Review: Holly Jolly Cowboy by Jessica Clare

 

Holly Jolly Cowboy (The Wyoming Cowboy #7) by Jessica Clare

Publication Date: October 26th 2021 by Berkley Books

Pages: 304

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

Holly lost her parents at seventeen and had to drop out of high school to support her thirteen-year-old sister, Polly lest she be put into foster care.  Holly’s barely scraping by even though she works six days a week at the local bar/grill.  She loves to bake and would love to find a way to make extra money doing it. Money is stretched tight with Polly off at college and Holly paying tuition so when she’s offered a job to cook for the workers at the Flat C Ranch she jumps at the chance. There’s only one problem: Adam Calhoun is one of the ranch hands, and while he’s gorgeous, he’s grade A jerk. Rude and cheap every time he visits the bar.

 

Adam left the Navy because he got tired of being away from his wife only to find out she’d been cheating on him. With nothing holding him back he left the state for ranch work in Wyoming. When Adam first laid eyes on Holly he thought she was beautiful and enjoyed her flirty service while dining, but got the impression she was only nice for tips. He felt like a fool, so since then, he makes is a point to ruffle her feathers at every opportunity, and they get off to a rotten start when she’s starts working at the Flat C Ranch.

Adam was a total jerk when this story started and even though Holly gave as good as she got, he, IMO, was mainly responsible for their petty exchanges. When a particularly nasty prank ends with Holly being devastated, Adam feels terrible and determines to make a change. Even though I wanted to smack Adam, I understood his history with his wife influenced his behavior with Holly. I was thrilled when they started to let go of their animosity and started to see the true person underneath, falling a little more in love with every dinner spent together.

I admired Holly so much with the way she worked so hard to take care of her sister and everyone else around her. She was positive had a kind spirit even if she did get a bit petty with Adam, he deserved it. I was annoyed with Adam, but he quickly won me over when it was apparent how sorry he was. His care and deep feelings for Holly came through loud and clear, she definitely deserved to have someone taking care of her for a change! I loved how desperate they were for each other, and their time together was hot!

I’ve been loving The Wyoming Cowboy series, eagerly anticipating every new installment! Holly Jolly Cowboy sucked me in from the very first page and it seemed like the story just flew by! So much to love here: A spicy enemies-to-lovers romance, delicious food, and baked goods (I was salivating throughout!) and an ending that'll leave you warm and fuzzy all over!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

From New York Times bestselling author Jessica Clare comes a Christmas romance about a cowboy grinch and the woman who stole his heart.

Local waitress Holly Dawson needs a better paying job to cover her sister's college tuition. Given that it's Christmas and she's broke as a joke, she's feeling pretty bah-humbug. New jobs are hard to come by in a town as small as Painted Barrel, especially as the town dropout.

When Holly's offered a job at the Flat C Ranch to clean and cook for the cowboys that work there, it seems like a dream come true...except for one thing. Her nemesis, the incredibly handsome (and annoyingly arrogant) Adam Calhoun works there. It doesn't matter that he loves dogs more than people, or that he's a war veteran. No Christmas spirit can save that particular grinch.

When the rest of the ranch hands go out of town for the holidays, Holly and Adam will be forced to work closely together. No sweat. Holly can deal with Adam. And if she doesn't kill him first, she just might fall in love.

Review: The Bachelor Cowboy by Jessica Clare

The Bachelor Cowboy (The Wyoming Cowboy #6) by Jessica Clare

Publication Date: January 26th 2021 by Berkley Books

Pages: 304

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Layla and Jack were a cute couple thrown together by the auction, which was perfect as they had caught each other’s eye in the past and may never have acted on the attraction otherwise. Jack coaxing Layla into dates and more was sweet and downright hot!

Jack Watson was different from his older brothers. Where Hank and Caleb were a bit baffled by the opposite sex, Jack had no problem with women. He loved women and wasn’t shy at all around them. Jack knew his appeal and was confident without being a conceited ass, and I loved him for it!

Layla on the other hand wasn’t as confident, and as most women do, she had some insecurities not realizing just how sexy was. I did like that she was okay with being the smart, nerdy girl. I think she was more unique than nerdy, but this is coming from a nerdy bookworm, so what do I know? Lol! I blamed most of Layla’s insecurities on her mother.  Hated the mom! She was a narcissist through and through! Didn’t care about embarrassing Layla or taking advantage of her as long as she came out ahead.  I was glad Layla stood up to her and didn’t let her manipulate her.

Loved Oscar the little skittish Weiner dog and Sterling the cat. An adorable animal with personality always hits me right in the heart!

I’ve been loving Jessica Clare’s Wyoming Cowboy series! Hot and sweet, and I’m such a sucker for a sexy cowboy! This is book six in the series, but as all the books in the series it would work as a standalone fine.

