Devon Reid, veterinarian, had a partner of 2 years, a beautiful house, and a fantastic job. Then, life as he knew it, changed.
Six months ago, he became his mother's sole caretaker when her cancer returned. With his constant absence from home, his relationship ends leaving him alone in one of the most emotionally draining points in his life. When his mother passes, he is lonely and loses his zest for life.
With his emotions and life in turmoil, Devon decides it's time to make a change. Leaving the city life behind and taking a job in a small town in Montana, was just what the doctor ordered. Then, he meets the hunky ranch foreman, Greg Elliot.
Greg has lived most of his life on a ranch. Living in a small town didn't offer many prospects for a relationship, until he meets the new veterinarian in town.
While they try to resist the obvious mutual attraction, a fateful call during the night changes it all.
What is a city boy to do when a small town cowboy ropes him in?
Leiland's reading list is exemplary of the evolution of erotic romance. Initially, Leiland began reading Harlequin Romance and Silhouette Desire but later transitioned to Silhouette Nocturne. But after reading the first M/M erotic romance, tons of M/M material soon followed. As an avid reader, Leiland decided one day to take a stab at writing a book. These days, when not writing something new, Leiland can be found reading a steamy romance (shifters are a fav!), taking the pet dog for a walk or watching movies such as A Walk to Remember.
3.25* Having just a read a really great Cowboy romance I was in the mood for another so when I saw the cover and read the blurb I thought I'd give this a try. Overall it was enjoyable but it didn't blow me away. That's not too say it wasn't a sweet romantic story, it was. Devon and Greg have a great chemistry going on and the love scenes are quite hot but it is very lightweight and everything happens very quickly and is resolved very quickly. This is insta love of the ' falling for each other in seconds' type so if that irritates then be warned.
I enjoyed it enough to want to read the next in the series as Leiland sets up the next story ( Seth's and Jeremy's ) with a nice little teaser and also they're not overlong so you can read them in one sitting if you've got time to just sit back for an hour or so. I would say a nice story.
Great start to this story! This author is new to the scene from what I can tell since he only has a short list of books out, but what a way to start off. I'll admit yeah I found the story short but some stories are just meant to be that, short, without ruining a good thing. It's a love story with the added bit of drama, but again I reserve the right to judge this one for others and this is my opinion alone.
Well done Leiland and might I add a short footnote that I'd like to read about Jasper next.
Overall this was a nice story from a new to me author. Well written and entertaining, it's a light easy read with a HEA ending. The tone of the story is romantic and sweet and the protagonists engaging enough to keep me interested throughout. I enjoyed this story and look forward to the next book in the series.
When the Bluebird Calls shows that sometimes simplistic writing and basic emotions win over readers. This is the first book I’ve read of this author and it’s decent. There are no real surprises and the characters are pretty basic stereotypes in every way but the story offers a sweet, caring romance with a strong happy ending in a cowboy setting that is sure to please fans. This is the sort of easy, undemanding story that satisfies even though it’s not that good. It’s not bad though either so the quick pace and recognizable elements may be enjoyable for readers.
The plot revolves around Devon Reid who moves to Montana to get away from the grief of losing his mother. He’s trying to create a new life for himself and immediately is attracted to a local ranch foreman Greg. The two waste very little time in getting together and soon they’re in love. But of course all is not that easy as an ex-boyfriend of Devon’s suddenly shows up and causes problems (predictably) and Greg’s younger brother makes an appearance while setting up for the second book in the series.
