Category Archives: Sweet on a Cowboy Series

Review: Sweet on You by Laura Drake

on youTitle: Sweet on You by Laura Drake
Sweet On a Cowboy Series Book Three
Publisher:Hachette Book Group/Grand Central Publishing
Imprint: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 384
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A Love as Bold as a Texas Sunset . . .

Ex-army medic Katya Smith has always healed other people’s pain. Now she has to deal with her own. Taking a job as an athletic trainer on the Pro Bull Riding circuit seems like the perfect escape from her grief-except Katya doesn’t know anything about bulls, and even less about the tough men who ride them. She doesn’t expect to fall for the sport, or for one tantalizing cowboy who tumbles her defenses.

For rodeo champion Cam Cahill, fifteen years of bucking bulls have taken their toll on his body. Before he retires, he wants a final chance at the world title-and he doesn’t need some New Age gypsy telling him how to do his job. But when the stunning trainer with the magical hands repairs more than his worn muscles, everything changes. Soon Cam finds himself trying to persuade Katya to forgive her past so she can build a future . . . with him.

The Review:

Sweet on You, the third installment in Laura Drake’s divine Sweet on a Cowboy series, is wonderful novel about healing, new beginnings and of course, love.   The professional bull riding circuit is the perfect setting for this heartwarming romance between an aging bull rider and an emotionally wounded Army medic as they both face uncertain futures.

Katya Smith finds herself in unfamiliar territory when she takes a job with the sports medicine team for the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). Katya might not understand the sport, lingo or lifestyle, but she does recognize a spoiled athlete when she sees one, and PBR rider Cam Cahill certainly appears to be no different from the other jocks she has worked with in the past. Katya does not make the best first impression on Cam either but since they have to work together week after week, they agree to put aside their animosity. Their mutual attraction leads to an unlikely romance, but will Katya’s plans for the future ruin their chance at happiness?

Katya is a warm, compassionate and caring woman and watching her struggle to overcome her PTSD is very heartrending. She is very loyal to the “family” she has created with her fellow soldiers and while this is understandable, it also causes a bit of tunnel vision when it comes to her future. In the beginning, she sees her job with the PBR as a means to an end, and she keeps both an emotional and physical distance from the cowboys on tour. It is not until Katya wants to learn more about the sport and the cowboy way of life that she takes a personal interest in the bull riders she is helping.

As a fifteen year veteran bull rider, Cam’s love of the sport has not diminished, but but his numerous injuries have begun to take a toll both in and out of the arena. Knowing this is most likely his last season, he has been trying to figure out what comes next, but so far, nothing he has considered really appeals to him. He spends a lot of time in sports medicine in an effort to stay healthy and he is surprised by his interest in Katya. Cam’s first few meetings with her are a bit rocky and although romance is the last thing on either of their minds, they begin dating. While they both agree that they are not interested in a serious or long lasting commitment, their feelings for another are anything but casual. But as both Katya and Cam soon discover, they are not exactly on the same page when it comes to their future.

One of the most appealing aspects of Sweet on You is how easily and vibrantly Laura Drake brings the world of Professional Bull Riding to life. Newcomers to the sport will have no difficulty understanding the grueling travel schedule or grasping how truly dangerous an eight second ride can be. She also provides incredible insight into what motivates the riders to participate in such an extreme sport and how reluctant they are to sit on the sidelines despite their injuries. The pulse-pounding excitement of attending live events leaps off the pages and perfectly illustrates why fans are drawn to the sport.

With Sweet on You, Laura Drake has once again written an emotionally compelling novel with complex and sympathetic characters.   True to life issues such as PTSD and survivor’s guilt are handled with sensitivity and the healing process is realistically depicted. While Cam’s issues are less serious, they are believable and easy to relate to.   The romance between Cam and Katya is sweet yet sexy and grows naturally over the course of the story. The ending is perfect; it is a little dramatic but very heartwarming.

Sweet on You is an absolutely delightful addition to the Sweet on a Cowboy series that old and new fans are going to love. It can be read as a standalone story, but I highly recommend this entire series to readers who enjoys contemporary Western romances.

