Showing posts with label cowboy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cowboy. Show all posts

BLOG TOUR: Smooth Talking Cowboy by Maisey Yates


Yeeeee-haw!

Welcome, one and all to this special blog post which is part of the Smooth Talking Cowboy Blog Tour from Mills & Boon.

Smooth Talking Cowboy is a contemporary romance set in fictional Gold Valley, where prim and proper Miss Olivia Logan finds herself rather inconveniently attracted to the handsome rogue - and smooth talking cowboy himself - Luke Hollister.

I love to read all types of romance - billionaires, blue collar workers, geeky guys, royalty - you name a type of hero and I’m probably all in. But there’s something about a cowboy that sets my little heart all a flutter and I was keen to find out why. Why do we love a cowboy so, and why do we keep coming back for more?


Wanna skip to the review - click here.


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Manners


Howdy ma’am.

Yes, ma’am.

Morning, miss.

Sigh.

I’m not saying manners are dead in our modern world but it sure is nice to hear someone giving proper respect and manners to people. It’s a trait that can be admired in anyone, sure, but when it’s coming out in that slow drawl I associate with a cowboy, I’m ready to be respected.


Slow


And speaking of slow… is anyone else just constantly on the go? We’re always driving, texting, watching, chatting, helping. It’s a lot in a very short time.

Now picture a sunset.

There’s a cowboy on a horse at the edge of his land.

He’s watching, waiting for that sun to go down.

It’s peaceful and slow and it’s so thrillingly calming that I want to rip open the pages and jump right in to get a bit of that peace for myself.



Hot Bod


I’m not going to get all superficial and shallow here (oh wait - yes I am!) but our cowboy heroes tend to have rocking bods with abs for days.

But the best part about this is they come by them honestly. A hard days work, toiling the land, tending to the animals and getting their hands dirty produces a sculpted physique that it would be plain rude not to appreciate!


Men with a capital M


Cowboy country is man’s world. While the cowboys respect women, they still tend to be on the more uncivilised, less polished side.

They are sweaty, rough and are comfortable in their world and in their skin. They don’t mind their own company - some might even crave the solitude.

Unless it comes to their love, of course. That’s when they’re out of their depth, perhaps with their feelings, perhaps with the best way to proceed.

Personally, I love it when a man’s man finds himself at sixes and sevens because of a woman. It’s some sort of balance in the world!


Dangerous


A woman who knows her own worth is a dangerous thing.

A man who knows his place in the world is just as dangerous.

He makes no excuses and no apologies. He knows what he wants and he goes out and gets it and that’s an incredibly sexy trait - albeit dangerous, if even just to the heart!


Respect


Going hand in hand with manners - cowboys are known as very respectful to all those around them, especially women.

And who doesn’t get all hot under the collar for a man who both wants her madly and respects her deeply?


Honour


Cowboys are known as men of integrity and honour.

In romance novels you often find a cowboy hero being brutally honest with the heroine about things she perhaps doesn’t want to face, and/or the parameters for their relationship.

And while they say what they mean and mean what they say, that doesn’t preclude them from changing their mind when they realise that they’ve fallen in love.


Laid-Back


Off the ranch, a cowboy likes his whiskey and his women. He wants to have a good time - wants everyone else to have a good time, too. No-one who leaves his bed leaves unsatisfied.

He doesn’t need commitment and he doesn’t do messy emotions. He’s calm and collected and so laid-back that it’s hard to resist. But then why would you want to?



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To read my review of

Smooth Talking Cowboy

click on the book cover below.


https://joreadsromance.blogspot.com/2019/02/smooth-talking-cowboy-by-maisey-yates.html




https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38886460-smooth-talking-cowboy


BUY IT NOW!

http://amzn.to/2EzaWRuhttps://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-duchess-deal/id1277020404?mt=11


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The Gold Valley Series:









Smooth Talking Cowboy by Maisey Yates

https://amzn.to/2UCv9dw

An unforgettable love story about what happens when opposites attract.

Olivia Logan has a plan: win back her ex by making him see what he’s missing!

First she needs to find a man who’s willing to play along. With his laid-back cowboy charm, Luke Hollister is an unlikely hero—but he wants her help convincing her father to sell him land, which means he needs her as much as she needs him.

