Book Review and Giveaway: The Trouble with Cowboys by Denise Hunter

This is an enjoyable romance with several inspirational messages.

The Trouble with Cowboys
by Denise Hunter
File Size: 783 KB
Print Length: 302 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1595548033
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 2, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
Also available at: Thomas Nelson CBD B&N
Genre:  Christian Romance
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
Only one pair of boots—and the cowboy wearing them—can get Annie out of the mess she’s in.

Annie Wilkerson is Moose Creek’s premiere horse trainer and equine columnist for Montana Living. Money is tight as she tries to put her kid-sister through college and provide for her young nephew. When Annie’s column is cancelled, she’s given first shot at a new lovelorn column—and she can’t afford to turn it down. Only problem is . . . Annie’s never been in love.

Always resourceful, she reluctantly strikes a deal with the town’s smooth-talking ladies’ man Dylan Taylor: She’ll work with his ailing horse, Braveheart, if he’ll help her answer the reader letters.

Working closely with Dylan is harder than Annie imagined, and she quickly realizes she may have misjudged him. But her unwavering conviction that cowboys are nothing but trouble has kept her heart safe for years. And she can’t risk getting hurt now.

The more Annie tries to control things, the more they fall apart. Her feelings are spinning out of control, and her sister’s antics are making life increasingly more difficult. Annie knows she needs to turn the reins over to God, but surrender has never come easily.

When Dylan reveals his feelings for her, Annie doesn’t know what to trust—her head or her heart. The trouble with this cowboy is that he might just be exactly what she needs.

“. . . a story filled with romantic tension . . . Hunter’s well-developed characters and plot twists make for a delightful and inspirational journey.” —Publishers Weekly

Review: 
Annie has a lot of responsibility on her young shoulders. Her father, a cowboy, left when she was young and her mother had been through several more husbands who also left. Annie works two jobs to make ends meet for herself and her younger sister, Sierra, and Ryan, Sierra’s  young son. Annie is intent on putting Sierra through college and is frustrated that Sierra can’t hold a job long and isn’t as dedicated to college as Annie feels she should be. She understands that Sierra is still young at 20 but Annie feels she shouldn’t be out partying when she has a young son at home and needs to prepare for her future.  It is clear that Sierra is beginning to resent being “mothered” by Annie.

Annie is attracted to Dylan who is a handsome, flirty cowboy. But there is no way that she is going to get involved with a cowboy. Her mother’s history says that cowboys are trouble and they can’t be trusted. Instead Annie is dating a nice, stable banker, John, even though there may not be the zing with him that she feels with Dylan.

Dylan appears to be a flirt but he had a painful experience that has left him sour on commitment. He finds Annie attractive and more stable than a lot of women he knows. Yet he knows that she isn’t the type of woman to treat lightly. Dylan really needs Annie’s expertise as a  horse trainer to help with Braveheart, an older horse who is going blind.

Although reluctant, Annie agrees to work with the horse if Dylan will help her with her new column - advise to the lovelorn. She figures he has had plenty of experience to share in the love arena. They strike a bargain even though it is clear they won’t always agree on recommendations for the column. Annie also finds it hard to decide if her answers should be consistent with God’s advise or man’s less forgiving nature.

I enjoyed the relationship between these nice characters and their pull and resistance made for good conflict and nice sensual tension.  The situation with Sierra was definitely frustrating and created a major obstacle for Annie. I like how it worked out with a few surprises. 

Annie and Dylan are both Christians so it would seem that they might have come together sooner with a bit more openness and that was annoying ... but then there wouldn’t have been the story. There are nice messages on issues of being judgmental, relinquishing fear, trusting God and allowing Him control to accomplish the impossible. The Christian issues are handled well through life style examples rather than preachiness.

The writing has a nice easy flow and the romance is sweet with enough heat to make it interesting and enjoyable. If you like Christian and sweet romances you should enjoy this read.
  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dylan's effect on Annie:

“...Have a seat. Warm enough? I can get a fire going.”
He already had–he just didn’t know it. And if she were smart, she’d stick to the porch. Location 683.

What Annie seeks: 

She wanted security and love. Commitment and chemistry. Was that too much to ask? Location 2001

I received this title through NetGalley for  Review for Thomas Nelson.

This story is set near Bozeman, Montana for my Where Are You Reading challenge. I will also add it to my ARC and New Author challenges.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for a PRINT COPY provided by the Publisher:

ENTRY FORM HERE

For 3 Extra Bonus entries Visit  the author's website and tell me something you find of interest.

* This contest is open to US only.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on November 16, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED on November 17, 2012.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.