The Cowboy's Rebellious Bride
Author: Laurie LeClair Series: The McCall Brothers #1
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Release date: April 17th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 250
Format: eBook
Source: Amazon
Add to TBR: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon UK | Amazon US | The Book Depository | Kobo
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Star rating:Heat rating:
Best friends for life. That was their pact.
Feisty, spitfire Hannah Prescott yearns to get the bulls she raises to the top rodeo circuit finals. Being a woman in a male-dominated career means she fights harder for what she wants, and romance plays no part in her goals. But when everything's on the line and her best friend asks her to play pretend, what's a girl to do?
Sexy, life of the party cowboy Cody McCall is determined to save the legacy of his family’s ranch and give his beloved, widowed grandfather something to live for again. Options are limited until he hits on the perfect plan–pretending to marry the girl who’s been his confidante and friend all these years. After stealing sweet kisses with Hannah, Cody starts to dream of something more permanent...if he can only convince Hannah to agree that the move from friendship to marriage is worth the fight. He wants a forever bride, but there's only one cowgirl he desires.
The Faerie Queen’s review
This wasn’t a bad book. But it wasn’t a good book either. It was just, on average, a meh book.
The plot was a bit of a disaster. People thrown in here and there for the sake of drama without it really making sense for the story. Like Tabitha, Cody’s ex, suddenly showing up out of nowhere, HOURS after a run-in with another ex. And all out of town. What really are the chances of that happening??? Characters also behaved in strange ways, like Hannah’s weird leap of logic towards the end. The plot didn’t flow, and there’s no way around that.
The book also seemed really preachy. The most bizarre characters, the Fruit Spinsters (they’re called Clementine and Peach), tried to protect Hannah’s honour by not letting her see Cody alone before the wedding (um, I’m sure Hannah wasn’t a virgin given her previous forays). Then there was the whole “I’m saving myself for marriage” bit, even though, again, I don’t think Hannah was a virgin.
Plus, I know the book is trying to be feminist with the whole “I’m a rare female bull breeder and I need to make it on my own” theme, but this is cancelled out by Hannah saying she doesn’t want to get married and have kids, but then Cody being all “I can’t wait to make her my wife and have her pop out a dozen”. I get that maybe Hannah might change her mind, that maybe she’s scared, but it didn’t feel like Cody actually respected that she might /not/ want kids. I know a romance is all about the happily-ever-after, but this felt like more than that; as if it was prescribing the only kind of happiness allowed: man gaining woman and impregnating her.
I straight up hated the ending. View Spoiler »
Despite all of this, the short length and actually pretty decent chemistry did compel me to finish the book. I did feel the connection between Cody and Hannah, and it was mighty disappointing to not get any more than kissing.
So yeah, maybe quick cowboy romances are your thing. Especially if you like fake relationships and friends-to-more tropes. But don’t expect the moon with this one. It’s more of an easy read.
PS – PLEASE get a proofreader. There were more than an acceptable number of typos in this book.
About Laurie LeClair
Bestselling author Laurie LeClair writes romantic comedies, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and women’s fiction. Laurie has a not-so-secret love for characters who make her laugh, cry, and who linger in her mind long after the story ends. Laurie’s habit of daydreaming has gotten her into a few scrapes and launched her to take up her dream of writing. Finally, she can put all those stories in her head to rest as she brings them to life on the page.
Laurie loves to write, read, bake, travel, and discover new adventures. She considers herself a New Texan (New England born and raised and now living in Texas). She lives in Central Texas with her husband, Jim. Laurie loves to hear from her readers.
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