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If you think you know Richard after reading book 3 in the After Oscar series, I'm here to tell you that you are wrong. ISO: In Search Of gives us his story and I think many will find it surprising, not to mention downright wonderful. Just like I did.
From the blurb:
How in the world does a grumpy rancher end up falling for a rich dilettante?
Richard Dunning has it all: private school education, an exquisite designer wardrobe, a last name that ensures he’s invited to all the best parties, and a skincare regimen that’s to die for.
The only thing he doesn’t have is… well, a job. Or a home. Or money in the bank. Not since his dad cut him off.
So when his best frenemy approaches him with a bet—spend a month working as a cowhand on some godforsaken Wyoming ranch in exchange for his dream job—he’s a little too proud and a lot too desperate to say no.
But from the moment Richard and his rhinestone cowboy hat show up at the Silver Fork Ranch, nothing is as expected.
Not the beautiful vistas, not the terrifying horses, not the friendly people, not the epic quantities of cow manure, and definitely not Boone Hammond, the rugged rancher whose eyes are a little too intense, whose expectations are a little too high, and whose kisses are… a lot too tempting.
But when his month on the ranch comes to a close, Richard must choose: return to the safe, luxurious life he thought he wanted… or risk everything for the love he’s been IN SEARCH OF all along.
Jacqueleen the Reading Queen's Review:
"𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦? 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦."
When I first realized that this book was going to be about Richard, James' superficial ex from BTW, I had no idea it was going to end up being my favorite of the series. Richard is so much more than he appears to be on surface level. Underneath all his glitter and spirit fingers is a man who craves to be loved for exactly who he is. All his life he's been found wanting and for once he just wishes he was enough. It honestly broke my heart every time someone would mention what a flake he was after being in his head and getting to know the real him. Whether it was shoveling cow shit or hauling bags of feed, Richard put his all into it. Even the rest of the cowhands noticed and I loved how much they pulled for him in their own ways.
"𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥. 𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘐'𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦."
The only one who seemed not to realize how hard Richard worked was Boone himself. I suspect some of that was due to the infamous Oscar's lowly opinion of Richard. He expresses that to Boone on more than one occasion and also due to Boone's avoidance of the man in order to avoid his own growing attraction to him. Regardless, I was pretty mad at Boone for some of the careless things he said to Richard before he truly got to know him.
It took a bit, but Boone did finally get his head out of his ass. He realized his first impressions were colored by others' opinions and his own past. Once he got past that barrier in his mind, he was able to see what a gift Richard was. Even better, how perfect they really were for one another. And that epilogue!! Omg I loved that epilogue. Honestly, that last line was perfection and had me finishing this book with a big ol' smile on my face.
Rating: 5 Stars
ISO: In Search Of is available to buy as an ebook, audiobook which is Whispersynced, paperback, or to read with Kindle Unlimited subscription.
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