I have heard so much about A. M. Arthur that I knew that I had to read her at some point in time. I am happy that I finally did get to read and review her and know that I will definitely keep reading her.

Wild Trail was an interesting and fun read. Mack and Wes were fascinating. One protecting his heart and brooding around the ranch. The other as flamboyant as a man can get. But, they complimented each other. As they say, opposites do attract.

Mack’s version of a date was a night at a bar, pick up a guy, have a quickie in the men’s room, the darkened hall or a back alley. He wasn’t looking for or wanted any kind of a relationship. He may be “out” but he doesn’t openly flaunt it. He’s happy on the ranch with his friends and grandfather and doesn’t need the complication of a fling with one of the guests. But, he can’t help but be drawn to Wes … there is something about him that he can’t deny. His past has made sure that he’ll never give his heart away again but there may be nothing wrong with having that vacation fling.

Wes is as flashy as a gay man can get. He’s out and proud. He’s in no way a cowboy but he will do whatever his sister wants and, if she want’s a week at Clean Slate Ranch instead of a bridal shower, that’s what she’ll get. If he gets to ogle hot cowboys in tight jeans, he’s all in for that too. But, there s one that has his attention from the minute the wagon pulled up to take them to the ranch. Now, all he needs to do is figure out how to get him to pay attention to him, talk to him maybe … well, you know. He knows that he can never trust his heart again so a little fun with a hot cowboy for a week will have to do.

It takes an overnight camping trip, a runaway horse and a ghost town to finally get them to know the other. What happens next was totally unexpected and fun.

A.M. Author wrote a wonderful story that was filled with a little mystery and a whole lot of love. All her secondary characters were just as interesting as Mack and Wes. She wrote this story in a way that we knew what the other was going through and feeling. The back-stories were so well written and intense that you understood why both Mack and Wes were fearing giving away their hearts. She made sure that we were rooting for them both. The story was humorous at times, serious at times and so very sexy.

Mack Garrett and Wes Bentley

Mack was once part of Swat in L.A but after the loss of his partner he's now working at his grandfather's Ranch. The last thing he wants is to fall for another actor. Since actors can't be trusted but something about Wes gets under Mack's skin.

You can't go wrong with gay cowboys and a bit of suspense. It was cute but a bit forgettable unfortunately.

Oh, this is going to be a fun series. I’ve been a fan of A.M. Arthur for a while now so when I found out that she had a new ‘cowboy’ series I jumped on it. Let’s just say, she did not disappoint. Mack and Wes’ story proved to be a perfect way to mark the beginning of the Clean Slate Ranch series.

The description does a pretty good job of laying this story out for readers. (That doesn’t always happen…) There was a lot more to Mack and Wes though – and Wild Trail in general. Mack may have been a grumpy old bear, but he was also a loyal (and worried) grandson and friend. He lost someone close to him in a horrific way and his life on the ranch was as far removed from his previous life as he could possibly get.

There was a lot more to Wes than just a pretty face. He was smart, witty and as loyal to his family and friends as Mack was to his. They both had reasons to keep their distance, although Wes was more determined to change that than Mack. I loved these two together.

There was also a lot more to Wild Trail than just the growing attraction between Mack and Wes. The supporting characters were great, especially Wes’ sister and their crew. There was also mystery, danger and a secret that I didn’t see coming… Needless to say, I can’t wait until the next book in the Clean Slate Ranch is released. A.M. Arthur has got my attention… again 😉

A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute story and also predictable. I pretty much knew how everything was going to play out from the start and while there were a few moments of surprise, the overall plot was not one of them.

Mack - a retired SWAT officer now turned cowboy - helps his grandfather run a sort of resort ranch. Mack's reasons for leaving the SWAT team and moving to the ranch are legitimate and I fully supported them. [Mack's boyfriend was killed during a bank robbery and it was determined that one of the SWAT officers shot him in a case of friendly fire. Mack ends up suing the city for wrongful death and wins. He then leaves the team and moves to the ranch. (hide spoiler)]

Wes is an actor who was blacklisted in Hollywood when his former costar and lover was outed (everyone assumes it's Wes who told). Now he is playing different roles at a live dinner theater show roughly 40 miles from Mack's ranch.

The reason Wes (and his sister, her fiancé (and his brother, and his best friend), as well as Wes' friend/roommate) is at the ranch is because his sister didn't want a traditional party in celebration of her engagement. Wes is a city boy thru and thru, but he manages to hold his own pretty well on the ranch. And he is even more determined to ace the ranch experience because Wes sees Mack as the prize at the end.

Both men are attracted to each other, but Mack doesn't want to get involved with a guest, and Wes is determined to change his mind.

