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Wild Ones #3
Burning Season
The year is 1972. Dylan Chase is nineteen, and most days he’s lucky enough to ride a tough bronc, have a beer with his friends, and maybe even sleep under the stars on his family’s third-generation cattle ranch.
Dylan’s life would be perfect if it weren’t for his forbidden itch. An itch he’s only scratched once… with Bo, a hitchhiker he never thought he’d see again. When Bo shows up as the new hire at a neighboring ranch, Dylan is sure his almost-perfect life is about to implode.
After the calves are driven out to the spring pastures, Bo will move on to California. Dylan just has to hold it together until then… if he can.
But Bo can soothe a restless horse with a touch and keeps a battered book of poems in his saddle bag. And the more Dylan learns about him, the more he wants Bo—and the less he wants Bo to go, damn the risk.
Dylan’s life would be perfect if it weren’t for his forbidden itch. An itch he’s only scratched once… with Bo, a hitchhiker he never thought he’d see again. When Bo shows up as the new hire at a neighboring ranch, Dylan is sure his almost-perfect life is about to implode.
After the calves are driven out to the spring pastures, Bo will move on to California. Dylan just has to hold it together until then… if he can.
But Bo can soothe a restless horse with a touch and keeps a battered book of poems in his saddle bag. And the more Dylan learns about him, the more he wants Bo—and the less he wants Bo to go, damn the risk.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 14, 2021
64 people are currently reading
327 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Ember
28 books203 followersRachel was born and raised in the midwest USA, and now lives there voluntarily, a life choice she only sometimes questions. On the small farm her menagerie calls home, she happily juggles her voracious reading and writing habits with caring for her kids and pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
September 18, 2021
Book 3rd in Wild one's series
But it's a complete standalone.
Setting- 1970s, Nebraska, USA
(Cowboys, Ranch setting, family, first love, Character-driven)
This is the third book in the Wild Ones series. I loved the first, Long Winter and still haven't read the second but it doesn't matter because this book is based at a completely different time and place.
And this was a solid four-star for me but the Coming out scene, Ending and then the epilogue is worthy of more than an extra half star.
First, meeting
Dylan is 19 and is pretty sure about his sexuality but has never experienced a man's touch. He decides to explore the possibility on his weekend in Dallas, by going to a club he has heard about. But, he chickened out and decided to return to the motel when he saw a hitchhiker in the rain.
Bo saw his young saviour, a guy with blue eyes, an unbuttoned shirt, trying to hide his lipstick painted lips and driving a Chevelle. But, he never imagined this quick encounter would be so remarkable and could never imagine the odds of working on Dylan friend's Ranch for a month.
The Month
Unlike the previous book, this one is based on summer and spring. So, we get a month's worth of everyday life details of the ranch. Again, the author has expressed her unique love for atmospheric details. About the weather, ranching, horses and food. Some of the stuff was a bit difficult to understand for me, but unlike book one, we have a lot of different characters, Dylan's family, his friends and lots of Cowboys.
But, the most interesting part was the relationship development. Because, other than the first chapter, the whole book is from Dylan's POV. And, we get to see how his hopes and plans for the future have changed in a month.
End of the month
From the very beginning, we know that Dylan wants to explore his sexuality but he knows that he will never be able to leave his family, friends and the ranch. But, after a month with BO, he realized that he can be gay and expect to be loved.
What I loved about the book
1. I am a sucker for any details of ranch life. And, I loved the MCs and a lot of other characters too.
2. The banter/comradery between Dylan and his best friend and also with other Cowboys.
3. Despite all interfamilial tension, the books have a light tone and mainly focus on relationships between family and friends and Dylan's discovery of first love.
4. Again, it's good to see that a book based in the 1970s, could give me such a warm, fuzzy feeling.
5. I love Dylan's sexual journey with Bo, his understanding of love. Actually, I love every conversation they ever had.🥰🥰
6. The coming out scenes.
7. Did I say I love the end and epilogue??
One of the main reasons I love reading Historicals MM is because I like the angst of forbidden love, where the subtle glances, touches have a deeper meaning. Where the MCs fight with real issues and end up choosing love over everything, thankfully this book has all these and more.
Highly recommended if you like seeing two men falling in love around the ranch setting. And, I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, that's about Johnny, the brother of MC, from the first book.
"No, I never thought I was a poet
But it turns out all this time
What my simple, lost words needed
Was the man who’d make them rhyme".
But it's a complete standalone.
Setting- 1970s, Nebraska, USA
(Cowboys, Ranch setting, family, first love, Character-driven)
This is the third book in the Wild Ones series. I loved the first, Long Winter and still haven't read the second but it doesn't matter because this book is based at a completely different time and place.
And this was a solid four-star for me but the Coming out scene, Ending and then the epilogue is worthy of more than an extra half star.
First, meeting
Dylan is 19 and is pretty sure about his sexuality but has never experienced a man's touch. He decides to explore the possibility on his weekend in Dallas, by going to a club he has heard about. But, he chickened out and decided to return to the motel when he saw a hitchhiker in the rain.
Bo saw his young saviour, a guy with blue eyes, an unbuttoned shirt, trying to hide his lipstick painted lips and driving a Chevelle. But, he never imagined this quick encounter would be so remarkable and could never imagine the odds of working on Dylan friend's Ranch for a month.
The Month
Unlike the previous book, this one is based on summer and spring. So, we get a month's worth of everyday life details of the ranch. Again, the author has expressed her unique love for atmospheric details. About the weather, ranching, horses and food. Some of the stuff was a bit difficult to understand for me, but unlike book one, we have a lot of different characters, Dylan's family, his friends and lots of Cowboys.
But, the most interesting part was the relationship development. Because, other than the first chapter, the whole book is from Dylan's POV. And, we get to see how his hopes and plans for the future have changed in a month.
End of the month
From the very beginning, we know that Dylan wants to explore his sexuality but he knows that he will never be able to leave his family, friends and the ranch. But, after a month with BO, he realized that he can be gay and expect to be loved.
What I loved about the book
1. I am a sucker for any details of ranch life. And, I loved the MCs and a lot of other characters too.
2. The banter/comradery between Dylan and his best friend and also with other Cowboys.
3. Despite all interfamilial tension, the books have a light tone and mainly focus on relationships between family and friends and Dylan's discovery of first love.
4. Again, it's good to see that a book based in the 1970s, could give me such a warm, fuzzy feeling.
5. I love Dylan's sexual journey with Bo, his understanding of love. Actually, I love every conversation they ever had.🥰🥰
6. The coming out scenes.
7. Did I say I love the end and epilogue??
One of the main reasons I love reading Historicals MM is because I like the angst of forbidden love, where the subtle glances, touches have a deeper meaning. Where the MCs fight with real issues and end up choosing love over everything, thankfully this book has all these and more.
Highly recommended if you like seeing two men falling in love around the ranch setting. And, I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, that's about Johnny, the brother of MC, from the first book.
"No, I never thought I was a poet
But it turns out all this time
What my simple, lost words needed
Was the man who’d make them rhyme".
September 29, 2021
I love cowboys, I love historical MM romances, I love the 70s. I just loved Bo and Dylan.
I loved the vibe of this book. It’s lovely, hopeful, peaceful. It reminded me a lot of the first book in the series. There is some homophobia but definitely less than I expected at a ranch in Nebraska in 1972. I really liked Dylan’s family, especially his parents.
I squealed in delight when I saw the subtitle of the epilogue fifty years (or so) later and I’m very excited to hopefully see Bo and Dylan as grumpy old men in Johnny’s book.
I loved all the secondary characters. But *spoiler* I’m sad that Rob ended up being the grandpa with the weird will. And especially sad that adorable little Matt is the crazy evil uncle. Rationally, I know that all assholes were an adorable child at some point, but it’s still unsettling when you see it.
This can be read as a standalone, if you ignore the last page of the book, as it ends with a bit of a cliffhanger about Johnny. Ideally I’d read the whole series in order.
I loved the vibe of this book. It’s lovely, hopeful, peaceful. It reminded me a lot of the first book in the series. There is some homophobia but definitely less than I expected at a ranch in Nebraska in 1972. I really liked Dylan’s family, especially his parents.
I squealed in delight when I saw the subtitle of the epilogue fifty years (or so) later and I’m very excited to hopefully see Bo and Dylan as grumpy old men in Johnny’s book.
I loved all the secondary characters. But *spoiler* I’m sad that Rob ended up being the grandpa with the weird will. And especially sad that adorable little Matt is the crazy evil uncle. Rationally, I know that all assholes were an adorable child at some point, but it’s still unsettling when you see it.
This can be read as a standalone, if you ignore the last page of the book, as it ends with a bit of a cliffhanger about Johnny. Ideally I’d read the whole series in order.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2022
4.5 stars
“Dylan had never given a lot of thought to kissing, and now he realized why. It wasn’t the sort of thing a shiny page in a secret magazine made a person want. It was one of those things that your heart kept a secret from your head until you’d felt it, and then you couldn’t stop thinking about it.”
How many superlatives can one use to describe Rachel Ember’s writing without sounding redundant? I don’t think any other writer could make me so enchanted with the Midwest. Cowboys. Rodeos. Bronc riders. Ranches. Farmsteads. Plus what kind of writing witchcraft can weave a month-long romance so that it feels like a slow burn???
— m/m cowboy romance
— forced proximity
— road trip
— virgin hero
— coming out
— single POV
— steamy
Dylan, a bronc rider, is driving from Nebraska to Texas to compete in a rodeo when he comes across a hitchhiker, Bo, heading the same way. By happenstance, Bo ends up driving back home with Dylan, where he’ll be working at a neighboring cattle ranch before moving on to California in the summer.
Although Dylan and Bo hook up the same day they meet, and their relationship takes place over a short period, it unfolds in such a way that it feels much longer. (An epilogue shows them fifty years later.) The author has a way of crafting a romance that transcends time. The buildup in sexual tension in the car ride is like a symphony crescendo—taut and expectant.
But the real treasure is all the little moments we see as Dylan's and Bo's relationship develops. The pauses in their conversations, meaningful glances as they work together, silent communication conveying so much emotion, moments riding alone in nature, private conversations where they get to know each other. And the sex. Oh Lawdy! It’s hot, dirty, and yet sweet at the same time.
It would be a crime not to say anything about the writing. I’m not usually a fan of a lot of description or monologue, but as far as I’m concerned, this author can write as much of it as she wants. Because not only is it gorgeous, it creates an ambiance. It seduces me. It paints a vivid picture of a world and landscape that I know nothing about. It sucks me right into the MCs’s world. I’m not a natural reader of cowboy romances, but she’s made me a fan.
“Seeing Bo after a night spent dreaming of him made Dylan’s heart give a funny lurch in his chest, kind of like it did when a bucking chute gate opened and a bronc he was riding cut loose.”
“I don’t want to ruin you,” Bo said quietly into Dylan’s ear.
Dylan smiled humorlessly up at the vaulted ceiling of the hayloft and didn’t answer out loud. But in his head, his reply was clear. Too late.”
“Dylan had never given a lot of thought to kissing, and now he realized why. It wasn’t the sort of thing a shiny page in a secret magazine made a person want. It was one of those things that your heart kept a secret from your head until you’d felt it, and then you couldn’t stop thinking about it.”
How many superlatives can one use to describe Rachel Ember’s writing without sounding redundant? I don’t think any other writer could make me so enchanted with the Midwest. Cowboys. Rodeos. Bronc riders. Ranches. Farmsteads. Plus what kind of writing witchcraft can weave a month-long romance so that it feels like a slow burn???
— m/m cowboy romance
— forced proximity
— road trip
— virgin hero
— coming out
— single POV
— steamy
Dylan, a bronc rider, is driving from Nebraska to Texas to compete in a rodeo when he comes across a hitchhiker, Bo, heading the same way. By happenstance, Bo ends up driving back home with Dylan, where he’ll be working at a neighboring cattle ranch before moving on to California in the summer.
Although Dylan and Bo hook up the same day they meet, and their relationship takes place over a short period, it unfolds in such a way that it feels much longer. (An epilogue shows them fifty years later.) The author has a way of crafting a romance that transcends time. The buildup in sexual tension in the car ride is like a symphony crescendo—taut and expectant.
But the real treasure is all the little moments we see as Dylan's and Bo's relationship develops. The pauses in their conversations, meaningful glances as they work together, silent communication conveying so much emotion, moments riding alone in nature, private conversations where they get to know each other. And the sex. Oh Lawdy! It’s hot, dirty, and yet sweet at the same time.
It would be a crime not to say anything about the writing. I’m not usually a fan of a lot of description or monologue, but as far as I’m concerned, this author can write as much of it as she wants. Because not only is it gorgeous, it creates an ambiance. It seduces me. It paints a vivid picture of a world and landscape that I know nothing about. It sucks me right into the MCs’s world. I’m not a natural reader of cowboy romances, but she’s made me a fan.
“Seeing Bo after a night spent dreaming of him made Dylan’s heart give a funny lurch in his chest, kind of like it did when a bucking chute gate opened and a bronc he was riding cut loose.”
“I don’t want to ruin you,” Bo said quietly into Dylan’s ear.
Dylan smiled humorlessly up at the vaulted ceiling of the hayloft and didn’t answer out loud. But in his head, his reply was clear. Too late.”
July 17, 2023
Cowboys. Pining. Cowboys!!! Pining!!!
I'm a simple girl, so cowboys and pining takes me pretty far. I'm also a city slicker, so I have no clue if all the ranch . . . cattle . . . horses . . . rodeo stuff is accurately depicted. But Rachel Ember has an easy, confident writing style with an eye for detail, and that also takes me pretty far. This is a sweet*, low-angst love story that isn't exactly breaking new ground, but is no less satisfying for it.
My main quibble is that this is set in 1972, but you would never know it apart from the fact that no one has cell phones and there's the (mostly unspoken) expectation that if one *must* be gay, one should do so from the confines of the closet. The story is very ranch-focused and (until the epilogue) takes place over the course of only one month, so the insular feel of it is perhaps to be expected. Indeed, I enjoyed the depiction of ranching life and the intimate bubble that Dylan and Bo created around themselves.
But -- I hate to be pedantic (HA!), but 1972 wasn't just polyester shirts and homophobia. There was also this very unfortunate, very fuck-around-and-find-out world event happening in and around Vietnam, and young American men not enrolled in college -- which is to say, Dylan, Bo, Glen, and (maybe) Rob -- were very much being drafted into it. The Vietnam war and the draft never even get a mention, although it would surely have loomed large over this particular group of men. Indeed, there is a fascinating history of gay men attempting to use their homosexuality to get draft exemptions on the very reasonable grounds that the Army at that time banned homosexuals from serving. And how some gay men, even though they themselves were anti-war and anti-draft, disdained this strategy because they had been trying for years to get homosexuality to stop being classified as a psychiatric disorder, and seeking a medical exemption for gayness undermined this effort. And how the army was so desperate for bodies that it rejected people's self-professed "homosexual tendencies" and forced them into service anyway, all the while still upholding the prohibition against gay service members. This is amazing stuff, people!
OK Kathleen, review the book in front of you, not the book you want to read. (No, seriously. I would read the shit out of a book that used the homosexuality exemption and all the politics around it as a plot point/ arc. Authors? Are you out there? Someone please write this book!) And I really did enjoy this, and I can also appreciate that dropping a 5-page lecture on the Vietnam draft into a gay cowboy book is maybe a bit tangential. But not mentioning this Very Big Thing that was Extremely Relevant To The Cohort Of Which The MCs Are A Part was such a startling omission that once my mind latched onto it, it couldn't unlatch. I mean, why set a book in 1972 if you're not going to relate to the fact that it's 1972? Obviously there are series reasons for doing this. But Burning Season could have been a contemporary for all the (historical) setting mattered.
Rating 4 stars because I definitely enjoyed the book it was. But what a missed opportunity!
* "Sweet" like Dylan and Bo's personalities, not "sweet" as a gross way to imply no-sex, ew, what kind of monster do you take me for?? Rest assured they are 100 percent boning down on-page.
I'm a simple girl, so cowboys and pining takes me pretty far. I'm also a city slicker, so I have no clue if all the ranch . . . cattle . . . horses . . . rodeo stuff is accurately depicted. But Rachel Ember has an easy, confident writing style with an eye for detail, and that also takes me pretty far. This is a sweet*, low-angst love story that isn't exactly breaking new ground, but is no less satisfying for it.
My main quibble is that this is set in 1972, but you would never know it apart from the fact that no one has cell phones and there's the (mostly unspoken) expectation that if one *must* be gay, one should do so from the confines of the closet. The story is very ranch-focused and (until the epilogue) takes place over the course of only one month, so the insular feel of it is perhaps to be expected. Indeed, I enjoyed the depiction of ranching life and the intimate bubble that Dylan and Bo created around themselves.
