Bullheaded by Catt Ford
M/M Romance
April 15, 2013
Dreamspinner Press

Reviewed by Tori

Cody Grainger is at the top of his game when it comes to bull riding and he is ecstatic his lover, Johnny Arrow, is there to share it with him. Cody loves Johnny but their age difference has Cody often making decisions concerning their future without consulting Johnny. When Cody steps over the line one too many times, Johnny leaves Cody and it sends Cody into a tailspin.

Johnny, ten years younger than Cody, is just starting to make a name for himself as a bullfighter. When Cody fails to understand or respect Johnny’s career choice, Johnny knows it’s time to leave and follow his own path. Johnny never expected the path to be so lonely without Cody.

As Cody struggles to deal with losing Johnny, he is also starting to doubt his skills in the ring which leads to one of the rodeo seasons worse slumps. Time apart shows Cody and Johnny that they belong together but their pride maybe the one obstacle they can’t overcome.

Bullheaded is a M/M romantic contemporary set amongst the backdrop of the NRA (National Rodeo Association). Catt Ford shows the depth of her rodeo knowledge with a glossary of terms situated in the front of the book and detailed descriptions throughout the story. Told in alternating POVs, we get a sweet, sometimes frustrating story of love, loss, and growth. Flamboyant characters, humorous dialogue, and well plotted scenes will have you sighing while trying not to laugh as our heroes struggle to find their place together in their world.  I enjoyed the fact that we got dual POVs. It’s always interesting to watch (or read in this case) the same scene told by two different people. It’s easier to see where some of the anger and frustration that each man feels, comes from.

Catt Ford introduces us to the protagonists in a scene that foreshadows their eventual demise. Cody has just received the top score in his ride and we watch as he plays top dog to the fans and the crowd, while Johnny, his lover, stays in the background and ends up heading back to their hotel to wait for Cody to come home after celebrating his win. And that pretty much is the set up for Cody and Johnny’s relationship. Cody showboating and Johnny watching from the wings. Cody is the top earner in their relationship. That and the fact he and Johnny live together on Cody’s parents ranch lets him feel he has the right to micro manage Johnny and their relationship.

“Cody never thought of himself as manipulative. The word wasn’t even in his vocabulary. He just liked getting his way. And his way was good for him and for Johnny.”

I wouldn’t call Cody selfish exactly, just extremely self involved. He constantly refers to his glory days in both bull riding and sexual exploits and he doesn’t get why that upsets Johnny.

Johnny on the other hand is 10 years younger than Cody and has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. He doesn’t make that much money being a bullfighter and he supports his mother and sister. His upbringing was very much different than Cody’s. His mother was not supportive of his sexuality and with no father figure around, Johnny had to assume the role of adult sooner than he should have. With him just starting to gain recognition in his career, he feels lost and at a crossroads in his life. He doesn’t want to be kept by Cody, he wants to be partners and pay his own way.  Unfortunately, neither of them can communicate their true wants and needs, which leads to many misunderstandings.

I enjoyed the interaction between Cody and Johnny. Both are comfortable in their relationship and sexuality even when having to hide their relationship while in the circuit. The chemistry between them is believable and I honestly felt they loved one another.  I was, however, turned off at times with certain aspects of their individual personalities. Cody never listened, always made sexual innuendos when embarrassed, and constantly interrupted Johnny. Johnny, on the other hand, could get extremely cruel when he was angry with Cody-making comments that he knew would hurt Cody. Johnny also ran away when things got uncomfortable for him. Both of them displayed an immaturity in thought and action that didn’t mesh with their respective ages. Another aspect that bothered me was how fast they both indulged in casual sex with perfect strangers after they broke up. I don’t think more than 24 hours passed.

The sport elements is well done and I enjoyed seeing it through the eyes of those who are a part of it. Ford addresses every aspect from the bull riders to the stock contractors while giving insight into the emotional, mental, and physical toll this sport can have on a person. At times the rodeo storyline would take over the story and you’d forget this was actually a romance.

The ending comes at you fast and while we get our HEA, I was a little put out by the rapid turnabout Cody does. We don’t really see any epithimies from Cody or visual evidence that he has truly changed, rather he gives lip service and we just have to accept that he has changed.

Regardless of any issues I had,  Bullheaded is an enjoyable story  that is sure to appeal to readers who enjoy romances set among the rough and tumble world of rodeos.

Overall Rating: C+

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