According To Hoyle

Reread July 2021

Didn't like it quite as much the second time around. (More of a 3.5 that I'd round up.) A large part of the reason is because I've discovered that I don't actually much like most westerns. I've seen enough movies since my first read to realize that. Also, side note, I find Flynn a little aggravating with how hard core he's in denial. (Also, I would have totally made it through the book in less time, but I got distracted by a certain character from a certain game and they infected my life for a handful of days.)


Original Review

There's a couple things that I absolutely adored about this book. First, there are actually two couples in this story, and they're different and distinct from each other while neither feels like a ‘beta couple'. (Honestly, I've read some authors whose couples are exactly the same from one book to the next, so the fact that two couples in one book are so different makes me VERY happy.) And, also, the plot as it is would pretty much stay exactly the same even without the romance. Sure, there might have been slightly different changes, but a solid, building friendship would have done about the same thing. Which I absolutely love. I mean, we get good romances without them taking over the story. The ending might be a little disappointing to some people, because it honestly feels like a setup for a sequel. It kind of has a Hollywood movie feel and, in fact, put me in mind of the Wild, Wild West movie ending. Sadly, there isn't a sequel, but it really feels like ‘and the adventure continues'. (Which I love and always have.)