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Accidentally in Love #2.5
An Officer and a Rebel
Previously released as part of the Stranded with a Hero anthology. Now available individually!
Doing the wrong thing has never felt so right...
The last person police officer Nate Walsh expected to discover stranded in a snowstorm is his brother's ex—and former town rebel—Kelsey Cooper. His complete opposite in every way, Kelsey’s the girl he never allowed himself to want. But when she agrees to stay with him until the storm passes, he definitely finds himself wanting the gorgeous, tattooed woman. Too bad Nate’s sure his brother is still in love with her…
Kelsey had only meant to drive through her tiny hometown, not end up spending time there. With a cop. But despite her issues with authority figures, even she can admit Mr. Serious looks pretty hot in his uniform. Unfortunately, she’s sworn off relationships—and she’ll never be the girl for a nice guy.
Doing the wrong thing has never felt so right...
The last person police officer Nate Walsh expected to discover stranded in a snowstorm is his brother's ex—and former town rebel—Kelsey Cooper. His complete opposite in every way, Kelsey’s the girl he never allowed himself to want. But when she agrees to stay with him until the storm passes, he definitely finds himself wanting the gorgeous, tattooed woman. Too bad Nate’s sure his brother is still in love with her…
Kelsey had only meant to drive through her tiny hometown, not end up spending time there. With a cop. But despite her issues with authority figures, even she can admit Mr. Serious looks pretty hot in his uniform. Unfortunately, she’s sworn off relationships—and she’ll never be the girl for a nice guy.
88 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2014
32 people are currently reading
758 people want to read
About the author
Cindi Madsen
65 books2,259 followersCindi Madsen is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and young adult novels. She sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting, revising, and falling in love with her characters. She loves music and dancing and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children. She and her family also take their Marvel addiction very seriously, as their one-eyed cat, Agent Fury, and their kitty named Valkyrie can attest.
You can visit Cindi at: www.cindimadsen.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter to get all the up-to-date information on her books.
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You can visit Cindi at: www.cindimadsen.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter to get all the up-to-date information on her books.
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See her inspiration pins on Pinterest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
February 8, 2017
An Officer and a Rebel is a novella by Cindi Madsen and part of her Accidentally in Love series. I grabbed this on Nook when it was a freebie. The story takes place at Christmas and can be read as a standalone.
While this is a novella and can be read quickly, the romance worked. Kelsey Cooper is traveling home when her car crashes. Nate Welsh comes to her rescue. He is local law enforcement and the older brother of her high school boyfriend. A snow storm, confessions and long ago attraction are the tropes present, and they all worked nicely. While I would have preferred a full-length novel, the author did an excellent job of delivering all the feels and believability to make this a warm, fuzzy read for any time of the year. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
While this is a novella and can be read quickly, the romance worked. Kelsey Cooper is traveling home when her car crashes. Nate Welsh comes to her rescue. He is local law enforcement and the older brother of her high school boyfriend. A snow storm, confessions and long ago attraction are the tropes present, and they all worked nicely. While I would have preferred a full-length novel, the author did an excellent job of delivering all the feels and believability to make this a warm, fuzzy read for any time of the year. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
July 28, 2019
Cindi Madsen is a favorite of mine, and I love her Accidentally in Love series. Remember Wes from Falling for her Fiance? Nate is his cousin, so I think that is pretty much all I need to say to convince fans that An Officer and a Rebel is worth the read.
As always, Madsen has created a story that made me laugh, and warmed my heart at the same time. Her heroine, Kelsey was a little bit crazy, a whole lot funny, and adorable. She's a little bit of a disaster, the good kind, so of course I loved her and her purple hair and potty mouth.
This story has a nice little forbidden(-ish) romance, with Kelsey being the ex-girlfriend of Nate's younger brother. There is also the fact that Nate has always had a bit of a crush on Kelsey, but thought she could never go for him. Of course things work out, but in this story, the getting there was a whole lot of fun.
Favorite Quote:
His heart pounded in his chest, and he pushed his hand into her hair, desire flooding his veins once more. Addictive--that was the right word for being with Kelsey. Never enough, always wanting more.
As always, Madsen has created a story that made me laugh, and warmed my heart at the same time. Her heroine, Kelsey was a little bit crazy, a whole lot funny, and adorable. She's a little bit of a disaster, the good kind, so of course I loved her and her purple hair and potty mouth.
This story has a nice little forbidden(-ish) romance, with Kelsey being the ex-girlfriend of Nate's younger brother. There is also the fact that Nate has always had a bit of a crush on Kelsey, but thought she could never go for him. Of course things work out, but in this story, the getting there was a whole lot of fun.
Favorite Quote:
His heart pounded in his chest, and he pushed his hand into her hair, desire flooding his veins once more. Addictive--that was the right word for being with Kelsey. Never enough, always wanting more.
