Audio: Cowboy Summer by Joanne Kennedy

By: Joanne Kennedy

Narrated by: Johanna Parker

Series: Blue Sky Cowboys Series, Book 1

Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 06-25-19

Language: English

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Contemporary romance

I got this in exchange for an honest review

Oh these two, it is time to take out the slap on the head thing. *slaps both over the head* I need a gif like that *ponders this*

Jessie is living the big city life, but then her dad has a heart attack, and she goes back. She loves the ranch, but it needs to be sold cos her dad can't handle it.

She is having issues with her new stepmum, why I do not know, cos Molly is great! Tsk, Jessie!

She is avoiding her old boyfriend that she left behind and she is upset that he married someone else, Jessie, Jessie! Like he would pine forever.

She believes something even when he tells her the truth (they need to be locked in a room for two days and talk things through) *slap in the head*

Cade is a cowboy, that does say it all. Yes he married an idiot, but he was sad and drunk. He did divorce her sorry behind. She was a piece of work. Poor guy has issues, drunk dad, girlfriend left, married an idiot. Poor Cade.

Though then he does believe something that does not make any sense so he gets a slap on the head for that too.

These two love each other, but they have so much to work through. And they belong together, everyone knows it.

I liked her dad and Molly. They were fun.

I enjoyed it (even if they really needed to be thrown in a room together). It also built something interesting for the next book.

Narrator

I like her style and I really get the feel of living there. She has great female and male voices. I have listened to her before, and I will again. She fits western so well.

Jess Bailey broke Cade Walker's heart when she left for the city - but she was just trying to find her own way in the world. When Jess's dad calls her home and tells her he's selling the ranch, she realizes she's about to lose the life she was born to live. And when she sees Cade again, she knows how much she's lost already.

As their nearest neighbor, Cade is always trying to help. But he's got his own ranch and his horse training business to think about. Even though his heart fills with hope for a second chance when he sees Jess, she left him once when things got tough. And she knows he moved on without her.

As the sale of the Bailey ranch looms over them, Jess and Cade start looking to the future. But can they ever trust one another again?

Author Interview: Joanne Kennedy

Today's author interview is with Joanne Kennedy. And there is a giveaway too.

Welcome!

1. Tell me about the first book you remember truly loving...

Joanne: My parents are readers so there were lots of books in our house. Not all of them were designed for children, but we had free run of the bookshelves. There was a very spooky set of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre illustrated with very dark, macabre woodcuts by Fritz Eichenburg. Even before I could read, those books fascinated me, mostly because the illustrations were utterly terrifying. But loving the Brontes so young might explain why I became a romance writer!

2. And now tell me about How to Handle a Cowboy.

Joanne: I love this book so much! My heroine, Sierra Dunn, takes a temporary job running a group home for foster kids in the tiny, dying Wyoming town of Wynott. The five ten-year-old boys she oversees heat up the town, and cowboy Ridge Cooper, who volunteers to give the kids riding lessons, heats up her dreams. Ridge is a rodeo cowboy who’s just suffered a career-ending injury. He’s not looking to settle down, and Sierra’s not planning to stay in Wynott... but love steps in and changes everything. 

3. I would like to ask Ridge a question ;)

Ridge, tell me about your dream woman?

Joanne/Ridge: Ridge doesn’t talk much, so let me interpret what he means when he clears his throat a couple times, stares out the window, and mumbles something about pretty eyes. What he means to say is that Sierra is his dream woman, although he never expected to fall for an inner-city social worker. Ridge needs a patient woman with a big heart who understands that actions speak louder than words, in and out of the bedroom! 

4. How about you Sierra? Describe your dream man.

Joanne/Sierra: Well, I certainly didn’t think the dusty, disreputable cowboy who knocked at my door on my second day in Wynott would turn out to be The One. But after the kids locked us in the closet, I started to see him in a different light. Actually, I couldn’t see him at all, because it was dark in there—so we had to feel our way through the beginning stages of our relationship, if you know what I mean.

5. What's the deal with cowboys? Why are they so hot?

Joanne: Cowboying is an old-fashioned profession that hasn’t changed in over hundred years, and cowboys haven’t changed much, either. They still live by the Code of the West, and that means they adhere to old-fashioned values like being honest and trustworthy. They also work with horses, which requires a nurturning spirit. In a way, cowboys are throwbacks to an earlier time and a simpler way of life. Combine all that with a tanned, muscular body from working outdoors, and you’ve got a man who fits into all our dreams. 