Please click HERE for my reviews of the other books in the series.

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Filed under Contemporary, Forever, Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group, Laura Drake, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Sweet on a Cowboy Series, Sweet on You

Review: Nothing Sweeter by Laura Drake

sweeterTitle: Nothing Sweeter by Laura Drake
Sweet on a Cowboy Book Two
Publisher: Hachette Book Group/Grand Central Publishing
Imprint: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A Love as Wild as the West . . .

Aubrey Madison is starting over. Leaving Los Angeles and everything behind except the scars of her ruined past, Bree sets out for cowboy country. Now she has a new home, a new job-and a new worry: the ruggedly sexy rancher who makes her long for things she shouldn’t . . .

Rough and tumble cattleman Max Jameson has broken wild stallions and faced angry bulls. Yet the redheaded city cupcake who turned up at the High Heather Ranch might be his undoing. Bree has a plan to rescue the ranch from foreclosure that’s just crazy enough to work. But will Max gamble his future on a beautiful stranger?

The Review:

Nothing Sweeter is another well-written and entertaining romance by the wonderfully fabulous Laura Drake. This second installment in her charming Sweet on a Cowboy series is a compelling novel about new beginnings, self-acceptance and of course, love. It is not quite as emotional as The Sweet Spot, but it just as heartwarming and the cast of characters is just as endearing.

Aubrey “Bree” Madison is searching for a new life when her journey takes her to High Heather Ranch. The serene surroundings and low stress job provide Bree the perfect place to de-stress and just enjoy life. Her attraction to sexy cowboy and ranch owner Max Jameson catches her by surprise but she is able to keep her distance from her gruff, grumpy boss. That is until she comes up with the perfect plan to help Max and his brother Wyatt hold on to their beloved family inheritance.

Bree easily settles into her new routine as a stable hand but putting her past behind her proves to be much trickier. Plagued by nightmares, she throws herself wholeheartedly into her new job and begins to find a measure of peace. At first uneasy around the other ranch hands, she is quickly accepted by her peers. But it is Bree’s close friendship with Wyatt and Max’s cook and surrogate mother Tia Nita that she finds most soothing. She shares an easygoing rapport with Wyatt but Bree butts heads with Max right from their very first meeting. Part of their discord arises from their simmering sexual tension while Max’s stubborn cowboy pride is responsible for the rest.

Max is still reeling from his father’s unexpected death and the abrupt end to his previous romance when he first makes Bree’s acquaintance. His life is in turmoil as he fights to keep the ranch solvent while trying to smooth over his relationship with Wyatt. Max is a quintessential cowboy with long held beliefs that keep him from accepting Bree’s help. Although he and Wyatt have a decent relationship, some of Max’s convictions make it difficult for them to grow closer. Will this irascible man conquer habits of a lifetime and hold on to what is dear to his heart?

There is great chemistry between Max and Bree but the past has a pretty good hold on both of them. Max’s hurt from his failed romance colors his perception of Bree and he fights his attraction to her. His instincts tell him that she is keeping something from him and of course that assessment is spot on. Bree holds on to her secrets long after she should have revealed them and it is a waiting game to see how the truth will eventually come out. This part of the storyline is brilliantly executed and Max’s observations about Bree’s reasons for keeping them hidden are surprisingly astute.

The relationship between Max and Wyatt adds another layer to the overall plot. While they have not exactly been estranged, there is a cordial distance between them. Max’s discomfort about certain aspects of Wyatt’s life continues to come between them but Wyatt insists that Max deal with his conflicted feelings so they can fully repair the rift between them.

Nothing Sweeter is a well-plotted story with true to life characters who are flawed yet easy to like. Their problems are realistic and each of them rises to the challenges facing them. The romance between Max and Bree is slow growing but deliciously sexy. Laura Drake keeps the plot marvelously unpredictable and of course I LOVE how she incorporates the sport of bull riding into the storyline. Once again I am highly anticipating the next book in the series, Sweet on You, which will be available later this year.

While this fantastic addition to the Sweet on a Cowboy series can be read as a standalone story, you won’t want to miss the other novels in this terrific series.

