213 reviews for:

Stirring Spurs

M.A. Wardell

4.01 AVERAGE

hilaryolsen's review against another edition

5.0

hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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If you love: an interconnected standalone cowboy romance series featuring a different sibling’s story each book, romps in the fields 😏, and LGBTQ+ rep (“…if you come here, you’re either queer, questioning, or a fierce ally.”), get on over here to Rainbow Ranch! 🌈
Stirring Spurs is SO fun and cozy and sweet and spicy and I need you to read it. I love Boone and Wylie! Swoon and giggle and kick your feet while they each learn to let love in. 
Plus, in this series, each new book will be written by a different author about the family you’ve come to know and love. 🏳️‍🌈🐴🚜🥣

geopiercet's review against another edition

4.25

hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

stephaloo's review against another edition

4.0

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

jamieb_19's review against another edition

4.0

lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: N/A

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I arrived here a mess, no better than a weather vane caught in a windstorm, blown about by poor decisions and regrets. But something about this place spoke to me. The animals. The land. The people. Boone.

I thought this was a sweet and cozy little novella and a nice way to kick off the Rainbow Ranch series! Featuring Boone Adams, the ranch cook, and Wylie Anderson, a mysterious, broody cowboy just passing through. The two hit it off almost immediately, and as they grow closer, Wylie begins to consider finally setting down some roots.

It was easy to be drawn to Boone, with his sunshiny demeanor and his penchant for caring for everyone around him. Wylie was instantly drawn to him, and I enjoyed watching them grow closer. This being a novella, things progress rather quickly, but it was still believable. I loved all the swoony moments, like their date under the stars. The backdrop of the ranch and the vivid way M.A. Wardell describes it lent a dreamy quality to the whole thing.

The story was very low angst, mostly just good vibes and queer joy. It’s a quick and easy read full of warmth, family, and happiness. Plus, there are lots of cute animals (loved Dennis the mini horse!) and lots of yummy sounding food!

rabbit1468's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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This book was really so cute!!!!!! 

I loved the character loved the world and loved the horses 🩷✨. I am so excited to read more books from this author and the rest of the series. The rest of the series is by different authors too wich I found so fun!!! Can’t wait to see the other characters get their love stories. 

Overall this book is short,sweet, and fun it has everything I needed it this month and absolutely will be trying more of this author and world 🩷✨


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This book was giving to me as an arc by grey’s promotions. 

b00ks_in_nature's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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I really enjoyed this book. Several days later and I catch myself smiling and remembering parts of it. I loved Boone's relationship with his siblings, especially his twin Beau. Here are two examples of how the sibs end a conversation after talking about more serious topics:

<i>"Love you more than a rodeo ride."
"Love you more than the sky wide."</i>
and
<i>"Love you more than corn in the fields."
"Love you more than stars in the sky."</i>

Awwwwww. I promise it's not cheesy in context, it's super sweet. 

Don't worry. Wylie has his own sweetness. When things are changing with Boone and Wylie is processing, he has the thought: 
<i>Kinda like riding off a cliff, but knowing someone will catch you - that's what he does to me.</i>

I absolutely loved the atmosphere of the Rainbow Ranch that the family has set up. As much as I enjoyed every bit of this, my favorite might just be Dennis - you'll see why. :-)

denireadsmostlymm's review against another edition

5.0

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***ARC Review*** 

This is my honest and voluntary review.

Y’all this cowboy romance novella is the absolute sweetest thing I have read in some time. It’s lovely and perfect, and I just want to shout from the rooftops about it! This story will leave you with a warm feeling in your belly (and possibly a hankering for a sweet treat).

I love the low angst vibes and easy camaraderie to this book. Communication, clear expectations (and explanations), close care and connection are common traits at the ranch. Every character is likable and interesting. I want to know more about Rainbow Ranch and its inhabitants. This book will keep a smile on your face. It’s bursting to the brim with queer pride, queer love, and quiet tenderness. This book/shared world is extra special and I’m so glad that lots of people will be able to read it. There’s a sweetness and lightness to this story that will make your heart sing with joy. 