6. And last, what are you working on now?

Joanne: How to Handle a Cowboy is the first in the Cowboys of Decker Ranch series, so I’m working on the second book, How to Wrangle a Cowboy (love that title!). It’s about the youngest of the Decker Ranch cowboys, Brady Caine. Brady’s a carefree rodeo cowboy who can’t be tamed, but when he literally ropes a barrel racing champion, he finds himself bound by guilt to a woman who is his opposite in every way. I’ve never written a series before, and it’s been fun to see how Brady’s story intersects with Ridge’s. I also love a lot of the secondary characters in this book, like Dooley the dog and Isaiah, one of the kids from Sierra’s group home. It’s been fun to write! 

Thanks!

GIVEAWAY

1 copy of How to Handle a Cowboy + a special surprise cowboy themed gift from Joanne.

1. Open internationally.

2. Ends April 12th

3. To enter, ask Joanne a question or just say anything about cowboys ;D

HOW TO HANDLE A COWBOY BY JOANNE KENNEDY – IN STORES APRIL 2014

His Rodeo Days May Be Over...

Sidelined by a career-ending injury, rodeo cowboy Ridge Cooper feels trapped at his family's remote Wyoming ranch. Desperate to find an outlet for the passion he used to put into competing, he takes on the challenge of teaching his roping skills to five troubled ten-year-olds in a last-chance home for foster kids, and finds it's their feisty supervisor who takes the most energy to wrangle.

But He'll Still Wrangle Her Heart…

When social worker Sierra Dunn seeks an activity for the rebellious kids at Phoenix House, she soon learns she's not in Denver anymore. Sierra is eager to get back home to her inner-city work, and the plan doesn't include forming an attachment in Wyoming—especially not to a ruggedly handsome and surprisingly gentle local rodeo hero.

Praise for How to Handle a Cowboy

“Realistic and romantic... Kennedy’s forte is in making relationships genuine and heartfelt as she exposes vulnerabilities with tenderness and good humor.” —Booklist STARRED Review

“The sex scenes are juicy... Each character is essential to the storyline and the plot moves seamlessly.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joanne Kennedy’s lifelong fascination with Wyoming’s unique blend of past and present inspires her to write contemporary Western romances with traditional ranch settings. Her books include Cowboy Tough, Tall, Dark and Cowboy, and the RITA-nominated One Fine Cowboy. At various times, she has dabbled in horse training, chicken farming, and bridezilla wrangling at a department store wedding registry. Her love of reading led to careers in bookselling and writing. She lives with two dogs and a fighter pilot in Cheyenne, Wyoming. For more information, please visit http://joannekennedybooks.com/.

To Purchase How to Handle a Cowboy:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Books-a-Million

Chapters/Indigo

IndieBound

iBooks

Sourcebooks

How to handle a Cowboy - Joanne Kennedy

Sidelined by a career-ending injury, rodeo cowboy Ridge Cooper is desperate to find an outlet for the energy he devoted to his sport. He decides to teach rodeo skills to the kids at the Phoenix House, a local group home for foster children. Here he falls for a big-city girl who just might make him the perfect wife. 

Inner-city social worker Sierra Dunn has been exiled to a last-chance home for foster kids in a remote Wyoming town for blowing the whistle on her boss. Her only goal is to prove herself and move back to the city, but the town's rodeo hero is going after her heart.

My thoughts:

I would not call it drama filled, just a lot of issues that had to be dealt with as the book dealt with broken people.

First we have Sierra who works aa a social worker and takes care of 5 young boys. They all have their own issues and she tries to protect them and make them come out of their shells. So she is a nurturer, protective and her job is her life.

Ridge is the broken one of the two of them. He is like the boys she protect. He has demons from his past and he does not know how to move on with life when he can't do rodeo anymore.

They meet, they slowly become friends, they bond over the boys and ranch life. They argue and they will get that HEA in the end. It just has a way to go.

Conclusion:

A romance with a bit of extra to it.

