"Ty Hard"

Review - "Ty Hard" by Laura Harner

Tough and troubled cowboys - I am in!

Highly Recommended

Ty is fresh out of the Navy.  Out of the hospital, rehabbing his body, mind and spirit.  He is on his way to visit his good friend. mentor and replacement father from the service, who is now the cook on a ranch.  He arrives right in the middle of an emergency, and when he discovers his surrogate dad just died, it's too much for him and his mind shuts down.

Cass is the owner of the ranch, and is taken with the handsome young Ty.  When Ty passes out, he immediately takes charge and takes Ty under his wing.  Watching the young man grieve his friend, he finds himself caring more and more.  Not knowing all of Ty's past, he tries to protect the man, give him a safe place to heal and find himself.  But he WON'T fall in love, damn it.

Ty decided to stay for a while, get his bearings and see what's next.  He's never been with a man before, and isn't sure what he wants.  When Ty turns down one suitor and Cass kicks the guy off the ranch, things start going wrong.  At first, small acts of sabotage.  then the danger grows and it all points to the guy Cass got rid of.  When the danger turns personal, will Ty's past catch up to him?  Will he be able to recover?

This book was SUCH a pleasant surprise.  When I initially bought it, I thought, cowboys - you can't go wrong with cowboys.  But what I got was oh, so much more. 

I got two sensitively drawn men who don't know how to give their hearts. 

I got two broken, damaged, strong guys without a clue what they are doing, only that they feel something that should be pursued.

I got a lovingly visioned portrait of a guy damaged by war, not comfortable in his skin anymore, thrown away by family, convinced he can't have what he wants.

I got sweet romance, hot sex and a growing love.

I got action, suspense, and a who-dun-it.

And I got hope.  Hope that Ty can leave all his hard past behind, that Cass can relax into the caring, loving man he can be, and most of all, that even the most broken of us can find our place in this world.

Ms. Harner has done herself proud with this loving tribute to tough yet vulnerable men.

As Oliver would say, Please, may I have another?  Pleeeease, Ms. Harner?

Tom