But -- I hate to be pedantic (HA!), but 1972 wasn't just polyester shirts and homophobia. There was also this very unfortunate, very fuck-around-and-find-out world event happening in and around Vietnam, and young American men not enrolled in college -- which is to say, Dylan, Bo, Glen, and (maybe) Rob -- were very much being drafted into it. The Vietnam war and the draft never even get a mention, although it would surely have loomed large over this particular group of men. Indeed, there is a fascinating history of gay men attempting to use their homosexuality to get draft exemptions on the very reasonable grounds that the Army at that time banned homosexuals from serving. And how some gay men, even though they themselves were anti-war and anti-draft, disdained this strategy because they had been trying for years to get homosexuality to stop being classified as a psychiatric disorder, and seeking a medical exemption for gayness undermined this effort. And how the army was so desperate for bodies that it rejected people's self-professed "homosexual tendencies" and forced them into service anyway, all the while still upholding the prohibition against gay service members. This is amazing stuff, people!
OK Kathleen, review the book in front of you, not the book you want to read. (No, seriously. I would read the shit out of a book that used the homosexuality exemption and all the politics around it as a plot point/ arc. Authors? Are you out there? Someone please write this book!) And I really did enjoy this, and I can also appreciate that dropping a 5-page lecture on the Vietnam draft into a gay cowboy book is maybe a bit tangential. But not mentioning this Very Big Thing that was Extremely Relevant To The Cohort Of Which The MCs Are A Part was such a startling omission that once my mind latched onto it, it couldn't unlatch. I mean, why set a book in 1972 if you're not going to relate to the fact that it's 1972? Obviously there are series reasons for doing this. But Burning Season could have been a contemporary for all the (historical) setting mattered.
Rating 4 stars because I definitely enjoyed the book it was. But what a missed opportunity!
* "Sweet" like Dylan and Bo's personalities, not "sweet" as a gross way to imply no-sex, ew, what kind of monster do you take me for?? Rest assured they are 100 percent boning down on-page.
September 26, 2021
The book is a comfortable 3* but I love this world, the writing and the epilogue enough to raise it to 4
After the first chapter the story is told from Dylan's pov, we meet his family, his best friend and with them explore their ranches. While this came to life and had a familiar sense that showed the author has knowledge of this life I think it did overshadow the romance. I know nothing of horses, and liked how I could follow what was going on without lengthy explanations. The family, the relations, there was a lot to like. His parents share a star and brother Rob though grouchy was relatable.
Bo the enigmatic drifter. His character would work great in a film; his horse skills, gentle confidence, the understanding smile. But this is Dylan's coming of age story more than anything, so as much as I liked Bo he largely remained a supporting role. There was clear feeling between them but personally I wanted them spending more time together than time working the ranches - though yes, it fits who they are, the time and place. Stolen moments.
I did spend most of the book trying to identify who the restrictive will-writer and evil uncle from the first books are. Grandpa introduces talk about his will and it bothered me that the scene then changed, I'm not clear if he discussed it with his family or simply pushed the kids out the room to mention it then nothing.
The epilogue is wonderful, I loved it, it also left me feeling cheated! Their lives lived between the end of the story and the start of the epilogue. For me the book was them getting to their beginning, acknowledgement, speaking up, big decisions; but then we miss everything of them together and I was left going wait what became of Glenn? Rob? Did they keep in contact? Why the seperation? Robbie lives on the ancestral ranch so was hardly lost, how come Dylan left him to raise his brothers?
The book was all nice even keel, relatively angst free, but some drama has clearly happened in the years we're not privy too. It's a series and I don't expect to get all the answers delivered, but I was left torn between loving the couple, their relationship, all the feels from the epilogue and thinking but what about...? Perhaps my expectations were set too high after being so won over by the First book, but this never gripped me. It was a pleasant read but lacked that must-read-now vibe. Though I do still very much want to revist for the next book.
After the first chapter the story is told from Dylan's pov, we meet his family, his best friend and with them explore their ranches. While this came to life and had a familiar sense that showed the author has knowledge of this life I think it did overshadow the romance. I know nothing of horses, and liked how I could follow what was going on without lengthy explanations. The family, the relations, there was a lot to like. His parents share a star and brother Rob though grouchy was relatable.
Bo the enigmatic drifter. His character would work great in a film; his horse skills, gentle confidence, the understanding smile. But this is Dylan's coming of age story more than anything, so as much as I liked Bo he largely remained a supporting role. There was clear feeling between them but personally I wanted them spending more time together than time working the ranches - though yes, it fits who they are, the time and place. Stolen moments.
I did spend most of the book trying to identify who the restrictive will-writer and evil uncle from the first books are. Grandpa introduces talk about his will and it bothered me that the scene then changed, I'm not clear if he discussed it with his family or simply pushed the kids out the room to mention it then nothing.
The epilogue is wonderful, I loved it, it also left me feeling cheated! Their lives lived between the end of the story and the start of the epilogue. For me the book was them getting to their beginning, acknowledgement, speaking up, big decisions; but then we miss everything of them together and I was left going wait what became of Glenn? Rob? Did they keep in contact? Why the seperation? Robbie lives on the ancestral ranch so was hardly lost, how come Dylan left him to raise his brothers?
The book was all nice even keel, relatively angst free, but some drama has clearly happened in the years we're not privy too. It's a series and I don't expect to get all the answers delivered, but I was left torn between loving the couple, their relationship, all the feels from the epilogue and thinking but what about...? Perhaps my expectations were set too high after being so won over by the First book, but this never gripped me. It was a pleasant read but lacked that must-read-now vibe. Though I do still very much want to revist for the next book.
September 20, 2021
Third book of this series, a stand alone, but I think it should be read in order, considering that Bo and Dylan are the grandpas of the Chase family. I didn't read the first book about Robbie (one second I thought Robbie is Rob, Dylan's older brother), but no, Robbie is actually Rob's grandchildren, Wyatt's son (?)
But I think I will read Johnny's story, Dylan's great nephew who appeared at the end of Dylan's story.
Burning Season was a decent story, but I didn't really enjoyed this.
Dylan obviously infatuated by Bo since their first met, and I'm glad they're actually got their happily ever after.
Now about Johnny....
March 12, 2022
Dusty, sweaty, heat.
Trade waves of grass for the sea
And live and love free.
Trade waves of grass for the sea
And live and love free.
November 5, 2024
I've given this a B at AAR.
I’ve categorised Rachel Ember’s Burning Season as an historical romance – although it feels utterly weird to use the word ‘historical’ to describe a story that takes place during my lifetime! Set in 1972 (when I was eight!) it’s the third published book in the author’s Wild Ones series, but is the first chronologically; I believe the two leads appear as secondary characters in the first two books (which I have yet to read) but it works perfectly well as a standalone. Burning Season is a quiet, uplifting story about being brave and being yourself, with a sweet and sensual romance of at its centre.
Bronc rider Dylan Chase is nineteen and while he’s pretty sure he’s queer, he hasn’t ever had the chance to explore his sexuality. While away from home on a trip to Texas to take part in the rodeo, he decides to visit a club he’s heard about, a club for men who ‘like’ men – but he gets part of the way there and loses his nerve. On the drive back to his motel, he picks up a hitchhiker, Bo Bailey, who is headed to the rodeo to try to find a job. There’s an immediate frisson of attraction between them, which leads to some steamy, stolen moments that bring both revelation and sorrow. Dylan has never been with a guy, but the connection he feels with Bo – and the sex – is like nothing he’d imagined. But they’re unlikely to ever meet again.
Fate, however, has other ideas. Dylan and his friend Glen are about to depart to head back to Nebraska and home when Glen realises he’s lost his wallet and decides to go back to the rodeo grounds to see if anyone has found it. Waiting for Glen in the truck, Dylan dozes off, only to awaken once they start moving again – and to discover they’ve picked up a familiar passenger. It turns out Bo found Glen’s wallet and was already asking around to find who it belonged to so he could return it; he and Glen got chatting and Glen offered Bo some temporary work on his dad’s ranch, which borders the one owned by Dylan’s family.
The thought of being able to spend time with Bo produces a mixture of fear and elation in Dylan. Being gay in 1972 isn’t illegal, but in the sort of conservative, close-knit community Dylan comes from, it’s not acceptable and coming out would certainly make life difficult and could even put him at risk. Dylan doesn’t want anyone to know the truth about him – and Bo makes it clear he has no intention of saying anything to anyone – but Dylan also can’t help being excited at the thought of being around Bo for longer and maybe getting to do … more of what they’d done the night they met.