November 24, 2017
Sweet, easy read
This was a quick, fun read. I love the whole idea of the rebel girl with the good guy. It totally works for these two.
This was a quick, fun read. I love the whole idea of the rebel girl with the good guy. It totally works for these two.
July 22, 2014
This was a very quick read. It did not take long at all for me to finish this story.
Kelsey dated Nate's brother years ago, and Nate always had a crush on her. Kelsey's personality is very different from Nate's, and she thought he didn't like her. Not many people in their small North Carolina town understood her. They all seemed to think she was a wild child because of her hair, clothes, and driving.
Kelsey, who has since moved away, decides to make one last visit to the house she lived in with her mother. Her mother has gotten married, moved away, and is selling the house. Kelsey's car is not in the best condition and she wrecks because of a winter storm and a deer. Police officer Nate shows up and offers her a room at his house until the storm passes. It isn't long before sparks began to fly.
I love opposites attract books, and this was certainly one of those. Yes, the romance was rushed, but I still enjoyed it. This was basically a Hallmark Christmas movie type of story. So, anyone who enjoys those movies should enjoy this book.
*I received my copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Kelsey dated Nate's brother years ago, and Nate always had a crush on her. Kelsey's personality is very different from Nate's, and she thought he didn't like her. Not many people in their small North Carolina town understood her. They all seemed to think she was a wild child because of her hair, clothes, and driving.
Kelsey, who has since moved away, decides to make one last visit to the house she lived in with her mother. Her mother has gotten married, moved away, and is selling the house. Kelsey's car is not in the best condition and she wrecks because of a winter storm and a deer. Police officer Nate shows up and offers her a room at his house until the storm passes. It isn't long before sparks began to fly.
I love opposites attract books, and this was certainly one of those. Yes, the romance was rushed, but I still enjoyed it. This was basically a Hallmark Christmas movie type of story. So, anyone who enjoys those movies should enjoy this book.
*I received my copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2014
Reviewed for Read Your Writes Book Reviews
by Kim
This was my first time reading a book by Cindi Madsen. I don't know what I was thinking by waiting so long. An Officer and a Rebel is a second chance romance for the ages.
Nate Walsh is a police officer in his small hometown of Marion, North Carolina. Kelsey Cooper is now a hairdresser and former rebel of Marion. In what was supposed to be a trip down memory lane for Kelsey who is just traveling through town on Christmas Eve, turns out to be a memory she will never forget.
While Nate and Kelsey didn't previously have a relationship, Nate did have a crush on Kelsey, who was once his younger brother's girlfriend. When an accident and a bad winter storm traps these two together, falling in love is the last thing on either of their minds. But as time goes by and they get to know each other, forever love becomes the number one thing on their minds.
In typical Entangled Bliss fashion, be prepared to cry and fall in love with Nate and Kelsey.
Source: Publisher
by Kim
This was my first time reading a book by Cindi Madsen. I don't know what I was thinking by waiting so long. An Officer and a Rebel is a second chance romance for the ages.
Nate Walsh is a police officer in his small hometown of Marion, North Carolina. Kelsey Cooper is now a hairdresser and former rebel of Marion. In what was supposed to be a trip down memory lane for Kelsey who is just traveling through town on Christmas Eve, turns out to be a memory she will never forget.
While Nate and Kelsey didn't previously have a relationship, Nate did have a crush on Kelsey, who was once his younger brother's girlfriend. When an accident and a bad winter storm traps these two together, falling in love is the last thing on either of their minds. But as time goes by and they get to know each other, forever love becomes the number one thing on their minds.
In typical Entangled Bliss fashion, be prepared to cry and fall in love with Nate and Kelsey.
Source: Publisher
July 25, 2014
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley from the author/publisher. It was a short novella and what I think of as a sweet read. I would love to read it around Christmas time during a lazy afternoon on the couch. You definitely feel the attraction between Kelsey and Nate, but when they finally become intimate the story fades and you pick up the next morning. I really liked Nate's character and wish we had more about him. I had no idea until I started writing this review that it was part of a series. Obviously other characters (his cousin, etc.) were mentioned, but you don't need those stories to enjoy this one. I actually thought Nate's brother (and Kelsey's ex) was one of the stories, but I don't think it is. Overall the book was an ok and quick read. It was simple and a quick (almost) instalove story line with sweet moments.
August 28, 2015
I will preface by saying that this is a novella, and I did not realize it when I accepted it. I'm not a fan of novellas in general. (I received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.)
Bad girl Kelsey crashes back into town- literally. While she is stranded, her former boyfriend's big brother, Nate, comes to the rescue. He works for the sheriff's department. Due to a huge snow storm, he takes Kelsey back to his house where they are snowed in until Christmas. Living in close quarters stirs up some old feelings.
I don't feel like the story was developed enough. Both characters were flat and they lacked chemistry. This isn't a terrible read, but it doesn't land on my must read list, either.
