sleep on this one 🥹🥹🥹
• ex-bullrider
• disability rep
• forced proximity
• age gap (22/34)
• grumpy x sunshine
• top tier banter
2.5/5 🌶️
this book is a perfect example of why i read romance 😭👏
i had the giggles, the feet kicks AND i stayed up way past my bedtime bc i couldn't put it down. checked all my boxes!
i genuinely loved everything about this book. and it's a cowboy romance which i usually don't like so i was so happy 🤣
i was laughing out loud so many times. this wasn't even necessarily a romcom, but the characters were just so effortlessly funny. their banter was top tier and reading their interactions was just the most fun i have had reading in awhile 🥹
and then they were so SWEET too?! like the emotions that came with this book, the character growth, the bonding moments, the cute flirty moments, the spice. this book HAD. IT. ALL. 🫠
ray is the grumpy to brooke's sunshine. and i mean grumpy x sunshine times 10 bc they are both on complete opposite sides of the spectrum 🤣🤣🤣
ray is an ex-bullrider due to an injury that left him paralyzed. brooke is a home health aide who is assigned to ray at the last minute (bc he fired like 10 different people before her lol) and surprise surprise.... she sticks 🤣 no matter how much ray wants to hate her, he can't 🥹
i really thought for the first like 10% that i was gonna hate brooke. she was lowkey a disaster who seemed childish, but then once you actually got to know her (it doesn't take long to start loving her), she was so incredibly fun and had way more depth to her than i thought she would.
the way she loved ray despite him being a prickly asshole half the time was so precious. and when we got that "who did this to you?" moment from ray!!!! ugh i was done for 🫠
i am honestly still jumping back and forth on my rating. my kneejerk reaction was to rate it 4.5 ONLY bc i think it could have flowed better towards the end. but the more i sit on it, the more i think it may be 5⭐️. i think it will end up in my top reads of 2024 🥹
update: i changed it to 5⭐️ 🤣
i am obsessed with ray, brooke, all the other characters and Maggie Gates' writing so much so that i need to go read every book in the series 🤣 like my girl cassandra... i need her story bc i love her
i do not hear about this book enough and it deserves way more hype. don't sleep on this one 🥹🥹🥹
• ex-bullrider
• disability rep
• forced proximity
• age gap (22/34)
• grumpy x sunshine
• top tier banter
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