This was a surprise release and I really enjoyed it! I am a big fan of Jay Crownover's books. So I was excited for her surprise book, Retreat, which is the start of a new series about 3 not-quite cowboys on their family ranch.
Retreat is Cy and Leo's story. Leo is on a week-long retreat at a ranch with her best friend, Emrys. She recently went through a breakup, in which she found out her boyfriend of six months was married, and Emrys is trying to cheer her up. Cy is the co-owner of the ranch, along with his two brothers. As Leo goes on the week long trail ride/camping retreat, she and Cy spend time together and find they have a connection. I won't give too much away, because there are some twists and turns, some bad guys, some suspense, and adventure that changes the way they see themselves and their lives.
This book is different than anything else I've read by Jay Crownover. The characters are a bit older and a bit more mature. There is a mystery with some suspense thrown in. I really liked both Cy and Leo. They were both great, strong characters. They met and were instantly intrigued by each other. They had great banter and chemistry too. But both of them had bad past relationship histories and neither had much confidence in their ability to make better choices in the future. Neither of them had met anyone like each other though, They were like 2 magnets, and, even though they knew their time together was limited to the trip, they couldn't keep themselves apart. They had an obvious emotional and physical connection, so they decided to make the best of their time together and make some great memories to last them long after they parted. The added suspenseful circumstances that they went through together strengthened their connection even more. So much so that they knew they were willing to make big life changes so that they could stay together after the week was over. I enjoyed watching both Cy and Leo grow as people to get over their pasts. I really liked the side characters, especially Emrys and Cy's brothers, and I also really liked the ranch setting.
There was one thing that bugged me. I didn't like that Cy's occasional friends-with-benefits chick had to show up and have a part in the book. I also wasn't sure how I felt about Cy's having been married in the past. I think I was okay with it, by the end, because it felt like he loved Leo more anyway, but I would have liked for that to be more clear. I also would have liked a longer epilogue, but that's just nitpicking.
But, overall, I did really enjoy this book. I loved Cy and Leo and I can't wait for more from this series!
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