Good girl Olivia has always been off limits to Luke.So why does she get to him like no one else? Luke ‘s supposed to help her win back another man…not keep her in his arms. But now that he has her there, he’s not sure he wants to let go.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33259027-the-duchess-deal

Title: Smooth Talking Cowboy
Author: Maisey Yates
Series: Gold Valley
Pages: 315
Genre(s): Contemporary, US, Cowboy
Hot Buttons: briefly touches on the effects of a loved one's suicide, and the effects of a loved one's addiction <-- highlight to reveal (may contain spoilers)

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This book has been on my wishlist for ages - I’m a sucker for, well, most of the tropes contained in the book - laidback cowboy, bad boy / good girl, opposites attract, fake to real romance, enemies (sort of) to lovers… But when I’ve got a book that I can’t wait to get my hands on - I often find myself disappointed.

I was NOT disappointed by this book in any way at all.

This is the first book in Maisey Yates’ Gold Valley cowboy romance series. Having said that, with a few characters popping up who already seem to have their happily-ever-afters, I’m assuming that this series is an offshoot from the Copper Ridge series. You don’t have to have read any of that series to enjoy this one. And there are also plenty of other characters popping up that I’m hoping will also get their own happily-ever-afters in future novels.

This is the kind of book that you can seriously get lost in. It’s got small town charm in spades but it’s the writing that really pulls you in and make you feel part of what’s going on. The language, the imagery, the descriptions of the scenery and of life itself - everything draws you in and keeps you reading long past your bedtime!

I loved Olivia even if she’s not your usual heroine. She’s definitely a good girl but she’s also controlling, a tiny bit manipulative and wants everything her way or no way. And the fact that I still loved her shows the skill of Ms Yates’ writing. There was a vulnerability about Olivia despite her actions. And while she did things to get what she wanted (manipulate Bennett in order to win him back and get him to propose, for example), she was honest with herself and when she realised she was wrong - she admitted it and tried to change. She was just a little bit lost and this really was a journey of discovery for her, as well as her romance.

The leading man in this case was Luke. Ah, Luke. He is the kind of hero that I dream about. He was laid-back and carefree but partly as a way to keep people at arm’s length. He was a cowboy through and through - a man’s man - but he was also a little damaged and didn’t feel himself worthy of the love of anyone, let alone a woman like Olivia.

I loved the banter between the pair. How they took each other out of their comfort zones. How they drove each other crazy - in only the best way. How they completed each other and couldn’t stay away from each other - even if they had wanted to. I fell in love with them as they fell in love with each other. And then there was that word that made butterflies appear in my stomach and made my heart ache: Finally.

I cannot recommend this book enough. It had everything that I need for an enjoyable romance - engaging characters, honest attraction, chemistry and a happily ever after that made me sigh. 5 stars from me and 5 more for that stunning cover. I could stare at it for days. Gorgeous.



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Buy this book now:

http://amzn.to/2EzaWRuhttp://amzn.to/2CejyrEhttps://www.amazon.com.au/Duchess-Deal-Tessa-Dare-ebook/dp/B073NXHT86/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518389513&sr=8-1&keywords=the+duchess+dealhttp://amzn.to/2CdESxe

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-duchess-deal/id1277020404?mt=11https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-duchess-deal/id1277020404?mt=11https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/the-duchess-deal/id1277020404?mt=11https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-duchess-deal/id1277020404?mt=11



* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *




The Gold Valley Series:











The Good Ones by Jenn McKinlay

https://amzn.to/2SGcUU0

Ryder Copeland is an accomplished architect and one heck of a father...not to mention tall and sexy. He's everything a hero should be, and Lord knows, Maisy Kelly has read enough of her great-aunt Eloise's romance novels to recognize one when she sees one. But like all fairy tales, Maisy can't help but wonder if this Prince Charming is too good to be true…

Ryder is drawn to the shy, curly haired professor who hires him to convert the Victorian house she's inherited from her aunt into a romance bookstore. Attracted to a woman for the first time since his divorce, Ryder finds himself wishing for a future with Maisy that he knows is impossible. Ryder has never wavered from his plan to leave the small town of Fairdale, North Carolina, so he can give his daughter the life she deserves. But suddenly he's not so sure. And the closer he gets to Maisy, the harder it's going to be to walk away...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33259027-the-duchess-deal

Title: The Good Ones
Author: Jenn McKinlay
Series: Happily Ever After Book 1
Pages: 336
Genre(s): Contemporary, US
Hot Buttons: divorce, death, abandoned kitten <-- highlight to reveal (may contain spoilers)

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This is the first book of Jenn McKinlay’s that I have read and I can definitely see myself picking up others from her in the future - especially the next book in this series. Despite this, I had very mixed feelings about this particular book.

