Who doesn't love a cowboy? Especially when he's in love with another cowboy? With a dash of historical, a cup of rodeo and whole passel of hot men, this anthology features eight short stories with cowboys who are bound to give you a fever.
Stories included in Fever Loose Riggin' by Julia Talbot Two Buckets and a Snakeskin Suit by Aaron Michaels Torn by Sean Michael Cowboy and Indian by Rob Rosen Heart of Dixie by Mychael Black Ready to Ride by Katherine Halle White Hat/Black Hat by Kiernan Kelly In the Pocket, a Roughstock story by BA Tortuga
The next two are part of series and not really good at standing alone. In the Pocket by BA Tortuga: 3,5* Heart of Dixie by Mychael Black: 3,5* I've read the Hearth and Home series and it was nice to revisit the guys.
After an injury that puts him out of commission from bullriding, Baron gets an offer from young rider Arlen that he can’t refuse. Travel together, save money, and Arlen will take care of things. Baron thinks that’s a great deal, but he has a few other things he sure wishes Arlen would take care of, too. Can he convince Arlen that their new friendship can withstand a few kisses?
A wonderful start to this cowboy anthology. Baron is older and experienced, and his old traveling partner gone and left him for a woman. Arlen is young but he’s got mad skills, and his traveling companion did the same number on him. Both feel the attraction, but decide to wait to see if they can both cut it in the big leagues of bullriding. Everything about this story rings true, is sweet as honey and romantic like a bouquet of roses. We’re left off at the fade to black sexual moment but you love these two guys so much by then that you don’t even care you got robbed of the hot sex. Highly recommended!
Two Buckets and a Snakeskin Suit by Aaron Michaels
Sparks fly–along with a good deal of dust and dirt–when a newly-minted Las Vegas lawyer meets a sexy Australian cowboy in Virginia City, Nevada. Marcus never expected to find someone like Vic at the Virginia City Camel Races. Tall and lanky with a strong jaw, a chiseled chin, and an Australian accent to boot, Vic’s the sexiest cowboy Marcus ever met. A guy would do just about anything to impress someone like Vic. Even something totally off the wall, like riding a camel in one of the races. Nothing could possibly go wrong with that plan, right?
This one was a fun story about camel racing cowboys. Vic is a charmer, and Marcus falls for him—literally while trying to impress the cowboy-chiropractor. Being taught to ride a camel in five minutes before the race isn’t so easy for Marcus, and trying to figure out Vic even more so. But Vic knows what he wants and goes after it. There was nothing I didn’t like about this story. The humor, the nice guys, the hot sex, the promise of a loving future. What’s not to like? Recommended.
Torn by Sean Michael
Pistol loves nothing more than the adrenaline rush of riding broncs; well, almost nothing. He loves Bender the most. Injured and tired and not sure if he’s going to be able to ever ride again, Pistol comes home from the rodeo circuit, just hoping that Bender will welcome him with open arms after yet another long absence.
Coming home after a bad injury is one thing. Coming home believing his lover and partner want nothing to do with him is another. Pistol is afraid Bender won’t want either a traveling cowboy or an injured one. But Bender only has eyes for one prize, and that’s Pistol. This story has great sex and two guys who have to learn how to live together when circumstances change permanently. Pistol is stubborn and Bender has a temper, but they have a tender side with each other. I can see these two as old men sitting on the porch watching the sunset long after the story’s done. I liked this story a lot.
Cowboy and Indian by Rob Rosen
Jed is on his way from Tombstone to the rodeo just outside of Tucson for a chance at the fifty dollar bronco bucking prize. Halfway there he encounters a lone Apache warrior, Taza. The two form an instant bond, so Taza decides to accompany Jed on his journey and also try for the prize. Except, as they soon find out, Indians can’t normally ride in a rodeo. Then again, at this particular rodeo, normal is thrown right on out the window. And the fifty dollars isn’t the only reward in store for these two lovers, who, when it comes to cowboys and Indians, are far from normal themselves.
A hot encounter by a creek leads to an extremely passionate affair between a cowboy and an Indian. Jed can’t resist the beautiful warrior, and suggest a partnership. Taza agrees, and they go off to find success in the rodeo. What they find is each other. These two men are rather stereotypical, and we don’t get to know a lot about them, but it doesn’t matter because their connection transcends the physical. Though there’s a lot of sex here, that bond solidifies into a companionship of like-minded men. And I liked that the story didn’t have to end in a shootout but rather on a positive note. Not bad at all.
Heart of Dixie by Mychael Black
Mack Sexton has been the pillar of the Sexton clan since his brother’s death almost six years ago. He’s seen his nephew Robbie find true love, and he’s watched other family friends come together as lovers. Mack has had his own share of fantasies, and they all involve his friend, Les Spencer — recently divorced and straight. Just when Mack gets the notion to call Robbie and ask for advice, Les surprises him in more ways than one.
Dreaming of his best friend, a divorced straight man, for years has made Mack lose faith in ever being with the object of his dreams, Les. But Les is tired of waiting, and he goes after what he wants, risking rejection. This story is warm, with a wonderful family and friends who love and support each other. Les fits right in, and throughout the story I was smiling happily as things worked out so well. Mack and Les took a gamble to change their relationship from friendship to lovers, and it pays off. Recommended.
Ready to Ride by Katherine Halle
Eric is an orthopedic surgeon volunteering his time with the Justin Sports Medicine program, traveling the rodeo circuit two months out of the year. Underneath it all, though, he’s a cowboy at heart and not just because he was born and raised in Texas. He’s a cowboy at heart because Ben Greene, champion Saddle Bronc rider, owns his heart. They haven’t put words to what they’re doing, even though they’ve been together for almost a year. But when Ben is bucked off during a ride, resulting in a season-ending injury, both these cowboys might have to finally acknowledge what they have and what they mean to each other.
