This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Western Romance
Published by Montlake Romance
Released on August 26, 2014
Pages: 249
Format: eBook
Source: Gift
The Delight
This Texas summer is gonna heat up fast when Loretta arrives at her ex-husband’s Texas ranch to drag her daughter back to college away from a handsome cowboy and a whole lotta future regret. Carolyn Brown writes feisty country gal and sassy romance like no other and I settled in the shade with a chilled glass beside me to appreciate this middle-aged summer second chance romance.
Review
It has been seventeen years since Loretta Sullivan Bailey left Lonesome Canyon Ranch and if weren’t for Nona dropping out of college, taking up with a cowboy, and stating she’s going into ranching with her dad, Loretta wouldn’t be back. Jackson Bailey was her childhood sweetheart and a teenage whoopsy pregnancy saw them married young and setting aside their dreams to take on spouse, child and work. Then she caught Jackson in the barn with a hussy and she grabbed Nona and ran all the way to Oklahoma. Her mad is still on and her temper frayed, but what has her really flustered is that after all this time, Jackson hasn’t left her thoughts or her heart. Why didn’t he come after her?
Jackson made the biggest mistake of his young life back then when he he got caught in another woman’s arms. It never occurred to him that Loretta would leave and never give him a chance to explain. He deserved what he got and he’s lived with that mistake ever since. But, here she is and he’s ready to fight for what he ruined and let go. She was always it for him.
Nona knows she’s in for the fight of her life when her mother shows up to drag her back to Oklahoma and college, but she’s up for it. She’s not Loretta’s daughter for nothing. She loves ranching and she loves Travis even when he makes her as mad as fire. She has no idea what broke up her parent’s marriage, but watching them tangle makes her realize that her mama’s return might be more about the past than Nonna.
At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read this one. I like second chance romances, but some situations really stretch my credulity and patience. I knew there was seventeen years of silence since this pair broke up and it wasn’t long into the story when cheating came up. How was this ever going to work for me?
But, I do love the author’s stories and trust her to write her characters and relationships well so I gave it a chance. Let’s just say that the truth was complicated and not as straight forward as it seemed. Just like I really could see how this pair needed the years to grow and mature. They really weren’t ready the first time when they were basically teenage marriage partners and parents and their own parents weren’t exactly supportive though they lived on Jackson’s family ranch. In fact, the pair’s relationship got some help breaking up.
Loretta has a huge head of steam coming into the story and I had to chuckle because she really thought she’d lock it all up in a couple of days, dust off her manicured fingers and head back home. It was obvious that she was projecting her own fears and disappointments onto Nona’s life and she had to face all that before she could even deal with Nona.
Jackson screwed up, no doubt, but he knows that and works hard to show Loretta that she’s it for him and always has been. He isn’t a doormat by any means, but he’s wise enough to let mother and daughter sort out their own luggage. He patiently waits for when Loretta is ready to have the heart to heart and the clear the air talking they needed to have. Meanwhile, he shows her that they still have that sexy fire together when she doesn’t see herself the way Jackson does.
I enjoyed the setting and descriptions of life on a working ranch, the surrounding cast of colorful characters, fun times, sexy times, and the heartwarming moments. I read the second book in the series first and now I see how that all began when certain characters and their stories were introduced in this book.
All in all, it was a firecracker of a summer romance between a mature pair against a country backdrop. Those who enjoy cowboy romance or small town country romances should give this a try.
Challenges Met
Mt. TBR #52
COYER Quarantine #58
Books N Tunes #30 Randy Travis’ Deeper Than the Holler
Reading Assignment Summer #14 Prof Author Luv
Preview
About Carolyn Brown
Hi! I’m twenty five years old and movie star gorgeous. The camera added thirty plus years and a few wrinkles. Can’t trust those cameras or mirrors either. Along with bathroom scales they are notorious liars! Honestly, I am the mother of three fantastic grown children who’ve made me laugh and given me more story ideas than I could ever write. My husband, Charles, is my strongest supporter and my best friend. He’s even willing to eat fast food and help with the laundry while I finish one more chapter! Life is good and I am blessed!
Reading has been a passion since I was five years old and figured out those were words on book pages. As soon as my chubby little fingers found they could put words on a Big Chief tablet with a fat pencil, I was on my way. Writing joined reading in my list of passions. I will read anything from the back of the Cheerio’s box to Faulkner and love every bit of it. In addition to reading I enjoy cooking, my family and the ocean. I love the Florida beaches. Listening to the ocean waves puts my writing brain into high gear.
I love writing romance because it’s about emotions and relationships. Human nature hasn’t changed a bit since Eve coveted the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Settings change. Plots change. Names change. Times change. But love is love and men and women have been falling in and out of it forever. Romance is about emotions: love, hate, anger, laughter… all of it. If I can make you laugh until your sides ache or grab a tissue then I’ve touched your emotions and accomplished what every writer sets out to do.
I got serious about writing when my third child was born and had her days and nights mixed up. I had to stay up all night anyway and it was very quiet so I invested in a spiral back notebook and sharpened a few pencils. The story that emerged has never sold but it’s brought in enough rejection slips to put the Redwood Forest on the endangered list. In 1997 Kensington bought two books for their Precious Gems line. Two years and six books later the line died with only four of those books seeing publication. But by then Avalon had bought a book and another, and another. Ten years later the list has grown to thirty nine. Last year Sourcebooks bought the Lucky Series which is in the bookstores now. They’ve also bought The Honky Tonk Series which will debut with I LOVE THIS BAR in June and will be followed by HELL, YEAH, MY GIVE A DAMN’S BUSTED, and HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS.
Folks ask me where I get my ideas. Three kids, fifteen grandchildren, two great grandchildren. Note: I was a very young grandmother! Life is a zoo around here when they all come home. In one Sunday afternoon there’s enough ideas to keep me writing for years and years. Seriously, ideas pop up at the craziest times. When one sinks its roots into my mind, I have no choice but to write the story. And while I’m writing the characters peek over my shoulder and make sure I’m telling it right and not exaggerating too much. Pesky little devils, they are!
I have a wonderful agent, Erin Niumata, who continues to work magic and sell my work. I’m very lucky to have her and my editors who continue to believe in me.
Happy reading!
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Carolyn Brown writes some very enjoyable books and she is prolific! Great review!
That is for sure. 🙂
I feel the same with second chances….some of them make me wince.
Yeah, the whole ‘I’ve loved you all this time, but I didn’t pursue it until now’ is tough for me to buy. I do better with the ones who make it obvious that they got together too young and had a lot of growing up to do so they could try again.
the cover alone for this one would get me to read it! I love the red boots 🙂
One of my favorite things of her books are how she shows the real genuine workings of a ranch.
Glad you enjoyed this one…lovely review!
I have major cover love going for this one, too. I feel like her characters actually sweat and get tired. It feels more real to me. 🙂
Yay! I’m so happy you gave this a chance even with some of your reservations. I had the same feelings, but as you said not all was as it seemed and they were so immature when they married that there were mistakes on both sides. My only regret is that they let so much time pass before sorting things out. I did love this one to bits, though! Firecracker romance for sure!
I am glad I finally decided to try it, too. It wasn’t anything like I was worrying about and so much fun. Yeah, it was sad they waited so many years, but good that they could get the reunion. 🙂
I adore Carolyn Brown, and that cover is so adorable!Hugs, RO
Yes, isn’t that a sassy cover with the boots the bright part? Thanks for stopping by, Radiant Ro!