Tag: #cowboy

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Cowboy Up by Michelle Beattie

Title: Cowboy Up

Author: Michelle Beattie

Genre: Contemporary Western Romance

Release Date: August 20, 2019

Cover Designer: The Killion Group

Hosted by:Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

Hi, everyone!

I am happy to share this Feature Post and Book Review for my turn on the blog tour for COWBOY UP (Tangled Up in Texas Book One) by Michelle Beattie.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, buy links, author bio, author social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway.

This is a good start to a new contemporary cowboy series. And as always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!

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Book Description:

When Dallas Granger left his family’s Last Stand, Texas, ranch, he hadn’t planned on returning.  But when a medical emergency calls him home and a legal matter affects his business, suddenly his family isn’t the only thing in need of a re-build.   Unfortunately his new project involves building a house for a woman who not only awakens his desires, but also his fears. But if he wants to claim her as his own, he’ll have to tear down the walls he’s built around his heart. 

Single mom Ashley Anderson knows all about juggling.  Between an assortment of part-time jobs and raising her sixteen-year old daughter, she doesn’t need a hunky construction worker with an attitude as a distraction.  Even one who steps in to help her when she needs it most. Life has taught Ashley that when the going gets tough, she’s on her own. It’s going to take a man with a Texas-sized heart to show her that this cowboy isn’t going anywhere.

Goodreads book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46001405-cowboy-up?from_search=true

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My Book Review:

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

COWBOY UP (Tangles Up in Texas Book One) by Michelle Beattie is a contemporary cowboy romance that is the start of a new series by a new-to-me author. This first book focuses on the oldest of five brothers and the single mom he meets working on a Houses of Hope (similar to Habitat for Humanity) project.

Dallas Granger loves building beautiful things. From cabinets to houses, he started his own construction company when he left the family ranch. As he is trying to take care of a problem one of his employees caused, he gets tangled up with the law. Then his brother calls to tell him his father is in the hospital and he is going to need help with the ranch. He does not know how he will find the time to deal with everything.

When Dallas is assigned to volunteer for Houses of Hope, he is not happy. He believes the people who receive the homes get them for free (not true), but he feels he worked to build his company from scratch and everyone else should work for what they have, too. When he gets to the work-site he is instantly attracted to the blonde helping with construction. When he finds out the home is for her, he is surprised and not very gracious.

Ashley Anderson juggles a number of part-time jobs to support herself and her sixteen-year-old daughter. She pinches every penny and the last thing she needs to deal with is a cowboy with an attitude problem. She has worked her whole life to stand on her own since she was a teen mom and does not need the judgement.

But as Dallas and Ashley get to know each other, they find they cannot stop their attraction. Dallas has a lot of family baggage to deal with and a broken engagement has left his heart closed off. Will he break Ashley’s heart or will he prove he can open his own?

This is a good start to the series, but there is a lot going on which somewhat detracts from adding more depth to the hero and heroine. I could relate to Ashley and her life, but Dallas really had trust issues that I thought were over blown. That said, they were a good couple and I loved when they talked out their issues and Dallas was a romantic. The sex scenes were realistic and romantic. I also, enjoyed Ashley and her daughter, Brittany’s relationship. It was nice to not have to read about a stereotypical problem teen.

I will be looking forward to reading the other brothers’ stories and having the family secret revealed.

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Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2EPKnqf 

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2XtDl1G 

Nook: http://bit.ly/2WgV8aN 

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2HXnSlc Google Play:  http://bit.ly/2HYbeCh

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About Michelle:

International Bestselling Author Michelle Beattie first found her love of romance in romantic comedies such as Romancing the Stone and Valley Girl (yes, she realizes that dates her).  It wasn’t until after high school when she worked for a car rental company and had too much time on her hands that she started reading romances.  Historicals were her go-to and she raided many bookstores looking for historical western romances.  

Eventually she started thinking “what if” and “I’d have done that differently” and quietly started writing her own.  More than a dozen books later, Michelle has published in both digital and print platforms and her works have been translated in more than 4 languages.  