These two, Eric and Ben, are a match made in heaven. They complement each other to the tee. Where Eric worries as a logical individual, Ben is wild and reckless, impulsive and more action than talk. They need each other for the balance, I think. This story has a lot of conversations over the phone when the two men have great distance between. But still from every line we get the warmth, friendship and love they feel for one another. I loved the banter and dialogue between them, and when they are reunited, their passion burns. Recommended.
White Hat/Black Hat by Kiernan Kelly
In 1968, Dallas and Stone are two young men from Texas cow country who’ve left horses and cattle behind to pursue their dreams of stardom. They meet for the first time on a Hollywood soundstage, where they’ve been cast to star in a television western. Attracted to one another from the start, they live in a time when same sex relationships, particularly those of lead actors, are kept in the closet, and they go to great lengths to keep theirs a secret by necessity. As the years pass, they continue their charade, until they are ultimately faced with the decision to either slink away into anonymity, or come out and declare their love for each other to the world.
Forty years of being under the spotlight and never being truly yourself? Never being able to publically show your love for a man, and even having to pretend to hate his guts so no one can make any assumptions? That’s rough. Dallas and Stone clearly belong together. Where Dallas is calmer but more sure of his gay ways, Stone has a temper and he’s almost paranoid about getting outed and losing everything he’s worked for. Sneaking in the night, quick blowjobs in the back of limos, never daring to hold hands, let alone kiss, where someone might see them. I felt so bad for these men. The notion that actors have to maintain their heartbreaker role when not filming just so some housewives can get their panties wet is just beyond silly. I wanted Dallas and Stone to find peace—and since their show is over after forty years and they’re about to get lifetime achievement awards, perhaps that time has arrived. At the end, I was so happy for and proud of them. Love is love. It should never have to be hidden.
In the Pocket, a Roughstock story by BA Tortuga
Sterling loves being a bullfighter, and he’s good at it, too — even his hero Coke Pharris says so. So what if maybe he has a crush on Coke, it’s not like it’s affecting his job or hurting anyone. Someone should tell that to Dillon, the clown and Coke’s partner. Colby Tyburn has been watching Sterling for months and hankering to meet the man. When Dillon introduces the two of them, sparks start to fly and just maybe, Dillon’s not only distracted Sterling from his Coke, but done a fine bit of matchmaking while he was at it.
This last story in the anthology starts off really confusing. There are a lot of people mentioned and we even get their points of view though they’re not the leads here. I was utterly baffled. Perhaps fans of the series recognize the names and feel wowed. I wasn’t. For a short story, that approach doesn’t work. Nonetheless, once Colby and Sterling get going, the story takes off to the stratosphere of hotness. Sterling’s a new bullrider and a virgin. Colby wants him. They go to a hotel to get drinks, and one thing leads to another. Great sex follows. Sterling’s eager to learn and Colby has the patience to teach. I liked these two together a lot. I could see them living their cowboy lives and forming a lasting relationship. So, in the end, not a bad conclusion to the anthology.
Fever is a collection of quirky, humorous, surprisingly intimate stories that revolve around cowboys, ranchers, rodeo performers, and others who love cowboys in one way or another. Each talented author offers their own unique and original take on a very hot topic.
Loose Riggin'
Baron LeBlanc is the top rider in the bull rider circuit. Arlen Deamus is the young man working his way up the ranks. After being injured riding a bull, Arlen tels Baron he's lost his traveling partner and asks Baron to be his new one. Baron agrees and it works out in more ways than one.
Two Buckets and a Snakeskin Suit
Marcus lets his sister Shelly talk him into riding a camel race with other people. An Aussie cowboy named Vic- who is also a chiropractor-picks him up off the ground after he falls and gives him a THOROUGH checkup.
Torn
Pistol pulls into the yard of the house of where he lives with his partner Bender, after surgery on his shoulder from a bad bull ride. Bender greets him enthusiastically and chews him out for no following doctor's orders. Bender persuades Pistol to retire from the ring, amd gives him something elsr to ride.
Cowboy and Indian
Jed is on his way to Tucson to ride in the rodeo and win the top prize of fifty dollars. At a rest stop, he meets Taza, an Apache warrior more interested in love, not war. Both head to Tucson, where they get an offer beyond anything they could dream of.
Heart of Dixie
Mack Sexton has been in love with his best friend and handyman Les Spencer for a long time. Fear of rejection and not wanting to lose Les's friendship has kept him silent. Les finally makes the first move and the relationship goes from there.
Ready to Ride
Eric Southerland is a chiropractor who volunteers for two months every year on the rodeo circuit. His boyfriend is bull rider Ben Greene, a cowboy who doesn't want to stop riding despite a injured shoulder. Ben reinjures his shoulder and Eric persuades him to come home permanently.
White Hat/Black Hat
Dallas Frank met Stone Grant in 1968, when both are hired to star in a tv western called White Hat/Black Hat. They spend the next 45 years hiding their relationship from the public, until they come out at the Emmys after their series is cancelled.
In the Pocket, a Roughstock story
Dillon is a rodeo clown that is extremely upset. He thinks Sterling-a new bullfighter-is trying to put the moves on his boyfriend Coke Pharris, and doesn't appreciate it. Colby Tyburn, a stock contractor, has been wanting to meet Sterling for months, so Dillon does a little matchmaking to get Sterling away from Coke. It works out great for all involved.
This anthology is a fantastic collection that gives us a fascinating and up close look behind-the-scenes of the world of the cowboy, and their passions, loves, and lives. Each author offers their own unique and well researched perspective on the subject, and allows a glimpse into the world of cowboys and their loves. I really enjoyed reading these gems and would recommend it to everyone.