Books of Tash

It’s not often that the villain of a book gets their redemption story. And you start to actually like them! Claire Kingsley is the master of this with the Haven brother series, but Elizabeth Bright has done an amazing job with Steven’s story here.

This book also has a surprise pregnancy which is so not my jam! I despise this trope it makes me mad that authors seem to think that a women’s ultimate goal is to get married and pop out babies or get pregnant and then have to deal with a douche who can just walk away and keep living his life while she raises a kid on her own……….Okay enough soap boxing from me. Call me yours actually handled the surprise pregnancy really really well!

Chloe is James’s friend from Cowboy in the streets (you don’t have to have read this one, but it sort of helps to work out why Steven was so disliked). She has been told by multiple doctors that she has no chance of getting pregnant so she isn’t as careful as she should be. She hooks up with her fuck buddy after a drunken night and surprise baby!

Steven was an absolute douche bag in Cowboy in the Streets and ended up getting fired from Lodestar ranch for spooking the horse James was training and causing her to be bucked off and injured. This book makes you think about the other side of the story and how one person can be vilified for one act. So, he isn’t completely innocent but one little moment then defines him to a whole town. Chloe starts talking to him at 3am when they both can’t sleep, and she starts to realise there is more to Steven than 1 act.

Steven is actually a good guy he’s just had a lousy upbringing and is starting on whole new career path under the guidance of Chloe’s step- father. He is there for Chloe for Dr appointments and the first time she finds out she is pregnant. He gives Chloe a place to stay when her landlord gives her notice and slowly, they start to admit their feelings for each other. Chloe is torn because all her friends really don’t like him, and she does. This is another selfless act on Steven’s part to fix things, so Chloe doesn’t have to have a rift with her best friends.

I actually really enjoyed this book, and the story was really well told.