4 Stars

Review: Her Christmas Cowboy by Jessica Clare

 

Her Christmas Cowboy (The Wyoming Cowboy #5) by Jessica Clare

Publication Date: October 13th 2020 by Berkley Books

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:
Caleb Watson is the younger brother of Hank, from the previous romance, and we’re treated to his and Amy’s romance here in Her Christmas Cowboy. I loved every minute!

 The minute Caleb laid eyes on Amy, Painted Barrel’s kindergarten teacher, Caleb knew she was the woman for him. Now if Caleb could ever get a sentence out that made sense, his dreams of being with Amy might come true. It seems every time he opens his mouth everything gets twisted up and he makes a fool of himself. However, Amy is pretty patient, and she seems to get that Caleb, like his brother Hank, has some issues interacting with people.

I’m loving Jessica Clare’s Wyoming Cowboy series, and the last couple of books with these shy cowboys from Alaska have melted my heart! I will say to have a little patience with Caleb and Amy’s romance because it does take some time before Caleb makes any headway. An assumption about some of Amy’s secret-admirer-gifts leads to a bit of confusion that pauses their progress, but I just adored these two together even when they got their signals crossed. Caleb is such a sweetheart, and Amy was a girl in need of a good man as the last one gave out Sleeping with the Enemy vibes! Yikes!

Now I’m dying to start the next Wyoming Cowboys story which centers on Jack Watson, the more outgoing, sort of ladies’ man of the brothers!

 4.5 Stars

About the book:

From New York Times bestselling author Jessica Clare comes a Christmas Western filled with holiday cheer.

Caleb Watson has been crushing on elementary school teacher Amy Mckinney ever since he saw her. She's oblivious to his feelings--probably because he's never said a word to her. But when he learns Amy's going to be Mrs. Claus in the local Christmas celebration, he volunteers to be Santa so he'll finally have the chance to introduce himself. Even more than that, he'll use this opportunity to shower her with presents.

Amy's been receiving all kinds of Secret Santa gifts at work -- and she has no idea who her secret admirer is. She wishes he'd make himself known so they can go on a date, though, because being a newcomer in close-knit Painted Barrel, Wyoming, is pretty lonely. When her flaky landlord claims he's the gift giver...it's not quite the bachelor Amy had in mind. However, she's doubly shocked when gruff newcomer Caleb Watson crashes her date and insists he's really the one leaving her presents.

Amy's not sure what to think. Caleb's never indicated that he likes her, much less wants to date. Can he prove to Amy he's not just the perfect Santa to her Mrs. Claus, but the man of her dreams?

Review: The Cowboy Meets His Match by Jessica Clare

The Cowboy Meets His Match (The Wyoming Cowboy #4) by Jessica Clare

Publication Date: June 2nd 2020 by Berkley Books

Pages: 301

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

About the book:

A cowboy is in over his head in this contemporary Western from New York Times bestselling author Jessica Clare.
Single father Henry "Hank" Watson is a fresh transplant from Alaska to Painted Barrel, Wyoming. He doesn't want anything more from life than to put in a good day's work, then go home to his daughter, Libby. But when Libby needs some emergency work done on her curls thanks to a gum incident, Hank's out of his depth. He takes his daughter into town where he meets Becca, the local salon owner.

Becca's still nursing a broken heart after her ex dangled marriage in front of her, then bailed a few days before the wedding. She's done with men...or so she thinks. When she meets Hank and his little girl, she realizes that they need her help with more than just hair. It's clear they both need a woman in their lives.

Everyone in town thinks Hank is too gruff for someone as sweet as Becca. But what they don't realize is that he makes Becca feel loved. She can see a future with him and his adorable daughter...if they don't move back to Alaska.

My Thoughts:

Becca was jilted by her long-time fiancé two days before their wedding. Two years later the small town of Painted Barrel still laments her loss, and Becca is tired of being the sad girl left at the altar.  So when a big, silent, lumberjack of a man brings his cute daughter in with a hair emergency Becca sees the care and love he has for his daughter, finds out he’s single and asks him out on a date…and he says no.

Hank has a limited amount of experience with women being in a sparsely populated area of Alaska for most of his life. He’s been fooled by a woman before so when the pretty, soft, girly hairdresser asks him on a date it must be some sort of prank or scheme, right? Except Becca seems to act all out of heart helping his family when there’s nothing in it for her, and he falls a little more every time he lays on her.

Becca and Hank were such lovely characters, full of heart and emotions, made vulnerable by past hurts. I loved watching them gradually fall for each other, a little more each day.  I loved that this was a mature romance with no games played, each intensely attracted, but not wanting to get hurt again. 

I’ve been loving Jessica Clare’s Wyoming Cowboy series! The romances have been seriously hot, but also sweet and heartwarming. I can’t wait for Caleb and Amy’s romance to come after reading the little sneak peek at the end!  

Review, Giveaway & Excerpt: A Cowboy Under the Mistletoe by Jessica Clare

A Cowboy Under the Mistletoe (The Wyoming Cowboy #3) by Jessica Clare

Publication Date: October 15th 2019 by Berkley

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

‘Tis the season for starting over for one military man turned cowboy in this new novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Cowboy and His Baby.

Former Navy master-at-arms Jason Clements is down on his luck and calling in one last favor. His cousin has secured him a job opportunity as a cowboy working at Price Ranch in Wyoming. Too bad Jason has never even saddled a horse. If he can keep this job without his PTSD getting in the way, it’ll be a Christmas miracle.

Local busybody Sage Cooper loves Painted Barrel something fierce, but it’s time for her to move on. Since her father passed away, the family ranch feels too big for just her, and there’s no chance of finding a husband in this small town. To the rest of the world, she’s just another local fixture, known for her closet full of ugly Christmas sweaters and being perpetually single.

It isn’t until Jason shows up in desperate need of a cowboy crash course that Sage discovers a tall, dark, and handsome reason to stick around. And with the holidays coming up, Sage is in need of a date for a special event—maybe they’ll turn out to be each other’s best Christmas present.

My Thoughts:

Jason, an ex-navy guy hasn’t had the best luck with jobs since his PTSD has him struggling with panic attacks that are even worse now that he lost his support dog. At his ends, he takes a job as a ranch hand even though he has zero experience.  Thankfully, he runs into Sage, and she offers him a trade: she’ll give him a crash course in ranching if he’ll be her date at her friend Greg’s rehearsal dinner and wedding. Sage is tired of being known as Greg’s mooning sidekick but finding a date in the small town of Painted Barrel has so far been an impossible task! Jason is tall, dark, and handsome, but more than that he’s a sweet, hard working man and Sage’s heart aches for all the struggles he’s had to endure.

Sage had such a big heart, loneliness making her a bit naïve in the past when it came to Greg. That guy was a complete idiot, and I’m happy Sage didn’t let him walk all over her once she got a clue.

Jason can’t believe that Sage, both beautiful and sweet, has struggled to find a date, and has been at the beck-and-call of a douchebag like Greg. Jason doesn’t feel like he deserves her either when his PTSD easily sends him into a panic, but if Sage feels he’s worthy he’s not fool enough to pass up a chance to be with her. I was so happy Jason didn’t deprive them of love because of feeling unworthy at times.  Their relationship was slow and steady at first, but boy did it build up into a wickedly hot romance!

I just loved A Cowboy Under the Mistletoe!  It was such a delightful wintery/holiday read: small town, snowy nights, ugly Christmas sweaters, homemade cookies, gift giving, ranching, and a sweet rescue dog!  Jason and Sage brought out the best in each other, providing support and inspiring confidence where lacking. Also, they brought so much passion and joy to each other I was filled with happiness that they met! 

I can’t wait for Becca’s story next!

4.5 Suns

Excerpt:

Jason chuckled, and a slow smile spread across his lean face, and oh, her heart did the craziest little flip. Despite the sweating and the weird situation, Jason Clements, newbie to Painted Barrel, was handsome. He was tall and wiry, and his cheekbones were blade sharp. His eyes were piercing, and his dark hair was cropped extremely short—naval regulation, maybe? But his smile was utterly breathtaking.
And he was smiling at her. Even though she was being goofy and weird and wearing ridiculous reindeer antlers, he was smiling at her. Sage Cooper.
Man-repellent.
It was a heady feeling. In that moment, she wanted to help him and get more of those smiles. Sage genuinely loved helping people, but she had a different goal in mind when she looked at Jason. She just wanted him to smile again.
“You really don’t know how to ranch?” she asked.
He pursed his lips and shook his head.
“Why did you lie?” It didn’t seem like a job anyone would take on the spur of the moment. There were easier jobs out there than ranching, and they probably paid a heck of a lot more.

Meaning that he had a secret. Well, that was all right. She’d always thought of herself as an open book, but things had changed over the last year. After all, weren’t her dating app profiles a secret? A humiliating, awful secret that Greg would laugh and laugh about if he knew . . . and then tell Becca? Who would then tell everyone in Painted Barrel?

Yeah, Sage knew all about keeping things secret to protect yourself.

“I won’t ask,” she told him. “But I can help you.”

Jason looked at her with a frown and then dawning realization. “You can get me some books?”

