Over and Back

Hank and Grant work at Bronco’s. Hank is a bartender and Grant a server. The club is closing for a month for renovation, and the owners have a vacation in Italy planned. Hank was supposed to go there with Danny, his boyfriend, but after a bad breakup, he needs a roommate to share the bills with him. Grant is invited to go with him, to be Hank’s roommate. The thing is, Grant isn’t sure that Hank likes him, so guess he will have to discover the answer in Italy.
Over and Back is book 5 on the Bronco’s Boy series by Andrew Grey.

Hank is a hunky bartender. He had a bad break up with his ex-boyfriend, Danny, who forbade him to date anyone, especially Grant. Hank is attracted to the sweet Grant and sharing a room with him for 2 weeks in Italy will be pure torture for him. I like Hank, he isn’t the stereotype of the hunky bartender, he’s more a huge teddy bear. He’s really gentle and kind with Grant. He’s more fragile than what I thought at first, and I like that about him.

Grant is a cute little twink. He’s a good man, a good server. He’s kind and sensitive. His last relationship was toxic at the end for Grant, and some trauma settled inside Grant, but he fights back and tries to find his footing in life, to be himself without fears. The opportunity to go to Italy is something that he would never have done alone, and being with Hank is the cherry on the cake. I adore Grant, he is adorable, cute and fierce. He seems to be fragile, and he is fragile, but he’s also very strong and fierce, he’s blunt, he isn’t scared to speak his mind, and I love that about him. He’s not a damsel in distress—he’s a fighter.

I adored those two guys. They’re a good match and a good fit. I adored that it was Grant, the cute twink, who protected Hank, the hunk bartender. I love when nothing is like what we see, so I loved that the author mixes their roles and appearances.

The plot and the story was very good; we follow them on their trip to Italy. It was well described, I had the feeling of being there with them actually. The writing was dynamic and fluid, and I had a good time with them.

Over and Back is book 5 in the Bronco’s Boy series, but it can be read as a standalone. I didn’t read the 4 previous books in the series (not yet), and I didn’t have difficulties in reading this one and getting attached to the characters.

4 Stars for them

I was very surprised when I realized that Andrew Grey had written a fifth book in the ‘Bronco’s Boys’ series. I had assumed (bad reader!) that there would only be four books in the series, one for each of the Fab Four – Zach, Jeremy, Tristan, and Kevin. The idea of the gang overseas vacationing while the bar/club is being restored, plus seeing Hank and Grant potentially begin a relationship sounded like a ton of fun, and I couldn’t wait to jump in.

Hank and Grant are more alike than either can imagine in the beginning. Grant had a long-term D/s relationship (although it was less about submission and more about being dominated) that left him in a very bad place mentally and emotionally. He’s still trying to come to grips with what happened and learn to be happy. Grant doesn’t want that lifestyle – it was something he gravitated toward when he was young and thought he needed someone to tell him what to do to help him clarify what he wanted from life.

Hank recently broke up with his boyfriend of five years. Hank is a gambling addict and his boyfriend paid off his gambling debts, told him he forgave him, and then after Hank did everything to get help, continued to throw it into Hank’s face every time he felt Hank had done something wrong. In fact, even though they’re broken up, Hank doesn’t dare tread outside the lines for fear that his ex will find out and come after him for the money he paid out. Hank doesn’t have that money and he never will, certainly not working as a bartender.

Hank and Grant are both products of poor choices in their past. Unfortunately, neither man seems able to let go and learn to live again. They both carry a lot of baggage and some extreme vulnerabilities. Being in Italy for two weeks with their friends should have allowed them to let down their guards, and it did to a certain degree, except someone from Bull’s past has followed them and is particularly interested in Grant.

As excited as I was to read another book in the series, I was equally disappointed in this story. It felt very thrown together and that’s probably not the case, but simply how I interpreted it. Hank and Grant are adorably sweet together, seeing all of the other characters was a delight, and re-experiencing Italy through the author’s eyes was wonderful, however I could have done without the “super-secret spy drama” that, in my opinion only, felt very forced. I think the story could have been even better without all of that drama since both main characters brought enough of their own issues onto the pages. All in all, however, I did enjoy this book even if it mostly was due to seeing Zach and his friends again.

Thank you, Andrew, for revisiting this world and the strong men who inhabit it.

NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews

Reviewed by Truus for Diverse Reader

I loved this story, it had everything in it: Lovable guys, a good plot, angst, emotional at times, and a satisfying end.

This is book five of the Bronco’s Boys but can easily be read as a stand-alone. It certainly made me want to read the previous ones and especially Bull and Zach’s story!

Grant broke up his unhealthy relationship but somehow it follows him everywhere.
When Grant got forcefully approached at work, we see his problem, Grant can’t say no!

Bronco’s Nightclub will close for a few weeks and get renovated. The staff will go on a trip to Italy. Hank broke up his relationship and now needs a roommate for this trip. After pushed by colleagues Grant shall join them and be his roommate, even though they don’t seem to get along. Hank is always a bit short and cold toward Grant.

In Italy, Grant and Hank seems to get a bit closer, they weren’t always honest about how they really felt about the other.
The trip to Italy is not the relaxed one they all thought it would be.
The past of not only Grant’s but also Bull’s, is getting in the way and it gets nasty and dirty.

This was a captivating story with a good portion of angst. It was well developed and pretty entertaining. The spotlight pointed on just the important things making it not too complicated.
Even though I was engrossed by the events, I would have loved some more romance, after all we are in Italy, it got put on the back burner by the storyline.
The main characters were elaborated well, both had their own intriguing background.
Overall, well written, well-polished story.
A book from this author’s hand is always original, carefully developed and worth reading!

4 Hearts Reviewed by Prime

Over and Back is a charming return to the gritty world of Andrew Grey’s Bronco’s Boys series, which is based around the gay nightclub Bronco’s.

This is the fifth book in the series and one that I would highly recommend reading from the beginning to avoid any confusion, particularly when it comes to the characters of the previous books and the goings ons in their lives. It took me a while to remember details and found myself having quick peeks at the previous books so that I satisfied that I had the details right in my head. It’s been quite a while since I read the series (the last book was released in 2015) and I’m afraid although I enjoyed the audio (of book 4 only) more than six months ago, I have dim recollection of the story.

This story is about Bronco’s bartender, Hank, and server, Grant. Both of them have had problems in the love department and have both left some disastrous relationships in recent months. Hank was shattered when his ex-boyfriend left him, he has been fighting his inner demons to overcome a gambling addiction. However, his ex was not entirely sympathetic and a very jealous man, and so mentally Hank is struggling with allowing himself to move on with his life, which has to be the next step in his recovery. On the other hand, Grant’s ex was a Dom who didn’t abuse Grant per se, it was more that he refused to listen to Grant’s needs in and out of the bedroom, his main interest was controlling Grant. Grant struggling with these demons, because he knew that he was not a sub and not into the BDSM lifestyle.

Things come to a head when Bronco’s closes for renovations. A small group of couples (i.e. the four couples of the previous books) are to Italy for a much-needed holiday, which Hank had thought to surprise his ex with a holiday. But when his relationship goes south, his friends decide that Hank should give the spare ticket to someone else, and that person must be Grant. Mostly because the guys like Grant. Not only is he a good worker, he is a generally likable guy who would fit into their group nicely.

This is a mostly fun book, interspersed with a bit of adventure and intrigue. Its light hearted for the most part and was just a lot of fun to read. I just came down from reading two emotionally involved books before this one and Over and Back was the perfect book to help me overcome the leftover emotions. This was a great addition to the world of Bronco’s and now I want to go back and read the previous novels again properly!

Over and Back is book five in the Bronco's Boys series. Each book is about a different set of characters connected to Bull and his Friend Harry's nightclub Bronco. This book is about the bartender Hank and Grant one of the waiters. Hank and Grant eye each other but Hank seems to be ignoring Grant and short to him. Grant thinks he likes Billy which is Grant's total opposite and a trouble maker. Grant has just come out of a bad relationship and doesn't want a controlling man so he has sworn off the big buff types like Hank. That doesn't stop his attraction.

Hank too has his secrets and his feelings for Grant is one of them and he can't act on his feelings for him or he could lose everything.

Bronco's is closing down for a month for renovations and the group is going to Italy for two weeks vacation. Hank had tickets for him and his ex but now he is stuck with hotel reservations needing a roommate since he can't cover all the expenses himself.

Zach, Bull's Boyfriend, and a cute twink tells Grant he should go that it would be fun. Grant wants to but isn't sure how he can share a room with Hank for two weeks and not show how he feels. He ends up going and Grant and Hank hit it off well as good friends. But not only Hank and Grants past catches up with them but so does Bull's and not only do they have fun in Italy but they have some danger too.

I loved all of these characters and though I have read a book or two in this series I haven't read in order and it is easy enough to follow. Of course, as with any series, it would enhance the experience knowing all of the characters by reading in order.

Each character has a depth to them that drew me in and I loved getting more of Bull, Zach, Spook and the others.

The story was like getting a tour in Italy and I loved it. At times I felt like I was along with them.

The suspense of the danger following them and trying to figure out why and how it connects Grant and Bull broke up the trip and added a layer of depth to the book so it didn't feel like just a tourist guide.

There is a lot of hot sex scenes between Hank and Grant too.

The ending was happy and I loved it but I felt like there were a few loose ends.

If you like great characters, Bartenders, bouncers, waiters, mystery and intrigue, a beautiful setting, vacation getaways, and hot man-sex you will like this book!