Kevin Cade believes he’ll never find love. In the small Wyoming town of Wisper, men like him don’t exist—not out loud—and he fears that revealing his secret will ruin everything for his four brothers and their business. Until the new vet filling in at the clinic whilst the owner recovers from a stroke arrives at Cade Ranch and saves Kevin’s life—in more ways than one. Luuk van der Wouden—confident, charming, and out—is everything Kevin has ever wanted, and his Dutch accent is a temptation unlike Kevin has ever faced. But Kevin can’t give Luuk what he needs without risking everything he and his family have worked for, nor without asking Luuk to hide his true self. As Luuk drifts away, Kevin must face his truths or risk losing Luuk for good.

Busted was an intensely emotional read, centred on themes of learning to love and to be loved wholly. MMCs Kevin and Luuk have electric chemistry, but they also have their own demons to face and overcome before they can truly find each other. Neither their journeys nor their romance was smooth, and both of their POVs were utterly heartbreaking to read at times. Kevin has struggled with intense guilt and fear, which events throughout the novel bring to the forefront of his life, and Luuk, though he shows patience, resilience, and empathy even in the face of prejudice, must also confront his own anxieties. Although this can be a difficult read to tackle emotionally due to the heavy themes featured in the novel, the darker aspects are balanced by great dialogue, sweet moments between the MMCs and supporting characters, and heartfelt and funny banter, especially among the Cade brothers.