The romance between Dylan and Bo is a sweet slow-burn with lots of well-written longing and sexual tension, and I enjoyed watching the pair get to know each other and their relationship transition from heady infatuation and sexual exploration to love over the following weeks. Bo is, perhaps, wise beyond his years, but I liked his combination of calm and fierceness; he’s very laid back in many ways, but is no pushover and firmly believes that there’s nothing at all unnatural in his attraction to men (this is 1972, remember) and in his desire to do whatever is best for Dylan – even if it means not being able to be with him openly. There’s a strong emotional connection and plenty of chemistry between them, although as the story is told almost entirely through Dylan’s PoV*, Bo does remain somewhat enigmatic throughout. But this is really Dylan’s story and the author does a great job presenting him as a complex, rounded character who is torn between loyalty to his family and the life he’s always believed he’d have (and resigned himself to) and the sudden and new prospect of living a different, more honest and open one with someone he loves at his side.
The family dynamics are well-done, too, the loving, tight-knit, multi-generational family unit containing the sorts of fault-lines and conflicts that we can all relate to, and the author’s gift for evocative description shines through as she paints a detailed picture of the landscapes and the day-to-day life of the folks on a ranch. In fact the only part of the setting I can fault is the chronological one; apart from the absence of mobile phones and computers, there’s nothing that really screams “1972” to me – although I freely admit that, as a non-American, and someone completely unfamiliar with how ranchers and cowboys live, there may well have been indicators I missed.
The secondary cast, from Dylan’s dictatorial grandfather (whose machinations and manipulations are a large reason for those conflicts and fault-lines I mentioned) to his exasperated and grouchy brother Rob and best friend Glen, is well-drawn and adds richness to the story, and while there is period-appropriate homophobia, it’ mostly implied, which makes it more impactful when it happens (briefly) on the page.
The epilogue set fifty years in the future (i.e, now) is cute, as we check in with a much older Bo and Dylan, and also acts as a teaser for the next book in the series, so there’s a little bit of a cliffie, but it’s not one that will affect your enjoyment of the story.
This isn’t Rachel Ember’s first published book, but she’s a new-to-me author and definitely one whose work I intend to read more of. Burning Season is a beautifully written, charming and poignant love story featuring engaging, well-drawn characters and a skilfully realised setting. I’m happy to recommend it.
* The prologue – which details the initial meeting between Bo and Dylan -is told from Bo’s perspective and was originally released as the novella Sweat, Leather and Lipstick.
I’ve categorised Rachel Ember’s Burning Season as an historical romance – although it feels utterly weird to use the word ‘historical’ to describe a story that takes place during my lifetime! Set in 1972 (when I was eight!) it’s the third published book in the author’s Wild Ones series, but is the first chronologically; I believe the two leads appear as secondary characters in the first two books (which I have yet to read) but it works perfectly well as a standalone. Burning Season is a quiet, uplifting story about being brave and being yourself, with a sweet and sensual romance of at its centre.
Bronc rider Dylan Chase is nineteen and while he’s pretty sure he’s queer, he hasn’t ever had the chance to explore his sexuality. While away from home on a trip to Texas to take part in the rodeo, he decides to visit a club he’s heard about, a club for men who ‘like’ men – but he gets part of the way there and loses his nerve. On the drive back to his motel, he picks up a hitchhiker, Bo Bailey, who is headed to the rodeo to try to find a job. There’s an immediate frisson of attraction between them, which leads to some steamy, stolen moments that bring both revelation and sorrow. Dylan has never been with a guy, but the connection he feels with Bo – and the sex – is like nothing he’d imagined. But they’re unlikely to ever meet again.
Fate, however, has other ideas. Dylan and his friend Glen are about to depart to head back to Nebraska and home when Glen realises he’s lost his wallet and decides to go back to the rodeo grounds to see if anyone has found it. Waiting for Glen in the truck, Dylan dozes off, only to awaken once they start moving again – and to discover they’ve picked up a familiar passenger. It turns out Bo found Glen’s wallet and was already asking around to find who it belonged to so he could return it; he and Glen got chatting and Glen offered Bo some temporary work on his dad’s ranch, which borders the one owned by Dylan’s family.
The thought of being able to spend time with Bo produces a mixture of fear and elation in Dylan. Being gay in 1972 isn’t illegal, but in the sort of conservative, close-knit community Dylan comes from, it’s not acceptable and coming out would certainly make life difficult and could even put him at risk. Dylan doesn’t want anyone to know the truth about him – and Bo makes it clear he has no intention of saying anything to anyone – but Dylan also can’t help being excited at the thought of being around Bo for longer and maybe getting to do … more of what they’d done the night they met.
The romance between Dylan and Bo is a sweet slow-burn with lots of well-written longing and sexual tension, and I enjoyed watching the pair get to know each other and their relationship transition from heady infatuation and sexual exploration to love over the following weeks. Bo is, perhaps, wise beyond his years, but I liked his combination of calm and fierceness; he’s very laid back in many ways, but is no pushover and firmly believes that there’s nothing at all unnatural in his attraction to men (this is 1972, remember) and in his desire to do whatever is best for Dylan – even if it means not being able to be with him openly. There’s a strong emotional connection and plenty of chemistry between them, although as the story is told almost entirely through Dylan’s PoV*, Bo does remain somewhat enigmatic throughout. But this is really Dylan’s story and the author does a great job presenting him as a complex, rounded character who is torn between loyalty to his family and the life he’s always believed he’d have (and resigned himself to) and the sudden and new prospect of living a different, more honest and open one with someone he loves at his side.
The family dynamics are well-done, too, the loving, tight-knit, multi-generational family unit containing the sorts of fault-lines and conflicts that we can all relate to, and the author’s gift for evocative description shines through as she paints a detailed picture of the landscapes and the day-to-day life of the folks on a ranch. In fact the only part of the setting I can fault is the chronological one; apart from the absence of mobile phones and computers, there’s nothing that really screams “1972” to me – although I freely admit that, as a non-American, and someone completely unfamiliar with how ranchers and cowboys live, there may well have been indicators I missed.
The secondary cast, from Dylan’s dictatorial grandfather (whose machinations and manipulations are a large reason for those conflicts and fault-lines I mentioned) to his exasperated and grouchy brother Rob and best friend Glen, is well-drawn and adds richness to the story, and while there is period-appropriate homophobia, it’ mostly implied, which makes it more impactful when it happens (briefly) on the page.
The epilogue set fifty years in the future (i.e, now) is cute, as we check in with a much older Bo and Dylan, and also acts as a teaser for the next book in the series, so there’s a little bit of a cliffie, but it’s not one that will affect your enjoyment of the story.
This isn’t Rachel Ember’s first published book, but she’s a new-to-me author and definitely one whose work I intend to read more of. Burning Season is a beautifully written, charming and poignant love story featuring engaging, well-drawn characters and a skilfully realised setting. I’m happy to recommend it.
* The prologue – which details the initial meeting between Bo and Dylan -is told from Bo’s perspective and was originally released as the novella Sweat, Leather and Lipstick.
April 12, 2022
4.5 Stars
After a string of disappointing novels, Rachel Ember’s Burning Season, the third book in her ‘Wild Ones’ series, was exactly the read I needed.
Her protagonists are instantly likable. They are Dylan Chase, a 19-year old closeted saddle bronc rider living on his family’s ranch, Riverside, in Nebraska, and Bo Bailey, a 25-year old cowboy hitchhiking through Texas to take his friend’s ashes to California for burial.
Burning Season is set primarily in and around the Chase family ranch near Ellis,NE, in 1972 and later in the story at a California ranch just outside Arroyo Grade that specializes in training horses for film work.
Dylan and Bo first meet when Dylan picks up Bo hitchhiking on a highway outside of Dallas, and subsequently (although neither man ever expected to see the other again) following a rodeo where Dylan was riding in Mesquite, TX.
The locations Ember chose for her novel could not have been more perfect.
Ember’s secondary characters are every bit as important to the story, and, for the most part, every bit as likable as Bo and Dylan. Just a few of those characters are Dylan’s best friend, Glen Castigan, the son of the owner of a neighboring ranch were Bo has been hired as a temporary ranch hand; Dylan’s parents and his brother, Rob, and Rob’s twin sons, Wyatt and Matt; an older gay man from California who, for some unexplained reason, had been a life-long friend of Dylan’s domineering, and controlling grandfather who just happens to visit Nebraska during the course of the story; and, of course, several magnificent horses, dogs, kittens, and cattle.
