The Bull Rider's Son - Cathy McDavid (HAR #1554 - July 2015)

Series: Reckless Arizona (Book 3)

TOO CLOSE TO HOME

Cassidy Beckett has a secret she's kept for six years: the identity of her son's father. She can't hide the truth much longer. The Easy Money Arena's new bull manager, Shane Westcott, also happens to be the boy's handsome uncle. But Cassidy will do anything to protect her young son, even if it means steeling her heart against Shane's nearly irresistible charm.

It doesn't take Shane long to figure out two things -- Cassidy's son is his nephew, and his feelings for the boy's beautiful mother go way beyond friendship. As a single dad, Shane knows how important a father is to a child. He also knows the men in Cassidy's life have let her down before. Can Shane convince Cassidy to face the truth without losing her trust…or his heart?

Good conclusion to the Reckless, Arizona series. Cassidy has resisted telling anyone who her son's father is, including the man himself. When her father hires Shane as the ranch's new bull manager, she knows that her time is running out. Shane is her ex's brother and he's sure to figure it out. She's worried about what will happen when he does.

Shane is a former bull rider and single father. He hadn't known about his daughter until he quit the rodeo and her mother decided he was responsible enough to handle it. He has come to terms with having been shut out and is determined to be a good father to her. 

Shane and Cassidy had dated for awhile years earlier, but it hadn't worked out. There is definitely some spark left between them, and Shane is ready to pursue it. When he discovers the truth about Benji he is upset on his brother's behalf. He confronts Cassidy and insists on her doing the right thing and letting Hoyt know about Benji. Cassidy is reluctant, afraid that she could lose Benji.

I really liked Shane. He has a terrific relationship with his daughter, and has mended fences with his ex as they work together for the good of their daughter. He figures out the truth about Benji pretty quickly, and because he's been there wants to make sure that his brother knows about his son. But he's also attracted to Cassidy and wants to pursue a relationship with her. I liked the way that he was direct with her about her need to contact Hoyt. He also let her know that he was there to support her and would help her through it. 

I had a tougher time liking Cassidy. In the previous books she is the one who has been totally against her father's attempts at reconciliation. She remembers the upheaval caused by his drinking, and the actions that finally caused her parents' split. She also carries some guilty feelings about it, which increases her anger over what she sees happening now. I was really irritated by her seemingly constant negative attitude regarding both her father and Hoyt. It seemed like every time something happened, she would envision the worst case scenarios that could result from it. 

I liked the relationship that grew between Shane and Cassidy. He is strong and caring and understands her fears. He's there to support her through his brother and Benji meeting, and tries to help make the transition go smoothly. Cassidy has fallen hard for Shane, but there's a small part of her that still expects the worst to happen. When a conflict over Hoyt's actions with Benji arises and Shane doesn't behave as she thinks he should, Cassidy regards it as the worst kind of betrayal. It takes some blunt talk from a friend and her mother for Cassidy to see how unfair she was being to Shane. Shane also realizes that he could have handled things better. I have to say that I didn't like Hoyt much. I thought he was selfish and manipulative, though he did seem to improve a bit by the end. I liked the ending and seeing how everything came together.

More Than a Cowboy - Cathy McDavid (HAR #1508 - July 2014)

Series: Reckless Arizona (Book 1)

LOVE OR FAMILY LOYALTY?

Liberty Beckett was so used to watching longtime crush Deacon McCrea ride at her family's Reckless, Arizona, arena, she nearly forgot the handsome cowboy was an attorney. But it won't be hard to remember now that Deacon is representing her father in the legal battle dividing the Beckett clan and threatening the Easy Money Rodeo Arena.

This case is Deacon's chance to clear his name in Reckless. He didn't anticipate the powerful effect Liberty would have on him. Their attraction is undeniable…and a huge conflict of interest. To save his career and Liberty's relationship with her family, Deacon knows he needs to avoid Liberty. But what a man needs and what he wants are two very different things….

Good book with some really complicated family dynamics adding to the obstacles between Deacon and Liberty. Liberty has spent her life believing that she is the product of a one night stand between her mother and a rodeo cowboy, only to find out that her mother has been lying to her. So she contacts Mercer to let him know that she wants to get to know him. Mercer comes to town with more than getting to know Liberty on his mind.

Liberty had known Deacon when they were younger, before he left under a cloud of suspicion for causing a terrible accident on the ranch. Since then he has become a lawyer and returned to Reckless. He boards his horses on the ranch, so she sees him often. Her childhood crush on him is only getting stronger. But any chance of taking it further ends when Deacon becomes her father's lawyer in his looming battle with Liberty's mother.

Deacon came back to Reckless for two reasons. First, to open his own law firm. Second, he wants a chance to clear his name, and being Mercer's lawyer will give him the chance he needs. Unfortunately, he doesn't count on the strength of the attraction between him and Liberty. But as her father's lawyer, starting a relationship with Liberty would create a conflict of interest that could wreck his career.