Bad girl Kelsey crashes back into town- literally. While she is stranded, her former boyfriend's big brother, Nate, comes to the rescue. He works for the sheriff's department. Due to a huge snow storm, he takes Kelsey back to his house where they are snowed in until Christmas. Living in close quarters stirs up some old feelings.
I don't feel like the story was developed enough. Both characters were flat and they lacked chemistry. This isn't a terrible read, but it doesn't land on my must read list, either.
March 20, 2015
So damn cute!!!! What can I say? Cindi's writing just makes me swoon so hard.
Nate and Kelsey were so adorable together and my heart gave loud thumps every time they grinned at each other, yep. I'm such a sucker for romance. Nate was the king of cuteness and I wanted to bear-hug him forever. I wanted to see him smile for the rest of his life.
Novellas are so short for me because I so want a full story of them. But I actually really liked this one and I'm over the moon about Cindi's books now. Can't help it.
Nate and Kelsey were so adorable together and my heart gave loud thumps every time they grinned at each other, yep. I'm such a sucker for romance. Nate was the king of cuteness and I wanted to bear-hug him forever. I wanted to see him smile for the rest of his life.
Novellas are so short for me because I so want a full story of them. But I actually really liked this one and I'm over the moon about Cindi's books now. Can't help it.
July 10, 2014
I read this novella when it was part of the Stranded with a Hero anthology book.
An Officer and the Rebel was a fun and enjoyable read :)
An Officer and the Rebel was a fun and enjoyable read :)
July 5, 2022
Great couple
I love this book! I bought it several years ago and I'm compelled to reread it every once in a while. It's just such a cute story with a great couple.
Kelsey, the heroine, is on her way to visit her mom for Christmas when she decides to make a detour to visit their old town. During a snowstorm. In a wreck of a car. What could go wrong?
Nate, the hero, is a town deputy who is driving home when he sees a car accident on the side of the road. He rescues the woman inside and discover it's his brother's ex girlfriend. The one who he thinks his brother still has feelings for. The one he always wanted. What's a guy to do?
He takes her home to wait out the storm and they get to know each other. I loved the two of them together; they balance each other so well. Even though it's a shorter story, there's a richness to the writing that makes the story complete.
This is a safe read with some explicit language. I definitely recommend this book.
I love this book! I bought it several years ago and I'm compelled to reread it every once in a while. It's just such a cute story with a great couple.
Kelsey, the heroine, is on her way to visit her mom for Christmas when she decides to make a detour to visit their old town. During a snowstorm. In a wreck of a car. What could go wrong?
Nate, the hero, is a town deputy who is driving home when he sees a car accident on the side of the road. He rescues the woman inside and discover it's his brother's ex girlfriend. The one who he thinks his brother still has feelings for. The one he always wanted. What's a guy to do?
He takes her home to wait out the storm and they get to know each other. I loved the two of them together; they balance each other so well. Even though it's a shorter story, there's a richness to the writing that makes the story complete.
This is a safe read with some explicit language. I definitely recommend this book.
July 11, 2024
Snowed in with her ex's brother. Cute love story, but it was a "closed-door" romance so that was disappointing. I asked my librarian to recommend a short smut book and she gave me this? We're gonna have words when I return this book. 2.5 stars because the characters were actually really likeable.
July 20, 2017
Cute novella. Nothing much to say, it's very short so there is no real character development, but in a novella, that's not a problem.
November 22, 2017
Cute and quick.
January 16, 2020
Sweet story set at Christmas. Fade to black smexy times, but nothing was lost there.
December 27, 2017
This was a short and sweet holiday novella. It was a quick read to get you in that holiday spirit. It was just like those Hallmark Christmas movies, cheesy but cute. A sexy cop and a rebel what more could you need for an entertaining book. A sweet easy read!
October 3, 2014
I should start this review off by saying this is a novella though I have not read the others in the series it is a part of and I did not feel I missed anything as it pertains to this couple in not reading them. This can definitely be read as a standalone and after reading it, I have to say, it’s definitely one, if you like the sweeter side of romance, you need to read.
This book made it onto a list that doesn’t get as much traction as I would like on here, magical romance and it has nothing at all to do with paranormal. It has to do with the way the couple comes together, how I feel more then I’m shown and how I cannot put it down until I get my payoff in the form of a happily ever after. Though this book is magical it’s also so much more.
It’s a book of second chances. Of being in the right place at the right time to make a change in your life that you didn’t even know at the time you needed. It’s about finding that one person that you just couldn’t let go of and this time getting the chance to do it right, even if it does take a little bit of work.
I fell in love with the characters. It was really hard not to like Kelsey. She’s definitely a character, with her tattoos and colored hair and “rebel” attitude that I would have loved to hang out with. For the most part though, living in a small town as she did when she was growing up, all eyes were on her and opinions were raised. I didn’t get the rebel vibe from her, I just got awesomeness. She seemed really fun and that didn’t change as she got older, grew up and moved away either.
