Relationships aren’t in the cards for everyone and Vladimir ‘Val’ Mihalic figures maybe, in his case it’s for the best. After ending the last in a string of abusive relationships, Val has spent the past year living alone, single and fear free. He’s got a good job at Churchill Downs, a place for him, his three dogs and his horse to live the quiet life. When his best friend, Janelle, is seriously … seriously injured in a carjacking, putting her career as a jockey on hold, Val steps up to help her through the crisis. When Janelle’s estranged father shows up at Val’s front door, Val’s life, and his resolve to stay relationship free takes a hard sideways turn.
Wyatt Harig always wanted to be a part of his daughter’s life, their estrangement was forced on them both. When she’s seriously injured, he knows things have to change and he’s the only one who can make that change. He gets to Kentucky to find his daughter unwillingly neck deep in an elaborate gambling scheme that’s led to murder. What he also finds is Janelle’s best friend and roommate, Val, a kindhearted, alluring man twenty years his junior.
Val is a little happier than he’d thought he’d be when Wyatt stays and starts digging deeper for the truth about Janelle’s ‘accident’. As they uncover layer after layer of the events leading up to that fateful day, they build a solid friendship. That friendship combined with a mutual physical attraction have the potential to turn to love. Uncovering the truth and exposing conmen and murderers puts what’s just begun between Val and Wyatt as well as their lives, in jeopardy.
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I love so many things in Elizabeth Noble’s Run for the Roses! Let me start by saying… Great characters! The main parties to the romance are unique and very different from each other, but somehow drawn perfectly by the author’s words so that they seem to fit together almost inevitably in their lives and their love as well as their (hot) Dom/sub relationship. There’s a bit of an age gap, and for me the mature “older” man is an attractive character—experienced in life, love, and sex while the not-too-much younger man adds depth with his jaded yet somehow fresh and expectant outlook. The relationship starts out at a slow sizzle, but it’s inevitable—as a reader, I knew that, and I was really glad when they figured it out, too. Noble has given us her signature well-crafted mystery, danger, and intrigue, and this time it revolves around horses—something else I truly love. It’s been a long time, but in my youth I spent many a long hour hanging around the horse stables—riding, yes, but also mucking stalls, etc. The stables environment was a draw for me. Noble has created an unusual mystery, reminiscent of Dick Francis, but unique and crafted with real flair, and the resolution, as well as the happy ending, are well worth every pleasant minute spent reading to the end. I recommend this book to readers who like intrigue and hot but sweet relationships, stories that unfold so naturally that they seem like living, and endings that surprise (a little) and satisfy (a lot).
I was given a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
A sweet age-gap/love comfort story. Val and his best friend Janelle get unwittingly tangled up with a major gambling organization. When Janelle is carjacked by an a abusive ex-boyfriend, and has her car overturned, she is unable to work as a jockey until she heals. When their mutual boss gets the great idea to contact Janelle’s estranged father, things get more complicated.
Based solely on Janelle’s side of the story, Val is less than hospitable when Wyatt appears on his doorstep. Sensing there is more to the story than what Janelle remembers, and experiencing the beginning of a five alarm crush, he endeavors to reunite the father and daughter.
Wyatt and Val manage to fall in love while solving a mystery. Lots of twists and turns and sweet love.
I was given a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. A sweet age-gap/love comfort story. Val and his best friend Janelle get unwittingly tangled up with a major gambling organization. When Janelle is carjacked by an a abusive ex-boyfriend, and has her car overturned, she is unable to work as a jockey until she heals. When their mutual boss gets the great idea to contact Janelle’s estranged father, things get more complicated. Based solely on Janelle’s side of the story, Val is less than hospitable when Wyatt appears on his doorstep. Sensing there is more to the story than what Janelle remembers, and experiencing the beginning of a five alarm crush, he endeavors to reunite the father and daughter. Wyatt and Val manage to fall in love while solving a mystery. Lots of twists and turns and sweet love.
RUN FOR THE ROSES is the first book in the Circles series, and it is a much lighter storyline than some of her other books. There is also a hefty dollop of mystery in here for good measure.
Val and Janelle are best buddies, bonding over their past abusive relationships. When Janelle is kidnapped by her ex, Val sees it all and follows in his car to help her. Things go a bit crazy after that but Janelle is safe and trying to rebuild a relationship with Wyatt, her father. The attraction sings between Wyatt and Val and they get Janelle’s blessing to be together.
There is a LOT of information in here about horse-racing and the build-up to events, plus what goes on behind the scenes. This is absolutely essential for the story and I’m glad I’ve learnt something too! However, some readers may find it goes into too much detail, but I’ll leave that to you to figure out.
The relationship itself is very smooth. I can’t say anything bad about it but it didn’t zing off the charts either. If I had to choose a single word to describe the relationship between Val and Wyatt, I would say comfortable.
This is the first book in the series and it is one I would like to continue with. There are some interesting characters in here I would like to know further, and I would definitely like to see how Wyatt and Val’s relationship progresses.
If you are after a light romantic mystery read, heavy on the horses, then I would recommend this one.