The story is very basic in that Devon and Greg meet, have sex, fall in love, deal with psycho ex-boyfriend from nowhere, and live happily ever after. That’s not bad necessarily but the rudimentary plot is coupled with a very basic style of writing. The prose tends to be very simple and easy to read but also state every action, no matter how unnecessary. For example:
--- He walked past the kitchen and threw the empty container in the trash on his way to the bedroom. Grabbing his clothes from the edge of the bed, Devon walked into the bathroom in need of a nice hot shower. He pushed the shower curtain aside and turned the shower on, holding his hand under the water, and adjusted the knob until he felt it was the right temperature. He quickly stripped out of his clothes and got into the shower, shutting the curtain behind him. -----
Again, this isn’t bad but it lacks a lot of descriptive quality and general interest. The plot also has no real tension and attempts to throw some drama later on by resurrecting the ex-boyfriend. Now here this entire plot device makes no sense and is obviously very contrived. The ex-boyfriend is suddenly mentally unstable and not only does he do things completely out of character but of course there is the Scooby do clue on the ground to point to him and his convinent confession. These are pretty cringe worthy aspects of the story but don’t worry, everyone moves on very quickly and doesn’t dwell on this. Unfortunately it moves on to an equally cringe worthy aspect which is Greg’s young brother and of course his big announcement, which makes no sense and is pretty silly.
While the story has some bad moments, the characters are ok. They are decently developed but their romance takes place off page. The reader is treated to the sex between them and their internal musings about how they’re falling in love but the real action is all stated quickly and happens off page. For example the story says the two men talked for hours about their likes, dislikes, dreams, and so on; that they spoke on the phone every night and met for dinner or lunch frequently. However none of this happens in the book but merely summarized quickly so the reader believes these two have done more than lust for each other. That’s fine but very bland and doesn’t make their instant love any more credible.
I guess overall I found the story bland and just one of many cowboy stories without anything to really stand out. There are some pretty basic traps the author falls into and perhaps her writing and plots will improve with time. There is nothing horribly offensive about this so I can see why some find it pretty enjoyable. As a quick, fluff read about cowboys you could give this a try.
Leiland Dale has a gift when it comes to delivering poignant one-liners. One example is listed above in his blurb… “What’s a city boy to do when a small town cowboy ropes him in?” You’ll find numerous such morsels within his writing, but my all-time favorite is this one: “When a man comes along and looks at you as if you are his world…then you know you’ve found the one.” This is the deathbed advice that central character Devon receives from his dying mother in When the Bluebird Calls.
The love story of Devon and Greg is without question a classic romance. Dejected, rejected, and lonely protagonist Devon Reid leaves his heartache behind him in search of a new life away from the city. He ends up in a small Montana town where he meets Greg Elliot—hunky, sexy, and incredibly masculine ranch hand. The two are instantly drawn to one another.
Greg has some issues in his own past, having been rejected by his family due to his sexual orientation. He is instantly attracted to Devon, but he’s fearful of rejection so he hedges a bit. Eventually the couple do find themselves together when veterinarian Greg is called in the middle of the night to aid in the delivery of a foal at Greg’s ranch.
The couple fall head over heels in love, and Devon comes to realize that Greg is the man of his dreams. He realizes this in a very literal sense due to the fact that he has actually been dreaming about this specific man since a time long before he met him. Included in the recurring dream is a bluebird, hence the book’s title.
I am genuinely impressed with author Leiland Dale, and sincerely feel he’s an extremely talented writer. I’m particularly pleased with the way he presents his love scenes, and as I read them I honestly feel quite swept away. He writes with emotion, which is my favorite quality when it comes to a writer’s voice.
There were two issues that I had with this story. The first relates to a character who was introduced early in the book. His name is Andrew and he is the brother of one of the secondary characters in the plot. A couple of foreshadowing references are made to Andrew, indicating that he possibly may become a barrier or stumbling block to the protagonists’ eventual happiness. I found it odd, though, that Andrew seemed to just disappear. He never was mentioned again, and it made me wonder why he was included in the story at all.
This brings me to the second criticism that I had with the plot. There did not actually seem to be any obstacles for the protagonists to overcome. There was no conflict. Eventually an ex-lover did make an emergence, but his appearance was rather brief and ultimately he was swept out of the picture.
As I stated above, I truly do enjoy the author’s writing style. I make no apology for the fact that a reunion scene within the book actually moved me to tears. This is how gifted this author is when it comes to conveying feeling. He also paints very vivid mental pictures with his descriptions, and although he doesn’t pummel the reader with ostentatious vocabulary, he writes very intelligently.
I genuinely look forward to reading everything that he releases in the future.