Nate is your good guy and he is so inherently good that it even presents an issue for them as they’re getting to know each other again. After they’ve started to fall for one another, but it works here. I didn’t need the bad boy because Nate had it all. Smart, funny, sweet, sexy, inherently good…I have to admit, I fell for him as much as Kelsey did by the end of it.
I won’t say more than what I already have because I don’t want to give the plot of the book away, but even though some may perceive this to be cookie cutter romance and the same kind of thing that’s been written about a million times, I differ in my opinion. It stood out for me even if it was a little on the short end and I think what was there made up for the limited word count. I felt like I got a complete story and one that if her other books are similar with give the author a fan for life.
What a wonderful read. Kelsey and Nate….you’re perfect and I love your faces. Don’t ever change. <3
This book made it onto a list that doesn’t get as much traction as I would like on here, magical romance and it has nothing at all to do with paranormal. It has to do with the way the couple comes together, how I feel more then I’m shown and how I cannot put it down until I get my payoff in the form of a happily ever after. Though this book is magical it’s also so much more.
It’s a book of second chances. Of being in the right place at the right time to make a change in your life that you didn’t even know at the time you needed. It’s about finding that one person that you just couldn’t let go of and this time getting the chance to do it right, even if it does take a little bit of work.
I fell in love with the characters. It was really hard not to like Kelsey. She’s definitely a character, with her tattoos and colored hair and “rebel” attitude that I would have loved to hang out with. For the most part though, living in a small town as she did when she was growing up, all eyes were on her and opinions were raised. I didn’t get the rebel vibe from her, I just got awesomeness. She seemed really fun and that didn’t change as she got older, grew up and moved away either.
Nate is your good guy and he is so inherently good that it even presents an issue for them as they’re getting to know each other again. After they’ve started to fall for one another, but it works here. I didn’t need the bad boy because Nate had it all. Smart, funny, sweet, sexy, inherently good…I have to admit, I fell for him as much as Kelsey did by the end of it.
I won’t say more than what I already have because I don’t want to give the plot of the book away, but even though some may perceive this to be cookie cutter romance and the same kind of thing that’s been written about a million times, I differ in my opinion. It stood out for me even if it was a little on the short end and I think what was there made up for the limited word count. I felt like I got a complete story and one that if her other books are similar with give the author a fan for life.
What a wonderful read. Kelsey and Nate….you’re perfect and I love your faces. Don’t ever change. <3
September 22, 2014
To read this review and others like it check out my site at www.homelovebooks.com
Another Christmas novella! I should warn you folks, my love for all things Christmas is kind of overwhelming, I love Christmas (I literally just bought four new ornaments for my tree months in advance of December). I've been reading a couple of Christmas books in the past few weeks, but be prepared for there to be a lot more in the coming weeks, because I am really enjoying them so far.
So Kelsey is on her way to visit her mom for Christmas when she decided to take a detour through the town that she grew up in, she's feeling nostalgic since her mother moved away and wanted to drive through her town one last time to say goodbye. Only a snowstorm hits, a deer darts in front of her car, and she crashes into a guardrail. Now not only is car unmovable, its also about to buried under a couple feet of snow. Nate shows up and saves the day, being a cop he was out on patrol when he saw her wreck, and of course it turns out to be the girl he always liked but that was dating his younger brother. He offers her a room at his place and she takes him up on it.
I loved the attraction going on between them, it's really kind of great and somewhat angsty. Nate is this upstanding guy who always follows the rules and doesn't want to try anything with Kelsey because he would never do anything to hurt his brother. Kelsey has a tendency to always go for the wrong guy, but yet she finds herself incredibly attracted to Nate, even though he's a cop (not her favorite occupation due to her need for speed). Nate fights off his attraction to her, leading to a lot of fun interactions between the two of them, everything from drinking games, snowmobiling, and decorating a Christmas tree. I think because Nate was fighting off his need to act on his feelings it gave me a chance to get to know and really like the two of them as people. Nate was easy to like because he's just an honorable guy. Kelsey I loved because she clearly marches to the beat of her own drum and I love that about her, and I loved that she really is an independent person.
This is such a feel good Christmas novella/love story. If you love Christmas and happily ever afters then this is definitely a fun and easy read that I have no problem recommending.
Another Christmas novella! I should warn you folks, my love for all things Christmas is kind of overwhelming, I love Christmas (I literally just bought four new ornaments for my tree months in advance of December). I've been reading a couple of Christmas books in the past few weeks, but be prepared for there to be a lot more in the coming weeks, because I am really enjoying them so far.
So Kelsey is on her way to visit her mom for Christmas when she decided to take a detour through the town that she grew up in, she's feeling nostalgic since her mother moved away and wanted to drive through her town one last time to say goodbye. Only a snowstorm hits, a deer darts in front of her car, and she crashes into a guardrail. Now not only is car unmovable, its also about to buried under a couple feet of snow. Nate shows up and saves the day, being a cop he was out on patrol when he saw her wreck, and of course it turns out to be the girl he always liked but that was dating his younger brother. He offers her a room at his place and she takes him up on it.
