Book links:
Tempting the Cowboy: A Paint River Ranch Book (Entangled Indulgence) (Amazon)
Synopsis:
After taking a job on a quiet Montana dude ranch, ex-cop Rylan Frederickson finds herself surrounded by unbelievably sexy cowboys. Too bad the one she wants is her boss…and the single dad of a four-year-old. It doesn’t matter anyway, because after a recent tragedy, there’s simply no more room in her heart.
Letting a new woman into their life is the last thing Cole Haywood wants for him and his daughter, Birdie. But as Rylan’s presence at Paint River Ranch breathes new life into his family he can’t ignore his growing attraction.
When the sparks between them turn into fireworks in bed, Rylan’s torn between the family she’s lost and the one she may have found. Now she must decide if something that feels this good is worth the risk.
My review:
Tempting the Cowboy is the first book in a new series from author Elizabeth Otto, and oh my, what an amazing start!
Rylan Frederickson has had too much of her life taken away by tragedy and is looking to make a fresh start. It’s that desire that leads her to Paint River Ranch. Certain that a more simple life working as a housekeeper on the ranch is exactly what she needs to start to heal her hurt. What she’s certain she doesn’t need is to deal with the gorgeous, sexy, yet ornery, co-owner of the ranch. He’s an attraction she really can’t afford and even worse he’s a single dad of a beautiful four-year old little girl. The combination of a handsome, doting father and an adorable, loving little girl represents what was taken away from her and what she could never have again.
Cole Haywood is a busy man these days. Running his family’s ranch and being a single dad take up all of his waking hours, but he wouldn’t change a thing….except maybe adding the love of a good woman into the mix. On second thought, maybe not. He’d tried that route before and it didn’t turn out well. It did, however, lead to a new section to the Paint River Ranch employee handbook. No *ahem* relations with the staff. Now, after meeting Rylan, the new housekeeper, he’s thinking that maybe that handbook needs another revision to remove that section. Unfortunately there’s more than just a policy keeping him away from Rylan and he’s reminded every time that he looks at his little girl. He can’t afford to make any mistakes and his focus needs to remain on his little girl, Birdie, and his ranch. The question is, how long can the reasons to stay away from Rylan hold up?
The paths that Rylan and Cole have gone down lead them both to this crossroads in their lives and it seems like fate has led them here together. Both equally wounded by love and life in the past, they don’t realize it right away, but eventually they will…that they can help each other heal and learn to love again.
I devoured this book. I read it in just one sitting and loved every minute. It starts out with Rylan and Cole not liking each other one bit and turns into a passion fueled romance that I adored. Rylan’s story absolutely broke my heart and I wanted nothing more than for her to have a happy ending. She deserved it more than I can say. As a police officer, she was as tough as nails, but in her personal life she wasn’t strong enough and she’s paying for it now. I really enjoyed seeing her emotional journey through this story and I cried through so much of the last part of this book…but, you know I love that! Cole is an equally amazing character. He is gruff and rugged with a gorgeous body and killer looks. He carries around so much weight on his shoulders but carries it with dignity. His loyalty to his family and his love for his little girl made him even more delicious than just a sexy cowboy. Together, Cole and Rylan are a match made in heaven. They rise above the lows life has given them and in the end, realize they have found love and another chance at a happily ever after. Now, I will tell you that it isn’t an easy road and the last few chapters had me sobbing and my chest was aching but don’t worry, you’ll love the ending. I promise!
Thank you, Elizabeth, for a fabulous story. I am SO looking forward to more from this series and the Haywood boys!
Five Loves
About the author:
I’m a small town girl, writing about small towns and country boys. I grew up riding my Appaloosa, Dreamie, bareback and barefoot, in cut-off shorts. Running through the thick Northwoods forests and swimming in weed-thick ponds was the perfect fodder for a beginning writer’s mind.
Thank you so much for the great review!