Cover

Nice

Paperback, 416 pages
Expected publication: April 1st 2014 by Sourcebooks Casablanca (first published January 1st 2014)
Cowboys of Decker Ranch #1
Contemporary romance
For review

Interview and Giveaway: Joanne Kennedy - Cowboy Tough

1. Instead of the usual introduction tell me 3 silly things about yourself :)

JK: Let’s see… I am an absolute nut about birds, and seeing a new species can make my day (in Wyoming, I often have to settle for a new breed of chicken at the State Fair). I write about cowboys and love horses but ride incredibly badly (I fall off a lot). And I practically live on Dreyer’s Slow Churned Caramel Delight ice cream (no explanation needed!). 

2. Could you tell me about your new book Cowboy Tough?

JK: Cowboy Tough stars Mack Boyd, a rodeo cowboy who’s called home by his mother. She’s in financial trouble, and needs him to help turn their working cattle ranch into a dude ranch. Their first project: win a contract from Art Treks, Inc., a company that promotes painting tours of scenic locations. The ranch’s backcountry is scenic enough for any artist, but can they make the trip go smoothly? Artists are a lot harder to herd than cattle, but once he meets the talented artist who leads the group, Mack’s determined to make it work.

Cat Crandall just quit her steady job in advertising because she wants to travel and put her talent to use—but she was hoping to go to Italy or France, not Wyoming. Still, the scenery is attractive…and so is the wrangler!

3.  What made you want to read western romances?

JK: Living here in Wyoming is an inspiration. You can drive ten minutes in any direction and find spaces so vast you feel like the horizon is unreachable. It makes you want to get on a fast horse and just run (without falling off)! I wanted to give readers that feeling, and I also wanted to write about the people here. Cowboys have done their jobs the same way, with the same equipment and clothing, for over a century. They’re strong, determined men whose old-fashioned values are born out of the challenges they face every day.

4. Tell me why Mack is the cowboy to read about this month.

JK: Mack has a lot of the qualities you’d expect in a cowboy. He’s honest and straightforward, hardworking, and looks pretty danged good in Wranglers. But he’s also the father of a teenaged girl, and he’s a great dad. That’s a quality that drew me to my own cowboy; I loved the way he lit up when he talked about his daughter. I think being a caring father is one of the most attractive qualities a man can have.

5. Who would your perfect cowboy be?

JK: The one I live with every day! He’s a sky cowboy, not a horse cowboy – he flies jets. He’s the kindest and most compassionate man I know; a great dad and a wonderful husband. 

6. What’s up next for you?

JK: I’m working on a series, The Cowboys of Decker Ranch, about three men who were adopted as foster kids by the same rancher. He taught them about love and family, but they have a lot to learn about trust—and about women. 

All my previous books have been stand-alones, and I’ve been surprised how much fun it is to write a series. Creating my little towns and the surrounding ranches is way more fun when I know I’ll be coming back for the next book, and the next. Hopefully it’ll be fun for readers, too!

Thank you so much for inviting me to visit, and thanks for highlighting so many other great romance books! You’ve helped me discover lots of great reading material. I’ll be checking the comments all day long and answering any other questions readers might have.

Thank you so much Joanne :)

Giveaway

1 copy Cowboy Tough

1. US and Canada only

2. Ends March 4th

3. Just enter :)

COWBOY TOUGH BY JOANNE KENENDY – IN STORES FEBRUARY 2013

She’s hardly a cowgirl…

Cat Crendall left a successful advertising job in New York to teach art workshops in the wild west.  The Boyd Ranch is hardly her dream destination, but if the outing’s a success, the company will send her to more exotic locations.

But once a cowboy…

Mack Boyd was in the middle of the best bronc-riding season of his life when his mother asked for help with an artists’ retreat at the ranch.  Mack might be able to ride a wild stallion to a standstill but he can’t say no to his family.

Cat and Mack are complete opposites…but when the ranch is threatened financially, can they set aside their differences and work together?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joanne Kennedy’s lifelong fascination with Wyoming’s unique blend of past and present inspires her to write contemporary Western romances with traditional ranch settings. In 2010 she was nominated for a RITA award for One Fine Cowboy. At various times, Joanne has dabbled in horse training, chicken farming, and bridezilla wrangling at a department store wedding registry. Her fascination with literature led to careers in bookselling and writing. She lives with two dogs and a retired fighter pilot in Cheyenne, Wyoming. For more information, please visit http://joannekennedybooks.com/ and on Facebook.

