Brand & Hugo's story is a take on the best friend's brother trope with a modest age gap and a teenage crush then a ten year separation and it works on the surface, but I found myself wanting more depth from the characters...

It's a slow burn, as the characters spend large chunks of the first part of the book in angst and avoiding each other... and even some of the second half... the side elements of hurt/comfort and past abuse help to elevate the story and give the characters new things to focus on.

Hugo's character is pretty straightforward - he left town to escape and left loose ends that he wanted to see if he could pick up again... Brand's character is more complex and also more frustrating... which builds tension, but for me sometimes takes a little away from the story...

His Fresh Start Cowboy will appeal to those who love a slow burn, angsty romance with a fair amount of internal struggle and the boss/employee push and pull...