Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Review (+ Tour GIVEAWAY): Falling for a Cowboy


On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Falling for a Cowboy
(Rocky Mountain Cowboys #2)
by Karen Rock
Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 368 pages
January 1st 2018 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Doesn’t he get that she’s blind?

Barrel racer Amberley James wants to join the premier rodeo circuit more than anything, but she faces the ultimate hurdle when she loses her eyesight to a rare genetic condition. All she’d ever wanted seems out of reach. 

Giving up is the only option…until her best friend and local hero Jared Cade steps in. The last thing she wants is Jared’s help. But his persistence at encouraging her to get back in the saddle is ridiculously annoying. And undeniably inspiring…



Mount Sopris, Colorado


My Thoughts

I am enjoying this series so much! Karen Rock has created a family that you can’t help but fall in love with – not flawless by any means, but oh, so appealing. I was hooked by the story of Sofia and James Cade in the previous book, Christmas at Cade Ranch (click on title to see my review), and have been eagerly awaiting this next series release.

Fruit flies lived longer than Jared’s romantic relationships,
if you could call them that.
- Amberley

Jared Cade – Heisman Trophy winner, Denver Broncos halfback, and a member of Carbondale’s biggest ranching family – and Amberley, barrel racing champion, are strong leading characters. They have been best friends for years, a theme that I love, for what could be a better relational foundation than friendship and trust? But both are blindsided when they begin to discover that something more could be involved, and fearful of what that might mean for their relationship. When it came to Jared’s romantic involvements, he didn’t have the best of reputations. The romantic tension between these two if off the charts, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it all play out.

The backgrounds of both Amberley and Jared had instilled in them a desire to be winners, for nothing less was good enough – until injury and disability entered the picture. I’ve known a few people with that same drive, and it only leads to frustration and disappointment. Amberley captured my heart from the first page, for “the life she’d always wanted ended before it’d even started, and she had no contingency plan.” She saw herself as “a dusty sparrow with a broken wing.”

The author’s writing flows smoothly and she has crafted a beautiful story with more complexity than most romances. A beautiful Colorado setting, feuding families, career choices, children with disabilities, and a very special horse named Harley make for a deeply satisfying read.

My favorite takeaway is the reminder that, while some are more obvious than others, we all face some type of obstacle. I loved these words from Amberley’s interview: “Winning isn’t a number, it’s not a ribbon or trophy. It’s a willingness to go longer, to try harder and give more than anyone else.”

Between the Cade and Loveland families, there’s enough dynamic characters to keep this series going for a long time, and I certainly hope it does. Falling for a Cowboy is a thoroughly entertaining read that touches the heart.

Highly recommended.

I was provided a copy of this book through Prism Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.


Other Books in the Series

Christmas at Cade Ranch
(Rocky Mountain Cowboys #1)
by Karen Rock
Contemporary Romance
November 7th 2017 by Harlequin Heartwarming

The Christmas they never had.

James Cade has one priority: keep the family ranch running smoothly in the wake of his younger brother's death. With Jesse's ex, Sofia Gallardo, and her young son, Javi, stranded at Cade Ranch over Christmas, this task just got a lot harder. The longer Sofia and Javi stay, the harder it is to imagine the ranch without them.

James couldn't save his brother from his inner demons, but he can give his nephew a secure future. Maybe more - if he can figure out how to trust Sofia, and stop feeling like he's betraying Jesse. Because trying to stop thinking about beautiful, determined Sofia is impossible.



About the Author

In a quest to provide her ELA students with quality reading material, educator Karen Rock read everything out there and couldn't wait to add her voice to the genre. In addition to her work as a Young Adult romance novelist, she's now an author for Harlequin's Heartwarming line and thrilled to pen stories that moms can share with their teenage daughters. She's loved Harlequin books since she spent summers going through her grandmother's Presents books that she passed along in paper grocery bags each year. 

As half of the writing duo J.K. Rock, Karen also pens young adult romance. 

When she's not busy writing, Karen enjoys scouring estate sales for vintage books, cooking her grandmother's family recipes, reinventing her gardens to suit her moods and occasionally rescuing local wildlife from neighborhood cats. She lives in the Adirondack Mountain region with her husband, her very appreciated beta-reader daughter, and two Cavalier King cocker spaniels, who have yet to understand the concept of "fetch" though they know a lot about love. 

For more information about Karen's upcoming books, check out her website.

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Other Heartwarming Books by the Author



Tour Giveaway


- 1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card along with print copies of HIS KIND OF COWGIRL, A COWBOY TO KEEP, and CHRISTMAS AT CADE RANCH by Karen Rock
- US Only
- Ends January 24th

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4 comments:

  1. Love the cover, it's very inviting, makes you want to hurry and start reading the book. lclee59(at)centurylink(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'd like to hear more about Karen's YA series. And having a partner.
    Thanks Carole! You always do such a nice job with your reviews!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The cover of your book looks great. I would like to know where do they find "good-looking" guys to be on these books.
    If I win, the books will be going to my daughter-in-law and I'll get the gift card.
    Janet E.
    von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete