Spaghetti Western

This story is so sweet!!! It was fun and easy reading it.
Riley and Colby were an interesting couple, even if all the angst in this book is cause the miscommunication between them.
Riley is afraid of being hurt again, after the betrayal of his ex Danny,he's insecure to claim his relationship with Colby. And Colby is so deep in his problems with the ranch that he can't see the mistake he's about to make with the new investor Wellington until the end.
The second characters were good too, I loved how they welcomed Riley in their ranch. The only thing I didn't like was their approval to Colby to be with Beef just to safe their place.
The Happy Ending was almost perfect but a little predictable.
I totally can recommend this story to you, even if you haven't read the previous books in the Delectable series, it definitely can be read as a standalone.
It's a solid 3.5 stars rounded to 4 cause the book is really well written.

4.5 Stars for this contemporary M/M romance.
Riley Emerson is a new graduate of Le Cordon Bleu culinary school and reuniting with his fellow chef and lover, Denny, in Aspen CO when he learns Denny is two-timing schmuck. Oh, and that all the high cuisine restaurants in Aspen have hired their staff for the summer season. Recognizing that he's stuck without a job, or a place to live, in Colorado and unwilling to reach out to his wealthy (but disinterested and obstructive) father for help gaining another position. Riley decides to hang out in Aspen and attend a local hiring fair in a couple days. It may yield a kitchen job on a spa ranch, or the like, and Riley is determined to make his way on his own merit.
While waiting for his break, Riley decides to cut loose a bit, to get over the melancholy of finding his longtime lover a cheat. He attends \"Cowboi\" night at a local bar--with staggering results. And, I mean, he couldn't even stagger home. Holy smokes! That \"Geyser\" game sounded...towel-worthy? (It's like sponge-worthy, but messier #justgowithit). While off his head with booze, Riley is rescued by an anonymous cowboy who has some serious motel bed skills. Mortified, Riley departs their one-nighter before his bedmate wakes the next morning. He gets hired that same day and is anxious to begin his summer adventure as a dude ranch chef.
Colby Zane is a stalwart gay cowboy. He's the heir to the Rocking Z Ranch which is a working ranch with a profitable \"Dude Ranch\" experience. Actually, to Colby's shame, the dude ranch supports the steer ranching operations due to some less-than-profitable decisions Colby made to cut cost. His aunt and uncle run the ranching operation, and Colby stays on the \"right\" side of the ranch, that being the side with the steer and away from the guest ranch his cousins run. Of course, he's not inclined to avoid the brand new chef--who happens to have been his Cinderfella (yes, Riley) from the bar.
Riley and Colby strike up a clandestine romance--not because either is closeted, but because Colby is nervous to appear to show favor to any of the ranch employees, even if he is not Riley's boss, per se. Besides, Roley's anxious to build a ranch cuisine that employs all his culinary techniques. He busts his tail scouring the net and old pioneer cookbooks to gain experience in chuck wagon cooking and provides an experience that makes the guests rave. On a personal note, Colby's only ever had hook-ups, and having Riley (and their incendiary sex) available 24/7 begins to play on his mind. Riley states he doesn't want a serious relationship--not after he and Denny went down in spectacular flames--but neither man can prevent experiencing deeper feelings for the other. And, since they don't TALK about these feelings, each believes the other is simply out for a fling. At least, until Fitz, the flamboyant gay millionaire investor, arrives to inspect the ranch and determine if he's willing to contribute to Rocking Z's business plan. If Fitz is on the fence about investing, he's CRYSTAL CLEAR about where he'd like Colby to spend his nights.
So Colby has to choose: make Fitz happy and gain the money he needs to maintain his family ranch, or spurn Fitz to be Riley's \"summer fling.\" Okay, it's not that simple. Guests love Riley's cuisine, and he's earning a great reputation for the ranch on his own; if Fitz buys in he wants to control hiring (and firing) of his \"competition\" for Colby.
It's a well-told story of budding love. I had a little struggle with the timeline for the book. There seemed to be some inconsistencies with Riley's history with Denny and also with event occurrences in the book. At more than one point I wondered if Riley had been on the ranch for one/two/three weeks due to (perhaps) continuity errors. (I'm willing to concede that I may have mis-read some of the time guides as I raced through the book, but it gave me pause and that doesn't happen for no reason...)
Colby and Riley are good characters. They are upstanding men (pun intended) who have found companionship--and more--in an unlikely place and time. Despite Riley's drunken antics at Cowboi night, he's a level-headed man with a deep affection for those he holds close. He got hurt by Denny and he's afraid to fall for Colby only to get turned out at the end of the summer--or sooner if Fitz has anything to do with it--but he won't sabotage Colby's chances with Fitz as an investor (or a lover) for his own sake. Meanwhile, Colby is as hardworking and fair as they come. He has no desire to strike up a tryst with Fitz and only considers it because Riley encourages him to not compromise any attempt that might gain him the capital he needs to save his floundering finances without selling off bits of his heritage.
Fitz is a decent guy, albeit pushy. He has real ranching credentials and is interested in making the Rocking Z a destination of significance which would benefit Colby greatly. Partnership with Fitz is a legitimate offer that Colby must seriously consider--and he does.
I had suspected the ending would resolve as it did, and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. My heart ached when Colby went to Fitz's cabin, because both Colby and Riley were getting hurt, but the resolution was deliciously romantic and satisfying.
Speaking of delicious and satisfying, I adore that the book has a dozen recipes buried in the back pages. It really helped to ground me in the story-world. This is my second book from this author and I have enjoyed both immensely.