Firstly, the book is a standalone novel and the first in the Happy Ever After series. I’m hoping that the next book, The Christmas Keeper, features Savy and Quino who popped up - and shot major sparks off each other - in this book.

The writing is snappy and engaging and it was absolutely no trouble to keep those pages turning. And - oh boy - the banter was top notch. It really was applause-worthy and I felt myself laughing, nodding and appreciating the genius of Ms McKinlay’s gift of the dialogue.

The premise, too, had me rubbing my hands together with glee. Dreams of opening a bookshop (with a turret, no less) made my heart go pitty pat.

So what was it that stopped this book from getting higher than a 3 star rating? Sadly - it was the relationship between Ryder and Maisy. To be honest, I wasn’t sure - in the beginning at least - that they were right for each other.

Ryder meets Maisy and, due to her appearance and small stature, thinks her a college student and barely older than his teenage daughter. He actually thinks this and doesn’t amend his perception for quite some time (two or three meetings and much interaction, I think it was). He then is a wee bit rude about her age so she corrects him - and suddenly he’s all over the lust he feels for her. Yet not 5 minutes beforehand he thought she was a kid. And I’m supposed to cheer for this relationship? It made me feel a little bit uncomfortable, if I’m honest.

At the same time, Maisy flirts with Ryder, lusts after Ryder and etc - all the while thinking he’s married. Girl - when you find out a man is off limits - you shut it down. Not feeling the love for Maisy with this kind of activity, even if nothing happened between them at this point. But to give Maisy her due, Ryder was still wearing his wedding ring. We get some story about him not wanting the attention of other women and he doesn’t want a relationship so wears his ring. I didn’t buy it and I felt like there was some sort of emotional cheating going on until everything was explained. But by then, it was stuck in my head.

With that start it took me a looooong time to get into this book and to actually cheer for the characters. It didn’t help that it’s definitely more of a meandering type of read rather than action packed. But I started to get over my initial impressions of the characters and I can say I liked them at the half-way point. Loved them at about 75%.

Ryder was a good hero even if he hadn’t ever heard of Jane Austen. (No, really). He redeemed himself by the end of the book though. And while I’m not one to go gaga over a man with a kid - the relationship between Ryder and Perry was cute as a button and did make me like him just a little bit more.

And the way that Maisy was written was just wonderful. Authors often have a hard time writing quirky characters and have them come across as a normal person. In this case Maisy had quirks and she owned them - and she felt as real as you and me. I liked her a lot.

Ryder and Maisy together was also a great combo. They balanced each other out and I was happy for them to reach their happily ever after together. Despite a rocky start for all of us.

As I said, I had mixed feelings about this book. There were lots of good points but the first meeting(s) of Ryder and Maisy really dampened things for me for a while. I am keen to read more about the other characters we’re introduced to so I will be keeping my eyes on the Happy Ever After series if nothing more than to get some tips on how to open a romance bookstore! 3 stars.



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Buy this book now:

http://amzn.to/2EzaWRuhttp://amzn.to/2CejyrEhttps://www.amazon.com.au/Duchess-Deal-Tessa-Dare-ebook/dp/B073NXHT86/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518389513&sr=8-1&keywords=the+duchess+dealhttp://amzn.to/2CdESxe





* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *







Falling for the Cowboy by Kennedy Fox






https://amzn.to/2UwJhVP

Never trust a man who wears nothing more than a cowboy hat and ripped jeans who asks if you’d like to save a horse and ride a . . . well, you get the picture.

That should’ve been enough for me to walk away.

I’ve been warned on several occasions about southern men—with their sexy accents, charming manners, and the ability to easily get any woman in bed—which is something I’ll be avoiding.

Being a professional photographer has many perks—traveling around the world, calling all the shots, and working with subject matter that isn’t bad to look at—but Colton Langston with his washboard abs and baby blue eyes, could care less about my current project. He’s trouble, I know it, and he’s determined to make me work for every single photo. When I’m forced into riding lessons, I get way more than I ever bargained for, and by the time my trip is over, I’m in too deep.