Burning Season is a story of family, friendship, and love in many of its forms. A particularly moving section explains how Dylan feels about the love he is experiencing for Bo: “It was exactly two weeks since Dylan stopped the Chevelle to pick up Bo on the highway between Dallas and Mesquite. Those weeks seems to have flown by, and at the same time, he felt like he’d known Bo so much longer than that. Dylan’s whole life felt like a movie that had gone from black and white and out of focus, to vivid technicolor on the night they’d met.”
Burning Season is simply a wonderful read.
After a string of disappointing novels, Rachel Ember’s Burning Season, the third book in her ‘Wild Ones’ series, was exactly the read I needed.
Her protagonists are instantly likable. They are Dylan Chase, a 19-year old closeted saddle bronc rider living on his family’s ranch, Riverside, in Nebraska, and Bo Bailey, a 25-year old cowboy hitchhiking through Texas to take his friend’s ashes to California for burial.
Burning Season is set primarily in and around the Chase family ranch near Ellis,NE, in 1972 and later in the story at a California ranch just outside Arroyo Grade that specializes in training horses for film work.
Dylan and Bo first meet when Dylan picks up Bo hitchhiking on a highway outside of Dallas, and subsequently (although neither man ever expected to see the other again) following a rodeo where Dylan was riding in Mesquite, TX.
The locations Ember chose for her novel could not have been more perfect.Ember’s secondary characters are every bit as important to the story, and, for the most part, every bit as likable as Bo and Dylan. Just a few of those characters are Dylan’s best friend, Glen Castigan, the son of the owner of a neighboring ranch were Bo has been hired as a temporary ranch hand; Dylan’s parents and his brother, Rob, and Rob’s twin sons, Wyatt and Matt; an older gay man from California who, for some unexplained reason, had been a life-long friend of Dylan’s domineering, and controlling grandfather who just happens to visit Nebraska during the course of the story; and, of course, several magnificent horses, dogs, kittens, and cattle.
Burning Season is a story of family, friendship, and love in many of its forms. A particularly moving section explains how Dylan feels about the love he is experiencing for Bo: “It was exactly two weeks since Dylan stopped the Chevelle to pick up Bo on the highway between Dallas and Mesquite. Those weeks seems to have flown by, and at the same time, he felt like he’d known Bo so much longer than that. Dylan’s whole life felt like a movie that had gone from black and white and out of focus, to vivid technicolor on the night they’d met.”
Burning Season is simply a wonderful read.
March 9, 2022
Texas is our starting point, where Dylan picked up Bo, who was hitchhiking in the rain. Their revealing conversation turns sexual. Historical. 1972.
Bo, 25, dark hair and eyes, tall and muscled
is working his way to California to scatter his friends ashes.
Dylan 19, has long sandy hair, is lean and slim,
is a bronco-rider in the rodeo and ranch worker on the family ranch, and a closeted virgin.
Later on, Bo ends up working on Dylan's neighbor's ranch in Nebraska. So, they worked side by side on each ranch and liked each other's company and friendship. Both are skilled, but Bo has a knack with horses that is special.
There are tough times, lots of terrific side characters, tons of work, fires in the fields, danger and a rescue.
Much is accomplished and deeper understanding is made to bring their relationship closer.
Dylan and Bo found secret time to be alone together and relished it, with their passion that sizzled hot.
The story is well written, beautifully paced, with marvelous characters and our interest grew and held.
Our men were realistic, smart, focused and kind.
We see them make their move, especially Dylan's decision, and then the epilogue tells us the glorious culmination.
Heartily recommended.
ENJOY !
========
Bo, 25, dark hair and eyes, tall and muscled
is working his way to California to scatter his friends ashes.
Dylan 19, has long sandy hair, is lean and slim,
is a bronco-rider in the rodeo and ranch worker on the family ranch, and a closeted virgin.
Later on, Bo ends up working on Dylan's neighbor's ranch in Nebraska. So, they worked side by side on each ranch and liked each other's company and friendship. Both are skilled, but Bo has a knack with horses that is special.
There are tough times, lots of terrific side characters, tons of work, fires in the fields, danger and a rescue.
Much is accomplished and deeper understanding is made to bring their relationship closer.
Dylan and Bo found secret time to be alone together and relished it, with their passion that sizzled hot.
The story is well written, beautifully paced, with marvelous characters and our interest grew and held.
Our men were realistic, smart, focused and kind.
We see them make their move, especially Dylan's decision, and then the epilogue tells us the glorious culmination.
Heartily recommended.
ENJOY !
========
May 4, 2022
I love historical romances, and I love reading about cowboys falling in love, so this book had to be a winner for me, hadn't it? Unfortunately, it wasn't.
It wasn't the writing, because I do believe this author can write (It was my first book by her), but it was more like I didn't really connect with Dylan and Bo. The first chapters started off fine. I felt invested into the story and was curious as to how Dylan and Bo would manage trying to hide their attraction and sexuality once they were going to see more or each other, when Bo would come to work on Dylan's best friend's family's ranch.
But then the story started to drag too much. And even though I do love to read about ranches and horses and cowboys, I thought the story focused a little too much on that.
Plus, their attraction grew into love too fast for my liking. I can handle lust at first sight, but love at first sight? Not so much. Insta love is one of the tropes I really don't enjoy reading. It's not that Dylan and Bo made love declarations in the first chapter, but they did develop feelings and knew they were each other's forever way too quick for me to like.
Therefore, 3 stars.
It wasn't the writing, because I do believe this author can write (It was my first book by her), but it was more like I didn't really connect with Dylan and Bo. The first chapters started off fine. I felt invested into the story and was curious as to how Dylan and Bo would manage trying to hide their attraction and sexuality once they were going to see more or each other, when Bo would come to work on Dylan's best friend's family's ranch.
But then the story started to drag too much. And even though I do love to read about ranches and horses and cowboys, I thought the story focused a little too much on that.
Plus, their attraction grew into love too fast for my liking. I can handle lust at first sight, but love at first sight? Not so much. Insta love is one of the tropes I really don't enjoy reading. It's not that Dylan and Bo made love declarations in the first chapter, but they did develop feelings and knew they were each other's forever way too quick for me to like.
Therefore, 3 stars.
August 4, 2022
My favourite one yet
Oh this was good, I loved that it was relatively angst free given the setting and that it just nicely meandered its way to a happy ending.
The little bit of a 'dun, dun dun!' moment at the end was expected given who the next book is about and I'm looking forward to reading that.
But Dylan and Bo were just gorgeous together. One of those chance meetings that changes your life and I adored them both so much.
It was also interesting to see Wyatt and Matt as children before whatever happened to turn Uncle Matt into the a*** we've heard about in the first two books.
I hope the next book has some of those answers because he was such a sweet kid.
Oh this was good, I loved that it was relatively angst free given the setting and that it just nicely meandered its way to a happy ending.
The little bit of a 'dun, dun dun!' moment at the end was expected given who the next book is about and I'm looking forward to reading that.
But Dylan and Bo were just gorgeous together. One of those chance meetings that changes your life and I adored them both so much.
It was also interesting to see Wyatt and Matt as children before whatever happened to turn Uncle Matt into the a*** we've heard about in the first two books.
I hope the next book has some of those answers because he was such a sweet kid.
August 29, 2021
From the author:
~The year is 1972. Dylan Chase is nineteen, and most days he’s lucky enough to ride a tough bronc, have a beer with his friends, and maybe even sleep under the stars on his family’s third-generation cattle ranch.
~Dylan’s life would be perfect if it weren’t for his forbidden itch. An itch he’s only scratched once… with Bo, a hitchhiker he never thought he’d see again. When Bo shows up as the new hire at a neighboring ranch, Dylan is sure his almost-perfect life is about to implode.
~After the calves are driven out to the spring pastures, Bo will move on to California. Dylan just has to hold it together until then… if he can.
~But Bo can soothe a restless horse with a touch and keeps a battered book of poems in his saddle bag. And the more Dylan learns about him, the more he wants Bo—and the less he wants Bo to go, damn the risk.
Review:
Book 3 of the Wild Ones series is a blast from the past - 1972, when it was incredibly dangerous to be gay and even more so as a cowboy and horseman. Dylan is young, inexperienced and yet he’s so mature and self-aware. And he’s helpless against his attraction to Bo.
Bo is as helpless, held captive by his growing love for the young and beautiful Dylan. Even though he’s been around the block, so to speak, he hasn’t been in a relationship.
As she has with her other books, the author creates a world that can be seen, smelled and heard. Her world is immersive, a place I’d like to visit and her characters are vivid, people I’d like to hang out with. Bo and Dylan take a journey that is sweet, tender, sad, warm and finally joyous. I love these boys, I want to cuddle them and drink beer with them and ride horse with them.