Riley Emerson comes to Aspen, Colorado , after being trained as a pastry chef ... His intentions is being there for the summer and work in a famous restaurant , that is until he finds his boyfriend in bed with someone else ... so he feels he lost all … in one day.
Colby Zane is a born and bred cowboy ... he is in Aspen for a couple of days and rescues Riley from a crazy situation at one of the towns night clubs ... Colby's intentions were good and he helps Riley ... the rest just happens .. Sexy things happened.
The last thing both of them imagined was they will see each other again but the circumstances are different.
Now at the Rocking Z ... Riley arrives to work as the chef ... Colby is extremely happy to see Riley and Riley to see his plaid cowboy.
But the ranch is in financial trouble ... when an investor name BF Wellington comes to check the ranch ... that is when more complications start ... because he is \"checking\" Colby too.
Up to this point Riley and Colby are seeing if the feelings that they are developing for each other are true and real …
The real question here is ... if Colby will really sacrifice himself ... will Riley feel betrayed...
Sometimes good intentions goes like the saying ... No good deed goes unpunished...
Colby and Riley were good together and the chemistry between them is something palpable through the story.
Each part of this book will keep you wanting to read more to finally know what conclusion Colby came to and if they could become more...
The only thing I did not like about this book ... it ended and as per me ... I will have kept on reading ... Ha!

Unexpectedly stranded in Aspen Colorado, homeless, boy-friendless, and unemployed, Riley decides to take a job cooking at a local ranch. After blowing off some steam with a sexy cowboy, Riley realizes that something about the peaceful Colorado country calls to him. A summer cooking job may be just what he needs to reevaluate his priorities and decide where to go next with his life.
Colby struggles to carry the weight of guilt over the fragile financial state of his family's ranch. He's opposed to hiring a fancy french chef, and concerned that the extra expense may be the final straw that breaks their delicately balanced books. His initial animosity is instantly erased, when he discovers that their new chef is none other than the handsome city boy he hasn't been able to forget since the steamy one night stand they shared.
While the chemistry between Riley and Colby gets hotter, the growing financial troubles at the Rocking Z begin to affect everyone who cares about the ranch. When an outside investor show interest in the ranch, it may be the break they all are looking for, but his interest in Colby throws a wrench in their already fragile new bond.
SPAGHETTI WESTERN is a heartwarming, well written and engaging addition to Lynley's Delectable series. The characters are realistically developed, entertaining, honest, and feel like a large family. The drama and romance are perfectly balanced as the story builds towards completion. With complex emotions and unique scene settings, SPAGHETTI WESTERN is a delicious treat to read! Part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone story, and I would recommend it to fans of contemporary romance who enjoy drama, a bit of angst and Lynley's trademark happy endings.
My OFFICIAL REVIEW written for Carly's Book Reviews

I loved this book! It's a solid 4.5 stars. Not only did I enjoy it, I will be reading it again.
Riley has just come back from Paris and Cordon-Blue. He's eagerly looking forward to seeing his boyfriend in Aspen, Colorado; so much so that he even skipped visiting his family to get to Denny. In a week, Riley will be starting his new job as a pastry chef in the same restaurant as Denny. He gets to the place they are going to be living together, only to find Denny with another man. He drives away and decides to rethink his life. He has some contacts that try to help him get a another job, but that doesn't go as well either. Deciding to head out for the night to a club, he ends up very drunk and rescued by a real cowboy, Colby.
Colby is in Aspen to help his aunt find help for their ranch. He just happens to be at the same club and sees Riley in trouble. Giving him a hand and being totally honorable, he makes sure Riley is okay and has a place to sleep it off. They end up having a one night stand. The next morning, Riley finds a job at a ranch as the head chef, but wishes he would have talked to the plaid cowboy (Colby) before he left.
Turns out Colby's aunt hired Riley for the summer. Colby and Riley are really attracted to each other, but not sure if this relationship is only causal, for the summer, or what. Neither is comfortable talking about it and so misunderstandings abound at times. Yet, even as feelings get hurt and they don't talk about their true feelings, they still manage to hold together and understand where things are their fault. Apologies are made until the next time.
Colby is a strong, honorable, hard-working man, but he's made some mistakes with the ranch that have cost them money they can't afford. Due to that, his confidence in his decision making is shattered. Riley was just looking for a place to think and work since he loved the scenery when he got to Aspen and didn't want to leave due to his ex-boyfriend. They both grow a lot in this book. It was easy to love Riley; Colby I just wanted to hug and remind him that he was a good man. I wanted more of Riley and Colby when I finished. If you preordered this book, you'll get a bonus short story with them in it.
I have only read one other book in the Delectable book series, but that was no hindrance to reading this book. It is completely stand alone. There is a very small mention of two characters from book 2, but the mention is brief and tells you all you need to know for this book. I will say that I was interested in seeing what book 2 was about after that - but that's my curious nature. I will be buying and reading the rest of this series as soon as I can.
*I received a free ARC of Spaghetti Western from the author in exchange of an honest and unbiased review*