Boone and Wylie are the most endearing couple. They are sugar and spice and everything nice. Boone is the younger twin brother (by two minutes) to Beau, sibling to Billie and Benny as well, and the [ranch] cook on his family’s land - the Rainbow Ranch in Oklahoma. He is 35 years old and is a caretaker at heart. Boone is full of sunshine and light.  

Wylie is 34 years old. He is quiet and mostly keeps to himself. He has some things from his past that he feels guilty about. His time on Rainbow Ranch helps him to voice them (and figure out a way to come to terms with them). Watching Wylie slowly open up is utterly captivating. (Also, his bond with Noodles is so darn heartwarming)! I love that both Wylie and Boone figure out a way to get exactly what they want out of life (even if it isn’t what he anticipated). Their connection and chemistry is palpable. Happiness looks good on them! (The ending and epilogue are extra sweet)!

Now, there are a couple of moments when a character or two references something that will tug on your heartstrings, so be sure to check out the content warnings, just in case. 

Grab this story, with wonderful found family vibes, when it releases on July 1st!

booksta_adventure's review against another edition

4.5

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So, I got an early copy of this book, as it was available at Matt’s table at Queers & Quills, and you bettah believe I was one of the first people in line to pick one of these bad boys up! 😍

Matt just writes the cutest (while also, very, very 🔥) romances, and this one had the bonus of it being with cowboys! 🤠

Wylie has come to Rainbow Ranch for a short stint to work with one of the ranch’s newest horses. When he arrives he meets the sweetest cookie, Boone. Boone is always taking care of everyone around the ranch, but never lets anyone take care of *him*. 

The attraction was immediate, the “courting” was precious, the food made me hungry, plus there are horsie scene stealers! 🥰

I loved that the ranch is such a queer friendly place, and I loved meeting this little family; I’m so excited to get their stories in future installments of this series.

What this book is giving:

✅ MM Cowboy Romance

✅ Dual POV

✅ Cowboy + Cookie

✅ Food = Love

✅ Horse Whisperer

✅ That Dimple 👀

✅ Mini-Horse Shenanigans

✅ Queer Positive World

Rating: 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ / 5

🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5

ennjay's review against another edition

4.0

hopeful lighthearted

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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The characters and idea for this lovely idyllic shared world of Rainbow Ranch are just wonderful. I really enjoyed meeting the Adams family, and I think Dennis the horse might have been my favorite character, to be honest!!

gina_readsbooks's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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“You look like you could use a little sweetness.”

Thanks to Grey’s Promotions and M.A. Wardell for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Listen, I will read absolutely anything M.A. Wardell writes. There’s always this beautiful undercurrent of acceptance within the love stories he creates, resulting in these incredible universes with diverse and representative characters. 

Boone and Wylie are so damn sweet. I love the immediate grumpy/sunshine vibes as Wylie is much more reserved when he arrives at Rainbow Ranch. Boone is a talented chef and takes care of his siblings and all of the employees at the ranch, and it makes him so likable from the beginning. The ranch itself preaches acceptance and the freedom to be who you are which is amazing. Stories like this are so important.  

I love that Boone and Wylie have an immediate attraction that seems to take them both by surprise. For Wylie, he’s surprised at how much he enjoys being at the ranch. They have such vulnerable conversations about their families, and while it isn’t super heavy it feels deep and important. The support they offer each other is beautiful  

The supporting cast is also excellent, and I can’t wait for the rest of the books in this series. Each of the siblings and employees we meet have such well-written personalities. This story is swoony and sexy, but also sweet and hopeful. It left me wanting more because it was so easy to fall in love with Boone and Wylie. Not to mention how sweet Wylie is with the animals! It’s such a perfect addition to his character.