I loved the attraction going on between them, it's really kind of great and somewhat angsty. Nate is this upstanding guy who always follows the rules and doesn't want to try anything with Kelsey because he would never do anything to hurt his brother. Kelsey has a tendency to always go for the wrong guy, but yet she finds herself incredibly attracted to Nate, even though he's a cop (not her favorite occupation due to her need for speed). Nate fights off his attraction to her, leading to a lot of fun interactions between the two of them, everything from drinking games, snowmobiling, and decorating a Christmas tree. I think because Nate was fighting off his need to act on his feelings it gave me a chance to get to know and really like the two of them as people. Nate was easy to like because he's just an honorable guy. Kelsey I loved because she clearly marches to the beat of her own drum and I love that about her, and I loved that she really is an independent person.
This is such a feel good Christmas novella/love story. If you love Christmas and happily ever afters then this is definitely a fun and easy read that I have no problem recommending.
September 28, 2021
An Officer and a Rebel bk 2.5 (Accidentally in love series)
This book Follows Nate and how he finds love.. This book was so sweet, cute, romantic and had a christmas theme to the story..
I liked Nate and Kelsey's relationship in this story Because it was so sweet and cute and It was nice to watch their friendship turn into love..
This book is packed full of:
⦁ Awesome characters
⦁ Strong Family Relationship
⦁ Sweet Romance
⦁ Second chance Romance
⦁ Friends to lovers
⦁ christmas themed
⦁ Fast read
⦁ Small town
Nate is so sweet, kind, smart, sassy, caring, likes looking out for his family and friends, Works as a Cop and a Farmer to help his dad, Always there for anyone that needs help, Nate is Wes's cousin fun character, strong, has a big heart, He has been in-love with his friend Kelsey for years but did nothing because she is his brother's ex but i am glad that he found a way to be with her now after all these years..
Kelsey is sweet, smart, kind, She is a Hairdresser/ works with Metal art, Strong Character, does not let anyone close to her heart until she see Nate again after all these years, She has tattoos, She is very close to her mum, she did not want to think about relationships but when she met Nate that's all she could think of
I liked the strong relationship Kelsey has with her mum and how outgoing they are with each other.. It was funny reading the parts when they watched a lot of christmas movies and made christmas cookies..
Its kool to see that this book you find out that Nate is Wes's cousin ( you will meet Wes in book 1 ) and i found it funny when he has to ring Wes up and ask for help so he could meet Kelsey at her mum's house for new years.. It was also kool to find out that he knew Connor ( you will meet Connor in book 3) because Nate and Connor went to academy together to become cops..
This book Follows Nate and how he finds love.. This book was so sweet, cute, romantic and had a christmas theme to the story..
I liked Nate and Kelsey's relationship in this story Because it was so sweet and cute and It was nice to watch their friendship turn into love..
This book is packed full of:
⦁ Awesome characters
⦁ Strong Family Relationship
⦁ Sweet Romance
⦁ Second chance Romance
⦁ Friends to lovers
⦁ christmas themed
⦁ Fast read
⦁ Small town
Nate is so sweet, kind, smart, sassy, caring, likes looking out for his family and friends, Works as a Cop and a Farmer to help his dad, Always there for anyone that needs help, Nate is Wes's cousin fun character, strong, has a big heart, He has been in-love with his friend Kelsey for years but did nothing because she is his brother's ex but i am glad that he found a way to be with her now after all these years..
Kelsey is sweet, smart, kind, She is a Hairdresser/ works with Metal art, Strong Character, does not let anyone close to her heart until she see Nate again after all these years, She has tattoos, She is very close to her mum, she did not want to think about relationships but when she met Nate that's all she could think of
I liked the strong relationship Kelsey has with her mum and how outgoing they are with each other.. It was funny reading the parts when they watched a lot of christmas movies and made christmas cookies..
Its kool to see that this book you find out that Nate is Wes's cousin ( you will meet Wes in book 1 ) and i found it funny when he has to ring Wes up and ask for help so he could meet Kelsey at her mum's house for new years.. It was also kool to find out that he knew Connor ( you will meet Connor in book 3) because Nate and Connor went to academy together to become cops..
December 15, 2014
Not-so-bad girl Kelsey Cooper is on her way to spend Christmas at her mom's when she takes a detour to the small town where they once lived and runs off the road in a snow storm. The police officer who comes to her rescue turns out to be a former boyfriend's sexy older brother. Can a lawman and a rule breaker find their happily ever after?
Nate and Kelsey have searing chemistry. He's attractive and honorable and sensitive. She's a quirky mix of defensiveness and vulnerability. "Stranded lovers" is a familiar situation in the romance world, but there's enough real story here to make it fresh. The couple has a semi-shared past. This means there's history to provide tension, but they don't know each other all that well, which keeps things interesting.