And the epilogue? Is everything and more. This book is a treasure and worth every minute you spend with it.
~The year is 1972. Dylan Chase is nineteen, and most days he’s lucky enough to ride a tough bronc, have a beer with his friends, and maybe even sleep under the stars on his family’s third-generation cattle ranch.
~Dylan’s life would be perfect if it weren’t for his forbidden itch. An itch he’s only scratched once… with Bo, a hitchhiker he never thought he’d see again. When Bo shows up as the new hire at a neighboring ranch, Dylan is sure his almost-perfect life is about to implode.
~After the calves are driven out to the spring pastures, Bo will move on to California. Dylan just has to hold it together until then… if he can.
~But Bo can soothe a restless horse with a touch and keeps a battered book of poems in his saddle bag. And the more Dylan learns about him, the more he wants Bo—and the less he wants Bo to go, damn the risk.
Review:
Book 3 of the Wild Ones series is a blast from the past - 1972, when it was incredibly dangerous to be gay and even more so as a cowboy and horseman. Dylan is young, inexperienced and yet he’s so mature and self-aware. And he’s helpless against his attraction to Bo.
Bo is as helpless, held captive by his growing love for the young and beautiful Dylan. Even though he’s been around the block, so to speak, he hasn’t been in a relationship.
As she has with her other books, the author creates a world that can be seen, smelled and heard. Her world is immersive, a place I’d like to visit and her characters are vivid, people I’d like to hang out with. Bo and Dylan take a journey that is sweet, tender, sad, warm and finally joyous. I love these boys, I want to cuddle them and drink beer with them and ride horse with them.
And the epilogue? Is everything and more. This book is a treasure and worth every minute you spend with it.
September 14, 2021
If you haven't started on this series yet you should definitely read book one, Long Winter first, followed by Signs of Spring. I was sold from the first few pages and couldn't put them down. They are all set on the ranch in Nebraska and telling the stories of members of the same family, so they should be read in order. It's about finding love, home and family, about finding a place and a person to belong to. The writing is so above par that I could hardly wrap my mind around the the fact that this is a new and young author. Bar is set high - even for some bestselling authors that have years of experience behind them. This impossibly beautiful story will tug on your heartsrings in all the right ways. For some this may feel like instalove story at the beginning , but it's not. Casual hookup turning in so much more, the everyday moments that may seem insignificant make the base of this story and weave together subtly in unforgettable read. If you are a horse lover you'll enjoy it even more. Some moments hit so close to home for me and brought up so many memories that I was left breathless. Considering the background (the story starts in 1972) there's not much on page homophobia but it's implied. Frankly I was confused at first why the series would move so much back in time, because after reading the Sings of Spring I was rooting for Johnny's story, but after reading the first few chapters I didn't care anymore. I was just enjoying the ride. The epilogue puts all things together and opens the door for Johnny's story which comes next. I couldn't recommend this book and the whole series enough. I know I will be coming back to it over and over again.
September 14, 2021
There’s so much that I could say about this book. In a nutshell it was simply fantastic!! Dylan is young and just wants to ride broncs, but he’s hiding who he is inside. One night he picks up a hitchhiker, Bo. Bo comes to work at a neighboring ranch and he’s all that Dylan can think about. I loved how the author gave us a story true to the times they were in, no cell phones! I loved how Dylan and Bo’s love grew to a deeper connection. I loved the epilogue!! I honestly hope that Johnny’s story is next! I absolutely loved this story, it was really well written, highly recommend!! I am voluntarily leaving a review form an advanced copy that I received. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
November 28, 2021
A heartwarming, poignant coming-of-age story
I enjoyed the first two books in the series so much that I bought and started this one without realizing it's set in 1972. Which might have given me pause except that Rachel Ember is such a talented writer that I trusted her and kept reading.
I am so glad I did, because this is a beautiful, organic, poignant coming-of-age story that reminded me how far we as a society have come, in some ways, in 50 years.
The chemistry between Dylan and Bo is instant, the story is low-key, but still tense. I kept expecting some grand drama, but fortunately there was nothing over-the-top.
Beautiful prose, wonderful characters, and a sweet, satisfying HEA. Highly recommend!
I enjoyed the first two books in the series so much that I bought and started this one without realizing it's set in 1972. Which might have given me pause except that Rachel Ember is such a talented writer that I trusted her and kept reading.
I am so glad I did, because this is a beautiful, organic, poignant coming-of-age story that reminded me how far we as a society have come, in some ways, in 50 years.
The chemistry between Dylan and Bo is instant, the story is low-key, but still tense. I kept expecting some grand drama, but fortunately there was nothing over-the-top.
Beautiful prose, wonderful characters, and a sweet, satisfying HEA. Highly recommend!
September 14, 2021
4.5⭐⭐⭐⭐🌠 Another great book in the Wild Ones series. This one is set 50 odd years before the first two and introduces Dylan and Bo. I adored both of these young men, their affection towards each other was so genuine and added to their attraction to each other.
My heart broke for Dylan from the start, living a lie for the sake of others isn't living at all and Dylan believes that's what he needs to do to be accepted by his family and community. 1970s were a different time and I can only imagine how hard it was for a gay man, or woman to be 'out'. I really enjoyed the growing relationsbetween Dylan and Bo, and how this completely changed the way Dylan saw his life playing out.
Dylan's family is a complex dynamic of characters, ruled over by his grandfather who owns the family farm. Dylan has only ever thought of his life being on that farm, but with the new feelings he's experiencing he may need to take another look at where his future lays.
The cast of supporting characters add many different aspects to this story, from Dylan's best friend Glen, to Glen's father's friend Art, and Dylan's own family members.
I really enjoyed this story, there were a few times I got a deep boding feeling and wasn't sure what was going to happen, but luckily it all leads to a happy ending. It also ends with an opening into the next book and one of the side characters from the first two books, I can't wait!
Thanks to the author for a digital copy in return for an honest review.
My heart broke for Dylan from the start, living a lie for the sake of others isn't living at all and Dylan believes that's what he needs to do to be accepted by his family and community. 1970s were a different time and I can only imagine how hard it was for a gay man, or woman to be 'out'. I really enjoyed the growing relationsbetween Dylan and Bo, and how this completely changed the way Dylan saw his life playing out.
Dylan's family is a complex dynamic of characters, ruled over by his grandfather who owns the family farm. Dylan has only ever thought of his life being on that farm, but with the new feelings he's experiencing he may need to take another look at where his future lays.
The cast of supporting characters add many different aspects to this story, from Dylan's best friend Glen, to Glen's father's friend Art, and Dylan's own family members.
I really enjoyed this story, there were a few times I got a deep boding feeling and wasn't sure what was going to happen, but luckily it all leads to a happy ending. It also ends with an opening into the next book and one of the side characters from the first two books, I can't wait!
Thanks to the author for a digital copy in return for an honest review.
January 24, 2022
Fits Right In
At first I wondered how this book, which takes place in 1972, could possibly fit into the sequential narratives of the first two and what looks like to be a couple of others following this one.
As it turns out, there is a very good reason but you won't find it in this book. Instead, what you get is a beautifully detailed and lovingly wrapped romance between Bo, a 25-year-old cowboy from Texas and Dylan, a 19-year-old cattle rancher-cum-bull rider who picks up hitchhiker Bo outside a Texas rodeo site.
From there you will go for a ride that is not quite like what you'll see at a rodeo but more nuanced and restrained underscoring the fact that these two men are destined for each other in an era and location which could put them in physical danger and social exile.
How and where they go is a gently told saga which brings us to present day and the next book, which I am eagerly awaiting to pop up in my Kindle.
At first I wondered how this book, which takes place in 1972, could possibly fit into the sequential narratives of the first two and what looks like to be a couple of others following this one.
As it turns out, there is a very good reason but you won't find it in this book. Instead, what you get is a beautifully detailed and lovingly wrapped romance between Bo, a 25-year-old cowboy from Texas and Dylan, a 19-year-old cattle rancher-cum-bull rider who picks up hitchhiker Bo outside a Texas rodeo site.
From there you will go for a ride that is not quite like what you'll see at a rodeo but more nuanced and restrained underscoring the fact that these two men are destined for each other in an era and location which could put them in physical danger and social exile.
How and where they go is a gently told saga which brings us to present day and the next book, which I am eagerly awaiting to pop up in my Kindle.