To Purchase Cowboy Tough

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Book-a-Million

IndieBound

Chapters/Indigo

Discover a New Love

Sourcebooks 

Review: Cowboy Tough - Joanne Kennedy

She’s hardly a cowgirl…

Cat Crendall left a successful advertising job in New York to teach art workshops in the wild west. The Boyd Ranch is hardly her dream destination, but if the outing’s a success, the company will send her to more exotic locations.

But once a cowboy…

Mack Boyd was in the middle of the best bronc-riding season of his life when his mother asked for help with an artists’ retreat at the ranch. Mack might be able to ride a wild stallion to a standstill but he can’t say no to his family.

Cat and Mack are complete opposites…but when the ranch is threatened financially, can they set aside their differences and work together?

My thoughts:

Cowboys, if you had missed it, I like them. Why, well do you really need a why?

Cat is a big city girl with dreams. Sure she has her problems, but it's tough trying to bond with your niece, when that niece is mourning. I get that.

The hero is a cowboy, like you did not see that coming, lol. Mack is nice and works hard to keep the ranch going. He used to be a bronc rider and came home to help his mum. Gotta love a good guy.

The story is about Cat trying to bond with her niece. Cat and Mack falling in love, being passionate, messing things up cos of spoilers spoilers. There is also the story of wanting the ranch to thrive and..well other things I can't mention either. But all good things to read about as they brought excitement. 

Conclusion:

A nice cowboy romance. Boy meets girl, and after a few fights things start to happen.

Genre: Contemporary romance / Western romance
Pages: 373
Published: Feb 5th 2013 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: For review

Interview and giveaway: Joanne Kennedy and Cowboy Crazy

Today Joanne Kennedy is visiting my blog for an interview, and at the end of it there is a giveaway of her new book Cowboy Crazy. Open worldwide.

1. Tell me 3 fun things about yourself…

JK: Let’s see… (1) I have absolutely no sense of direction, to the point where I practically get lost in my own driveway. (2) Although I write about cowboys, I’m terrible at horseback riding. (3) I’ve never outgrown my childhood fear that there are monkeys in the closet.

2. Your new book is called Cowboy Crazy, could you tell me about it?

JK: My new heroine is Sarah Landon, a small-town girl who kicked the country dust off her boots and built herself a new life as a publicity manager for Carrigan Oil. The Carrigan family’s black sheep, rodeo cowboy Lane Carrigan, isn’t about to let her forget that she’s a cowgirl at heart, and when the two of them clash over the fate of Sarah’s old hometown of Two Shot, the secrets she’s tried to leave behind come back to haunt her. It’s up to Lane to help her return to her roots.

3. Why will readers fall helplessly in love with Lane Carrigan, your hero?  

JK: Lane is as wild as any rodeo cowboy could be, but behind carefree façade is a cowboy who genuinely does care—about his friends, about his community, and about Sarah. He was born to wealth, but he wants nothing more than to be a regular guy—a cowboy, a rancher, and a family man.

4. What made you write in this particular genre?

JK: It just came naturally. I started out writing a mystery, but every time I submitted to editors they told me it was “too romancey.” So I bowed to fate and my own mushy heart and turned it into a romance. I’ve never looked back! I really do believe in love and happy endings, because I’ve found my own :)

The whole cowboy thing came naturally, too. I’m originally from back East but I’ve always been fascinated by the West, and I when I moved West twenty years ago I knew I’d found my spiritual home as soon as I saw the big sky. I’m also a horse lover; I’m fascinated by the way cowboys form working partnerships with their horses through understanding and cooperation.

5.  Which character in this book was the most fun to write?

JK: I love Gloria, Sarah’s wild-child friend and roommate. She’s a coffee shop barista with trophy wife ambitions, and she never saw a party she couldn’t liven up with a little table dancing. She’s the kind of person who makes you tear your hair out in frustration even as she’s helping you find the joy in life.

6. Do you know a lot about oil or rodeo? Or do you do a lot of research? Like watching hot cowboys? ;)

JK: I don’t know a lot about oil, but I know the effects the boom-and-bust cycle has on Wyoming’s small towns. When the drilling starts, populations double. Massive trucks roll in and destroy the roads as new residents create a challenge for schools, housing, and law enforcement. Ranchers often don’t own the minerals beneath the soil, so companies that own those minerals can come in and leave their land unfit for grazing without giving them a dime. I support domestic energy production, but I think the companies that profit should work with communities to make sure the old Wyoming and the new can live in harmony.

