Wednesday, December 16, 2015

And a Smile by BA Tortuga


All Coke Pharris wants is for his cowboys to be safe—all of them. When rodeo clown, Dillon, sets to prove that there’s more to the bullfighter, people could get hurt.

It’s Coke Pharris’ job to save bull riders from bulls, and he takes his work very seriously. Which is why he’s devastated when one of his favorite riders gets hurt, and he’s determined to help the young man ride again. Dillon Walsh is the arena entertainer for the bull riding tour, and he wants to help. He also wants Coke, has been admiring the man for a long time. He hasn’t made a move on Coke for fear of messing up their friendship, but when he finds out Coke might feel the same way, Dillon has to try to win Coke over.

Coke thinks he’s too old for Dillon, too beat up and scarred, but he can’t resist when Dillon finally makes a play for him. Dillon is like a wet dream for Coke, and the two of them have a great time getting to know each other better, at least until the danger of their job threatens to come between them. Will Dillon and Coke be able to help their friend and weather the problems that blow their way?

Publisher's Note: This book was previously released elsewhere. It has been re-edited for re-release with Pride Publishing.


Add to Goodreads


Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Pride Publishing



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela☆☆☆☆☆
While you can probably get away with reading And a Smile as a standalone, I strongly recommend reading Blind Ride first because while this is Coke’s story, there is a lot of carryover from book one as Coke is still strongly involved with Jason’s recovery. It will also give you a much better frame of reference for many of Coke’s strong reactions toward incidents inside the ring and out. If you’ve read Blind Ride you’ll be happy to see that Jason and Andy have prominent roles in this installment in the series and we get to see how the guys are faring.

Having met Coke in book one, I was looking forward to seeing the old cowboy (his characterization, not mine) get his chance at love. As it turns out, Dillon Walsh is perfect for him. The rodeo clown might be small in stature, but he’s big in heart, personality, and want, because he wants Coke something fierce. I loved that everything Coke saw as a negative about himself, like his age and his scars, were things that Dillon loved about him. I also enjoyed that Dillon had no problem pointing out to everyone, Coke included, that there were only a few years’ difference between them despite his youthful appearance. Thankfully Dillon is willing to put himself out there and make Coke aware of his attraction, shooting down all of Coke’s objections, and proving that Coke is not too old for love or seriously hot sex. Ride ‘em cowboy!

There was a lot to love about And a Smile. Watching Coke and Dillon’s relationship grow was obviously the best part because the men complemented one another so well. They just fit. But on top of that, I enjoyed seeing how Dillon worked with Jason and how his personal circle of friends gave him an insight on how to work with Jason that Coke and Andy were missing because they were too close to the situation. It not only gave Coke and Andy some direction, but it also helped bolster Jason’s confidence in what he could accomplish. The misunderstanding that led to Coke thinking that Dillon had gotten tired of the old cowboy broke my heart – for both men. Thankfully, Dillon’s job as a rodeo clown and having to stare down a thousand pounds or more of ticked off bull meant he had no problem tracking down his heartbroken cowboy and making sure he heard the truth. Gotta love a determined man. And a Smile is another great installment of hard working men and steamy cowboy lovin’ in the Roughstock series and I am so glad I won’t have to wait too long to read the next book in the series, File Gumbo.


Ruthie☆☆☆
This is the second in the series, and carries on right where it left off. However, it concentrates on another couple, and Jase's future is a side issue. It could be read as a standalone, as the salient details are explained sufficiently.

Coke and Dillon have clearly been keen on each other for a while, but not acted upon those feelings. Coke is convinced he is too old, even though in fact just a few years older. He is clearly an old soul – and the responsible one in the group. He is described in such a way in the beginning that I am not sure I would recognise him, given how he is then described later in the book. His issues, however, take a back seat as he finally enjoys the strong chemistry between him and Dillon. It is a very relaxed and enjoyable foray into a most desirable romance. I like friends to lovers stories, and this one works.


Also Available in the Roughstock Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Pride Publishing

For reviews & more info, check out the Blind Ride post.



Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy's Girl, BA spends her days with her basset hounds, getting tattooed, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she's not doing that, she's writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA's personal saviors include her wife, Julia, her best friend, Sean, and coffee. Lots of good coffee.

Connect with BA

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Google+  ~  Blog  ~  tsū


https://www.pride-publishing.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of And a Smile (Roughstock #2) by BA Tortuga to read and review.

No comments:

Post a Comment

All comments are reviewed by a blog admin before being published. We thank you for visiting our blog & leaving a comment.