My hope is that my honest review, including criticisms, will not dissuade readers from enjoying this gifted author’s talent. When the Bluebird Calls is a very enjoyable and touching story, and I think it will be a pleasurable experience for most readers. I sort of wonder, though, if the author was not a bit hurried or possibly anxious to get this published. I wonder what his original intention was when he included the character Andrew, and I wonder if it had anything to do with a conflict. Had he gone this route, I probably would have ended up awarding the book five stars.
This was the first book I've read from Leiland, and I must say, I like his style! I liked Devon right off the bat, he was such a sweet, tortured soul just looking for a fresh start in life. I felt good for him when he moved and started anew and especially when he met hunky Greg! The first meeting scene was great! I could really see the nerves build along with their mutual lust. Greg seems almost too perfect to be real, but he's there for Devon at every turn, (even the evil ex and the dastardly deed he does)!
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this and would recommend it to anyone who loves happy endings, and a bit of drama...and hunky ranch hands!
Kudos, Leiland!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
When a romances goes badly for veterinarian Devon Reid as well as the death of his mother - he gives himself no time for second thoughts, he sells up his home and business and moves all the way to Bridger, a ranching small town in Montana ....
There he meets foreman Greg Elliot and the rest is history as they say. The book does not veer far from the blub, so I will just give my thoughts on it.
WHEN THE BLUEBIRD CALLS was an easy read for me as this is a plot that generally works for me. I love books with people who are starting over toss in the the small town scenario and I was hooked..
Honestly the book reads like something I had read before - but it didn't matter to me, I love the guys that Leiland Dale introduced me to.
Devon Reid is in a new town, a new job and with something of a new lease on how he look at things. he isn't shy about getting involved in the community and before he knows it he is a fixture in places like the little diner and he and the waitress are on a first name basis. The long and the short of it is that he is a sweet guy.
Greg Elliot is the dark horse of this duo - Initially when I met him, he has this intense amount of rage that did not endear him to me at all and it took almost the entire length of the book before I warmed up to him.
Naturally the two meet as Devon is the only Vet around and Greg is a local ranch foremen - sparks flies as expect but from there I liked how the men had fun getting there – they dated, laughed and it was more the unsaid that cause any sort of friction between them.
The few issue I had with this book centered around the pace and the mystery moment. The pace was a little choppy to me and this was just down to the over managing of some scenes. Blow by blow event in a scenes doesn't always work for me and some of the scenes were too defined and I just wanted to move on…
The major angsty moment as well was like an afterthought as the guys were getting on really well without the little bump of a mystery that really wasn't and as much as it served it's purposed – it just felt tossed in to me.
WHEN THE BLUEBIRD CALLS wont appeal to everyone, but it did it for me – the plot worked and after everything that Devon had been through Greg was a perfect match for him.
This is the first in the Heart Of The Mountain series and there are one or two characters that I fell in love with in this first book and I am looking to see where the author go with them..
4½ stars - Leiland Dale is a new-to-me author whose writing really appeals to me. His stories aren’t too long, but he gets the reader involved with the characters from the beginning. And he manages to infuse into each story an external conflict that threatens both life and love. When a Bluebird Calls also has a hint of mysticism, and I really love this element.
This is a sweet and yet very sexy story, and it rocks as a romance. Devon’s decision to leave the life that brings him no joy and head out west for a simpler life isn’t a spur of the moment thing. And it ends up being one of the best things he’s ever done. I loved as he found his feet and a peace previously lacking. He’s a good man who deserves all the best.
And the best is yet to come: Enter Greg. We know how he came about to live in the small town of Bridger, Montana, and that he’s found a home there. Working on Sam Hart’s ranch has been his life for the last few years, but of course, something’s missing. Greg’s not a man who is comfortable speaking about how he feels and has learned to keep himself, for the most part, private. But there’s something about this new vet in town, and Greg just can’t escape the memories of their first meeting.
Leiland Dale does a beautiful job bringing to life his characters; both Devon and Greg are men that it would be a great pleasure to call friends. Mr. Dale’s able to show us the beauty of the area, as well; Bridger, Montana would be a lovely place to visit, and I certainly hope that we get to come here again... soon?
