Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Rodeo cowboy Teagan has inherited his father’s ranch, and it’s in a bad way. To pay his bills, he’ll have to work the rodeo circuit hard, and for that he needs a partner. Team roper Cash is just the ticket. He’s not the friendliest sort, but he has a good seat and a better roping arm, so Teagan takes Cash on and things heat up fast. Maybe too fast.

 

When Teagan finds out he’s not the only one Cash has in the saddle, he thinks they’re over for good. But then Cash has an accident, and Teagan cares too much about Cash to abandon him. How will he deal with a new Cash, one with no memory of being a bit of an asshole—or of a relationship with Teagan? And how will Cash react when he realizes Teagan has been less than forthcoming about their past?

 

Like any good rodeo ride, Teagan and Cash have ups and downs, crashing and burning as often as they blaze bright. But to make their love work as smoothly as their roping, they’ll have to push past deception and stubborn pride.

 

 

First Edition published as Tabula Rasa by Torquere Press, 2007.

Book Review

‘Down in the Dirt’ is a very fitting title for this story, as both main characters find themselves “in the dirt” – and not just because they are rodeo riders and it’s par for the course for them to fall and start anew. The original title of this novel, when I read it many years ago, was Tabula Rasa’ and I almost like that title even better. As a concept in psychology, and in this case as relating to one of the main characters’ life, “tabula rasa” refers to “the mind in its hypothetical primary blank or empty state before receiving outside impressions” – as per Merriam-Webster. A new beginning of a kind. And looking at the mess Teagan (who starts out using Cash to further his own cause) and Cash (who is a cheating bast*rd) have made of their lives, a new beginning is exactly what they need. And maybe some common sense and a lesson or two in communicating, while we’re discussing opportunities for improvement.

Okay, so Teagan is a cowboy, a roper to be precise, and he needs the money he can earn during rodeo season to keep his inherited farm afloat. He is blunt, has certain standards when doing his work, and his social skills are negligible. After all, there is no need to “make nice” with a horse or a bull, right? There is teamwork when he competes, since it takes two men to “heel” and “rope” a bull, but when both men know what they’re doing, talking is not a requirement. So when Teagan’s long-time heeler breaks an ankle just a few days before the qualifying events for the upcoming rodeo season, Teagan needs a new partner. He quickly gets desperate because none of the applicants fits the bill – until he runs across Cash. In a bar fight, no less.

So - Cash. Not the socially talented type either. In fact, he’s probably less friendly and communicative than Teagan if that is possible. He doesn’t take sh*t from anyone. Hence the fight. After Teagan tries to break up the fight he’s in, then comes to find him a few days later, and because he needs money, he decides to work with Teagan. And never mind the fact that they fall in lust faster than I can say “yee-haw”, Cash continues his encounters from before until it all blows up in his face.

Teagan and Cash do not have an easy time of it. Both have their own agenda, secrets, and neither is willing to consider opening up. Cash’s accident, the amnesia, and his subsequent need for help are the only reason these two men stick together long enough to give them a chance to figure out that there is lots they have in common. Or maybe it’s just easier to face the world as a couple rather than on your own – but that’s okay – not everyone is meant to have a sweet romance in their lives.

If you like rough, tough, strong and silent cowboys, if you enjoy two men fighting it out rather than gently exploring what’s between them, and if you’re looking for a read that is explosive, scorching hot, and has main characters who are not members of the church choir, then you might like this novel. I liked it a lot more the second time around, so maybe these guys grew on me.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 200 pages/62621 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	27-March-2017
Price	$6.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback, $14.99 bundle
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/down-in-the-dirt-by-tory-temple-8306-b