I liked the relationship that built between Liberty and Deacon. Liberty never believed that he was responsible for the accident that everyone blamed him for, and that confidence in him helps to heal some of the hurt he still feels. Her feelings for him also motivate her to help him however she can in finding out the truth of what happened that day. I did think she was a little naive in thinking that they could be together without it affecting her relationship with her family. Deacon had been attracted to Liberty for awhile, but when the chance came to work with Mercer he took it because he needed the work. Now he struggles to do the right thing. When her father's manipulations come between them, both of them have to decide what is more important to them. 

I felt really bad for Liberty and the things she had to put up with from her family. Both her parents were selfish and manipulative, even though they claimed they were doing things for the right reasons. Liberty had every right to be angry about the way her mother lied to her. However, her father also used her as a way to get back involved with the ranch. I thought he was a bully as well, with the way he would force everyone to go along with what he wanted. I liked the way that Liberty at least wanted to give him a chance. That was quite a contrast with the sheer stubbornness of her mother and her sister. Though there was some progress made in repairing the relationships, I feel like the two parents still have a long way to go.

I liked the fact that the mystery of the bulls was solved by the end of the book. As Deacon's investigation progressed, there were some interesting facts that came to light. Liberty seemed to put the pieces together faster than Deacon did. I loved seeing that Deacon's honorable nature had him helping his accuser, even though he didn't have to. It certainly helped him in the end.

Her Rodeo Man - Cathy McDavid (HAR #1537 - Mar 2015)

Series: Reckless Arizona (Book 2)

RETURNING…HOME?

Twenty-five years ago, the Beckett family was irrevocably divided by lies told and secrets kept. But Ryder Beckett comes back to The Easy Money to reconcile with his past and help run the rodeo arena until he can find a new job. He's quick to fall into old ways -- taking care of the horses, trying a few of his old rodeo tricks…and falling for Tatum Mayweather.

Ryder's childhood friend has become a beautiful woman. But how can he get involved with a single mother of three when he's only at the ranch temporarily? Tatum deserves a stay-in-one-place kind of guy, and that has never been Ryder. Is the pull of family enough to keep him in Reckless, Arizona? Is this where Ryder truly belongs?

Good story with a lot going on. Ryder has come back to the family ranch to work until he can find a new job. It's not a very comfortable spot to be in right now, as the family is dealing with the revelations of some secrets and lies, but Ryder doesn't expect to be there for long. One of the people he's working with is Tatum, best friend of one of his sisters. He's really attracted to her, but getting involved carries risks he's not sure he wants to take.

I liked both Ryder and Tatum. They had more in common than either realized. Ryder had had a choice of resigning from his job or getting fired, the result of getting personally involved with a coworker. Coming home to work for the family feels like taking charity which really bothers him. He feels that he isn't really needed, and that most of what he is doing could easily be handled by Tatum. He's feeling somewhat pressured by his parents, and reacts by trying to train Tatum to do the things he's doing. Getting in the way of that is the attraction he feels for her. As he gets to know her better, he's impressed by how hard she works and everything she does for her children, and finds his attraction deepening to something more. His feelings for her create a conflict in him as he tries to figure out how to be with her and still stick to his plans to leave Reckless.

Tatum has had a rough couple of years. After divorcing her husband it was tough to make ends meet. Then her job as a teacher at the elementary school was eliminated. With no income she had no way to support her children, and for a time she had to let her ex-mother-in-law care for them. Her friend Cassidy's family gave her a job as the office manager at the ranch, but Tatum feels she only got it because they felt sorry for her. She works hard at it, but she really wants to go back to teaching. Ryder's arrival throws her into a bit of turmoil. She had crushed on him as a kid, but she's all grown up now with other responsibilities. She can't afford the distraction of getting involved with him, but he seems determined to pursue it. She knows that he isn't planning to stay, and her friend warns her that he's not the committing type, but when he's with her and her kids she sees a different side to him. It's really easy for her to fall for him.

I liked the relationship that developed between them. Ryder shows Tatum that she's capable of more than she thinks by involving her in more of the things he's working on. I liked watching him get close to her kids and start feeling like they could be a family. Tatum also feels like being together is right. Both are able to open up about the things from their past that have led to where they are now. But when an error made by her is compounded by his actions, suddenly they are each facing the demons of past mistakes. It takes a kick in the butt conversation with his dad for Ryder to face up to his mistakes and realize just what it is he wants. Tatum also takes a hard look at her life choices and makes some decisions. The big question was whether they could make their new paths work together. I liked their decisions and how right they were for each of them.

The family dynamics were very interesting. Even though this was the second book in the series, there was enough back story given to understand the issues among the Beckett family. Ryder has some issues with them that are going to take some work to get over. I liked the way that, the longer he was home, the more he was able to look at the past more clearly. Being older now, he also has a different perspective on some of the past events. I liked seeing him make some tentative steps toward reconciling with his mother. There is still some antagonism with his sister Cassidy, but he also seems to be trying harder with her.