If you’ve not enjoyed the storytelling of Leiland Dale, this is an excellent story with which to begin your acquaintance. Enjoy!
Ok, so when I started reading this book I thought I must have read it before because i think I have read every single one of those sentences before. But then I checked the publishing date and there is no way the other mm romance cowboy novels were published then. I think this is the real thing.
Back then there were not as many mm romancenovels as we have today. And after reading all of the new ones I would have given this lower rating. But had I read it when published, I would have given it more than four.
I bought this book quite a few months ago and I just now got around to reading it. I really enjoyed the story of Devon and Greg. Devon is a veterinarian who moves from the city to a small town after the death of his mother who he has cared for during her final battle with cancer. His partner of two years cannot handle the situation and has left him. Devon can't bear the memories of the place so he buys a practice of a retiring vet in a small town that is gay-friendly. As he is settling in to his new life, he meets Greg Elliott who works on a local ranch. There are instant sparks between them. After Devon runs out to the ranch in the middle of the night to help with a difficult birth for one of Greg's favorite mare's, there is no going back. Greg wants to protect Devon - sees the sadness in him - and wants to make him happy. There are some trials for them along the way, but they have a wonderful time getting to know each other. These two are hot together and also very sweet. I'm immediately the next book.
This is the first release by this author. I enjoyed the story between these two men and the poignant loss of Devon's mother at the beginning was a good reason for him to the move across country. Greg...ranch foreman hero is a typical good buy in need of a partner and lightning stuck on his first seeing Devon. The building of their relationship over the birth of a foal and later at a carnival was sweet.
The villain coming in at the end was rather obvious and the police determining his guilt took little time at all, which was unfortunate. There are issues with editing that I found distracting. Sentences that didn't flow well because of a repetition of words such as 'hard shaft' within a short span was the main issue for me...it just got distracting.
This was much better than my first couple of attempts at reading - and enjoying - Leiland Dale’s books. The writing was a lot smoother in this one, which was my main complaint about the first book in the Ancient Prophecy series and it was a very easy, flowing romance with an old feel to it. It wasn’t angsty and when obstacles appeared - a little out of left field - they didn’t affect Greg and Devon’s budding relationship, they actually served to push them closer together. It was nice to read about how they got to know each other over dinners and phone conversations and was overall very sweet if rather simplistic.
I really enjoyed this one, it was very sweet. I had never read Mr. Dale's work before and since this is the first book of the series Heart of the Mountain I decided to start with this one. Devon was a good guy and Greg was a great foil for him. I can't wait to read the next ones in this series since some of the characters we met in this one, albeit briefly, look like they will make great heroes in the next books... and, quite frankly, I want to learn more about Seth.
This is a very romantic story and I really enjoyed it!
When The Bluebird Calls is Leiland Dale's first book in the Heart of the Mountain series. It is a sweet and romantic story of promising love at first sight that takes the reader on an enjoyable and relatively carefree reading journey.
Read the complete review of When The Bluebird Calls by Leiland Dale at Indie Reviews.
I really enjoy 'love at first sight' stories, and this one is just that. This very sweet tale explores how one man can help another overcome the baggage left by an ex, and in return, the man finds closure of his own. Devon's character is sweet. I love his big heart as he helps the animals in his care. Greg is kind and thoughtful. His insecurity as he pursues Devon is charming. I ran across a few typos, but it didn't detract from the overall enjoyment. This heart-warming tale is a great read.
A short story that would of been better if it was longer. I felt that everything happened too fast. I would of liked to get to know the mc's better. The ex was a dirt bag. I didn't care for the sex first then get to know each other date after. But it is a story that says you can find love without looking for it.
I always hated cowboy stories when they involved F/M romances, and yet I find them fascinating when they involve M/M romances. This story was sweet and well written although it would have been perfect if it was a little bit longer.
I'm a sucker for cowboy manlove, but this is poorly written, unfortunately. Names and words repeat too often, mispelled names, wrong grammar. Sigh! And the whole jealous rage thing felt riddicilous.