Okay, I’m climbing off my soapbox so we can talk about the fun stuff. I love rodeo! There is nothing better than a summer day in the rodeo stands, watching your favorite cowboys show their skills. And I love doing research, because it gives me an excuse to hang out behind the chutes where the cowboys get ready to ride. This year, I’m hoping to spend some time with the barrel racers, since I’m working on a book about that side of rodeo.

And of course, I watch hot cowboys whenever I get the chance—and in Wyoming, that’s pretty often!

7. What’s coming next from you?

JK: I just finished Cowboy Tough, about a rodeo cowboy who’s forced to return home when his family turns their cattle operation into a dude ranch. Their first guests include a big-city artist who’s leading a group of painters into the back country to paint landscapes. She likes gallery openings and fine wines; he likes rodeos and shooting beer cans off fence posts. It’s definitely a clash of cultures!

Writing Cowboy Tough has been a real pleasure because Mack Boyd and Cat Crandall, the hero and heroine, have been with me for so long. They were the ones who put an end to my mystery career by being so danged ”romancey” all the time, and I’m happy they finally got their own story and found their happy ending.

Thanks!!

To purchase Cowboy Crazy by Joanne Kennedy, please visit ganxy.com/p/62834. 

GIVEAWAY

2 copies

1 international winner / 1 US or Canada winner

1. Open to all, all over the world

2. Ends June 20th

3. Just go ahead and enter.

If you want to then ask a question, or perhaps tell me if you have seen a real life sexy cowboy ;)

COWBOY CRAZY BY JOANNE KENNEDY – IN STORES JUNE 2012
Sparks fly when sexy cowboys collide with determined heroines in a West filled with quirky characters and sizzling romance. Acclaimed for delivering “a fresh take on the traditional contemporary Western“ Joanne Kennedy’s books might just be your next great discovery!

From stable to boardroom…

Sarah Landon’s Ivy League scholarship transforms her from a wide-eyed country girl into a poised professional. Until she’s assigned to do damage control with the boss’s rebellious brother Lane, who’s the burr in everybody’s saddle. He’s determined to save his community from oil drilling, and she’s not going back to the ranch she left forever. Spurs will shine in this saucy romp about ranchers and roots, redemption and second chances.

Click on the cover for a preview :D Lots of pages to read (still poor cover, it got this weird color when I put it here :(

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joanne Kennedy is the author of four contemporary Western romances for Sourcebooks: Cowboy Trouble One Fine Cowboy, Cowboy Fever, and Tall, Dark and Cowboy. She brings a wide variety of experience, ranging from chicken farming to horse training, to her sexy, spicy cowboy stories. She is a 2011 finalist in the prestigious Romance Writers of American RITA© Awards, for One Fine Cowboy. Joanne lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where she is working on her next book, Cowboy Tough (Fall 2012). For more information, please visit http://joannekennedybooks.com/. To purchase Joanne’s latest release, Cowboy Crazy, please visit ganxy.com/p/62834. 

Cowboy Crazy - Joanne Kennedy

She kicked the country dust off her boots a long time ago…Sarah Landon’s Ivy League scholarship transformed her from a wide-eyed country girl into a poised professional. Her job at the Carrigan Oil Company has given her the sophisticated life she longed for, but when she meets her boss’s black-sheep brother, she realizes her roots are showing.

But he’s ready to remind her she’s a cowgirl at heart. Rebellious rodeo cowboy Lane Carrigan is determined to save the Wyoming community of Two Shot from the ravages of energy development, but Sarah’s convinced her old hometown needs a swift kick in the pants from the march of progress.

When a lapsed cowgirl collides with rodeo royalty, it’s bound to be a wild ride—and somebody’s going to end up in the dirt.

My thoughts:

A bit of cowboy loving, I should not say little. These two sure wanted each other at once and went for it. The trouble was the loving part, the passion was easy ;)

Sarah, I could understand her. Who wants to live in a dying town and with memories like that, so she left and created a new persona. Someone successful and from a good background, but she never lied. She is what Lane should be, but again also re-invented himself and threw away he privileged rich boy and tried his best to become a rancher and a cowboy. So they are opposites, however you look at it. But then does Sarah really want to be all prissy?

After having read 2 other books by her I did expect a bit of drama or something, but this was not that kind of book. This was all about the romance. Sarah struggles with her attraction as he is her boss's brother. And Lane really wants her. But she puts up quite the fight, good for her, he should work for it.