Being with him was thrilling, but falling for him was unpredictable.
And ignoring him will be impossible.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33259027-the-duchess-deal

Title: Falling for the Cowboy
Author: Kennedy Fox
Series: Bedtime Reads
Pages: 262
Genre(s): Contemporary, US
Hot Buttons: n/a


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This is the third in Kennedy Fox’s Bedtime Reads series - steamy, full-length, standalone love stories filled with humour, insta-lust, blistering heat, and a fast-pace. It says you can read them in one sitting - and while that’s technically true, they’re all approximately 250 pages which isn’t as short as this tagline might suggest.

While this is a standalone book, it returns to the Circle B ranch from Kennedy Fox fan favourite Bishop Boys series. I’ve never read those books but I can totally see why fans will get so excited to return to see these gorgeous and funny brothers. John and Jackson are the only ones mentioned - except for all 4 Bishop wives - but none of the couples together to my recollection. Regardless, fans will rejoice and new readers like me will be intrigued by this fun-loving bunch of characters and want to read more.

This book is sort of enemies-to-lovers but the pair’s sparring and bickering is more like foreplay than any kind of real anger and hatred. And I found that quite refreshing, especially from a hero. Colton was a real cutie. He was laidback, quick with a joke, quick to tease - oh and hot as hell, of course! I could really see why Presley was so at ease with him - and also why she got so irritated and frustrated with him. Their interactions were fun and flirty.

Presley was definitely my kind of girl. She was sassy and sarcastic. She rolled her eyes, smirked and was cheeky to Colton at any and all opportunities. On the first page when she swears, flips the bird and generally gets annoyed at rubbish drivers - I knew I’d found a heroine soulmate. It definitely takes skill to write someone like Presley without making her unlikable - and the fact that I loved her means she was exceptionally well written.

I also liked that Presley was written as a curvy girl who was mostly comfortable in her own skin. She had a few hangups - don’t we all? - but this theme wasn’t overplayed and it all felt true to life and believable. It didn’t hurt that Colton clearly adored every inch of Presley - melting away any insecurities she may have had.

The book was a nice blend of sexy. In fact, in parts it was fan yourself delicious. And that’s also where the book dropped a star for me. It was well into the book when Colton and Presley even had their first kiss. With all the heat and dirty shenanigans that came later in the book, I would have loved to have seen that spread out throughout the book. There was a lot of chaste build-up followed by a section of, well, less chasteness. Seeing how good the latter parts were - I wish there had been more!

This is the kind of book that excellently marries the sweet, true-love with some pleasing sexiness. I enjoyed every page, was always keen to keep on reading and very much enjoyed the banter and the ease of the writing and the story. This was a great introduction to Kennedy Fox and a great bedtime read. 4 stars from me and a book I’d happily recommend to fans and new readers alike.
And if you want to read more books set on the Bishop Brother’s Circle B ranch, Braxton (who appears in this story) will be (hopefully) getting his own HEA in Roping the Cowboy which will first be on the Read Me Romance podcast on February 25th 2019 and released in e-book to buy in mid-June.




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Buy this book now:

http://amzn.to/2EzaWRuhttp://amzn.to/2CejyrEhttps://www.amazon.com.au/Duchess-Deal-Tessa-Dare-ebook/dp/B073NXHT86/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518389513&sr=8-1&keywords=the+duchess+dealhttp://amzn.to/2CdESxe





* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. *


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ABOUT THE AUTHOR DUO!




Brooke Cumberland & Lyra Parish are a duo of romance authors who teamed up to write under the USA Today Bestselling pseudonym, Kennedy Fox. They share a love of You’ve Got Mail and The Holiday. When they aren’t bonding over romantic comedies, they like to brainstorm new book ideas. One day, they decided to collaborate and have some fun creating new characters that’ll make your lady bits tingle and your heart melt. If you enjoy romance stories with sexy, tattooed alpha males and smart, independent women, then a Kennedy Fox book is for you!


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AUTHOR LINKS!



http://kennedyfoxbooks.com   https://www.facebook.com/CContrerasBooks/   https://twitter.com/kennedyfoxbooks   https://instagram.com/kennedyfoxbooks   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/claire-contreras   https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6655354.Claire_Contrerashttp://amzn.to/2BgzLQ0



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Bedtime Reads Series:


  








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