"5 Stars!...I loved the first story in this series, so I was very excited to find Wranglers: Voir Dire. And I wasn't disappointed! In fact, this story was so hot, I think smoke came out of the back of my poor Kindle! This second book is even better than the first!...Dean has a subtle texture to her writing that leaves you feeling very much involved with her characters, be it their thoughts, their gestures, their words or (woo hoo) their very hot sexual encounters...This book stands alone, but if Sam and Derek grab your heart as they did mine, you'll want to start with Wranglers: Discovery...And the best news of all is that there will be two more stories in this series, coming out in November and January. I can't wait."--Carole, Rainbow Reviews
"4.5 Stars!...I really like Sam, our vertically-challenged, twangy-when-he-wants-to-be Texan, and I felt for him in his confusion and frustration over Derek’s behavior — public displays, amiability, comments--all conflicting with what he knows about the man in the several months they’ve been together...I like their little confessions...I like their conversations (when they’re communicating effectively, that is) and banter. I also like how they are together in general: two really smart men who have a lot in common...I highly recommend this little book to those interested in the genre, fans of the author, and those who read the first book of the series..."--Aunt Lynn, Reviews By Jessewave
"4 Nymphs!...The flow of the story isn’t a race; rather it’s a slow and thoughtful build up to the moment of change...that one brief second when a relationship can move on to the next step, or crash and burn a painful death. Ms. Dean did a nice job with the pacing and the plot and reactions of Sam and Derek were well written and realistic. I particularly enjoyed their bantering conversation and seeing them both in a pubic forum was a nice change of pace from the previous release...I look forward to learning more about this ongoing relationship and Derek in particular, with the next release. Enjoy."--Mystical Nymphs, Literary Nymphs Reviews
...Sam traced along the edge of the cardboard sleeve on his still-too-hot coffee, waiting for Derek to continue. This was information he could have emailed Sam rather than tell in person. There had to be more to why he’d sought out Sam.
True to form, Derek cleared his throat. “So I was thinking. We haven’t really had a chance to see each other this week, and this feels like something we should celebrate. At my place.” His dark eyes honed in on Sam’s, fathomless, intense. “All weekend.”
The deep hunger gleaming in Derek’s gaze electrified Sam’s veins. Hell, everything about Derek had driven Sam to distraction from the moment they first met. But after things had turned sexual, in those moments just between the two of them when Derek would let his guard down and look at Sam with every ounce of desire he had, Sam nearly lost it completely. He’d had his share of lovers before Derek, but not one of them pushed him as hard as Derek did, not one of them had ever left him shaky with just one burning glance. It was actually better in some ways that they tried to avoid each other at the office. The longer they were involved, the harder it got to keep his hands to himself.
He absolutely loved Derek’s suggestion. There was only one problem.
“I can’t. I’m not going to be here this weekend.”
Derek frowned, his features shuttering. “You have plans?”
Though Derek carefully guarded his tone, Sam could read him well enough to know the admission surprised him, and more, that he didn’t like it. Any other time, he might have wallowed in the jealousy he’d sparked. This wasn’t that time, though.
“I’ve had them for a while,” he said. “Friends of mine are having a commitment ceremony in Napa on Sunday. I’m one of the best men.”
“Oh. That’s why you need the suit.” Derek shifted in his seat, breaking the spare contact of their legs beneath the table. “Well, we can just do it some other time. It’s not a big deal.”
Except it was. Because Derek had made the effort to find him and to extend a weekend-long invitation he’d never dared before. And Sam knew Derek. He’d use this as an excuse to back off again, and it would be another week—or worse, two—before he’d crumble and even speak to Sam.
“You could come with me, you know.” He blurted the invitation without thinking, but there was no way he’d stop and take it back once it was out there. “I do get to bring along a guest if I want.”
Derek was already shaking his head. “You don’t want me along.”
“Yes, I do.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Why would I have invited you if I didn’t want you to go?”
“You feel obligated because I cornered you.” Derek sipped at his coffee. Though he kept his face a blank mask, Sam saw through the façade. He always had. “If you’d really wanted me to go, you would’ve told me about it before now.”
Snorting, Sam shook his head. “I didn’t tell you about it, because I knew you’d turn me down. I thought I was saving both of us the trouble.”
“Why would I turn you down? I love Napa.”
“And you hate public displays.”
“You think I’ve never been to a wedding before?”
“I’d bet my truck you’ve never been to a gay one, yeah.”
Derek’s mouth thinned. Sam didn’t blink in the unspoken acknowledgement that he’d guessed right.
“Look,” Sam tried, leaning forward and lowering his voice. “I knew what I signed up for when we first hooked up. Casual. No strings. No pressures. Hell, I’ve never met anybody you hang out with outside of the office—”
“That’s because I don’t.”
“That’s because you’re a workaholic.”
“Like you’re not.”
Sam smiled. “We’re not debating my work ethic here. We’re talking about the fact we don’t know much at all about the other people in our lives.”
“And you think I can’t handle that?”
This was more treacherous territory. “I don’t know,” Sam conceded. “You tell me...”