Release Day Review: The Lone Rancher by Andrew Grey

Title: The Lone Rancher

Author: Andrew Grey

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press/Dreamspun Desires

Pages/Word Count: 192 Pages

At a Glance: The Lone Rancher is a well written and easy read that leaves you with a HEA.

Reviewed By: Maryann

Blurb: He’ll do anything to save the ranch, including baring it all.
Aubrey Klein is in real trouble—he needs some fast money to save the family ranch. His solution? A weekend job as a stripper at a club in Dallas. For two shows each Saturday, he is the star as The Lone Rancher.
It leads to at least one unexpected revelation: after a show, Garrett Lamston, an old friend from school, approaches the still-masked Aubrey to see about some extra fun… and Aubrey had no idea Garrett was gay. As the two men dodge their mothers’ attempts to set them up with girls, their friendship deepens, and one thing leads to another.
Aubrey know his life stretching between the ranch and the club is a house of cards. He just hopes he can keep it standing long enough to save the ranch and launch the life—and the love—he really hopes he can have.

Review: Andrew Grey delivers another heartwarming cowboy story, with just the right amount of drama, family love, and sweet romance. He created two wonderful MCs in Aubrey and Garrett, each with their own problems, but they work together to live the life that they both want.

There’s so much going on in Aubrey Klein’s life. He’s made some mistakes but has returned to the family ranch, where he discovers that his parents have caused a major financial problem—to the point they could lose their ranch. Aubrey loves and respects his parents, and it takes some patience to make them understand the financial trouble they’re in. His father seems to get it but his mom, not so much. Besides taking care of the ranch and his parents, Aubrey’s taken a job that he hasn’t told anyone about. I didn’t think he did such a bad thing, choosing to strip—it was a little risqué, but he was in it to save his parents and the ranch that would be his one day. Aubrey has two major goals: he wants to tell his parents he’s gay, and he wants to quit stripping. But, life deals Aubrey more issues to handle and delays his plan.

Garrett Lamston seems to have the bigger problem—his parents are intolerant Christians. His relationship with his father is not a good one, and he has the scars as proof. He’s a good son, but he has to hide his secret from his parents and everyone he knows, so he escapes to Dallas and visits a strip club where he meets the “Lone Rancher.” There, Garrett also runs into none other than Aubrey, his longtime childhood friend, and they both find that they share the same secret.

The Lone Rancher gives Aubrey and Garrett a lot of challenges. They both love their parents, but explaining they are gay and want to live their lives without hiding comes with extremely different reactions. I like that Aubrey is portrayed as a patient and determined character who fights to get his parents and the ranch back on their feet. Aubrey really shares his love and strength with Garrett and helps them both achieve a life together.

As with many of Andrew Grey’s stories, The Lone Rancher is a well written and easy read that leaves you with a HEA.

You can buy The Lone Rancher here: