Committing to the Cowgirl - Review

Committing to the Cowgirl (Colorado Cowgirls, # 1)

By: Jody Hedlund

Publication: July 1, 2023

230 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction,

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--After years away, Astrid Nilsson has returned home to Colorado, hoping to become Fairplay’s second doctor . . . and to find healing for her reoccurring consumption. Spirited and independent, Astrid doesn’t want her illness to be a burden to those she loves, so she has resisted getting serious about any man.

As the current doctor of Fairplay, Logan Steele is seeking to hire a male physician to take over his clinic after he goes back East. When Astrid, his childhood sweetheart, insists that she’s the one for the job, he offers her a bargain she can’t refuse: pretend to court him to appease his mother and he’ll give her the doctor position on a trial basis.

Astrid accepts the arrangement even though she’s reluctant to be in a sham relationship with a man who’d once broken her heart. She tries to keep herself from falling for Logan again but soon finds herself getting much more than she bargained for. With the clock ticking for both of them, can they commit to real love before it’s too late?

Jody Hedlund has become an auto-author for me. I can't quite say "auto-buy" because she releases books faster than I can keep up. But she is an author that I've come to learn I will probably enjoy anything she publishes. That being said, I always hoped Astrid would get her own book from the Colorado Cowboys series. So when I found out her story would be the start of a new series, I knew I would have to read it. And so I ended up buying this with a gift card I got for Christmas, and it was the perfect book to read when I read it because I needed to switch genres. I needed to read something fast that I would get hooked into quickly. And Committing to the Cowgirl did just that.

Astrid had consumption when she was little, and her sister moved her to Fairplay in an attempt to save her. Astrid has since grown up and moved away from Colorado, but her consumption is returning. Now that she has her medical license, she's hoping to return to Colorado and set up a private practice. The only trouble is that the practice is currently run by the one man who broke her heart many years ago. Logan Steele.

Logan was surprised to see Astrid show up for a job interview. He is all for women doctors, but he knows better than most how unaccepting others are of women. And he makes Astrid a deal to see how things go if she pretends to court him so that he can appease his dying mother who only wants to see her son happily settled. Unfortunately, the town is hit with an influenza outbreak. Astrid's consumption makes her case even more serious.

Personally, I felt like things wrapped up a little too quickly and smoothly. I suppose the plot didn't need to be drawn out. And I sure hate conflict for conflict's sake. It just felt a little jarring to me how quickly and smoothly everything turned around. I felt a little whiplash.

Favorite quotes:

-"I'll never, never consider you a burden. Do you understand? Never."

-Was it possible to twist a situation and see what one wanted rather than see the truth?

Of course, that's possible. And people do it all the time.

On the one hand, Committing to the Cowgirl was exactly what I needed at the time that I picked it up. I read it so fast. It was nice to have less than 300 pages when I've been reading 400+ page books lately. And I could easily get sucked in and root for these characters. It was also nice to have a break from language and spicy content. Jody Hedlund does a great job of building tension without having to be descriptive at all. And I'm glad to see that Astrid finally gets her happily ever after. Committing to the Cowgirl gets 4 Stars. Have you read Committing to the Cowgirl? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for Committing to the Cowgirl

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

Committing to the Cowgirl (Colorado Cowgirls, # 1)

By: Jody Hedlund

Expected Publication: July 1, 2023

? pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction,

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--After years away, Astrid Nilsson has returned home to Colorado, hoping to become Fairplay’s second doctor . . . and to find healing for her reoccurring consumption. Spirited and independent, Astrid doesn’t want her illness to be a burden to those she loves, so she has resisted getting serious about any man.

As the current doctor of Fairplay, Logan Steele is seeking to hire a male physician to take over his clinic after he goes back East. When Astrid, his childhood sweetheart, insists that she’s the one for the job, he offers her a bargain she can’t refuse: pretend to court him to appease his mother and he’ll give her the doctor position on a trial basis.

Astrid accepts the arrangement even though she’s reluctant to be in a sham relationship with a man who’d once broken her heart. She tries to keep herself from falling for Logan again but soon finds herself getting much more than she bargained for. With the clock ticking for both of them, can they commit to real love before it’s too late?

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

The Last Chance Cowboy - Review

The Last Chance Cowboy (Colorado Cowboy, # 5)

By: Jody Hedlund

Publication: February 14th 2023 by Bethany House

352 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--As a midwife, Catherine Remington is successful in bringing new life into the world, but she's failed one too many times in finding true love. When she's accused of a murder she didn't commit, she's forced to flee and decides to run away to Colorado to honor a patient's dying wish to deliver a newborn infant to his father.

The repentant prodigal Dylan McQuaid is finally back in Fairplay. Elected as sheriff, he's doing his best to prove to the town he's a changed man and worthy of their trust. When a woman shows up with an infant son he didn't know he had, Dylan is left with only complicated choices on what to do next.

Having grown attached to Dylan's son, Catherine doesn't want to part ways with the infant, but what she doesn't bargain for is how easily she'll fall for the charming rogue, or how quickly her past will catch up with her and put their love and lives in danger.

Bestselling author Jody Hedlund brings her Colorado Cowboys series to an adventuresome close with this page-turning Western romance.

I wasn't sure what headspace Dylan would be in when The Last Chance Cowboy started. But thankfully, he's repented of his wild ways and is working very hard to do better with his life. He's been elected as sheriff on a kind of temporary basis. At least until the next election. He has been sober since coming back to Colorado, and he has been staying away from women, too. I was worried he would be a drunk mess when this book started, so I'm thankful we didn't have to go through the worst of his transformation with him.

Catherine was the midwife that assisted with the birth of Dylan's illegitimate son. Kit died giving birth, but before she passed, she begged Catherine to take Austin to Dylan. Catherine didn't have plans to follow through with her agreement, but she witnesses a murder and basically runs for safety. When she arrives in Colorado, Dylan doesn't realize that she's not Kit. He was drunk for almost all of his interactions with Kit. And so he offers to marry her. Catherine has developed a bond with Austin and doesn't want to give him up. She sees that marrying Dylan might be convenient.

I know I've discussed several times that I love marriages of convenience. The concept is so foreign to our culture. But I love the idea of almost immediately being a team. It wouldn't be "convenient" if both parties didn't get something out of the arrangement. And so the relationships start with some common ground and then develop into love. It's what makes them so beautiful.

I liked that Dylan wasn't completely untempted by his former vices. He still struggles with the call of alcohol. And his understanding that he's already been intimate with Catherine causes him to attempt to be more physical with her than he originally agreed. In hindsight, I can see more things that I feel Dylan should have picked up on or questioned.

Without spoiling too much, I thought Catherine would be honest with Dylan about the mixup very early on. The first time she changed her mind and didn't tell him right away, I understood, but the longer it took her to tell him, the more frustrated with her I became.

I do find it a little unbelievable that often characters in stories like these are willing to give up their partner when they find out the secret they've been hiding. They feel betrayed and that makes them feel like they can't forgive. But when the partner is physically threatened, they suddenly realize that they can't live without them, afterall. Why is that? They were ready to be parted with them? Yet it takes a threat to their safety to make them realize how they truly feel? One of those things I probably shouldn't question too much, I guess.

Favorite quotes:

-"When we do what's right, then we can trust the good Lord for the outcome of His choosing. Might not be exactly what we want, but when we always honor Him, He blesses us for it."

-"The list of my transgressions and shame could drown me in the depths of the sea." "Then let them drown, but without you."

The Last Chance Cowboy is a book that I was afraid I wouldn't get for review since I didn't get approved for a review copy of Falling for the Cowgirl. This made it one of my most anticipated books of 2023. I really enjoyed it. Dylan had a lot of shame and regret to work through, but when he gave his life to God, he got more in return than he could have expected. Catherine was an easily likeable character for her willingness to help those less fortunate--or whoever needed her. I happily give The Last Chance Cowboy 4 Stars. Now I wait for Astrid's book to be the first of a new spinoff series by Jody Hedlund. Have you read The Last Chance Cowboy? What did you think? Let me know!

Falling for the Cowgirl - Review

Falling for the Cowgirl (Colorado Cowboys, # 4)

By: Jody Hedlund

Expected Publication: October 10th 2022 by Bethany House Publishers

352 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--As the only girl in her family, and with four older brothers, Ivy McQuaid can rope and ride with the roughest of ranchers. She's ready to have what she's always longed for--a home of her own. She's set her heart on a parcel of land south of Fairplay and is saving for it with her winnings from the cowhand competitions she sneaks into.

After two years away, Jericho Bliss is back in South Park as an undercover Pinkerton agent searching for a war criminal. He has no intention of involving a woman in the dangerous life he leads, but one look at Ivy is all it takes for him to question the path he's set out for himself.

Even though Jericho tries to resist his longtime attraction to the beautiful and vivacious Ivy, he finds himself falling hard and fast for her. In the process, his worst fear comes true--he puts her smack dab in the middle of danger. With Ivy's life in the balance, will Jericho give her up once again, or will he find a way back to her, this time forever?

I've been excited to read Ivy's story since the first book of this series, A Cowboy for Keeps introduced her as a wild young child. And I've seen her grow and continue her wildness throughout the series. At the end of the last book To Tame a Cowboy, Ivy seems to have actually grown. She's not following the ways of a typical well-bred lady, but she's not a child anymore. And she knows what she wants.

At the start of Falling for the Cowgirl she knows even more what she wants. She wants to get out from under her overbearing brother's thumbs and get her own place. She wants to raise sheep on her own land. And she's always, always wanted Jericho Bliss. The problem is that he left her, and he hasn't come back since. Until now. Just when Ivy is doing whatever she can to earn the money she needs to purchase her own land.

Jericho has always felt like Ivy's brothers didn't watch out for her enough. And in one way or another, he's tried to do what he could to have her back. But he had to leave helping her brother Dylan escape from some bookies he owed money to. When Jericho left with Dylan, he went back to Chicago and signed up to work for the Pinkerton Agency as an undercover agent. He's back in Fairplay chasing down a criminal of the worst sort. He never meant to get entangled back up with Ivy, but it seems he never could stay away.

I love Jody Hedlund's books because she writes Christian Fiction without straying from real struggles. Part of that is the struggle two people feel when they're in love and want to be together. Ignoring these desires and struggles is a weakness in a lot of Christian fiction if you ask me. Of course, fiction isn't often realistic, but I think it sets up unrealistic expectations for any younger or inexperienced readers. Jody Hedlund does a great job with all of her couples, and I can't forsee not checking out any of her upcoming books.

Favorite quotes:

-What was wrong with her that everyone was always abandoning her? Why didn't anyone ever love her enough to stay?

-"You get on with building your life on the good Lord 'cause He's the only thing that ain't gonna crumble away when the going gets rough and people leave you behind. Believe me. I oughta know."

-But maybe she'd been looking too much to people to make her life meaningful instead of looking to the Almighty first.

Ivy's story didn't disappoint. She's as headstrong as usual. She's always taking risks and not always thinking things through. But she's authentic. I hurt for her over her scars from the past, how frequently she felt abandoned and uncared for. I loved her story with Jericho. And I can't wait for Dylan's story to round out the series (unless Astrid is going to end up getting a book--which I would love). Falling for the Cowgirl gets 4 Stars. Have you read Falling for the Cowgirl? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for The Last Chance Cowboy

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

The Last Chance Cowboy (Colorado Cowboy, # 5)

By: Jody Hedlund

Expected Publication: February 14th 2023 by Bethany House

352 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--As a midwife, Catherine Remington is successful in bringing new life into the world, but she's failed one too many times in finding true love. When she's accused of a murder she didn't commit, she's forced to flee and decides to run away to Colorado to honor a patient's dying wish to deliver a newborn infant to his father.

The repentant prodigal Dylan McQuaid is finally back in Fairplay. Elected as sheriff, he's doing his best to prove to the town he's a changed man and worthy of their trust. When a woman shows up with an infant son he didn't know he had, Dylan is left with only complicated choices on what to do next.

Having grown attached to Dylan's son, Catherine doesn't want to part ways with the infant, but what she doesn't bargain for is how easily she'll fall for the charming rogue, or how quickly her past will catch up with her and put their love and lives in danger.

Bestselling author Jody Hedlund brings her Colorado Cowboys series to an adventuresome close with this page-turning Western romance.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Can't Wait for Falling for the Cowgirl

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

Falling for the Cowgirl (Colorado Cowboys, # 4)

By: Jody Hedlund

Expected Publication: October 10th 2022 by Bethany House Publishers

352 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--As the only girl in her family, and with four older brothers, Ivy McQuaid can rope and ride with the roughest of ranchers. She's ready to have what she's always longed for--a home of her own. She's set her heart on a parcel of land south of Fairplay and is saving for it with her winnings from the cowhand competitions she sneaks into.

After two years away, Jericho Bliss is back in South Park as an undercover Pinkerton agent searching for a war criminal. He has no intention of involving a woman in the dangerous life he leads, but one look at Ivy is all it takes for him to question the path he's set out for himself.

Even though Jericho tries to resist his longtime attraction to the beautiful and vivacious Ivy, he finds himself falling hard and fast for her. In the process, his worst fear comes true--he puts her smack dab in the middle of danger. With Ivy's life in the balance, will Jericho give her up once again, or will he find a way back to her, this time forever?

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

To Tame a Cowboy - Review

To Tame a Cowboy (Colorado Cowboys, # 3)

By: Jody Hedlund

Publication: May 3rd 2022 by Bethany House Publishers

368 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Brody McQuaid is a broken man, and he knows it. While his body survived the war, his soul did not. Besides loving his little niece, his only other sense of purpose comes from saving the wild horses that roam South Park. Ranchers in the area have taken to killing the horses, which are competing with their cattle to feed on the open grass.

Savannah Marshall is a veterinarian on her family's Colorado ranch. She longs to keep her father happy following the tragic death of her older brother, including marrying a man of his choosing. But days before her wedding, she gets cold feet and disappears to South Park. As she learns more about the destruction of the horses, she joins Brody in an attempt to save the wild creatures. But when Savannah's family and the resentments of the area cattlemen catch up with them both, Brody and Savannah will have to tame their fears if they've any hope to let love run free.

I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy Brody's story or not. His character isn't in a good place when The Heart of a Cowboy ends. But a few years have passed and while Brody still isn't in the best place, things are better than they were at the end of the previous book. Jody Hedlund's choice to begin the book where she does help a ton because I was nearly immediately sucked into this story.

Savannah fled her home days before her wedding was to take place to a man she doesn't love. When Brody stops a fellow rancher from beating a wild mustang, Savannah jumps in to help the horse. She talks Brady and Flinn into taking her on as a temporary veterinarian on their ranch. Flynn agrees because he sees Brody's reaction to Savannah.

Brody has an almost instant connection and attraction to Savannah. I like how Jody Hedlund writes Christian stories, but she doesn't ignore the fact that very real physical things, desires, temptations, etc happen between couples that are attracted to one another. Savannah, Flora (Flynn and Linnea's daughter), and the wild mustangs are the only things that seem to bring Brody to life after the war.

I loved that Ivy was an active character in To Tame a Cowboy because she's so brash. She's young and has a lot to learn. I can't wait to read her story next.

I have to say that I was a little frustrated with how long it took Savannah to decide how to address her father's wishes for her. Regardless, I loved these two and their story.

Favorite quotes:

-"You're fighting demons with your fists, but from what I've seen, no one ever wins a battle with fists or strong drink or even ignoring the hurts."

-"This week, watching you tame that stallion, I couldn't help but notice that you have the most patience for the wildest of creatures. Maybe God has the most patience with the wildest of us too."

She’d grown to admire Hades’s resilience, strength, and perseverance. He cared about his band, his mares and foals, and led them with dignity. And now he glanced in their direction. He nodded, as though communicating with them. Did he know they’d chased him only because they wanted to save his life? Did he realize the fear of the past couple of days would lead to his freedom? Maybe he’d never understand what they’d done, but she liked to think he was thanking them for their efforts anyway. Was that the way God was with His children? Did He drive them through difficulties, up steep mountains, because He cared and was leading them to better pastures? Even when they didn’t understand what He was doing, maybe He was asking them to thank Him regardless.

-"...wounds might shape us, but they can't determine who we are."

-...sometimes loving people meant letting them go through their difficulties instead of providing a way for them to escape.

I particularly liked the messages about Brody's struggles and what it took to bring him back to a relationship with God. I also loved Brody and Savannah's relationship growth. I'm looking forward to Ivy's story to come next. And honestly, there wasn't much I didn't enjoy about To Tame a Cowboy which means it gets 4 Stars. Have you read To Tame a Cowboy? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for To Tame a Cowboy

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

To Tame a Cowboy (Colorado Cowboys, # 3)

By: Jody Hedlund

Expected Publication: March 3rd 2022 by Bethany House Publishers

368 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Brody McQuaid is a broken man, and he knows it. While his body survived the war, his soul did not. Besides loving his little niece, his only other sense of purpose comes from saving the wild horses that roam South Park. Ranchers in the area have taken to killing the horses, which are competing with their cattle to feed on the open grass.

Savannah Marshall is a veterinarian on her family's Colorado ranch. She longs to keep her father happy following the tragic death of her older brother, including marrying a man of his choosing. But days before her wedding, she gets cold feet and disappears to South Park. As she learns more about the destruction of the horses, she joins Brody in an attempt to save the wild creatures. But when Savannah's family and the resentments of the area cattlemen catch up with them both, Brody and Savannah will have to tame their fears if they've any hope to let love run free.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

The Heart of a Cowboy - Review

The Heart of a Cowboy (Colorado Cowboys, # 2)

By: Jody Hedlund

Expected Publication: October 5th 2021 by Bethany House Publishers

384 pages

Genre: Adult, Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Brilliant scientist Linnea Newberry is on the adventure of a lifetime, traveling the Santa Fe Trail with her grandfather, Dr. Powell, on a botanical expedition to Colorado Territory. She longs to be taken seriously by the other team members, but at every calamity she faces, her grandfather threatens to send her home.

After watching his ma suffer and die in childbirth, Flynn McQuaid has sworn off women and marriage forever. Headed west to start a new life, he has his hands full not only taking care of his younger siblings but also delivering cattle to his brother. He doesn't need more complications.

When Flynn rescues Linnea from drowning during a river crossing, Dr. Powell promptly hires Flynn--unbeknownst to Linnea--to act as her bodyguard for the rest of the trip. As Flynn fights against the many dangers of the trail, he soon finds himself in the greatest danger of all--falling for a woman he's determined not to love.

I've read a couple of books about wagon trails to west America in the last year or so. They're often full of pain and suffering. And sure, maybe every good story needs some pain and suffering. But I don't always like to go into a story expecting it. I like to be as surprised by it as the characters are. Anyway, I said that to say that I wasn't stoked to see The Heart of the Cowboy focus so much on the journey to Colorado. But it makes sense. Wyatt needs more cows added to his herd. Flynn, Dylan, and Ivy need a reason and way to travel to Colorado. And so it just makes sense.

Flynn was easy to love with his struggles. He has seen so much. His dad died, and his mom remarried an abusive man who stole their family farm out from under them. Then his mom has struggled from one stillbirth to another. Flynn decides that he won't ever put a woman through childbirth. He also couldn't prevent his younger brother, Brody, from heading off to enlist in the war. And he and Wyatt have always had tension and disagreements. So he's looking forward to starting a new life in Colorado, but also, he needs to distance himself from his past. I could also relate to his struggles to parent Dylan and Ivy. They both need a parent...or better yet, two parents, but the harder he tries the more they rebel or resent him for it.

Linnea. Bless her. She's a magnet for life threatening situations. She's an educated botanist. But she's rarely taken seriously because she's a woman. She convinced her grandfather to let her join on his expedition to catalog the plants on their journey to Colorado and back for a manual he was compiling with a group of other scientists. No matter how hard she worked, her contributions weren't appreciated by the group. And despite everything stacked against her, Linnea was just a sweet character. She was also easy to love.

Desire was rampant between these two. And I don't often find that Christian authors touch on this too frequently. So it was nice to see these two have to struggle with this. The tension between them was glorious. And it felt like the relationship was the driving force of the story. I always prefer books where this is the case.

I was happy to get to know Wyatt and Flynn's siblings a little bit through this story. Dylan is quite the ladies man, so I can see his struggles coming from a mile away. Ivy is a firecracker. And I can't wait for her story. Brody's book will come next. And we didn't get much about him except a chapter at the end of The Heart of a Cowboy to set up his book.

Also one quick note, I liked how the Native Americans weren't the bad guys during this wagon train tale as they so often are.

Favorite quotes:

-“I could never be like you.”“And you don’t have to be. You just have to be the truest form of you.”

-Did a man need to cast aside all chivalry in order to respect a woman’s worth? Or was it possible for men to regard women with high esteem while also valuing their intelligence?

-The God who took care of the grass and the flowers and the trees had taken care of her just as He’d promised.

The Heart of a Cowboy was the first book this month to really hold my attention from the beginning. Of course, it helps that the opening sequence is Linnea basically drowning and being rescued. Linnea and Flynn were both easy to love. And I can't wait to read more from the McQuaid siblings. The Heart of a Cowboy gets 4 Stars. Have you read The Heart of a Cowboy? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for The Heart of a Cowboy

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

The Heart of a Cowboy (Colorado Cowboys, # 2)

By: Jody Hedlund

Expected Publication: October 5th 2021 by Bethany House Publishers

384 pages

Genre: Adult, Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Brilliant scientist Linnea Newberry is on the adventure of a lifetime, traveling the Santa Fe Trail with her grandfather, Dr. Powell, on a botanical expedition to Colorado Territory. She longs to be taken seriously by the other team members, but at every calamity she faces, her grandfather threatens to send her home.

After watching his ma suffer and die in childbirth, Flynn McQuaid has sworn off women and marriage forever. Headed west to start a new life, he has his hands full not only taking care of his younger siblings but also delivering cattle to his brother. He doesn't need more complications.

When Flynn rescues Linnea from drowning during a river crossing, Dr. Powell promptly hires Flynn--unbeknownst to Linnea--to act as her bodyguard for the rest of the trip. As Flynn fights against the many dangers of the trail, he soon finds himself in the greatest danger of all--falling for a woman he's determined not to love.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

A Cowboy for Keeps - Review

A Cowboy for Keeps (Colorado Cowboys, # 1)

By: Jody Hedlund

Publication: January 5th 2021 by Bethany House Publishers

384 pages

Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Adult

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Greta Nilsson's trip west to save her ailing little sister, Astrid, could not have gone more wrong. First, bandits hold up her stagecoach, stealing all her money. Then, upon arriving in Fairplay, Colorado, she learns the man she was betrothed to as a mail-order bride has died. Homeless, penniless, and jobless, Greta and her sister are worse off than when they started.

Wyatt McQuaid is struggling to get his new ranch up and running and is in town to purchase cattle when the mayor proposes the most unlikely of bargains. He'll invest in a herd of cattle for Wyatt's ranch if Wyatt agrees to help the town become more respectable by marrying and starting a family. And the mayor, who has promised to try to help Greta, has just the candidate in mind for Wyatt to marry.

I just love marriages of convenience. I can't seem to get enough of them. I love seeing two characters make a decision to commit to something before feelings are involved and then work towards finding a way to develop those feelings. Logic usually ties the two together in the beginning, something they both get out of the agreement, and then the process of them working together towards a common goal and learning about each other brings about the feelings and emotions one would hope to be involved in marriage. Well A Cowboy for Keeps was right up my alley.

Greta is the only one left to take care of her little sister. Her mother and father have both passed away, and her brothers have married and have families of their own. Astrid suffers from consumption and her medical needs have become a burden to her brothers' families. Greta is encouraged to marry and take Astrid with her when she does. That being said, Greta has heard that the mountain air out in Colorado is good for consumption, and she accepts a mail order bride offer from a nice middle-aged man in Colorado. The only problem is, when she shows up in the town he's from, it appears he's died leaving her in a worse position than she was in before. The mining town offers nothing for a single woman except work that Greta isn't willing to take.

Wyatt left his family in hopes of striking gold, but when mining didn't turn up much luck for him, he switched to ranching. His goal is to bring his mother and siblings to his ranch once he gets it established to get them away from his abusive stepfather. The only problem is that Wyatt is struggling and using every spare penny to invest back into the ranch. He needs an investor and finds the potential for one in the town mayor. The only trouble is, the Mayor needs to convince his city-wife that the town is turning from a manly-mining town into a civilized, family-oriented place. So the Mayor seizes the opportunity of Greta being a single woman in need of a husband and Wyatt needing an investor and himself needing a family town to make an agreement. Wyatt will marry Greta and get his cattle.

Of course, things aren't all that simple. Wyatt gives Greta a three-month window for them to get to know each other before they decide whether to continue their arrangement or to split ways. Astrid isn't getting better. And the entire purpose of coming to Colorado was to help Astrid. Wyatt has an enemy in a neighbor and fellow cattle rancher. The nature of their arrangement hasn't been fully spelled out to Greta (even though she would have accepted it either way). And more issues that would be spoilers to mention.

I've read Jody Hedlund before and enjoyed her books and this one was no different. I finished it basically within a day, and I was left wanting more. The last chapter gives you an idea of the direction for the other books in the series, and I am certainly interested in them and will be stalking her to find out information on future releases. A Cowboy for Keeps had characters I liked and was happy to root for, a conflict that was a little predictable but not in a bad way, and a relationship of convenience which I happen to love. A Cowboy for Keeps gets 4 Stars. Have you read A Cowboy for Keeps? What did you think? Let me know!