You can find my review of The Sweet Spot HERE.

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Filed under Contemporary, Forever, Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group, Laura Drake, Nothing Sweeter, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Sweet on a Cowboy Series

Review: The Sweet Spot by Laura Drake

Title: The Sweet Spot by Laura Drake
Sweet on a Cowboy Book One
Publisher: Hachette Book Group/Grand Central Publishing
Imprint: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 324 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A Love as Big as Texas . . .

Charla Rae Denny was the perfect wife with a perfect life, content to keep the home fires burning while her husband, JB, competed as a champion bull rider. Then their son died in a tragic accident-and everything fell apart. Divorced and saddled with a hill of bills and a failing ranch, Charla must now cowboy up to put her life back together.

James “JB” Denny doesn’t stay where he isn’t welcome. So when Charla shut him out of her grieving heart-and their home-a year ago, he took comfort where he could find it. Now after seeing beautiful Charla again, he wants it all back. She can’t work the ranch alone, and deep in his heart he knows he can be the man she needs. But after so much history and heartbreak, can JB convince Charla to take a risk and give their love a second chance?

The Review:

More than a love story, Laura Drake’s The Sweet Spot is an emotional journey of forgiveness. This deeply moving novel will make you laugh, cry and ultimately rejoice as JB and Charla Rae Denny find their way back to one another after tragedy tears them apart.

Grief and loss can either bring a couple closer together or tear them apart and in the case of JB and Charla Rae, their marriage could not withstand the loss of their son, Benje. Now divorced, Charla Rae and JB’s paths still cross on a regular basis as they handle the day to day business of their bucking bull business. Still angry with JB over his affair, Charla lashes out and forbids JB to return to the ranch to take care of the bulls. With no one to lean on, will Charla find the strength she needs to keep their struggling business from failing while caring for her ailing father?

The Sweet Spot opens about a year after Benje’s death and both Charla and JB are at pretty low spots in their lives. Charla is addicted to Valium and makes it through each day in a drug induced fog. JB’s affair is long over and he is coming to the realization that he is the poster child for a middle aged crisis. When things come to a head between them, Charla and JB realize it is time to make some much needed changes in their lives.

Charla finally comes to terms with her addiction when she is forced to take care of the ranch chores and take a more active role in the bucking bull business. Always content to let life happen to her, Charla finally stands on her own two feet and faces down adversity one challenge at a time. She gradually begins to come out of her grief and as she gains confidence, Charla recognizes that she pushed JB away long before their marriage officially ended. Wary of getting hurt again, Charla continues to keep JB at arm’s length. But as time passes, Charla begins to see traces of the old JB and she slowly lets him back in her life and her heart.

JB is genuinely remorseful for hurting Charla but it takes serious introspection on his part before he realizes what motivated his affair. He is lost without Charla and her father, but he knows he is going to have to work to regain her trust. JB quickly recognizes Charla’s newfound strength but he is slow to realize their relationship will never be what it once was.

JB and Charla spend most of the novel dealing with their grief separately. Both come to realize their marriage was rocky before Benje’s death and although they still love one another, they have to work through their individual issues before contemplating a reconciliation. Charla is angry and defensive for much of the story and it takes her a while to realize that JB is still the same person she once fell in love with. Lack of communication, distrust and quick assumptions continue to plague them as they slowly mend their relationship.

The Sweet Spot is a bittersweet second chance at love romance. The characters are heartbreakingly realistic and their emotions are gut wrenchingly honest. The storyline with Charla Rae’s father is poignant and it brought me to tears on several occasions. Laura Drake’s meticulous research and love of professional bull riding is quite apparent and as a fellow fan of the sport, I was very impressed with her attention to the smallest details.

Heartfelt and engaging, The Sweet Spot will tug at readers’ heartstrings and leave them eagerly awaiting Ms. Drake’s next book pro bull riding book, Nothing Sweeter.

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Filed under Contemporary, Forever, Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group, Laura Drake, Rated A, Review, Romance, Sweet on a Cowboy Series, The Sweet Spot