Flying Blind, Jodi Payne and BA Tortuga

There were a lot of directions this story could take in terms of the conflict and the journey of the relationship.  What was lovely was that while those more predictable elements were there, none of them were allowed to escalate to disastrous proportions.  Keeping the story simple and focused on the two men as they navigate their new "normal" and discover more about one another allowed a fantastic amount of depth to be achieved.  Well, mostly.  I'll get into that in a bit.  For the most part this was so full of all the lighter feels, sexual chemistry, and determination you could hope for in a story with these particular tropes.

Being totally upfront, there was very little about January that truly felt deep in terms of character background and growth.  He was the far simpler element of the story so while he played a central role, I felt the story really focused on Hawk.  Hawk was the one with a whole lot more to work out and through in the story.  Also, another reviewer said a content warning should have been included.  I'm kind of in agreement because there's a tragedy that occurs that can make you feel totally blindsided, though I will say there are hints that something pretty bad is going to happen to one of the characters.  So without giving a spoiler, just know that this is an incredibly dangerous sport and there are consequences, sometimes dire ones, that happen.  Everyone going in knows the risks and the outcome can sometimes be as devastating as often as they can be euphoric.

Any and all angst in the story was reserved for the big issues, no petty arguments, lack of communication, miscommunication, jealousies, or unreasonable reactions.  Most of that was for Hawk's specific situation regarding his health and his career.  What makes this story different, and happily surprising, is all the communication.  Every moment where something could have been said was expanded to true soul-opening conversations where nearly everything on the topic was hashed out.  Sometimes there aren't any clear decisions made after them, but they nearly always end them on a positive note about recognizing the process of evolving as a couple, that there are possibilities they're willing to explore...it was so different and full of warmth and honesty that I can't find myself complaining about any of it.

These men, especially Hawk, have the biggest hearts and they fit so well together.  Their sexual chemistry is absolutely there, though sometimes it gets a bit one-note, like they're just rewording most of their sexual encounters slightly and perhaps changing the location, but it's satisfying as a balance to the many, many in-depth conversations.  Everything is really out in the open for both of them.  Professionally Hawk is in the closet, but to everyone that matters he's completely out and only keeps things on the DL when in the cities and arenas of the competitions.  That was another refreshing aspect to the story.  Adding in compelling side characters that are varied, expressive, and supportive throughout everything and I'm crazy about the overall story.  I want to read Jax's story next!

*$4.99 on Amazon

Sometimes the best thing about living in New York is leaving it.

When January Bell takes a risk on a business trip to Denver and introduces himself to the hot as fire cowboy across the bar, he has no idea what he’s in for. Hawk is like nobody he’s ever met, and Jan finds he is intrigued enough to want more than just one night with the deceptively complex man.

Hawk Destry is working hard to wring every moment he can out of his bull riding career. He’s used to beating the eight second clock, but a life-long degenerative disease is causing him to slowly lose his sight and he doesn’t have a lot of years left in the sport.

None of that seems to matter, though, when Hawk meets January, who treats him like he’s worth more off a bull than on one, and who’s willing to work just as hard to be with him.

The two men have to deal with the distance, unexpected challenges when Hawk visits New York, family on both sides, and neither of them sees any of it coming. Eventually even Hawk’s dangerous job is thrown into sharp relief when tragedy strikes. How will January and Hawk find their way when they’re flying blind?