Kaje Harper’s Winter Cowboy is a thoughtful and satisfying age-gap romance that acts as companion piece to the novella Cowboy Dreams (also highly recommended if you haven’t already read it). It picks up the story of one of the secondary characters in that book, Frankie Morse, a kid of seventeen, terrified that his abusive father (the local sheriff) would find out he was gay, but unable to get away because he had no money and nowhere to go. He works on Joe McNeil’s ranch (the Circle-K) for a short time, saving what money he can and intending to leave home when he’s eighteen – but his father steals the little money Frankie has and then tries to force him to apply to the police academy, and when Frankie refuses, things get violent and he narrowly escapes with his life, running to the ranch to gather the few belongings he’s stashed there. Knowing something of Frankie’s situation, Joe ‘sells’ him (for a dollar) his beat-up old truck and Frankie heads out, intending to make his way to San Fransisco to start over.

A few days out, Frankie – who has decided to go by his middle name, Austin – realises he’s not going to make it to his destination (he’s low on petrol and money) so he stops off in the small town of Selbyville in hopes of finding work. Cold and hungry, he goes into the local diner where he gets chatting with an older guy who tells him about the Star & Bar ranch outside town – but says they’re not going to be hiring until the spring. Still, Austin decides it’s worth a try and heads out in the truck – which unfortunately, breaks down before he can get there. It’s dark, so he holes up until the morning, then starts walking.

As Austin trudges along, he meets Seth, one of the ranch hands, who takes him to see the boss – who confirms that he’s not hiring now and says to come back in March. But a few days later, he offers Austin a week of temporary work, which will at least give him a chance to earn the money he needs to get his truck fixed so he can get around and find some other work until he can go back to the ranch in the spring.

There’s an instant spark of attraction between Seth and Austin, although Seth tries hard to ignore it; not only is Austin over a decade younger than he is (eighteen to Seth’s thirty-three), but Seth still blames himself for a serious accident involving a co-worker, which makes him especially reluctant to become involved with someone he works with. But Austin’s quiet kindness, his dedication and his good-humour quickly start making their way beneath Seth’s defences; they work incredibly well together, and when the two of them have to take care of the ranch and the livestock when the other staff are cut off by a snowstorm, Seth is more than grateful to have Austin by his side. They enjoy each other’s company and the connection growing between them enables them both to open up about their pasts; Austin about his life with his father and Seth about the guilt he’s living with and why he’s closed off to the idea of a relationship. They know Austin is going to have to leave at the end of the week, but it becomes impossible to deny their mutual attraction and they agree to a week-long fling, no strings attached. But even as they’re agreeing to that, it’s clear that they’re already in over their heads, and that when Austin has to leave at the end of the week, it’s going to be hard to let go.

Winter Cowboy is a romance so we know where things are going, but I appreciated that the author doesn’t take the easy route to get there. Kaje Harper paints a realistic portrait of Austin’s situation as someone trapped in an abusive household and the dangers he faces as a young man with few resources or options, showing that the week-long job is a lifeline that has the potential to change his life. I appreciated that Seth recognises and respects Austin’s need to be self-sufficient, to make his own way after years of being controlled by his father, even as Seth realises he’s fallen for Austin and wants to help make life easier for him. Like Austin, Seth, needs to come to terms with past trauma and realise that maybe he’s not seeing things as clearly as he should, so that when he and Austin do reconnect, they’ve both been able to do a bit of soul searching and have learned that it’s okay to accept help, and in learning to trust Seth, Austin helps him to make his peace with the past.

I enjoyed the story and I liked both leads – Austin is easy to sympathise with and I liked his determination to reinvent himself and find his place in the world. He may only be eighteen, but he’s had to grow up quickly so he feels quite mature for being so young. I would, however, have liked Seth’s character to be a bit more defined. He’s a bit… bland isn’t quite the right word, but isn’t as vibrant as Austin, and he spends just a bit too long hung up on his ex, Miguel, who was there at the time of the accident that haunts Seth and is one of the reasons Seth blames himself for it. It’s not that Seth is still in love with Miguel – it’s clear he isn’t – it’s just that his preoccupation with him detracts a little from his growing connection with Austin.

The depiction of ranch life is really good though. The long days, the heavy workload, the need to put the animals first and cope with all kinds of weather, the economic realities of running a seasonal business on a tight budget, the camaraderie between Seth and the other hands and the practicality of the owner – all of it provides a strong backdrop for the central romance, and adds a sense of authenticity to the story.

Winter Cowboy is a skilful blend of gritty and sweet, and the romance between Seth and Austin is heartfelt, tender and sexy; these two guys are exactly what the other needs and although they’re dealing with a lot, their love for and faith in each other never wavers. It’s a relatively quick read, perfect to lose yourself in on a grey winter’s afternoon, and I’m happy to recommend it.