August 28, 2021
Dylan and Bo have sure made me fall in love with them. Having their story start in 1972 really added a wonderful dimension to the whole thing. No cell phones, no LGBTQ rights or protections, where losing everything in your life by coming out was to be expected and, generally, applauded by society as a whole. It really spoke of their courage; especially Dylan as he faced it instead of running away without a word. I kept scratching my head and wondering where and how this book was going to tie in with the first two. I loved how the author made that happen. I adored the epilogue! Seeing them fifty-some years into their HEA was the cherry on top of the story. I'm hoping that we have Johnny's book next as he has really intrigued me ever since he was introduced in Long Winter and we got to know him so much more in Signs of Spring.
Highly recommended author and series
Highly recommended author and series
December 29, 2021
This is a beautiful story about two cowboys who fall in love in 1972. Dylan and Bo are both drawn to each other immediately and when Bo starts working at the neighboring ranch they get to spend a lot of time together.
I loved the sense of family and how dedicated Dylan was to his family and their ranch. Bo was very patient and kind and had a way with horses that Dylan never saw before. I really loved Dylan’s parents and how accepting they were.
This is a lovely story that is romantic with not much angst. It flows nicely and is a surprisingly quick read because of that. This is my second book by this author and I really enjoy how she writes.
**ARC received via Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review**
I loved the sense of family and how dedicated Dylan was to his family and their ranch. Bo was very patient and kind and had a way with horses that Dylan never saw before. I really loved Dylan’s parents and how accepting they were.
This is a lovely story that is romantic with not much angst. It flows nicely and is a surprisingly quick read because of that. This is my second book by this author and I really enjoy how she writes.
**ARC received via Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review**
September 13, 2021
Had all the feels. Character depth was great between all characters, 1972 was a time where coming out could have you losing everything, I laughed and cried, I loved how Rachel wrote the plot, Dylan and Bo were easy to fall in love with, chemistry was explosive. Another keeper.
I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book for my honest opinions of which I’m under no obligation to do so. I absolutely recommend this story.
I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book for my honest opinions of which I’m under no obligation to do so. I absolutely recommend this story.
Want to read
March 30, 202230 March 2022: currently free on Amazon :)
October 10, 2023
I've like to give this book a formal apology for having downloaded it to my Kindle in April of 2022 and only finally getting around to reading it in October 2023. I'm sorry I didn't read it sooner, because I LOVED this book.
So I will say, I think this book focuses more on Dylan as a character than it does on Dylan and Bo's romance. I could have done with a bit more dialogue between the two of them, but even so I really liked their romance. This book has quite a few sex scenes between Bo and Dylan, and they're all done really well. It never feels repetitive and I didn't skip over any of them.
BUT I really loved Dylan's relationship with Glen (we've got an asexual character in this 1970s cowboy story!), and his relationship with his family was really interesting too. It managed to get a few tears out of me.
I think my only major complaint with this story was the epilogue, which takes place 50 years after the story and instead of wrapping up lose ends just left me with a lot of questions. It felt more like a prologue for the next book in the series than a true ending for this book, which I never love. Other than the epilogue, this book works as a standalone, as I haven't read any other books by this author and was never lost.
So I will say, I think this book focuses more on Dylan as a character than it does on Dylan and Bo's romance. I could have done with a bit more dialogue between the two of them, but even so I really liked their romance. This book has quite a few sex scenes between Bo and Dylan, and they're all done really well. It never feels repetitive and I didn't skip over any of them.
BUT I really loved Dylan's relationship with Glen (we've got an asexual character in this 1970s cowboy story!), and his relationship with his family was really interesting too. It managed to get a few tears out of me.
I think my only major complaint with this story was the epilogue, which takes place 50 years after the story and instead of wrapping up lose ends just left me with a lot of questions. It felt more like a prologue for the next book in the series than a true ending for this book, which I never love. Other than the epilogue, this book works as a standalone, as I haven't read any other books by this author and was never lost.
September 9, 2021
4,25/5
C'est toujours un plaisir pour moi de me plonger dans un nouveau roman de « Wild Ones ». J'adore tout simplement l'univers et l'atmosphère qui s'y dégage.
Dans « Burning Season », Rachel Ember nous offre l'histoire d'un autre membre de la famille Chase, dans un autre temps, une autre époque. C'est effectivement en 1972 que nous faisons la connaissance de Dylan Chase mais aussi de Bo Bailey. Coïncidence ou signe du destin, ces deux-là se rencontrent une première fois, pour se retrouver rapidement une nouvelle fois et faire un bout de chemin ensemble.
Comme je le disais, nous sommes dans une autre époque, une époque où les homosexuels étaient encore moins bien vus qu'aujourd'hui, et surtout dans le milieu dans lequel évoluent les personnages. Une attirance certaine a lieu entre Bo et Dylan, mais ce qui est d'abord de la curiosité et le besoin de mettre fin à une tension sexuelle se révèle être bien plus et c'est cette histoire que nous offre l'auteur.
C'est une histoire douce, paisible, au milieu de la nature et des animaux. Deux hommes qui se découvrent et qui vont s'aimer petit à petit en cachette. Des moments plutôt éphémères mais qui prennent tout leurs sens au fil de la lecture.
J'ai beaucoup aimé Dylan, ce jeune homme qui aime sa famille, et qui veut tout faire pour aider le business familial, un jeune homme mature qui a la tête sur les épaules. L'arrivée de Bo va lui donner envie de plus... Concernant Bo, j'ai beaucoup aimé sa façon de toucher le jeune Dylan, dans tous les sens du terme. Il est délicat et fait preuve de beaucoup de patience envers le jeune inexpérimenté. En fait, délicat est vraiment le mot pour qualifier ce couple, un couple qui se forme petit à petit, sans qu'aucun des deux ne s'en rende vraiment compte.
Comme je le redis je pense à chaque fois, c'est une série que j'adore lire. L'auteur a crée un univers très immersif, et je me vois à chaque fois vouloir partir rejoindre la famille Chase. On a presque l'impression de pouvoir sentir l'air et toucher ou voir les chevaux... Pour moi, ce sont des lectures reposantes, en plus d'être touchée par les personnages. Il n'y a pas de drames inutiles, de revirements de situation qui apparaissent comme par magie.
L'épilogue ici était juste... parfait ! J'ai tellement aimé les voir plusieurs années après. Les mots de cet épilogue sont tellement beaux et touchants. Le prochain roman de cette série portera sur Johnny, un personnage dont il me tarde de découvrir plus en détail depuis le premier tome, mais il est certain qu'avec la dernière ligne de l'épilogue, j'attends plus que vivement la suite !
C'est toujours un plaisir pour moi de me plonger dans un nouveau roman de « Wild Ones ». J'adore tout simplement l'univers et l'atmosphère qui s'y dégage.
Dans « Burning Season », Rachel Ember nous offre l'histoire d'un autre membre de la famille Chase, dans un autre temps, une autre époque. C'est effectivement en 1972 que nous faisons la connaissance de Dylan Chase mais aussi de Bo Bailey. Coïncidence ou signe du destin, ces deux-là se rencontrent une première fois, pour se retrouver rapidement une nouvelle fois et faire un bout de chemin ensemble.
Comme je le disais, nous sommes dans une autre époque, une époque où les homosexuels étaient encore moins bien vus qu'aujourd'hui, et surtout dans le milieu dans lequel évoluent les personnages. Une attirance certaine a lieu entre Bo et Dylan, mais ce qui est d'abord de la curiosité et le besoin de mettre fin à une tension sexuelle se révèle être bien plus et c'est cette histoire que nous offre l'auteur.
C'est une histoire douce, paisible, au milieu de la nature et des animaux. Deux hommes qui se découvrent et qui vont s'aimer petit à petit en cachette. Des moments plutôt éphémères mais qui prennent tout leurs sens au fil de la lecture.
J'ai beaucoup aimé Dylan, ce jeune homme qui aime sa famille, et qui veut tout faire pour aider le business familial, un jeune homme mature qui a la tête sur les épaules. L'arrivée de Bo va lui donner envie de plus... Concernant Bo, j'ai beaucoup aimé sa façon de toucher le jeune Dylan, dans tous les sens du terme. Il est délicat et fait preuve de beaucoup de patience envers le jeune inexpérimenté. En fait, délicat est vraiment le mot pour qualifier ce couple, un couple qui se forme petit à petit, sans qu'aucun des deux ne s'en rende vraiment compte.
