Title: My Heartache Cowboy by Z.A. Maxfield
The Cowboys Book Two
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: InterMix
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, M/M, Romance, Ménage, M/M/M
Length: 294 pdf pages
Book Rating: A
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
Can love conquer all?
Jimmy Rafferty and Eddie Molina go way back at the J-Bar ranch. They’ve worked together, bunked together, camped out, and drank together. So how has Jimmy failed to notice that Eddie is gay? Eddie has not failed to notice that his friend has a serious drinking problem, and he’s determined to help Jimmy kick the booze cold turkey.
Taking him up to a snowbound cabin to detox, Eddie is confronted with Jimmy’s fierce denial. But the pains of withdrawal are nothing for Jimmy compared with the heartache of denying his true feelings and his deep longing…for the one man who cares for him more than anyone else on earth.
The Review:
The second installment in Z.A. Maxfield’s The Cowboys series, My Heartache Cowboy is full of strong emotions that don’t just tug on the heartstrings. Nope, it’s a full-fledged yank that pulls the reader headlong into the story from the very first word. This deeply moving novel pretty much breaks your heart as Eddie Molina tries to help his longtime Jimmy Rafferty overcome his addiction to alcohol.
Jimmy and Eddie have been best friends and working partners for nearly 15 years. They have shared a lot of life’s ups and downs, but after Malloy and Crispin (from My Cowboy Heart) unexpectedly find love, they discover how little they know about one another. Eddie finally admits that he is gay and well, Jimmy, about the only thing that becomes obvious is he has a serious drinking problem. Facing an uncertain future, Eddie and Malloy know that it is time to take drastic steps to help Jimmy but Jimmy is in deep denial and he fights Eddie every step of the way. When Eddie finally admits Jimmy needs more help than he can provide, he turns to his close friend and sometime lover Don. Jimmy’s jealousy of Don quickly turns to desire and soon the three men are indulging in a very hot threesome while Don guides Jimmy through the intricacies of Alcoholics Anonymous. When Jimmy and Eddie return to the J-Bar, their newfound bond will be tested as Jimmy tries to maintain his sobriety and they try to figure out what is next for their fragile new relationship.
Jimmy and Eddie both personify the “strong, silent type”, but Jimmy is definitely the less open of the two. Since My Heartache Cowboy is written in first person from his perspective, readers experience firsthand Jimmy’s inability to express his fears, needs and desires. What he thinks and what he says are often two different things and while his inner monologue is humorous, it is also heartbreaking. Jimmy’s childhood was extremely dysfunctional and he is still dealing with guilt from long ago events. He stubbornly maintains he is not an alcoholic, but he wants to make Eddie happy, so he does work diligently at staying sober but doubts and uncertainty still plague Jimmy once they return to the J-Bar.
Eddie is rock solid, patient and steady as a rock during Jimmy’s recovery. He talks freely about his past with Don but once the three of them become involved, he is a little more reticent with Jimmy. This awkwardness becomes more apparent with their return to the ranch and their relationship is soon on shaky ground. Despite his openness about his past, Eddie still harbors a few secrets that will play a crucial role in the future of their relationship.
Eddie and Don are close friends and occasional lovers and their open affection for another catches Jimmy by surprise. Eddie, Don and Jimmy are soon burning up the sheets with some very sexy threesomes and while Jimmy and Don grow closer, an emotional distance begins to grow between Eddie and Jimmy. Their return to the J-Bar adds to Jimmy’s confusion when his and Eddie’s relationship reverts back to friendship.
My Heartache Cowboy is a poignant and emotional romance that will make you laugh and cry as Eddie and Jimmy finally recognize the truth about themselves and their relationship. It is a journey of self-discovery and recovery for Jimmy as he faces the demons of his past. It is an absolutely breathtaking story of love that Z.A. Maxfield’s fans are going to love.