There is also a bit about her getting over something in the past and going back home. The town she never wanted to see again. She does have a few issues to deal with.

Conclusion:

All in all making this a sweet (and passionate) cowboy romance. Boy meets girl, the oldest story in the world, and just as lovely as always.

Cover:

Ok

Genre: Western romance / contemporary romance
Pages. 384
Published: June 1st 2012 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: for review

Interview and Contest: Joanne Kennedy - Tall, Dark and Cowboy

Today I am having Joanne Kennedy over for an interview and at the end you can win her new book Tall, Dark and Cowboy.

Welcome!

1.Could you tell me a little about yourself?

JK: Someone recently pointed out that my own life has been similar to the stories I write. I went through a couple of unsuccessful relationships and had trouble finding my place in the world until I moved to Wyoming. I built an independent life here and was happy with my home, my career and my friends, but  I certainly wasn’t looking for love. Of course, once I’d sworn off men I met the right one, and he inspires me to write romance novels that encourage my readers to hope for their own happy ending.

2. What is Tall, Dark and Cowboy about?

JK: Tall, Dark and Cowboy is about building a new life. When runaway trophy wife Lacey Bradford discovers her ex-husband is a criminal, she sets out with nothing but a beat-up car and an ugly dog, determined to make a fresh start. Chase Caldwell is starting over too, turning a played-out ranch in Wyoming into a growing cattle concern. He’s hoping to find the right woman to share his life, but that woman couldn’t possibly be the rich, spoiled golden girl who broke his heart in high school—or could it? 

3. Give me 3 reasons why readers will fall for sexy Chase Caldwell…

JK: He’s been through enough hardship and heartache to harden his heart, but he still loves deeply—no matter how much he tries to resist. He cares about his family, his friends, and his community and takes responsibility for those less fortunate. And he is one hot, sexy cowboy, with those broad shoulder muscles and a classic Wrangler butt!

4. Would you rather take the Geek or the Cowboy?

JK: I have nothing against Geeks. Really, I don’t. But I love cowboys.  Maybe if the geek wore chaps… no, scrap that. I’ll take the cowboy!

5. Lacey and Chase are very different, is this a good example of how opposites attract?

JK: In some ways, yes. Her strengths are his weaknesses, and vice versa, so they complement each other. But while they seem different on the surface, they share the same values, the same inner strength, and the same soft-hearted core. They just have to make their way through all their superficial differences and realize what really matters.

6. Why did you start writing contemporary westerns?

JK: The first time I drove out west and saw the Great Plains with those long stretches of land under the big sky, I knew I belonged here. I’ve always loved cowboys, Western history, and horses, and I enjoy the way history lives on in the traditions and values of the West. They say to “write what you know,” but I believe you should write what you love, and I love showing readers how unique and beautiful this world is.   

7. What is the best advice you could give an aspiring writer?

JK: I would say that if you truly love to write, if you have stories in your head that are begging to be told, if you treasure the time you spend in your fictional world and can’t imagine ever giving it up, then don’t let anything deter you from your dream. Keep writing, keep learning, and don’t let the inevitable rejections and roadblocks stand in your way. Dedication and persistence are as important as talent. 

Thanks!

Giveaway

2 copies of Tall, Dark and Cowboy

1. US and Canada

2. Ends Nov 13

3. Go ahead and enter :)

Or if you want tell me if you want a cowboy ;)

Tall, Dark and Cowboy by Joanne Kennedy—In Stores November 2011

She’s looking for an old friend…

In the wake of a nasty divorce, Lacey Bradford heads for Wyoming where she’s sure her old friend will take her in. But her high school pal Chase Caldwell is no longer the gangly boy who would follow her anywhere. For one thing, he’s now incredibly buff and handsome, but that’s not all that’s changed…

What she finds is one hot cowboy…

Chase has been through tough times and is less than thrilled to see the girl who once broke his heart. But try as he might to resist her, while Lacey’s putting her life back together, he’s finding new ways to be part of it.

About the Author

Joanne Kennedy is the author of three previous contemporary Western romances for Sourcebooks. She brings a wide variety of experience, ranging from chicken farming to horse training, to her sexy, spicy cowboy stories. She is a 2011 finalist in the prestigious Romance Writers of American RITA© Awards, for One Fine Cowboy. Joanne lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where she is working on her next book, Cowboy Crazy (June 2012). For more information, please visit http://joannekennedybooks.com/. 

