Robbie & Sam Series by Caitlin Ricci

Robbie & Book OneRobbie’s dad has always been hard on Robbie and his brothers, but when their mom dies on Robbie’s sixteenth birthday, he becomes downright abusive. Robbie doesn't understand why his dad is so mean to him or why his brothers resent him for their mom's accident, but he desperately tries to hide the bruises. On top of that, after his dad's horse training jobs run out, he moves them to Colorado to their uncle's ranch in the mountains... moreRobbie & Book OneRobbie’s dad has always been hard on Robbie and his brothers, but when their mom dies on Robbie’s sixteenth birthday, he becomes downright abusive. Robbie doesn't understand why his dad is so mean to him or why his brothers resent him for their mom's accident, but he desperately tries to hide the bruises. On top of that, after his dad's horse training jobs run out, he moves them to Colorado to their uncle's ranch in the mountains. At Uncle Caleb's cabin, Robbie meets Sam, a boy whose family also lives on the property. Finally he has a real friend who shares his love of horses, but Sam is black and openly gay. Both traits incur Robbie’s father’s rage. When his dad attacks Robbie in front of Uncle Caleb for standing up for Sam and himself, all of their secrets are thrown out into the open, and Robbie's life is changed forever. homophobia, death of a parent, child physical abuseThis is a young adult gay romance and if you also read adult gay romance some of the adults in this novel are in my Thornwood series. Uncle Caleb in Weathering the Storm is the same Caleb in One More Time. less

Sequel to Weathering the StormRobbie & Book TwoSix months after moving to Thornwood, Robbie’s life is slowly getting better. With Dan in jail, he should feel safe from the abuse he suffered before, but that does little to calm his nightmares. Fortunately, Sam, his boyfriend, is always there to help him through the worst of them, and he finds peace while out riding his horse.But things are far from perfect... moreSequel to Weathering the StormRobbie & Book TwoSix months after moving to Thornwood, Robbie’s life is slowly getting better. With Dan in jail, he should feel safe from the abuse he suffered before, but that does little to calm his nightmares. Fortunately, Sam, his boyfriend, is always there to help him through the worst of them, and he finds peace while out riding his horse.But things are far from perfect. His little brother is hurting, his older brother is angry all the time, and the family he loves is breaking apart in front of him.Sam only wants to see Robbie happy. He loves his boyfriend and will do anything for him, including standing up to Robbie’s older brother. His favorite times are when they’re out riding together and leaving the rest of the world behind, but those perfect moments can’t last forever, especially when tragedy comes to the ranch.This is a re-release with no significant changes. This is the sequel to Weathering the Storm. Trigger past abuse, homophobia, racism, Reviews for Weathering the Storm, the first book in the Robbie & Sam series. “If you love stories about the coming out stage for a young teen, then this book is for you. I can honestly say that it is well told and Caitlin put her heart into it.”—MM Good Book Reviews“This is a book I’d recommend to anyone looking for a gift for a gay youngster—or, really, any kid who likes horses.”—The Book Breeze“Weathering the Storm was an excellent, well-written tale with realistic and enjoyable characters.”—Prism Book Alliance less

A Companion to the Robbie & Sam SeriesThree years after running from Thornwood, Colorado, to join the Army, Daniel Messana is no closer to figuring out who he is or what he wants out of life. Now that he’s home, his constant companions are loneliness, PTSD, and guilt over the way he mistreated one of his brothers and abandoned the other.Franklin Cooper, or Coop, enlisted at eighteen and loved every minute he spent in the Army—until an IED in Afghanistan took his sight... moreA Companion to the Robbie & Sam SeriesThree years after running from Thornwood, Colorado, to join the Army, Daniel Messana is no closer to figuring out who he is or what he wants out of life. Now that he’s home, his constant companions are loneliness, PTSD, and guilt over the way he mistreated one of his brothers and abandoned the other.Franklin Cooper, or Coop, enlisted at eighteen and loved every minute he spent in the Army—until an IED in Afghanistan took his sight. Now he’s home and, with his service dog by his side, ready to regain his independence. The trouble is no one will let him do anything for himself. He’s drowning beneath his family’s oppressive love, and his only respite is the time he’s allowed to spend at the on-base pizza place once a week. That’s where he meets Daniel, and those afternoons become even more special. But both men have a lot to work through before they can take the next step together.Reading Weathering the StormHead Above WaterBattle BornIf you also read adult gay romance (with explicit spicy scenes), my Thornwood series takes place in the same town as these books and One More Time is about Caleb and Trent, who appear here.This is a re-release with no significant changes from the previous edition. less

Four months with Coop have been the closest thing to peace I've ever known. Living together, building a life—I was finally starting to believe I could escape my father's shadow. Then I get the news. He's out of prison. And suddenly I'm that scared kid again, hearing his threats about what he'd do if I ever "turned out like Robbie." I've spent my whole life running from him, but now all I can think about is keeping Coop safe—even if it means pushing away the one person who's made me feel whole... moreFour months with Coop have been the closest thing to peace I've ever known. Living together, building a life—I was finally starting to believe I could escape my father's shadow. Then I get the news. He's out of prison. And suddenly I'm that scared kid again, hearing his threats about what he'd do if I ever "turned out like Robbie." I've spent my whole life running from him, but now all I can think about is keeping Coop safe—even if it means pushing away the one person who's made me feel whole. Some battles you have to fight alone. At least, that's what I keep telling myself.I lost my sight in Afghanistan, but I've never had trouble seeing who Daniel really is beneath his defenses. After months of patience, we were finally building something real. Then overnight, he shut down completely. He thinks his father is his problem alone. He thinks pushing me away will protect me. He's wrong on both counts. I won't let him face his demons alone, even if I have to fight him to fight beside him. Some battles you can only win together. Now I just have to make him believe that before it's too late.Reading Weathering the StormHead Above WaterBattle BornBattle SavedIf you also read gay romance with explicit scenes, my Thornwood series takes place in the same town as these books and One More Time is about Caleb and Trent, who appear here. Are there explicit scenes in this novel? No, the Robbie and Sam series is geared toward young adult readers and contains no explicit scenes. Is this a re-release? No, This is a brand new novel. Will we see more of them in the future? This is the conclusion of their stories. Thank you for reading! less