Author: Dale Chase
Publisher: JMS Books
Length: 38 Pages
Category: Historical, Western
At a Glance: If you haven’t read Dale Chase before, I highly recommend A River of Time.
Reviewed By: Queue
Blurb: It’s 1895 when Luke Straily returns to Gunnison, Colorado, after a twelve-year absence and reluctantly heads to the cattle ranch owned by Jack Hinch, the only man he’s ever loved. Looking to make amends for an intolerable act, Luke hires on at the ranch, but Jack makes it perfectly clear he’s unable to forgive or forget just yet.
It’ll take everything in Luke’s power to set things right with the man he wronged and placed in jeopardy before he ran away, but he aims to earn back Jack’s trust no matter the personal cost. Complicating matters, though, is ranch foreman Tim Dutcher, who’s been enjoying a sexual relationship with the handsome rancher during the intervening years and thoroughly resents Luke’s intrusion.
As Luke and Jack gradually rebuild their severed friendship and renew their former passion, jealousy flares, leading to a volatile confrontation. Can the men settle matters without any shots being fired?
Review: I only recently discovered Dale Chase’s writing and have enjoyed everything I’ve read. A River of Time is no exception. It’s a short, decently paced western historical. I’m not the biggest fan of historicals, but Chase’s writing has a way of dragging me in, and I absolutely love the realistic feel of it, even if it isn’t always the sexiest. This is not some overly romanticized Hollywood version of a cowboy story. The men here are masculine, sure, but also rough and dirty as well as emotional and loving.
The story here features Luke coming back to a town in Colorado to see the ex-lover he deserted years ago. Luke has a lot of making up to do, and Jack isn’t going to make it easy on him. I loved that this wasn’t an easy, loving reunion. They do have sex right away, but it’s not making love. Jack fucks Luke hard and raw and doesn’t pretend it’s anything other than sex. Though I love the sex scenes, I can understand why some readers might not:
When he drops down, he flips me over, raises my butt, and shoves in, spit being all that greases the way.
It’s an angry fuck, well deserved as they go.
Romantic? No. Realistic, especially for the time? Absolutely. Other sex scenes also mention the dirtiness of the act, also truly realistic. No worries, though, there is romance.
I want to love you, care for you, do for you and you for me.
Luke sticks around when Jack offers him a job, and fights his jealousy when he learns Jack is involved with someone else. Jack and Luke’s reunion takes place over a long period of time—anything quicker wouldn’t have been realistic.
If you haven’t read Dale Chase before, I highly recommend A River of Time.
You can buy A River of Time here:
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