One Lucky Cowboy

Jane is a sassy independent gal with tons of spunk who meets her match in gruff, straight-talking cowboy Slade.

"One Lucky Cowboy" was first published in 2009 and has been updated just a touch. The first third of the book seems to include as many colorful Southern sayings as Brown could cram in.

However, as a native Texan who delights in the descriptive turn of phrases, I found them to be a bit much at the start of this one!

** And, at one point, I wondered if one or two had been thrown in at the last minute because they just didn't quite fit the context.

** And, while the main characters are country at heart, with their social, economic and and educational backgrounds, they probably wouldn't sound quite like hicks or uneducated farmers. I know plenty of farmers and ranchers who are plenty country without abusing the English language constantly with the wrong tenses or contractions. The word don't was used too frequently in place of doesn't for me to believe. They're ranchers, not uneducated, uncaring bubbas. (Granted I was reading an ARC, and thus wouldn't normally mention it, as is customary. Perhaps these were addressed in the final edit? Fingers crossed. However, in are-release, that's not usually the case.)

Aside from that, I really enjoyed this book. The banter was other wise witty, the antics laughable as the pair tries unsuccessfully not to like the other. The pace is fast as Jane tries to outrun her murderous fiancé, his even more felonious lover and the stepfather who put out the hit on her so she wouldn't live long enough to claim her inheritance.

Slade's Granny realizes immediately that there's something special about Jane and enlists her audacious sister Ellen's aid in helping her. Slade's convinced Nellie is being taken advantage of by a con. Jane's keeping secrets alright, just not the ones he thinks.

When he does find out... he'd still rather dump her in the nearest swamp or ditch than get more entangled in her mess and the fire burning between them hotter than an August evening in East Texas.

This pair is put through the ringer by and with each other, as they find themselves in hot water time and again. There's action, sparring, humor, sizzle interaction, clever if not kooky characters and some romance too.

ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley (not realizing it was a re-release that I had already purchased but hadn't read.)

This was a wonderful story. There were some really great scenes in this book. I just fell in love with the characters. The plot was one that just seemed to enchant me from the beginning. I REALLY have to not start reading in the late evening as I didn't want to put this down. I enjoyed this story immensely. I have noticed that books are being re-released some with even new titles (this one has the same title.) Be careful if you are a Carolyn Brown fan, you may already have this book. I would recommend this story to anyone.

I don't know if I would call it a western but it was sure entertaining.