I liked this story...he had a hard time accepting that he could love, and once he did...tragedy struck the ranch.... ( )

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Bitterroot, Oklahoma

Lucas Taylor is a cowboy that works on the Holiday Ranch. When he meets New Yorker Nicolette Kendal he warns her that he rides alone. At least he always has until things change with the arrival of Nicolette and her son, Sammy. Lucas becomes Sammy’s bodyguard, a beloved one at that after a frightening kidnapping attempt. Lucas also tries hard to resist the white hot sparks between him and Sammy’s city-slicker mom.

Nicolette feels the attraction too. She has had her heart broken once too often already and isn’t willing to hitch her star to a man only interested in a fling. At least until the danger is to her life not to mention her heart. But will she trade her heels in for a pair of cowboy boots?

This is a story that is full of suspense and action. Reading how the characters overcome their different and troubled pasts makes for a read that is very hard to put down. There are also plenty of suspects as to what is happening to Sammy and his mother and makes for a story that will have readers guessing just who is behind what is going on and why it might be happening. It also has a great ending that should make the next book in the series an interesting read. It will also have readers eagerly awaiting the next book just to see what is going to happen. For a modern day western this is a fantastic book to read.

Received a review copy ( )

Good start to the series and nice mixture of romance and suspense. Nicolette and her son Sammy have arrived at Holiday Ranch along with her friend Cassie who inherited it when her aunt died in a tornado. The first person they meet is Lucas, one of the twelve cowboys who work the ranch. Sammy is immediately taken with "Cowboy Lucas".

Lucas came to the ranch when he was seventeen, after living on the streets of Oklahoma City for two years after his mother abandoned him. The owner of the ranch, Cass Holiday, staffed her ranch with young men she rescued, who she could train after her husband died. Cass and the other cowboys became Lucas's family. But as close as he was to them, he swore he would never open his heart to the risk of loss again.

Nicolette is also wary of involvement. She had married Sammy's father, then discovered that she had given her love to a man who didn't deserve it. Since their divorce he had never once expressed an interest in his son. For Nicolette, Sammy is her whole world, and she will do anything for him.

When they arrive on the ranch, Nicolette doesn't know what to expect. She's a little worried about Sammy's immediate attachment to Lucas, but it doesn't take her long to realize that he can be trusted. More worrisome to her is the attraction she feels for him, but since they aren't planning to stay too long, she hopes she can resist. When a masked stranger tries to kidnap Sammy, Lucas steps in to become his protector.

I loved Lucas. He is the epitome of the cowboy, honorable, considerate, kind and caring. Though he insists to Nicolette that he "rides alone" you can see that Sammy has become very important to him. I loved seeing Lucas give Sammy all the attention the little boy could possibly want from his hero. Lucas is also very protective of Nicolette, though he keeps insisting that it's only because it's the right thing to do. He admits his attraction to her, but that it's only physical. The problem is that he finds himself dreaming of a future he's too scared to go after.

I also loved Nicolette. She was a woman who had the strength of will to get herself and her son out of a bad situation. She's doing her best to give Sammy the best life she can. She's cautious when they get to Oklahoma, but it doesn't take her long to see all the benefits of their stay on the ranch. She's worried about her attraction to Lucas, because she sees how easy it would be for her to fall for him. When he saves Sammy from the kidnapper it pretty much seals the deal of her feelings for him, but she won't settle for just a fling. Especially when she has Sammy's feelings to worry about too. I really enjoyed seeing her change from city slicker to country girl and make some important decisions about what she wants from her life.

I loved the way that the relationship between them grew out of their mutual care and protection of Sammy. Being together as much as they were because of them gave them a chance to get to know each other pretty well. They become good friends and partners, even as they tried to resist their attraction. I liked the way that Nicolette saw Lucas's fear and understood it, but also knew that he was the only one who could overcome it.

The suspense of wondering who was after Sammy and why was really good. I could feel Nicolette's fear when the kidnap attempts were made, and Lucas's desperation to catch the kidnapper before he could get away. The obvious person didn't seem too likely because of his attitude, but couldn't be completely disregarded either. The end was very intense as the culprit finally made his move, but not the way I expected.

There was also the secondary story of Cassie's arrival on the ranch and her plans for it. She doesn't tell anyone on the ranch of her plans to sell for fear they will leave before it can be repaired. She is very much a city girl and can't wait to get back to New York. But in order to carry out her plans, she has to take the time to learn about the ranch, and the foreman Adam is the one to do it. You can see that there are hints that there may be something developing between them, but she has her mind set. As the last part of the repairs are prepped to begin, something happens that puts her plans on indefinite hold. I'm looking forward to the next book to see what happens with that. I have my suspicions of who might be involved with that particular problem, but only time will tell.

I also really liked the other cowboys who worked on the ranch. All of them were Cass's rescues. I loved seeing how each of them made Sammy feel so special, and how determined all of them were to keep him safe. With twelve cowboys on Holiday Ranch, I have high hopes that each will get his own story. ( )

4 stars



I liked the characters, the dialog, the setting and the suspense. I did not like that I have to wait till the next book comes out to find out more. There was one love scene that I skipped over.



Nicolette Kendal and her son Sammy came out to the ranch that her friend and partner inherited. She is a divorced single mom. She is a good mom.



Sammy is a cute six year old that wants to be a cowboy. His first night in town Nicolette catches sight of a masked man in her son's bedroom on the second floor.



Cassandra Peterson is an artist. She and Nicolette own a clothing store in New York city. She has been there for Nicolette and Sammy since Nicolette got divorced. Now she owns a ranch.



Lucas Taylor has been on Holiday ranch since he was 17. He misses Cass Holiday who died in a tornado that damaged a lot of the ranch. He is one of 12 cowboys that live and work on the ranch.


The setting is Cass Holiday's large ranch in Bitterroot, Oklahoma
Why has someone wearing a ski mask was on a ladder looking in the room Sammy was staying in?

Lucas volunteered to sleep in the other bunk bed in Sammy's room till they figure out who and why.

The cowboy's on the ranch are determined to keep Sammy and the ladies safe.

Some twists I did not see coming. Other surprises I did see ahead of the reveal.
I read this book in one sitting. Did not want to put it down even when I finished it I wanted more.

I was given this ebook to read by Net Galley and Harlequin and in return agreed to give honest review of A Real Cowboy. ( )