Book Review: City Slicker at the Horny Goat Ranch

By: Daisy Harris

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Blurb: Keith Kelley doesn’t normally take kindly to strangers, but his flashy new neighbor has long legs, lips made for kissing and might prove too much temptation for a boy hiding his sexuality in rural Idaho. Unfortunately, between working his mom’s goat ranch and land disputes with his wealthy father, Keith has enough problems. He doesn’t need the best sex of his life threatening to expose all his secrets.

Real estate developer Max Levin vows to turn the one-stoplight town of Pookataw Valley into a vacation destination…and then leave before the dust clears. With his next assignment in five months, Max shouldn’t start loving the quaint little town—the ranch land, the mountains, even the goats. If only Max could stop thinking about his sexy neighbor and the time they shared in the front seat of Keith’s truck. Because he especially shouldn’t fall in love with a guy who can’t openly love him back.

In a town the size of Pookataw Valley, nothing stays secret for long. If Keith wants to hold onto his birthright, he’ll have to fight for his land and his pride. Most of all, he’ll have to fight for Max before he slips through Keith’s fingers.

Warning: contains angry parents, horny ranchers and snarky city boys just asking to be hogtied. (end blurb)

Review: Max definitely fits the City Slicker impression.  Dressed in a fancy suit, fancy shoes, driving a fancy car without snow tires in snow country, and stuck in a snow bank on the side of a deserted road.  When Keith stops to help this guy he wonders why.  What is the attraction?  But after Max sits in Keith’s truck for a ride to the garage, Keith finds his attraction to this out of place city slicker so strong it bothers him to his core.  Keith couldn’t allow himself the indulgence of anything sexual with this guy.  But the attraction is too strong to deny it.

City Slicker is a well woven story of love, camouflaged as country rudeness.  Both Keith and Max know there is more than meets the eye, but when Max confronts Keith, he receives the cold shoulder, making him wonder what is really happening.  What Max doesn’t understand is why Keith would hide his sexuality.  Max is out and proud that he is gay.  To him, anyone who hides who he is – is not worth the effort.  But he wants Keith and doesn’t know how to avoid that desire.

All too often we find stories of people who are forced to live a lie, to hide who they are, and to anguish over the life they are living.  Homophobia, whether in the big city, small country town, or individual family has yet to be abolished.  In some situations it is very smart to hide who you are, your life may depend on doing just that.

This book dug into the country environment where being a rancher meant you had to be a man, a strong woman loving man.  Harris walked me through that country life from Keith’s point of view, letting me see the innuendo, subtle comments, and looks of the people in the little valley town.  My first impression was quickly overturned as I began to understand why Keith might want to stay deeply in his self manufactured closet.  It was clear!

Harris also allowed me to see that very same valley town from Max’s point of view.  To him, this is a one stoplight town which he intends to make into a vacation destination.  To him, either Keith grows a set or  he is doomed to live life as a lie.  But he sees the problems first hand and begins to understand.  The issue – can he continue to want a man who is hiding?

I gave City Slicker  4 stars and a heat index of  three.