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blake_persephone's review against another edition
2.0
DNF’d 75% in
I’ve only read the third book in the series prior to this one but it felt very much like a retread. I thought I was gonna like Shawn but he got even more whiny than Miles. I liked Robin but like Reyes, he had to do all the emotional work in the relationship and if he did anything wrong BAM his quote unquote ranch family turned on him so quick to protect the emotional twink.
A whiny white twink in 2022? Not for me
I’ve only read the third book in the series prior to this one but it felt very much like a retread. I thought I was gonna like Shawn but he got even more whiny than Miles. I liked Robin but like Reyes, he had to do all the emotional work in the relationship and if he did anything wrong BAM his quote unquote ranch family turned on him so quick to protect the emotional twink.
A whiny white twink in 2022? Not for me
serenity81's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jazzlioness's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Minor: Death of parent
cliffordainia's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
piperclover's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
Just like with every book in the series that I've listened to so far I loved this and I flew through it. I started limiting the amount I could listen to in a day because I was trying to prolong the listening experience. Greg Boudreaux is quickly becoming a top 3 favorite narrator and he's perfect in this like he has been with the rest of the series.
I absolutely loved the nipple play biting scene and I Wish there was More of it. I also noted down a line that Mac says to Robin about dating Shawn where he says "you treat Shawn right, you hear me? Hes a good friend of Miles's and I'd hate to have to sic Reyes on you for any reason". It made me laugh because we all know that Reyes would never actually hurt Robin physically and both Miles and Shawn would have been mortified to even hear Mac joke about the intent was clear that everyone cared about Sean and Robin wasn't allowed to do anything stupid.
The biggest issue I had was that I felt like the pacing was sort of off and the ending had so much happening and so much emotion and so many confessions that I wish we had seen a slightly earlier. If we could have shifted the last 30% a little bit more toward the middle I think I would have felt a little bit more satisfied with the ending. I often want to see more of the after-plot where the relationship has gone through whatever the plot was and now we get to see how they've settled down together and because of how the pacing in this book worked I didn't really get to see that enough.
I also noted that Reyes and Robin filled similar character rolls character rose where they were both the strong, good-looking, protective, cowboy boyfriend to Shawn and Miles's smaller, more apprehensive and previously hurt younger partner roll role. Reyes and Robin don't have any experiences or trauma or fact story that overlaps whatsoever so it's not about how they acted or how their personality was it was more that they just filled that sort of dynamic in both books. Its not bad but I noticed it enough to note it down.
I absolutely loved the nipple play biting scene and I Wish there was More of it. I also noted down a line that Mac says to Robin about dating Shawn where he says "you treat Shawn right, you hear me? Hes a good friend of Miles's and I'd hate to have to sic Reyes on you for any reason". It made me laugh because we all know that Reyes would never actually hurt Robin physically and both Miles and Shawn would have been mortified to even hear Mac joke about the intent was clear that everyone cared about Sean and Robin wasn't allowed to do anything stupid.
The biggest issue I had was that I felt like the pacing was sort of off and the ending had so much happening and so much emotion and so many confessions that I wish we had seen a slightly earlier. If we could have shifted the last 30% a little bit more toward the middle I think I would have felt a little bit more satisfied with the ending. I often want to see more of the after-plot where the relationship has gone through whatever the plot was and now we get to see how they've settled down together and because of how the pacing in this book worked I didn't really get to see that enough.
I also noted that Reyes and Robin filled similar character rolls character rose where they were both the strong, good-looking, protective, cowboy boyfriend to Shawn and Miles's smaller, more apprehensive and previously hurt younger partner roll role. Reyes and Robin don't have any experiences or trauma or fact story that overlaps whatsoever so it's not about how they acted or how their personality was it was more that they just filled that sort of dynamic in both books. Its not bad but I noticed it enough to note it down.
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Past death of a spousemads0527's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bwood95's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
mirocchi's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bfdbookblog's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars so rounding up.
I’m up and down with this series. I get it. They’re cowboys and don’t trust easily because they’ve all been hurt before and are here to recover and get back at life. The lack of communication is something I truly dislike in books. These two had a lack of communication in SPADES. I did, however, appreciate the slow burn and friendship building of these guys because they needed the time as neither of them was completely healed from past issues.
Robin frustrated me to no end with his lack of communication and the way he left Shawn doubting himself. He was still working through the loss of his husband, and he really should have been honest with Shawn from the beginning. When he finally gets over himself, he still leaves Shawn doubting. I’m glad he worked things out with his family and eventually realized he needed Shawn. The gifts he gives Shawn are amazing.
Shawn went through something very traumatic as a teen and he still hasn’t recovered. Shawn does help him past this…a little bit and Shawn is able to see his family again. Even though he suffers another tragedy, he’s stronger for it.
I’m moving on to the next in the series as I do like the arc of the ranch and its healing powers.
I’m up and down with this series. I get it. They’re cowboys and don’t trust easily because they’ve all been hurt before and are here to recover and get back at life. The lack of communication is something I truly dislike in books. These two had a lack of communication in SPADES. I did, however, appreciate the slow burn and friendship building of these guys because they needed the time as neither of them was completely healed from past issues.
Robin frustrated me to no end with his lack of communication and the way he left Shawn doubting himself. He was still working through the loss of his husband, and he really should have been honest with Shawn from the beginning. When he finally gets over himself, he still leaves Shawn doubting. I’m glad he worked things out with his family and eventually realized he needed Shawn. The gifts he gives Shawn are amazing.
Shawn went through something very traumatic as a teen and he still hasn’t recovered. Shawn does help him past this…a little bit and Shawn is able to see his family again. Even though he suffers another tragedy, he’s stronger for it.
I’m moving on to the next in the series as I do like the arc of the ranch and its healing powers.
mommasaystoread's review against another edition
2.0
Lucky Break is part of the Clean Slate Ranch series, and while past characters are in this one, it can stand on its own. That said, this book drove me crazy. The pacing is incredibly slow, like moves as a snail's pace slow for about two-thirds of the way through. In fact, I set this one aside several times and even thought about giving it up more than once. I felt like I was just meandering along waiting for something to happen. I did like Robin's patience with Shawn, and both guys had their own issues to work through, but the many what-ifs began to grow tedious long before anything substantial happened between this pair. Even after they decide to explore their attraction, the doubt continues, and it continues some more. Yes, I completely get that Shawn had plenty of reason to be insecure, but his inner monologue of doubt about the relationship was repetitive and after a while, annoying. But here's the thing - these guys talk about a ton of stuff, they talk about their feelings, about their experience or lack of in Shawn's case, about family, and so on. They talk about everything except the important stuff, and when that stuff is all revealed, none of it is anything that would break them up. In fact, anyone who would leave someone over the things these guys are dealing with wouldn't be worth the time or trouble. So, in the end, I just didn't get it. This one could've easily been cut in half, and we still would've gotten the meat of the story, and the angst level would've been significantly lower. I have no problem with angsty romances, but this felt like angst just for the sake of angst. I read the last book in this series and liked it enough to continue with this one, but I think this may be the end of the Clean Slate Ranch series as far as I'm concerned.