Wicked Cowboy Charm - Carolyn Brown (Forever - Feb 2017)

Series: Lucky Penny Ranch (Book 4)

ONE BLIZZARD, ONE BUNKHOUSE, AND A WHOLE LOTTA TROUBLE . . .

Josie Dawson is new in town, but it doesn't take a local to know that Deke Sullivan is trouble--in a smokin' hot package. He's sweet, sexy, and has charmed just about every woman in Dry Creek, Texas. Well, Josie won't be next. She'll keep her distance, even if he is great with babies and makes a mean cup of homemade hot chocolate.

Deke Sullivan really is a one-woman type of guy. He just had to do a lot of looking to find that one woman. Now he thinks he's found her and he won't let a strong, sassy gal like Josie slip away. Just when he's wondering how to convince her he only has eyes for her, they get stranded in a tiny cabin during a major blizzard. If Deke can melt her heart before they dig out of the snow, he'll be the luckiest cowboy in Texas . . .

I have been looking forward to Deke's story since he first appeared in Wild Cowboy Ways. He is a smooth-talking charmer of a man with a well-earned reputation as a ladies' man. He's known for his weekend antics, but no woman has been able to tempt him into more. He finds himself rather envious of the happiness his friends have found and wonders if there is someone out there for him, but is wary of picking the wrong one.

Josie Dawson is Jud's younger sister and partner in their fledgling oil business (Merry Cowboy Christmas). She is tall, blond, and independent. She has come to Dry Creek to set up oil drilling on the Lucky Penny and look for a ranch of her own for the rodeo stock she wants to acquire. She recently ended a relationship and had no plans to get involved in another one and figures she'll be too busy working anyway.

Fate has plans for Deke and Josie. One look at each other over a couple of bags of goat feed has the sparks flying, but there are obstacles. Josie is kin to his best friends, and there are rules about that type of thing. Getting involved with her could create a whole host of problems. For Josie, she has been warned about Deke and his reputation. She's been burned once by a man who couldn't stick with one woman; she wasn't about to go down that road again.

I loved the development of Josie and Deke's relationship. From the moment they met there is a connection. Because Deke has always been like a member of the Logan sisters' family, that relationship has continued and included their Dawson husbands. There are some good scenes early on where Josie gives as good as she gets when Deke's teasing gets going. She also can't deny the attraction she feels, though she does her best to ignore it.  Deke and Josie discover that they're both headed to Montana to look at bulls for their ranches, though Josie is relieved to know that they are headed to different parts of the state. Mother Nature throws a kink in Josie's plans when a winter storm cancels her sale, so she asks around for another one she can go to instead. Sure enough, she finds herself at the same ranch as Deke, where they both get snowed in.

I loved this week with Deke, Josie, Deke's dog Rascal, and ranch owner Emmett. Emmett is a real character of a man with a pretty wicked sense of humor. Deke and Josie end up sharing a very small bunkhouse, giving them the opportunity to really get to know each other. I loved seeing a real friendship grow over the sharing of ranch chores, meals, and long hours of not much to do but talk. There is a really sweet scene where Deke's cowboy gentleman comes out as he saves Josie from a vicious spider without even a hint of laughing at her. There is also a proposition from their host that will give Deke and Josie an unexpected boost in their individual ranch plans and bring them even closer together. Simmering under all that friendship and business talk is an attraction that just keeps getting stronger. By the time they head back to Texas, together this time, neither can deny the heat. Their trip home is filled with further adventures, from trying to outrun more storms to delivering a baby.

By this time Deke knows that he has finally met the one that could make his dreams come true. The problem is trying to convince Josie of that fact. Things look pretty good until a bit of Deke's past makes her wonder if she's made another mistake. Deke is left having to work for the attention of the woman he wants. I have to say that he came through with flying colors thanks to the dates he came up with. My favorite was the first one, with the hints that led up to it and the thought he put into it. The second showed just how much he had changed, and the third was just plain smoking. I loved the reactions when he was seen sharing a hymnal at church, and walking out of the service together. Deke's big moment right before Valentine's Day was sweet and romantic.

The couples from the previous books make appearances, but my favorite secondary characters were Emmett and Martha. He is sweet, a little bit lonely, and a lot of fun.  It was so wonderful to see how quickly he became a friend to Deke and Josie. I loved his stories about his late wife and his current lady friend, Martha. His proposal to Deke and Josie about the bulls and his future was incredible. The fun really picked up when Martha arrived. Her sense of humor was even more wicked than Emmett's. She and Josie had some hilarious conversations, especially over some apple pie moonshine. I loved Martha's reaction to Emmett's plans and what she did about it. I loved the decisions they made after visiting Dry Creek and would love to see more of them. Another fun character was Deke's dog, Rascal. He was described so well that I could picture him easily. I really loved the descriptions of his reactions to the snow in Montana, and the way he kissed up to Emmett. "His" gift to Emmett when Deke and Josie and he were ready to leave was adorable.

Merry Cowboy Christmas - Carolyn Brown (Forever - Sept 2016)

Series: Lucky Penny Ranch (Book 3)

THIS CHRISTMAS, SANTA'S WEARING A STETSON

Tis the night before Christmas and all through the house is the presence of one wickedly hot cowboy who's come to stay for the holiday. Fiona Logan is downright shocked to return to her childhood home and find that the tall blond stranger who came to her rescue on an icy road will be sleeping just across the hall from her bedroom. Talk about temptation . . .

Jud Dawson never believed the Lucky Penny Ranch would live up to its name until now. Fiona is gorgeous, smart, funny, and everything he thought he'd never find. Now all he has to do is convince her to stick around town instead of hightailing it back to Houston. But with wild weather, nosy neighbors, and a new baby in the family, getting her to admit that she's falling in love might just take a Christmas miracle.

Good book. The third in the series, this one is about Jud Dawson, cousin to Blake and Toby, and co-owner of the Lucky Penny Ranch. He is the last to move to the ranch as he had a previous job commitment to finish. He's looking forward to putting down roots and building a place for future generations of Dawsons. All he needs now is to find the right woman to have everything he wants. I really liked Jud. He's easygoing, sweet, and hardworking. I loved the way that he could see the fun in almost any situation.

Fiona is the third of the Logan sisters and the one who flew the nest the furthest. Now she is back in Dry Creek, but not entirely by her choice. She isn't looking forward to telling her family about her failed marriage and the loss of her career but after a year of barely making ends meet she is at the end of her rope. She has come home to regroup and reconnect with her family before looking for another job in a city. She is smart, sassy, and has a bit of that red-headed temper going for her.

I loved the development of their relationship. From the moment he and Fiona met, Jud was pretty much a goner. But instead of a full frontal assault, Jud takes things slowly. I loved seeing them develop a good friendship first. From late night talks over leftovers or cookies and milk to conspiring to rehabilitate the grouchy couple who created such trouble in the previous books, Jud and Fiona slowly get to know each other. I loved the way that Jud really understood Fiona. She has never felt like she really fit in her family or the town, but came to realize that the city wasn't right for her. With a little bit of experience under her belt, she discovers that home is much more important to her than she had thought. I loved watching her settle into life in Dry Creek. The relationship between Fiona and Jud also began to heat up, and both realized that there was something deeper growing between them. But when Fiona is offered the chance to go back to the city, she has a decision to make. Give up her new life in Dry Creek and fly away, or put down those roots she hadn't realized she wanted? I loved Jud's support of whatever decision she made and how it helped her see the truth. I loved the ending and how everything came together for them.

I loved seeing more of the previous couples and the scenes with baby Audrey were adorable. There was an interesting minor thread dealing with Jud's plans to look for oil on the Lucky Penny and the possible involvement of his sister Josie. It made a nice lead into the next book. But the most unexpected and fun was the big part that Truman and Dora June O'Dell played. The two of them had caused a lot of trouble in the previous books with their negative attitudes. In this book, their house burned down, and Fiona's mother invited Truman and Dora June to stay with them. The young people are horrified but obey Katy's "love your neighbor" directive. It doesn't take too long for them to see a different side to Dora June and I loved seeing her quickly make a place for herself. Truman was a harder nut to crack. It was hilarious to see Jud take him on as a project, and his methods were ingenious. The Santa Claus thing was a riot. Truman's Christmas gift to Dora June showed just how much he'd changed.

Hot Cowboy Nights - Carolyn Brown (Forever - June 2016)

Series: Lucky Penny Ranch (Book 2)

Let’s give ’em something to talk about…

If gossip is the lifeblood of a small town, then Lizzy Logan has been its beating heart. After being dumped by her fiancé for another woman, she could have decided to crawl under a rock. But no, she’d rather really set tongues wagging by “moving on” with one of the hottest cowboys in Texas, who happens to live next door at the Lucky Penny Ranch. Those busybodies don’t have to know it’s actually all pretend. And just because Lizzy has no aim to tame her wild, blue-eyed neighbor doesn’t mean she can’t enjoy the ride of her life.

Toby Dawson never was and never will be the settling-down type. But what harm could there be in agreeing to be Lizzy’s pretend boyfriend? They’ll put on a show for a few weeks and be done. Yet the more he gets to know Lizzy -- really know her -- the harder it is for him to keep his hands off of her in private. Soon this rough-and-ready cowboy is hoping to heal Lizzy’s bruised heart and turn their fake affair into a true romance…

Fun book. Toby is the second partner in the Lucky Penny Ranch. He is determined to help his brother and cousin turn it into a successful cattle ranch. He met Lizzy when his brother Blake married her sister Allie (Wild Cowboy Ways). Lizzy had recently been dumped by her wannabe preacher fiancé and is still feeling the effects of the gossip surrounding it. There is an immediate spark between the two of them, and they begin a secret fling. For three weeks they get together whenever they can. But after three weeks, Lizzy realizes that she wants more from a man - she's ready to look for her forever man, and Toby isn't it. He's made no secret of the fact that he's not the settling down kind. But they remain friends.

Then Lizzy gets word that her ex-fiancé is coming back to town. She's over him, but the gossips are having a field day, making it look like she's still moping over him. And Toby is having problems with one of the women in town aggressively pursuing him. So they decide to have a pretend relationship with each other until after the Fourth of July.

I loved the relationship that grew between them. It started out a bit backwards, with the short affair that ended, then they dated, but it worked for them. The sparks are still there, but they do their best to ignore them. Instead, their pretend dating gives them a chance to actually get to know each other. Though Toby comes across at first as a real player, he's never mean about it. All the ladies he's with know the score and everyone ends up happy.  I loved seeing the changes in Lizzy from the first book, where she tried to make herself over to fit Mitch's requirements. Now she's determined to be the woman she was meant to be, and honest to herself. It only takes a couple "fake" dates for them to realize that they truly like each other. Toby is rather confused by the discovery that being with Lizzy doesn't make him want to head for the hills, that he's actually thinking of long-term with her. There are several funny parts where he is mentally arguing with himself about what he sees happening to himself. Lizzy has the same problem. She knows Toby's reputation and doesn't want to get her heart broken by falling for him. But the more time she's with him, the more she wants it all.

It was sweet to see how Toby's romantic nature came out. He's a little bit vulnerable because Lizzy is the first he's wanted a real relationship with and he's afraid of screwing it up. His efforts to woo her are sweet and romantic and just right for the woman she is. He also has a pretty good protective streak, and is there to back her up when she needs it. I loved Lizzy's side of the story. She is sassy, always ready with a comeback, loyal to her friends and family. Having Toby for a fake boyfriend will help her fight back against the attitudes of some of the townspeople. I loved seeing the two of them playing it up for the ones who are especially judgmental. It was even more fun when they decided to make their relationship real. Their dates would try to be romantic, but there was usually something, be it a skunk, a tornado, or an accident that would throw a complication into the works. Each time it brought them closer. Even their one argument was short-lived because one realized they were in the wrong and admitted it, and the other didn't hold a grudge. As it got closer to time for the festival and Mitch's return to Dry Creek, Toby got really nervous that Lizzy might go back to him. I absolutely loved the meeting between Lizzy and Mitch, and seeing her stand up to him. There was a nice little twist involving his new girl, too. I also loved the surprise that Lizzy had for Toby at the very end.

I loved the small town characters too. Once again Lucy is there to stand up for one of the Logan girls against the local self-righteous crowd. She also doesn't hold back from stirring the pot a little bit. Dora June and her crowd were a right pain in the neck and I loved seeing Lizzy and Toby pushing back against them. I loved the scene where it was her against the Logan girls (and mom Katy) and had to laugh at the consequences of her actions. There were also those who were against the Dawsons and their plans for the Lucky Penny. I loved seeing Blake and Toby's determination to prove them all wrong. It was great to see more of Blake and Allie and also Deke. He's as much of a player as Toby and I can't wait to see him fall.