Cowboy And The Calendar Girl

by Nancy Martin

100% PURE COWBOY?

Ever since calendar publisher Carly Cortazzo had laid eyes on handsome Hank Fowler's photograph, she'd been dreaming about this rugged cowboy. So she finally headed out to the Black Hills of South Dakota to meet him. This tall, lean, mysterious rancher was even better in person. And after spending one-too-many nights held safely in his strong arms, Carly knew she'd found the man of her dreams...

Problem was, Hank wasn't quite who she thought he was. Unexpectedly, he'd fallen hard for the pretty, trusting romantic. But once he told her the truth, how could he convince her he was still the cowboy she wanted...forever?

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 1998

About the author

Winner of the 2009 Lifetime Achievement award for mystery writing from Romantic Times magazine, Nancy Martin announces the release of the 8th book in her popular Blackbird Sisters mystery series, NO WAY TO KILL A LADY. Set in Philadelphia, the story features three heiresses whose parents have run off with their trust funds. Now thay have a chance to regain their wealth when their aunt, "Madcap Maddy" Blackbird dies in a volcano and leaves her estate to the sisters. But Nora Blackbird soon discovers all the treasures in Aunt Maddy's house have disappeared...information that leads her to believe maybe Maddy didn't die the way everybody thinks.

Author of 48 pop fiction novels in mystery, suspense, historical and romance genres, Nancy created The Blackbird Sisters in 2002--- mysteries about three impoverished heiresses who adventure in couture and crime --as if “Agatha Christie had wandered onto the set of Sex and The City.” Nominated for the Agatha Award for Best First Mystery of 2002, HOW TO MURDER A MILLIONAIRE won the RT award for Best First Mystery and was a finalist for the Daphne DuMaurier Award. Currently, she is at work on the Roxy Abruzzo mystery series for St. Martin’s Minotaur. In 2009 she received the Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award for mystery writing.

Nancy lives in Pittsburgh, serves on the board of Sisters in Crime and is a founding member of Pennwriters. Find her on Pinterest and Facebook.

Reviews

[R · Rating 3 out of 5]

**MINOR SPOILERS**
This book is part of the Opposites Attract series from Silhouette Desire. It can be read as a standalone as I believe the series is based on an idea, not interconnected stories.
I have enjoyed mysteries by this author as well as a few other things she has written so I thought I would pick this one up. This book is ok, but I like her other writing better.
Carly, one of the main characters, develops calendars. When she sees a picture of Hank, she decides he is the perfect cowboy model. Not just that, she is instantly attracted to him by just seeing the picture. She heads off to South Dakota to meet him and to take preliminary pictures. It is unlikely that she would be the one to do so as she is not a professional photographer, but the business that she has is run by herself and one other and she wants to meet Hank.
Hank writes a syndicated column and is talked into acting like a cowboy by his sister. She desperately needs the money to save the family ranch. However, he has spent a long time away from the ranch and was never good at being a cowboy in the first place. I did not find it very realistic that he was as incompetent as the book characterized him. When Carly arrives, they are mutually attracted to each other, and he wants to tell her the truth. However, he is afraid of messing up his sister’s chances at the money.
The relationship between Hank and his sister is great. She is very down to earth. Hank has given most of his money to her to help her in the past. I hope that things work out for her. She was attracted to a neighbor who lost his own ranch and flirted with Carly. In addition, Hank remembers him as a bully in grade school.
The relationship between Hank and Carly could have used a little more development. Both like an urban lifestyle, but Hank has to pretend to like being a rancher, which causes some difficulties. When Carly finally finds out the truth, her reaction is understandable.
I thought they were both interesting people, but the relationship developed too fast and did not have enough depth.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I had read this book, but it turns out another of the Harlequin/Silhouette authors practically wrote the same story!
If you can think of the movie Jewel of the Nile with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner all those years ago, then this might give you an idea of how this moves.
I found it entertaining, light-hearted, and it was a fun read. Nancy Martin moved the story along at a good pace, even if the poor hero in real life would have been tested for concussion, it flowed well.

[Trista Tidwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story