“Well, not exactly.” She hugged Order of the Phoenix tighter to her chest, as if to bolster herself. “But I do have a ranch.”

His eyes flared with interest, and the breath stole from her lungs. Oh, were his eyes gray? She liked that. She liked that a lot. “You do?”

“Everyone here does. There’s not much around Painted Barrel but ranches, you know?”

He gestured at the mail desk, where Greg’s pamphlets were spread. “But I thought you . . .”

“Municipal clerk. I know. I am.” She went to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, flustered, and ended up smacking her reindeer horns. “My father was the mayor of this town before he passed, and he got me a job as a municipal clerk when I was a teenager. And I sort of stayed on and have done it ever since. But yeah, my father has a ranch, and now that he’s gone, it’s mine. I’ve sold all of the cattle but two, and just one horse. You can come over to my place and practice until you get comfortable, if you like.”

He stared at her, stunned. “You’d do that for me?”

She beamed at him. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

Sage watched, fascinated, as his jaw clenched. “Reasons.”

 “Because most people don’t do things out of the good- ness of their hearts. Not anymore.” He rubbed his jaw again. “Can I pay you?”

Sage waved a hand, dismissing the thought. Once she sold all her father’s acreage, she’d have more money than she knew what to do with. “Don’t be silly.”

But he gave her another intense look, leaning in. His height was . . . amazing. She gazed up at him and felt as if he were the tallest—and handsomest—man she’d ever seen. Oh, her new crush was baaaad. “I’d feel better if I didn’t owe you,” he murmured.

An idea occurred to her, and she clutched the book tighter. Did she dare? Should she ask? Her mouth worked silently, and then before she could think better of it, she blurted, “I do need a date.” 

Connect with Jessica Clare:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

The wonderful people at Berkley are giving away A Paperback copy of A Cowboy Under the Mistletoe to one reader.  The giveaway is open to US residents only. Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win. Good luck! 

Review & Giveaway: The Cowboy and His Baby by Jessica Clare

The Cowboy and His Baby by Jessica Clare

Publication Date: May 7th 2019 by Berkley

Pages: 304

Source: Publisher and Purchased Audiobook

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

About the book:

From New York Times bestselling author Jessica Clare comes a contemporary Western romance about a cowboy who is in for the ride of his life…. 

Dustin is a ranch hand with a reputation around town as a ladies’ man. He loves flirting and the thrill of the chase. When he tilts his cowboy hat just so, no one can resist his charms. It’s all fun and games for Dustin until he meets a woman who sparks real feelings in him, and he’s blindsided by love.

Annie is an animal trainer working on set for a film. Other than her furry, canine coworkers, she hasn’t connected with the rest of the movie’s crew. It’s only when a certain cowboy catches her eye that Wyoming becomes interesting. She intends for their romance to be a fling, but by the time filming wraps up, she’s unexpectedly pregnant. 

While Annie is prepared to walk away and raise her baby by herself, Dustin isn’t so ready to say good-bye. He has to prove to Annie that she has a future in Wyoming and capture her heart before it’s too late....

My Thoughts:

Annie, a dog trainer, is in Wyoming for a film shoot. She wasn’t expecting to have a fling, but Dustin, a local cowboy gets past her usual shields and they end up spending all her off-time together.  He’s sexy and sweet, and she finds herself falling hard. 

Annie feels like a breath of fresh air for Dustin. She wasn’t falling all over herself to go out with him. For once he had to work to get a woman to go out with him.  But more than that, she’s got a genuine heart, speaks her mind and doesn’t play games. She’s the woman he never knew he wanted, he never thought he’d want anything but a casual good time, but Annie has him re-thinking his plans.

Annie ends up pregnant, and a misunderstanding has her questioning whether she was all wrong about Dustin.

I kind of love the unexpected pregnancy troupe! It was clear Dustin and Annie were falling harder than they counted on before that was ever thrown in the mix, and Annie’s pregnancy forces them to get through a misunderstanding that may have parted them for good otherwise.  Dustin was a complete sweetheart determined to have a future with Annie and his baby. 

Annie was a little insecure so I could understand why she made a snap decision without getting the full story, but thankfully that part of the story didn’t have much page time, so the frustration over that was low.  Also, Annie fully owned up to her mistake and was really sorry.

Their romance was realistic with both Dustin and Annie each vulnerable and insecure in parts, but it was also sweet, and pretty hot!  I was fully invested in their journey to a HEA!

I part listened and part read The Cowboy and His Baby.  I’ve listened to Abby Craden narration before and she’s great with both female and male voices, especially with a Southern accent, but I usually have to crank up the speed to 1.5 times normal.  Granted, there aren’t many audio books I listen to at normal speed, most are 1.25x or higher.

4 Suns