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PS. From Blodeuedd
My Flash for the week

Review: Talk, Dark and Cowboy - Joanne Kennedy

Genre: Contemporary romance
Pages: 384
Published: November 1, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: For review

Stunned by the discovery that her lux lifestyle was funded by crime, runaway trophy wife Lacey Bradford is desperate to escape from her ex's criminal cronies and start a new life, so she heads west to find an old love.

But rugged rancher Chase Caldwell has changed, hardened by bitterness and loss. The last thing he's looking for is romance with the first woman who broke his heart...

My thoughts:

There is nothing like a good western, I guess that is why people come to my blog by searching cowboys because I always seem to have something nice to say about them. Perhaps it's because I am country born and bred. But more likely because cowboys are hot.

In this one we have a former geeky farm boy who all through High School was in love with a pretty Cheerleader. But this was a nice cheerleader, not a bitchy one who looked down at him. Still that was not something that would get a happy ending and that brings us to today. Chase is now a hunky cowboy and Lacey is a trophy wife who always did what she was told. She wants to stand on her own legs now, something I applaud. She had everything before, but she was not happy (her husband truly sounds like a big ass.) Chase is afraid to get hurt (poor guy was sure in love with her), but he is a good guy so you know how the story goes. And little by little these two realize they are meant to be. It's a very nice romance, and a bit passionate too. I also like that he is the one that knows from the start and want more. I can't say no to a man like that.

There is also a bit of suspense in it. Lacey is on the run from her ex-husband's shady affairs and someone is after her. Which makes it exciting too.

All in all this is a good romance, a heroine that is really trying to better herself, a hero you can't say no to, a good cast of side characters that you would like to know, a bitchy woman you will want to slap and a creepy "villain."

Conclusion.

It made me smile and that is all I ask for. I want to lose myself in a good romance and in the end I would read more books by her. It made me happy.

Rating:

Nice

Cover:

Hunky torso

Review: Cowboy Fever - Joanne Kennedy

Genre: Contemporary romance

Pages: 416

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca April 1st 2011

Source: From the publisher

Miss Rodeo Wyoming Jodie Bryce is back from the big city to find that her childhood friend Teague Treadwell's rugged cowboy charm never looked better. But Teague thinks Jodie's success lifted her out of his reach, and now he's got to shed his bad boy image to be worthy of the girl next door.

My thoughts:

I liked this one, it was sweet, it had a cowboy and a also a crazy westernbarbie cowboy lover to stir up trouble. Lol, I will tell you all about it.

Jodie was a normal tomboy who loved riding, but then she put on makeup, fancy clothes and became Miss Rodeo and did some modeling before going away to school. She left behind the town's bad boy, Teague. They had been friends since they were little but there had also always been something between them. So while she has been away he has tried to shed his bad boy persona and making some money, while she has cast of her Rodeo Queen ways. But when she comes back he still thinks she is too good for him.

I liked Jodie, she was so down to earth and all she wanted was to help kids with disabilities. She never saw herself as better than Teague who had been poor and lived in a trailer when young. Teague then, oh, hunky cowboy alert! All he wants is to take care of his brother, who has Down syndrome, and to build something and not end up like his dad, the wifebeater. And he has also always been in love with Jodie. All I ever wanted while reading was for these two to get that HEA.

So I mentioned a Barbie, oh yes, the annoying rich girl who dresses more like Western Hooker Barbie, and who is constantly following Teague around cos he is a cowboy and badboy. Her I just wanted to push into a ditch. So let's call her the bad guy of the story, the one that will cause drama.

There is romance, some hot passion, an annoying woman who does not understand the word no, and friendship. Later things will turn bad and we get a bit of suspense.

Conclusion:

I liked it, I read it just like that because it was all sweet and quick to read. A good western with a likeable couple. I would recommend it, and I would read more westerns by this author. Oh and did I mention the hunky cowboy ;)

Rating:

Quick and easy

Cover
Ok



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Pssst:
If you are looking for my Flash Fiction story for the week then you can find it here. I am back at my old blog again

The Winner of A Race to Splendor

Jenny Girl

Did I ever post the Edie ramer winners?

Anyway here they are, and they all got their books already

thebookishsnob
killie81
carolsnotebook