Rescue: Men of Hidden Creek Season 4 Book 3, Alison Hendricks

I cried.  Like, I had to hold my head back and try not to let my kids see my tears because they're sympathetic criers.  How do you not feel so deeply for Ty and for his heart that's just too big under a skin that's not nearly as impenetrable as he makes it seem?  Caleb's own situation was difficult because of the insidious enemy he wages his own internal war against.  Two men who learn to love themselves, to forgive themselves, as they find love and acceptance in an unlikely place moved me more than I expected.  This was a fantastic story with love, redemption, and a whole lot of drool-worthy steam.

Damn.  Okay.  Where to start.  Honestly it was Ty who made this whole book for me.  Even his slightly demeaning, salacious thoughts in the beginning and his general air of antipathy couldn't shake my need to know this man.  Sure he was abrasive, yes he was inappropriate, absolutely he was dismissive...but when the world has been abusing, misconstruing, and using you for your entire life, it's understandable.  Most especially because nothing he does is without thought for who he's really protecting.  I ached for him time and time again; I also alternately cheered and swooned when he had his moments of vulnerability that morphed into something beautiful and humble.  He was just...everything.

Caleb rubbed me the wrong way in the beginning, and while his reaction near the end was completely understandable, I couldn't help being incredibly disappointed in him.  No stranger to either witnessing or experiencing types of abuse, this is in no way victim shaming him for what he thought or did, it's merely seeing it from his perspective that had me wishing he was a little more forceful against his own fears.  Learning to stand up for yourself, and to yourself, is quite possibly more liberating than anything else.  I wanted that for him so much.  I'm immensely glad he got his chance to see that, but would have liked to see his own evolution rather than catch a glimpse or two.  He also needed to do a little more groveling and confessing to Ty since there was a hurt there that I felt was a little too brushed aside.

And then you have the dogs.  My own experience growing up with and around dogs totally sways my view on their treatment and it was when you combined Ty with Hope and Bella that made me fall headlong into love with him and the story.  I was astounded that we got so much depth of character, background, fears, hopes, and all the things into this relatively short story.  Using the rescue aspect of the kennel gave the perfect vehicle for Ty's progression and for the transformation of his relationship with Caleb.  It was written beautifully.  The whole story was.  There's nothing better than a story like this, well-written, great balance, depth, awesome chemistry, and all the feels.

*$3.99 on Amazon!

"I don't need you to rescue me."

Tiberius "The Beast" Caulville is the bad boy of the NFL: an arrogant PR nightmare who doesn't care about his public image. But when an off-season fight lands him in hot water, he's forced to hide out in Hidden Creek and clean up his act with the help of the one person who doesn't buy it.

Caleb Brower has lived in the shadow of his manipulative ex-boyfriend for years. One breakout client will give him the freedom he needs, if he can withstand that client's outrageously inappropriate behavior. But Caleb is used to entitled athletes, and can tell there's more to Ty than the mask he wears.

Volunteering at his uncle's dog rescue could save Ty—or bury him under the fears he thought he'd left behind. Caleb can't help being drawn to the broken man beneath the bluster, and soon business gets personal. Can he show the rest of the world the sweetheart Ty really is?