Tag: Cowboys of California series

REVIEW: A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah Weatherspoon

REVIEW: A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington/Dafina in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Jesse Pleasant is thrilled that his brothers have found love. But his anger and resentment at being the dependable one – the rock – the family caretaker – is starting to feel like too much. In fact, he completely loses his cool when he walks in on his grandmother and her new boyfriend. He knows his response was way over the top.

Lily-Grace is furious that her father got hurt because Jesse had a temper tantrum. And she’s prepared to make him suffer her wrath over it for awhile. But when he takes her chiding to heart and gets a therapist, she wonders if the sweet kid she met in elementary school is still there in the heart of this angry, brooding man.

While things start to thaw  – and then heat up – between Jesse and Lily-Grace, both are at a crossroads in life. Will their choices push them closer in the end or lead them on separate paths?

Review

When I first picked this up, I meant to just start it – a chapter or two before bed. Next thing I knew, I was up way past my bedtime and halfway through the novel. It was worth the loss of sleep to spend time with the Pleasant family again. The therapy-positive focus of this book was awesome. I enjoyed the exploration of Jesse’s anger and his journey through the whole book.

I loved Jesse and Lily-Grace together. There are some great one-liners here to balance out the more serious moments. Fans of re-imagined fairytales should enjoy this take on Beauty and the Beast. I have really enjoyed how the author has taken these well-known stories and made them her own. The connections are clear if you are looking for them, but they are also super subtle and nuanced so that it’s possible you won’t even notice the parallels. Series fans should NOT miss this latest installment of the Cowboys of California series. I don’t believe these have to be read in order to be enjoyed, but it does help establish the relationships in the family. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: If the Boot Fits by Rebekah Weatherspoon

BONUS REVIEW: If the Boot Fits by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

On the night he wins his first Oscar, Sam Pleasant hooks up with a beautiful woman. She doesn’t give him her name, and when he wakes up in the morning, she is gone.

Amanda Queen is assistant to an up and coming diva in Hollywood. She knows exactly who Sam is when they first meet. She also knows there is NO future for them together. So after a great night, she grabs her Oscars swag bag and leaves.

Except it’s Sam’s bag, not hers, and his Oscar is still inside it.

Amanda has the Oscar returned and expects to never see Sam again. But they keep crossing paths, first at a wedding on his family’s ranch. And then in a weak moment after a disaster with her boss. Next thing she knows, Sam has invited her back to the ranch to get away from the stress, even though he still has no idea what she does for a living or who she works for.

The ranch is beautiful and peaceful. Amanda adores every animal she meets. Sam’s family is lovely and welcoming. And the heat between Amanda and Sam is as scorching as that first night. But can this go any way other than towards disaster?

Review

This is book two in the Cowboys of California series, after A Cowboy to Remember (♥♥♥♥). And it’s a clever twist on the classic Cinderella story.

I love the Pleasant family! This was a terrific addition to the series. I liked Sam a lot, and Amanda is a delight. Her self-acceptance, the strength she shows in dealing with her horrendous boss, and her affinity for animals made her such a fun character to spend time with.

The other piece of this I especially loved is that the major conflict at the end wasn’t between Amanda and Sam (like you would find in most Hallmark movies and many standard romances), but focused against them. This allows them the opportunity to decide if they are going to stand together or let this push them to go their separate ways. The final scenes of the book were excellent.

This is a don’t miss/must read series for me. This book teases a lot at the third brother, Jesse’s story. I can’t wait to dig into it and find out what has been going on with him. And I am eager to see if the author has stories planned for other members of the Pleasant family.

Fans of the first book in the series should not miss this one! But if you are new to the Cowboys of California, I think you can start here, but you will want to pick up the first book as soon as you can. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great! Might re-read.