Book Tour for Pulling Leather by LC Chase (Review & GIVEAWAY)

G’day everyone! Welcome to my Pulling Leather blog tour and a peek into the world of rodeo cowboys. (The official schedule can be found here.) This wouldn’t be a proper tour without some prezzies, of course, so read on for giveaway details. Thank you to The Scarf Princess for hosting my cowboys, and to all of you for hopping in the saddle to ride along!

The toughest ride of his life is all in his head.
Bull rider Scott Gillard has a reputation for quick fists and harsh words. What no one knows is where that anger comes from. After a shocking incident sends him into a tailspin, he knows he needs help: he’s been fighting a battle he could never win. Now he’s trying to navigate a new life and embrace his true self, but some days are easier than others.

Pickup man Cory Ackerson has suffered his share of harassment, but his light still burns bright. He doesn’t let anything or anyone keep him down, so when he meets the rugged cowboy with a battered chip on his shoulder and regret in his dark eyes, all he wants to do is help.
As their unlikely friendship grows into something deeper, Scott must overcome his past to be the man Cory deserves, or lose his best chance at his own happily ever after.

***GET A MORE IN-DEPTH LOOK AT PULLING LEATHER***

BUY LINKS:  Riptide Publishing  |  Amazon  |  BN  |  Kobo  |  ARe

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

Throughout previous Pickup Men stories Scott has been portrayed in a less than complimentary light.  He's rather unlikable in fact with his homophobic attitude and actions.  That's why it takes a great talent to make readers care about someone so unlikable.  Ms. Chase does just that by showing us a man carrying tons of emotional baggage that we learn through his backstory.  Learning about his past doesn't erase all he's done until now but it does help us understand why he's the way he is.  I felt more sympathetic towards him but never fell for him completely as his journey to HEA and acceptance was full of back and forth internal struggles which weighed the story down early on.  Because of his wishy-washy nature I never fully committed to his relationship with Cory but I was drawn to the angst as the sweet Cory tries to help Scott find acceptance in a world not always kind to those who are gay.

Cory was a side character in the previous installment of this series and unfortunately we don't get to know him too much beyond what he brings to his relationship with Scott.  Where Scott is dark Cory is light.  He's a ball of energy always seeing the positive side of things.  He's comfortable in his own skin and sticks by Scott no matter what, trying to help him find acceptance in himself and I could always count on him to put a smile on my face despite the unrelenting anger Scott feels towards himself.

Ms. Chase is a talent in the m/m genre, and while this book isn't perfect, it's plenty entertaining as it puts readers through the emotional wringer.  The rodeo scenes were more plentiful in previous works, and though I wish there'd been more integrated into this story, even the few here were a welcome sight and added to the story's overall tone.  Fans of the m/m genre will enjoy the Pickup Men series with now being the perfect time to take the ride.

My rating for this is a B-

*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Cover artist by day, author by night, L.C. Chase is a hopeless romantic and adventure seeker. After a decade of traveling three continents, she now calls the Canadian West Coast home. When not writing sensual tales of beautiful men falling love, she can be found designing book covers with said beautiful men, drawing, horseback riding, or hiking the trails with her goofy four-legged roommate. 
L.C. is a 2014 Lambda Literary Award Finalist for Pickup Men; a 2013 EPIC eBook Awards Finalist for Long Tall Drink; and a 2013-2014 Ariana eBook Cover Art Awards Finalist. She also won an honorable mention in the 2012 Rainbow Awards for Riding with Heaven. 
You can find out more about L.C., story extras, works in progress, and cover designs at her website, on her blog, or on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. L.C. is also a proud member of Art= a collective of artists who donate a portion of their art sales to GLBTQ charities.

**********GIVEAWAY**********

In celebration and thanks, LC’s offering goodies for two lucky readers...

1st prize – One ebook copy of any title in my backlist. Open to worldwide entries.
2nd prize – One signed paperback copy of Long Tall Drink, the extended edition, Pickup Men or Let It Ride. Open to worldwide entries.

****To enter, just click HERE!***