How to Marry a Cowboy - Carolyn Brown (Sourcebooks Casablanca - July 2014)

Series: Cowboys & Brides (Book 4)

She's running from her past

Mason Harper's daughters want a new mama in the worst way, and when a beautiful woman in a tattered wedding dress appears on their doorstep, the two little girls adopt her -- no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Mason isn't sure about taking in a complete stranger, but Lord knows he needs a nanny, and Annie Rose Boudreau stirs his heart in a long forgotten way.

And he's the perfect escape

Annie Rose is desperate, and when a tall, sexy cowboy offers her a place to stay, she can't refuse. After all, it's just for a little while. As she settles in deeper, her heart tells her both Mason and her role as makeshift mama suit her just fine. But will Mason feel the same way once her nightmare past catches up with her?

Very fun story, with a romance that is sweet with a bit of spice. Annie is on the run from an abusive ex when she ends up on Mason's front porch. There she is found by his nine year old daughters, who decide she would be the perfect mother for them. He's in desperate need of a nanny, and Annie figures she can hide out there for a few days until she decides what to do next. 

I loved both Annie and Mason. She is a strong, resourceful woman who got herself out of a bad situation. I loved seeing how well she fit in on the ranch and how quickly she connected with the girls. She has a great sense of humor and has a talent for turning awkward situations into fun times. Mason is a good guy who has had a lot to deal with. He loves his girls, but they have a tendency to walk all over him.

There's an instant attraction between Mason and Annie, but both of them are wary. Annie is still dealing with the consequences from the last good looking guy she fell for. She doesn't want to repeat the mistake and get involved with someone before she has a chance to get to know him. Mason has been a widower for eight years and has had a few brief relationships, but it's Annie that has him feeling guilty about wanting to move on. I loved watching the two of them get to know each other, and realize that the attraction is too strong to fight. As they agree to see where it leads, both of them have to let go of their fears. Annie still suffers from the effects of her ex's abuse, and I loved that Mason is so sensitive to them. He has the kindness and patience to give her what she needs without pushing her past where she's comfortable. At the same time, Mason's guilty feelings sometimes cause him to pull back. I liked her understanding of his feelings and that she doesn't exhibit jealousy of the dead woman. The developing relationship isn't all sweetness and light. Each of them has their own fair share of stubbornness which causes a little head butting. Mason has a couple instances of overprotectiveness that Annie has no trouble calling him on. Some of their conversations are pretty heated, but the respect is always there and soon the love is obvious. Mason's big moment at the end was sweet and so perfect for them.

I thoroughly enjoyed Mason's daughters, Lily and Gabby. They have a reputation of being little hellions, and Mason has a terrible time keeping nannies. They were completely convinced that Mason had brought Annie home to be their mother, and nothing was going to change their minds. It was interesting to see that, as much as Mason loved them, he had a hard time getting them to behave. I loved the methods that Annie used and it was terrific to see them respond. I loved the reactions that the "new" twins got from people that knew them. Of course, it wasn't a total conversion, and I loved seeing some of the things they did. I loved seeing them stand up to the bully and piercing the ears of the cat and goats was hysterical. Even though the girls were headstrong and troublesome, sometimes they were really pretty sweet.

The Cowboy's Mail Order Bride - Carolyn Brown (Sourcebooks Casablanca - Feb 2014)

Series: Cowboys & Brides (Book 3)

She's Got Sass...

Emily Cooper promised her dying grandfather that she'd deliver a long-lost letter to a woman he once planned to wed. Little does adventurous Emily know that this simple task will propel her to places she never could have imagined...with a cowboy who's straight out of her dreams...

He's Got Mail...

When sexy rancher Greg Adams discovers his grandmother Clarice has installed Emily on their ranch as her assistant, he decides to humor the two ladies. He figures Emily will move on soon enough. In the meantime, he intends to keep a close eye on her -- he doesn't quite buy her story of his grandmother as a mail-order bride.

A lost letter meant a lost love for Clarice, but two generations later, maybe it's not too late for that letter to work its magic.

Fun book. Emily has inherited a small ranch in West Texas from her grandfather. But before she settles in to run it, she promised her grandfather she would deliver a letter to an old girlfriend of his. She had also promised him she would take a month away from the ranch and think about what she really wants. Her plan is to find the old lady, drop off the letter, and head to the beach. But best laid plans...

When Emily arrives in Ravenna her grandfather's old flame, Clarice, asks her to stay on for a little while so she can talk to Clarice about her grandfather. Clarice's grandson, Greg, has been after her to hire an assistant, so Clarice talks Emily into doing it for the next month. Of course, Clarice has another reason to ask Emily to stay - she thinks  Emily would be perfect for Greg.

Emily is happy to help Clarice out. She loves ranching and when she isn't being assistant to Clarice she's helping out with ranch work. She's made it clear to Clarice that she's only there for a month, that she has her own place to get back to. She considers her roots well buried in West Texas. The only fly in the ointment of her plans is Greg. She has been attracted to him since the moment she met him, but getting involved with him would not be a good idea.

Greg is a bit suspicious of Emily and her "lost letter" story at first, but he's willing to let her play assistant to his grandmother while he keeps an eye on her. He quickly realizes that she is exactly who she says she is. He's also attracted to her, but hesitant to get involved because he knows she's leaving. 

I loved seeing the romance develop between Greg and Emily. They have so much in common with their love of ranching that it's easy for them to spend time together. Especially at the beginning, Emily constantly surprises Greg with what she can do. I really loved that first day when she blew him away with how much she accomplished. They are also quite sensitive to each others feelings. Both have lost their grandfathers, whom they loved, and they are able to express their grief to each other where they've hidden it from others. 

Greg is really sweet at times, such as when he found Emily crying over her grandfather, and when he gave the two kittens to her. He can also be a bit on the alpha side, showing some jealousy when he thinks other men are paying her too much attention. It was fun to see him change from the straight up business oriented rancher who doesn't really believe in romance, to a man who finds that romance and business can coexist. I loved the way he started writing letters to Emily, following in his grandmother's footsteps, and seeing the romance of sharing his feelings that way. I loved seeing the way that he gave Emily the time she needed at the end, but that he wasn't too patient to be believed. I loved what he had waiting for her when she came back.

I loved Emily's sense of her own worth. She knew what she was capable of and she wasn't going to let Greg get away with patronizing her. She has a terrific sense of family, and I loved how important it was for her to carry out her grandfather's wishes. She was conflicted by her feelings for Greg, because her plans had been to go back to her ranch, but the more time she spends with him the more his ranch feels like home. I really liked the way that she fit in so easily. She also tries to resist her growing feelings for him, but her heart is pretty much set on him. She also had some jealous moments that made her realize just how deep she was into him. I liked the ending as she faced her past and put it to rest so she could have the future she wanted.

Some of the funniest parts of the book involved Greg's grandmother Clarice and her friends. When Emily arrives they are already deep into a scheme to find Greg a wife, by setting up profiles for him on online dating sites. They pretend to be him, and things get a bit out of hand by the end. There were a couple great scenes where Emily, who has discovered their scheme, rescues Greg from some of the more forward candidates. I also love how the ladies take advantage of their ages and are pretty outrageous in the things they say. Their scholarship fundraiser at the end shows their community spirit, but also the trouble they can get themselves into.