The two characters and the intimate setting Madsen creates for them on Nate's family farm work well within the scope of a novella. I always wince when I'm presented with a novella, because it's a difficult form to get just right. This one succeeds because the author doesn't try to cram in too much. She gives reader enough detail to make the story live but no more. And yet there's a surprising amount of plot and character development for such a short work. .
My one complaint has to do with the cover. Now, normally I don't include consideration of cover images in a book review, and I certainly don't expect the models to exactly match the characters. But Nate is a blond, clean-cut police officer. The guy on the cover has dark hair and a BEARD. Sorry, but it distracted me.
Cover confusion aside, this is a cute seasonal romance perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit.
Nate and Kelsey have searing chemistry. He's attractive and honorable and sensitive. She's a quirky mix of defensiveness and vulnerability. "Stranded lovers" is a familiar situation in the romance world, but there's enough real story here to make it fresh. The couple has a semi-shared past. This means there's history to provide tension, but they don't know each other all that well, which keeps things interesting.
The two characters and the intimate setting Madsen creates for them on Nate's family farm work well within the scope of a novella. I always wince when I'm presented with a novella, because it's a difficult form to get just right. This one succeeds because the author doesn't try to cram in too much. She gives reader enough detail to make the story live but no more. And yet there's a surprising amount of plot and character development for such a short work. .
My one complaint has to do with the cover. Now, normally I don't include consideration of cover images in a book review, and I certainly don't expect the models to exactly match the characters. But Nate is a blond, clean-cut police officer. The guy on the cover has dark hair and a BEARD. Sorry, but it distracted me.
Cover confusion aside, this is a cute seasonal romance perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit.
July 28, 2014
Full review on The Bookshelf Intruder
Novellas are tricky pieces. They’re short and the author has limited space to work with. They have to cram everything and make it seem unhurried and still meaty like full-length novels. It’s tough but because Cindi Madsen is amazing, she still managed to pull off a win with An Officer and a Rebel.
Nate is Wes’ cousin and like Wes, Nate is a hunk and nice guy. Definitely not as adventurous as Wes but falling in love with the town’s rebel is a risk in itself so you can’t say Nate isn’t gutsy. Plus, he’s responsible and cares for his family a lot.
Kelsey’s brave and has a kind heart. I love that she’s different and doesn’t try very hard to please other people. You gotta love someone who’s confident of who he/she is.
Everything happens in just a week, and I’m pretty sure you’d think that’s fast but no, this is not another case of insta-love because Nate actually fell in love with Kelsey years ago when she was still dating his brother.
I’m amazed that even though this was short, Cindi was able to raise some questions that are very common in relationships: Should you date someone even if your friend/sibling/cousin used to date that person? Should you give up your job and/or move to another town just to be with the one you love? Is love worth the sacrifice?
An Officer and a Rebel was a quick, nice read and plus points for it being a holiday book as well. I adore Christmas-y books. :)
Novellas are tricky pieces. They’re short and the author has limited space to work with. They have to cram everything and make it seem unhurried and still meaty like full-length novels. It’s tough but because Cindi Madsen is amazing, she still managed to pull off a win with An Officer and a Rebel.
Nate is Wes’ cousin and like Wes, Nate is a hunk and nice guy. Definitely not as adventurous as Wes but falling in love with the town’s rebel is a risk in itself so you can’t say Nate isn’t gutsy. Plus, he’s responsible and cares for his family a lot.
Kelsey’s brave and has a kind heart. I love that she’s different and doesn’t try very hard to please other people. You gotta love someone who’s confident of who he/she is.
Everything happens in just a week, and I’m pretty sure you’d think that’s fast but no, this is not another case of insta-love because Nate actually fell in love with Kelsey years ago when she was still dating his brother.
I’m amazed that even though this was short, Cindi was able to raise some questions that are very common in relationships: Should you date someone even if your friend/sibling/cousin used to date that person? Should you give up your job and/or move to another town just to be with the one you love? Is love worth the sacrifice?
An Officer and a Rebel was a quick, nice read and plus points for it being a holiday book as well. I adore Christmas-y books. :)
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March 30, 2015Genre: Novella, contemporary romance
Standalone/series: stand alone, part of a companion series
Cliffhanger?:
Cursing?: some but nothing majoy
Descriptive Sex?:
Descriptive Sex Between H/h With OW/OM?:
Contains Cheating?:
Amount of Sex In The Book:
Overall Chemistry: good
Overall Couple's Rootablity: Good
HEA/HFN/etc Ending:
1st/2nd/3rd Person: 3rd person
Character(s)POV Spoken: Both H and h
Any Triggers/Warnings: No
Overall Rating: Average for the genre
Do You Recommend This Book: To those looking for a conventional quick romance
Would You Read More Books By This Author: maybe
This is a straight forward, contemporary romance novella. It delivers a simple and quick story with no real surprises. I've only read one other book by this author but I think that is her basic style of book. Her books seem like pretty safe, conventional stories. I did appreciate that this book was a novella and not drawn out into a full novel. There wasn't enough conflict for that and it would have been redundant. I bring this up because I read the first in this series and that was my issue with it. The premise was fine but it should have been a novella too because the back and forth was overly drawn out in it.