Michelle is a mother of two very strong, independent daughters.  She is a certified member of the Master Bowler’s of Alberta and loves coaching and passing on her love for 5 pin bowling.  Besides bowling herself in a weekly league, she also likes to golf in the summer, play games, and read.

Michelle lives in a solar-powered house in Central Alberta with her husband of almost 25 years, youngest daughter, and the cutest dog ever.  

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.michellebeattie.com/Home.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleBAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/M_Beattie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellebauthor/

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Giveaway:

<a class=”rcptr” href=”http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/eef4ee4b1746/” rel=”nofollow” data-raflid=”eef4ee4b1746″ data-theme=”classic” data-template=”54761f08ee20562638ce5c19″ id=”rcwidget_rybobxp5″>a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>

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Book Review: Second Chance Cowboy by Joanne Rock

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

SECOND CHANCE COWBOY (Road to Romance Book, #2) by Joanne Rock is a second chance contemporary romance that demonstrates this author’s seamless ability to immediately allow you to become emotionally invested in her characters and immerse you in the beauty and uniqueness of her settings. Even though this is the second book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone.

Larissa Martine left Cheyenne, Wyoming eight years ago for the bright lights of Broadway and a career in dance. It was a promise she made to her dying mother. But as she leaves, she also devastates the boy she loves in a text message.

After a possible career ending injury and on her way to an audition in Los Vegas, Larissa is detouring to her hometown to honor a pact between girlfriends, to make peace with past wrongs and hopefully clear the future to turn bad luck to good.

Matt Briggs thought he had it all. He purchased Split Fork Ranch next to his family spread and was ready to move ahead with the girl he loved. That was not how it worked out. Now Larissa is back and he does not want to hear about her regrets, but he does want her stay for his sister’s wedding next week. The intense attraction is still there and maybe if they have one more night together it will give them both the peace with the past they seek, or they could repeat past mistakes all over again.

Larissa and Matt are both trying to live up to what they perceive that others wanted for them. The love and attraction has always been an easy part of their relationship, but the emotional communication between the two is difficult and lacking. Even though eight years has passed, they almost repeat their past and the author leads them towards their HEA in a realistic and believable way. The sex scenes are steamy and also emotional. The secondary characters where as well fleshed out and entertaining as the H/h. This is a quick read packed with emotion and what I expect when I read a book by this author.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.

Book Review: Ethan’s Heart by Vickie King

ethan's heart

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

It has been quite a while since I have read a historical cowboy romance. I am very glad that I tried this first in a series by a new to me author, ETHAN’S HEART (The Blackwood Brothers, #1) by Vickie King. The Blackwood family, a runaway with a sick baby and secrets, posses, outlaws, and Missouri in 1855 all come together for a great read.

Ethan Blackwood is a widower with two little girls. His beloved wife, Elizabeth was killed during a bank robbery. Grief has turned into a powerful need for revenge instead of justice for this sheriff, but first he has to find someone to take care of his little girls so he can go on the hunt for her killers.

Annabelle “Annie” Holt is on the run from St. Louis with little baby Lily. She has to abandon the wagon train due to Lily’s health and is helped by the town’s doctor, Andrew Blackwood. Annie needs to stay in town for Lily, but she has no money and considers accepting the job as the laundress for the salon girls. Andrew believes he has the perfect solution for Annie. She needs a home and security and his brother, Ethan needs a new wife to care for his home and girls.

Ethan and Annie marry and when Ethan makes it clear it is not for love, Annie has some rules of her own. It isn’t until he comes in with his star on his vest that Annie realizes she has married the town’s sheriff. It is now more important than ever to keep her secrets.

I loved Annie! She was so strong and loving even with all that had happened to her and what could happen if the truth of her past became known. The love and care she showed for everyone was wonderful to read. Ethan was a good and honest man who was being eaten alive by his need for revenge and how Ms. King dealt with his change of heart was very well done. I really enjoyed reading this story, even though at times it was predictable, because the familiar and HEA is what I am looking for in a good romance genre book.

Thank you to Salt Run Publishing LLC and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the brothers’ stories!