From a “fabulous new voice in romantic fiction” (NYT bestselling author Lael Miller): an arrogant cowboy meets a headstrong woman determined to take custody of his niece, only to realize that she may be the family he was always searching for.
There’s not much that could rattle a cowboy like Reese St. James. But when his twin brother dies in a car accident, Reese is stunned to discover he has a six-month old niece, Sawyer. Wanting to make up for lost time, Reese heads down to Unforgiven, New Mexico, to bring her home. He doesn’t plan on Sawyer’s guardian giving him any trouble, but the intriguing, independent woman is turning out to be more than he bargained for.
Lorelei West had given up hope of having a family of her own until her sister’s tragic death brought little Sawyer into her life. And now there’s no way she’s going to let Reese take her away. Lorelei knows hotshot, good-looking cowboys like him — she’s dated enough of them — and she intends to stand her ground. Yet the more time Reese and Lorelei spend together, the harder it is to deny the attraction building between them. But opening their hearts to a baby is one thing — can they also open their hearts to the possibility of a happily-ever-after?
[I received a physical copy from the publisher for an honest review]
A Cowboy for Keeps is the third book in Laura Drake’s Chestnut Creek series. Each can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone. This book tells the story of two strangers who meet when, after a fatal accident takes their siblings lives, their niece needs to be cared for. Both want what’s best for the child but both have different definitions of what that means. The more time they spend together they have a chance to become a family of their own if they’ll let down their walls and take a chance.
“But please, listen with your heart. You’ll understand what I mean.”
I think this might be my favorite one of the series. I loved Reese so much even if he constantly stuck his foot in his mouth. Half the time he would try to explain something he never thought it through first and sounded like a dumb a** but you knew he had the best intentions and just choose to say it in the worst way possible. By the end I couldn’t help but laugh at it. He was way out of his element with Lorelei and no matter what he said he usually had to prepare for a battle. Lorelei was stubborn, independent, strong, caring and had 5 foot thick walls around her heart. I felt she was a bit too harsh on Reese sometimes because it was very clear he was trying his hardest. She was also really hard on herself and was constantly talking down to herself which was sad to read. Little Sawyer was a bright star in this book. All the moments of interaction with her will melt your heart.
When he looks up , I kiss him. A sweet, tender kiss, to tell him he’s not alone.
I straighten , but he doesn’t move, a confused surprise painted on his features.
“What did I do to deserve that?”
“By being who you are.”
“In that case, I’ll try to do that more often.”
The story had a steady plot with realistic dramatic scenarios to keep it moving along. I enjoyed the characters so much that I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next. It was also nice that the couples for the previous books were strong supportive characters for the Lorelei.
A Cowboy for Keeps is a western romance about found family that will steal your heart and leave you with a smile on your face.
OnceUpon_A_BookDream 