Standalone/series: stand alone, part of a companion series
Cliffhanger?:
Cursing?: some but nothing majoy
Descriptive Sex?:
Descriptive Sex Between H/h With OW/OM?:
Contains Cheating?:
Amount of Sex In The Book:
Overall Chemistry: good
Overall Couple's Rootablity: Good
HEA/HFN/etc Ending:
1st/2nd/3rd Person: 3rd person
Character(s)POV Spoken: Both H and h
Any Triggers/Warnings: No
Overall Rating: Average for the genre
Do You Recommend This Book: To those looking for a conventional quick romance
Would You Read More Books By This Author: maybe
This is a straight forward, contemporary romance novella. It delivers a simple and quick story with no real surprises. I've only read one other book by this author but I think that is her basic style of book. Her books seem like pretty safe, conventional stories. I did appreciate that this book was a novella and not drawn out into a full novel. There wasn't enough conflict for that and it would have been redundant. I bring this up because I read the first in this series and that was my issue with it. The premise was fine but it should have been a novella too because the back and forth was overly drawn out in it.
August 20, 2014
An Officer And A Rebel is a story of second chances. Ever since he was a young teen, Nate had been in love with his brother's girlfriend. But when Derek, Nate's brother, broke up with Kelsey, he didn't see her as much. As time went by Kelsey left town with her mother and wasn't seen or heard from again.
Feeling nostalgic on the way to her mother's house for Christmas, Kelsey takes a scenic route through Marion, her old home, to a disasterous end. With snow blanketing the roads, and making it hard to drive, Kelsey swerves to miss a deer and crashes her car. But who comes to her rescue, none other than Nate.
I enjoyed An Officer And A Rebel quite a bit. It was fun, humerous, and had a certain amount of steam without going into Red-Hot Bliss or Brazen territory. Both Kelsey and Nate are likable characters. I commend Kelsey for being so open with being herself. It never seemed like she was afraid of being who she was and letting the world know that. It's refreshing. As for Nate, the want to help out his family is endearing.
My one main gripe about Officer is probably the insta-love. I know it's a novella and it takes place over a week's time, but insta-love just grates at me in ways that no one should have to endure. But other than that, I really enjoyed the novella and felt it was a great introduction to Cindi Madsen for me.
Feeling nostalgic on the way to her mother's house for Christmas, Kelsey takes a scenic route through Marion, her old home, to a disasterous end. With snow blanketing the roads, and making it hard to drive, Kelsey swerves to miss a deer and crashes her car. But who comes to her rescue, none other than Nate.
I enjoyed An Officer And A Rebel quite a bit. It was fun, humerous, and had a certain amount of steam without going into Red-Hot Bliss or Brazen territory. Both Kelsey and Nate are likable characters. I commend Kelsey for being so open with being herself. It never seemed like she was afraid of being who she was and letting the world know that. It's refreshing. As for Nate, the want to help out his family is endearing.
My one main gripe about Officer is probably the insta-love. I know it's a novella and it takes place over a week's time, but insta-love just grates at me in ways that no one should have to endure. But other than that, I really enjoyed the novella and felt it was a great introduction to Cindi Madsen for me.
August 16, 2014
I just love a story set during Christmas to read during the hot summer months. One of my favorite things about this book is that Cindi has it set in the Carolina mountains which isn’t too far from my hometown. There’s something about knowing exactly where the author is talking about that adds to the visual imagery of a story while reading.
In this quick holiday read, Kelsey is a free spirit that finds herself stuck in a snow storm after swerving to avoid a deer. Enter Nate. Her ex-boyfriend’s older brother and a local cop coming to her rescue. When Nate realizes who it is, he is immediately taken back by her beauty and reminded of just how much he liked her back in the day. That’s right….her ex-boyfriend’s older brother liked her.
What’s a girl to do when a hot cop, who happens to be someone you know, invites you to spend Christmas with him when there’s no place you can go in a crazy snow storm? You accept of course.
In this world wind of a story, not only does Kelsey find herself falling for Nate, but you yourself does too. It’s hard not to love this quick romance and want to curl up in front of a warm fireplace with a cup of something hot. It’s the perfect read to get you ready for the upcoming holidays.
In this quick holiday read, Kelsey is a free spirit that finds herself stuck in a snow storm after swerving to avoid a deer. Enter Nate. Her ex-boyfriend’s older brother and a local cop coming to her rescue. When Nate realizes who it is, he is immediately taken back by her beauty and reminded of just how much he liked her back in the day. That’s right….her ex-boyfriend’s older brother liked her.