I found most of their byplay to be corny and obvious - and their kinks didn't work for me. Wes called Mack Daddy and Mack called Wes boss. Yeah, no. I didn't like that aspect of their relationship. There were also moments where they would feel insecure and doubt the other person's motives, wants, expectations. And then there were times blatant expressions of feelings and wants were forgotten and lead to moments of doubt and insecurity. Those types of inconsistencies really drive me crazy.

There were also times where certain parts of the story are told in great detail, and other times where what I felt to be very important elements were glossed over or told in summary after the fact. [ A lot of the story dealt with someone wanting to buy some land from Mack's grandfather, but he refuses to sell. When Wes stumbles on an old forgotten Frontier town, Mack decides to rehab it and turn it into a tourist area with live actors portraying gunslingers and such. Mack has some theft and other trouble during the town rehab and we come to find out only in the epilogue and in a summary paragraph or two what that whole thing was about. I was not surprised by what was going on because the clues were not subtle in any way. If anyone wants to know the whole story just ask. (hide spoiler)]

Aside from the lack of mystery and suspense in the story, this was cute and enjoyable. The MCs did get on my nerves and I while their actions were somewhat juvenile and predictable, overall I liked them as people. It's obvious they care about each other and have found a way to make a relationship work for them.

As a side note Miles - Wes' friend and roommate - was obviously struggling with something thru the whole story and Wes would tell himself he would talk to Miles later, but he never did (or not on page). It's completely obvious something happened to Miles and it's not anything good. [I think he was abused and possibly raped by his ex. Miles is very quiet and gives off a hurt vibe that everyone should have seen. (hide spoiler)]

This is book 1 of a series and there are going to be at least 3 books in all, or more. I don't want to say too much about Mack's friends who are on the ranch with him because a.) they weren't super big players here but did have key roles in spots, and b.) it's really complicated to go into their history and I can't reveal everything that happens. :) Let's just say Colt is into BDSM and Reyes had his eye on Miles the whole time the wedding party was visiting.

I am disappointed in this latest tale from A.M. Arthur, but I don't think this will stop me from reading the rest of the series. Miles really has me curious, and I want to see what happens with the Frontier Town Mack is renovating.

I have a feeling this story is going to be one of those love it or felt it was just ok (that's me). I didn't hate it but I can't say I highly recommend it either due to reasons stated above. If this is something you can pick up thru KU, or on sale or borrow from a friend, I would recommend that first. To those who adore AM Arthur's work (this is me too!) I don't know what to say. In my opinion this didn't live up to her previous titles and that may be because I listened to the audio versions and this will be my first "read" of her story. I feel like I rambling now so The End.

3.5 stars.

There was a lot to like and enjoy in this M/M cowboy romance. Mack is a gruff, grumpy bear with a adorable protective streak and Wes is nowhere near as much of a drama queen as he likes to pretend. The chemistry and tension between the pair of them is hot and there’s plenty of sexy flirting to enjoy.

I also really enjoyed the ranch. The setting is beautiful and there are plenty of intriguing characters just waiting to make their stories known. It might have been nice to have more horses, but that’s a personal preference and didn’t bother me too much.

What I didn’t like so much was the pacing. I didn’t mind that there was a slow build up between Mack and Wes on the ranch, and I didn’t mind that the book goes beyond the holiday fling, giving these two a longer stretch of time to get to know each other before any signs of HEA come in. However, once the action left the ranch things became a little unfocused, moving in lurches and starts, with the plot bouncing around from one potential emotional crisis to another, before throwing in a big surprise at the end, which I felt should have been integrated more fully with the rest of the plot instead of mostly going to waste as it does here.

And while I thought the Boss nickname was cute (if unconnected to anything), I wasn’t sold on the Daddy aspect, because that isn’t their relationship at all. There is also a sad lack of kink despite all their flirting and teasing.

So overall this was a good cowboy read, if not quite as good as I’d hoped. It’s cute and fun and sexy at times, with plenty of heat and flirtation, but the pacing drew things out a little more than necessary and some of the emotional swerves felt a little overdone. On the whole, though, I liked it enough to want to read more and I’ll definitely be watching out for more from the Clean Slate Ranch bunch, because I’m curious to read more about these cowboys.

A great new series!

I liked this story a lot but it didn't get my emotions involved as much as other books I've read by A.M. Arthur. Sometimes it's hard for me to tell if it's just the mood I'm in when I read something or if the book truly doesn't grab me as much as others do by the same author. Having said all of that, this is still a very good book and I really look forward to seeing where this series is going.

Mack is a former member of Los Angeles County SWAT but he now lives and works at Clean Slate Ranch which is owned by his grandfather. Two of his best friends also gave up careers in the city and came to work for the ranch.

Wes Bentley is an actor at a dinner theater. His sister, Sophie, is getting married soon and he's her "best person." Sophie wanted to do something different for a bridal shower so the entire wedding party has booked a vacation at Clean Slate.

