Whiskey and Oak Leaves

Save this book for when you have a chunk of time - you won't regret it. This is a book full of interesting diverse people rich in character development. I wouldn't call this a romance - more a character study. I was fascinated how 34 year old horse ranch owner June and Meg the paramedic thought of and dealt with life and those people in their inner circle. I was most fascinated by June and the ranch hand Chris - Chris is a character that has so much breadth to her story that she deserves her own book. Equally interesting is June's sister Karen. I don't want to color another's reading but I found her relationship with her sister immensely absorbing. This is a novel that you will regret if you rush the reading.

When I first heard the title of this book and read the back cover, I was intrigued. The words didn't lend themselves to even a speculation of what the story would be like. However, a Clevenger fan, I ordered it anyway and am glad I did. Meg is a paramedic with a busy life. She loves her job, but when her partner is seriously injured on a call her passion for driving an ambulance wanes. June is a divorced woman trying to keep her horse ranch alive. Her co-owner sister wants to sell to developers but June resists. Things only get worse when it seems they will lose water rights after their elderly neighbors sell. First meeting when Meg is called to an emergency on June's ranch, they are reacquainted when Meg decides to take riding lessons. Of course, this "chance" second meeting comes via a mutual friend who is trying to enhance business and help June keep the ranch. This mutual friend has a crush on the seemingly straight June. Top that off with Meg's growing attraction to the rancher and a young ranch hand who also fancies June, and the reader is up for a romantic roller coaster. Add the drama of June's sister, the developers, and the water rights, and the reader is set up for a great book period. Add Clevenger's talent as an author to this great story premise, and you have a real winner. Don't miss this great book with lovable characters and so many twists and turns your head will spin.

This was an interesting story but the characters could have been developed a little more. Each of our heroines seemed to spend a lot of time in their own head and just waiting for the other to make a move. Not quite up to Jaime's standards but I enjoyed the book anyway.

I love Jaime Clevenger's books! Most of her characters are gay, but in this book she goes all out. There is not a single character that doesn't end up a lesbian by the end of the book. Not that I blame them...who can resist a sexy, lesbian, cowgirl? Certainly not I.