Comme je le redis je pense à chaque fois, c'est une série que j'adore lire. L'auteur a crée un univers très immersif, et je me vois à chaque fois vouloir partir rejoindre la famille Chase. On a presque l'impression de pouvoir sentir l'air et toucher ou voir les chevaux... Pour moi, ce sont des lectures reposantes, en plus d'être touchée par les personnages. Il n'y a pas de drames inutiles, de revirements de situation qui apparaissent comme par magie.
L'épilogue ici était juste... parfait ! J'ai tellement aimé les voir plusieurs années après. Les mots de cet épilogue sont tellement beaux et touchants. Le prochain roman de cette série portera sur Johnny, un personnage dont il me tarde de découvrir plus en détail depuis le premier tome, mais il est certain qu'avec la dernière ligne de l'épilogue, j'attends plus que vivement la suite !
September 25, 2021
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was yet another brilliant book by Rachel Ember and a great addition to the series. This book takes us back to 1972 and follows a young Dylan Chase and his partner Bo. Throughout the story, it was clear that the characters had to walk a very fine line, balancing the need for discretion with their growing feelings for one another. The character development from the outset was excellent and the secondary characters around them were fascinating too. There were moments when I was laughing, moments when I was near tears and a lot of times that just made me smile. I really enjoyed how the steamy moments were interspersed throughout but at the same time, it definitely remained a slow-burn romance.
Lots of clever writing has made it so that the history in this book is interwoven with what we know from the rest of the series. You start to see all the connections to the Riverside ranch we know from Long Winter and it was interesting to explore the family history and inherited personality traits too. This book is well written, has wonderful characters and delivers on a great HEA. The only reason I've not put 5 stars is simply because I'm too curious for my own good. I'd have loved even more about Bo and Dylan's time together, especially something away from the ranch towards the end of the book. What happened working with Art? Did things change with Rob? What has their life together been like and did they have a family? What about Glen? All questions I'm dying to know more about and that, with the ending to the book, I hope I may hear snippets of in the future.
Overall, this is definitely a book I'd recommend to others and I can't wait for the next one in the series!
This was yet another brilliant book by Rachel Ember and a great addition to the series. This book takes us back to 1972 and follows a young Dylan Chase and his partner Bo. Throughout the story, it was clear that the characters had to walk a very fine line, balancing the need for discretion with their growing feelings for one another. The character development from the outset was excellent and the secondary characters around them were fascinating too. There were moments when I was laughing, moments when I was near tears and a lot of times that just made me smile. I really enjoyed how the steamy moments were interspersed throughout but at the same time, it definitely remained a slow-burn romance.
Lots of clever writing has made it so that the history in this book is interwoven with what we know from the rest of the series. You start to see all the connections to the Riverside ranch we know from Long Winter and it was interesting to explore the family history and inherited personality traits too. This book is well written, has wonderful characters and delivers on a great HEA. The only reason I've not put 5 stars is simply because I'm too curious for my own good. I'd have loved even more about Bo and Dylan's time together, especially something away from the ranch towards the end of the book. What happened working with Art? Did things change with Rob? What has their life together been like and did they have a family? What about Glen? All questions I'm dying to know more about and that, with the ending to the book, I hope I may hear snippets of in the future.
Overall, this is definitely a book I'd recommend to others and I can't wait for the next one in the series!
Read
February 7, 2023DNF 62%. Up until this they (Dylan and Bo) had barely a conversation nor anything else. Won’t rate it, maybe I am picky these days
July 27, 2023
A lackluster story. It started out good with the hitchhiking cowboy being picked up on a rainy road by a rodeo rider from Nebraska. This is 1972 and Dylan is wearing lipstick when Bo gets in the car. Bo is gay and attracted to nervous nineteen year old Dylan. They have a scene in the pulled over car. The first few chapters were very good and the desire between Dylan and Bo was well written, along with their having to keep it to themselves. Bo travels back to Nebraska with Dylan and his best friend and is welcomed into their families.
The story is best with the stolen moments between Bo and Dylan. There are quite a few family and friends side characters. Dylan’s mother was lovely and loving.
With all that said, the entire story was on a simmer, never a boil. Everything worked out a bit too easily for Dylan with his coming out as gay to his family and friend.
He and Bo had a welcoming place to live and work in California with a gay horse wrangler for the movies. Another semi unbelievable lucky break for this time and place. I didn’t expect Bo and Dylan to get beaten up by homophobes, but their coming out as a couple was too easy. The cover definitely gives off ‘Brokeback’ vibes, but the opposite holds true for this book. For example, within hours of arriving in California they take a walk on the beach and are thinking about holding hands if no one is around, and the first people they see are a friendly mature gay couple, holding hands. Lol I’ll add corny to lackluster for some of the writing.
The story is best with the stolen moments between Bo and Dylan. There are quite a few family and friends side characters. Dylan’s mother was lovely and loving.
With all that said, the entire story was on a simmer, never a boil. Everything worked out a bit too easily for Dylan with his coming out as gay to his family and friend.
He and Bo had a welcoming place to live and work in California with a gay horse wrangler for the movies. Another semi unbelievable lucky break for this time and place. I didn’t expect Bo and Dylan to get beaten up by homophobes, but their coming out as a couple was too easy. The cover definitely gives off ‘Brokeback’ vibes, but the opposite holds true for this book. For example, within hours of arriving in California they take a walk on the beach and are thinking about holding hands if no one is around, and the first people they see are a friendly mature gay couple, holding hands. Lol I’ll add corny to lackluster for some of the writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2022
Just Beautiful
I don't usually read MM tales although this isn't the first. This is set in 1972 (historical, lol I was a teen) which is important for the main character who is coming to terms with his sexuality. The love story between Dylan and Bo is beautifully written, the relationship gradually deepens against a macho cowboy/rancher/small community background. First class
I don't usually read MM tales although this isn't the first. This is set in 1972 (historical, lol I was a teen) which is important for the main character who is coming to terms with his sexuality. The love story between Dylan and Bo is beautifully written, the relationship gradually deepens against a macho cowboy/rancher/small community background. First class
September 17, 2025
I am absolutely loving this series so far, and it really does sadden me to think of the 1970's as history, but that is actually what it is!! Dylan and Bo's story was well told [as is usual with this author I'm discovering] and although we're talking about the 70's, not too much in the way of homophobia around Riverside Ranch, Trace County, Nebraska thank goodness. 4.25 stars.
Rachel Ember certainly likes to switch things up, and this story wasn't told in present tense as Long Winter and Signs of Spring were. I liked the fact that she was fairly inclusive and we have an ace character who also appears in the first 2 books. If I have one teeny, tiny criticism, it's that I would've liked to have had more background on Bo before reaching the epilogue and finishing the story, but beggars can't be choosers and it wasn't my story to write 😉.
Really looking forward to Johnny's story As the Tallgrass Grows.
Rachel Ember certainly likes to switch things up, and this story wasn't told in present tense as Long Winter and Signs of Spring were. I liked the fact that she was fairly inclusive and we have an ace character who also appears in the first 2 books. If I have one teeny, tiny criticism, it's that I would've liked to have had more background on Bo before reaching the epilogue and finishing the story, but beggars can't be choosers and it wasn't my story to write 😉.
Really looking forward to Johnny's story As the Tallgrass Grows.
November 15, 2021
Let me start by saying I have adored all the prior books in this series and the other book by Ms. Ember, so I was thrown for a loop when I opened this one to find it was set in the historical 197o's midwestern United States. It's been rare for me to find a book set between the 20-70's that I've enjoyed, so unfortunately I started Burning Season with a chip on my shoulder. Determined to stick it out because I have loved all the other books I've read... on I carried, and I am very glad I did.
19-year-old Dylan Chase is a rancher on his family's farm with dreams of landing the prize money riding broncs in the local rodeos. There are also those dreams of finding a man to relieve him of his virginity. With one wish fulfilled, then two, he's feeling great until his dreams collide in dramatic fashion.
It didn't take long for me to settle in and enjoy Burning Season. I grew to like Dylan and Bo, and Dylan's best friend more than I expected, but alas, I still have my personal prejudices. I much prefer ancient European historicals versus the USA, which probably caused me to continue to feel that chip like a brick on my shoulder.
19-year-old Dylan Chase is a rancher on his family's farm with dreams of landing the prize money riding broncs in the local rodeos. There are also those dreams of finding a man to relieve him of his virginity. With one wish fulfilled, then two, he's feeling great until his dreams collide in dramatic fashion.
It didn't take long for me to settle in and enjoy Burning Season. I grew to like Dylan and Bo, and Dylan's best friend more than I expected, but alas, I still have my personal prejudices. I much prefer ancient European historicals versus the USA, which probably caused me to continue to feel that chip like a brick on my shoulder.
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