When Wes first sees Mack he's in lust right away but Mack isn't looking for a relationship. Mack finally agrees to have a fling and boy are the sexy times between these two guys hot! Like scorching, burn the house down, hot!

Wild Trail has a lot going on in it and, at 90,000 words, it's a very "meaty" story. There's a mystery and a new venture for Mack involving the ranch. And, of course, there's not an easy path to the HEA (happy ever after) for Mack and Wes. Both of these characters have issues from their past that impact their relationship.

Wild Trail is a complete story, with no cliffhanger, but the scene is set for a lot more things to happen at the Clean Slate Ranch (I love that name). The secondary characters are interesting and I can't wait to read their stories.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

I have to be honest this was an ok story but I was bored. I thought it was well written but it just wasn't for me. I did like the characters, especially Wes, but the story wasn't gripping enough for me.

When Wes goes to a dude branch for his sisters pre-wedding holiday he is deeply attracted to Mack the rugged ex FBI cowboy. Unfortunately for him Mack doesn't really seem interested. Wes is determined to have some fun on his holiday and he charms Mack into his arms. The two of them have some great holiday sex with no expectations or attachments but when the time comes for Wes to return home he is surprised to find that he really wants something more from Mack. Alas Mack is ignoring him. Is there any hope for them or does what happen on the dude ranch stay on the dude ranch?

The story is pleasant enough with some good supporting characters and some interesting emerging story lines. This is the first book in a new series and I did wonder if the focus of the story is actually setting up the series. Of course it could simply be that this story was just not for me but I am sure it will turn out to be a good series for other people.

Copy provided by publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I really, really enjoyed this book!

Wild Trail by A.M. Arthur is book one in the Clean Slate Ranch series. Cowboys, a marshmallow-filled alpha, and a city-slicker charmer made this a quick read.

Wes Bentley is in charge of his sister’s bridal party and what his sister really wants is to spend a week at the Clean Slate Ranch, roughin’ it, so to speak. Wes is really in it for the cowboys, but there’s much more to this western ranch than meets the eye.

The last thing Mack needs is another charming actor rattling his cage. And yet, he can’t keep his eyes off Wes. When things heat up—both off and on the ranch—Mack will need to decide if letting go of the past is worth the risk.

I was instantly transported to the west, and I just loved it! Mack really wants to make something of the ranch and he loves the wide open spaces and working with his best friends and his grandpapa. Wes disturbs the solitude. But there are many secrets on the ranch that bring them together with two different dreams that threaten to tear them apart.

There were lots of twists, and I flew the pages like wildfire. Mack’s got the grumpy thing going on, and oh, do I love my alphas growly. Wes’s humor, however, made this book for me! His personality really shines. Although both of their backgrounds ran a bit too similar, I loved watching these two together. Sparks galore!

This was the perfect cuddle up and read story. Lots of fun, steamy sex, and plenty of romance that gave me the heart clutches.

4.5 stars!

This story had more to it than I expected on the outset. I was pleasantly surprised by it.

Wes and Mack both have issues buried in their pasts. Superficially, they are exactly what they want to avoid in a love interest. Thankfully, they both look beyond those issues and discover each other, preconceived notions aside. Watching them circle each other as the beginning was fun, and the progression of their relationship was wonderful to watch.

I loved the cast of characters around these Mac and Wes. I'm really hoping that we'll see Mac's coworkers, Reyes and Colt, as well as Wes's roommate, Miles, in future books.

Wild Trail is a promising start to the Clean Slate Ranch series. The storyline is engaging and the dynamics between Mack and Wes is sweet, intimate and sizzling. I look forward to reading more of this series and would recommend.

The Clean Slate Ranch is stocked full of hunky cowboys, quirky guests, and good old fashion fun.

Not on the blog or Goodreads yet due to lack of info/cover so far.

I'm a big fan of this author, cowboys and M/M stories so WILD TRAIL was right up my alley from the very beginning.

I loved the characters - and I mean all characters, not just Mack and Wes, but all the secondary characters as well which bodes well for the rest of the series.
The pacing was perfect. There way have been a lot of lust from the beginning but no Insta love and I enjoyed the push and pull between Mack and Wes. They felt very real and while they are both very human their mistakes never got in my nerves and were always relatable.

I also loved the setting. It was just the right mix between cowboy kitsch and contemporary and just worked out great! I loved all the nature themes and the philosophy behind Clean Slate Ranch.

The only thing I didn't completely enjoy was the ending. I was hoping for a bit more info on the "bad guys and what happened to them. Also Mack and Wes's ending was a little too much of a HFN thing for me. I didn't get the feeling we left things solid between them and that there was a lot more to come.

But who knows? This is only book one so there may very well be something about them in the future books.