Review: 8 Second Decision - HJ Bellus

Review: 8 Second Decision - Book #1 Silver Star Ranch Series - H.J Bellus - July 2015

You know how some books just take a little bit longer to get through and you can find yourself struggling to finish it but you still want to persevere and finish the story. For me, that was 8 Second Decision by HJ Bellus. This book starts with Merek Slatter returning home from the Rodeo circuit, he is seen as a big shot in town and a bit of a playboy. He goes to the bar with his brother and he is captivated by the new waitress Challis. As girls normally fall over him, he is surprised when Challis rejects him and he responds by being a grade-A jerk. Challis doesn't have time for a relationship as she is busy trying to earn money to win her Dad's ranch back from her evil Stepmother Lola.  What Challis doesn't realize is that Merek is having problems at home too as he is trying to help his family save their ranch too as his father has gambled all their money away and is in serious debt. During the novel, the pair get together and have an angsty relationship. They have their ups where they are lovey-dovey and having sex and doing the rodeo circuits together and other moments where they are at each other's throats and not letting the other get close. I really struggled with their relationship as it seemed to be quite a toxic one despite their happy moments. Can the pair learn to work together and put their differences to the side in order to be happy or will they realize that they bring out the worst in each other and are better off friends as their relationship could end them being as toxic as it is? Parts of this book I loved like the rodeo's as my Grandparents were in the Rodeo circuit as well as my Uncle John and as a family we would spend the day watching the Rodeo events near us in New Zealand.