What’s a girl to do when a hot cop, who happens to be someone you know, invites you to spend Christmas with him when there’s no place you can go in a crazy snow storm? You accept of course.
In this world wind of a story, not only does Kelsey find herself falling for Nate, but you yourself does too. It’s hard not to love this quick romance and want to curl up in front of a warm fireplace with a cup of something hot. It’s the perfect read to get you ready for the upcoming holidays.
August 16, 2016
I wish I'd liked An Officer and a Rebel, by Cindi Madsen, more than I did. Novellas are always a tough sell for me but this one was insta-love all the way. At least from Nate's perspective, he'd always been attracted to Kelsey, even years before when she'd dated his younger brother. Then again, that dynamic caused a weird hands-off kind of thing in my mind and really set up Nate's feelings as more of an infatuation than love. I didn't connect with Kelsey. I found her thoughts to be a giant hot mess, all over the place all the time, and it made it hard to know which ones were real and which were fleeting. Even the chemistry between them was a miss for me, just kind of flat and...*shrugs*. Falling in love over a couple of snowed in days where there was a quiet guy who didn't talk much and a girl who's life had been defined by seize-the-moment... I just didn't believe it or get behind it. He was a real gentleman though, which was nice, and his grand gesture at the end was cute.
October 28, 2016
An Officer and a Rebel was a cute, quick, opposites attract, holiday romance! It also uses my favorite trope: stranded together! Kelsey is on her way to visit her mother for Christmas when she wrecks her car during a snow storm. Of course, she's in the town where she grew up, and her high school sweetheart's older brother is the cop to come rescue her. Nate invites Kelsey to stay at his house and wait for the storm to pass. Little does Kelsey know, but Nate use to have a crush on her and seeing her again has stirred up old feelings.
I thought this one was really cute, but I did want more out of it. I loved Kelsey trying to bring some holiday cheer to Nate's sad, lonely existence. But they decided that they were in a relationship (after hooking up) and then broke up a few hours later, which was super fast even given the minuscule page count. I don't think that the extra drama from that was really necessary, since they had enough things to worry about to make their relationship work. I still enjoyed it though and now I want some freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
I thought this one was really cute, but I did want more out of it. I loved Kelsey trying to bring some holiday cheer to Nate's sad, lonely existence. But they decided that they were in a relationship (after hooking up) and then broke up a few hours later, which was super fast even given the minuscule page count. I don't think that the extra drama from that was really necessary, since they had enough things to worry about to make their relationship work. I still enjoyed it though and now I want some freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
August 8, 2014
An Officer and a Rebel is a novella about second chances.
Kelsey is a rebel when it comes to just about everything and Nate is the straight laced brother of Kelsey's high school boyfriend. When Kelsey crashes her car on the way to her mothers house for Christmas, Nate is the officer that comes to the rescue. Stranded in a snowstorm, Kelsey crashes at Nate's house where sparks start to fly. Nate has had a secret crush on Kelsey since high school and will stuck indoors with her, he finally lets his true feeling show.
This was a sweet though I felt that it lacked something to really suck you in. Kelsey and Nate had heat between them but it just wasn't enough to enthrall me. I did find it quite refreshing that Kelsey was a rebel and that she had no apologies for not fitting into the "cookie cutter" design of a small town. Although this wasn't one of the most engaging books that I've read, it's length coupled with the likable characters would make it great for a day cuddled on the couch with nothing better to do.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*
Kelsey is a rebel when it comes to just about everything and Nate is the straight laced brother of Kelsey's high school boyfriend. When Kelsey crashes her car on the way to her mothers house for Christmas, Nate is the officer that comes to the rescue. Stranded in a snowstorm, Kelsey crashes at Nate's house where sparks start to fly. Nate has had a secret crush on Kelsey since high school and will stuck indoors with her, he finally lets his true feeling show.
This was a sweet though I felt that it lacked something to really suck you in. Kelsey and Nate had heat between them but it just wasn't enough to enthrall me. I did find it quite refreshing that Kelsey was a rebel and that she had no apologies for not fitting into the "cookie cutter" design of a small town. Although this wasn't one of the most engaging books that I've read, it's length coupled with the likable characters would make it great for a day cuddled on the couch with nothing better to do.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*
February 2, 2017
This is my first time reading Cindi Madsen and I can already tell I’ll be tracking down all her other books to read. This may be a novella, but it hit all the right buttons for me.
It seems I’m a sucker for winter romances, and An Officer and a Rebel was no exception. I was reading this one during a hot summer day, but was easily transported into the middle of a snowstorm. Madsen wrote such a great setting for the book, reading that alone made me love the book.
But what’s a romance without great characters? The setting isn’t the only thing Madsen’s great at writing. I really enjoyed reading Kelsey and Nate’s story. They’re great characters, know their flaws, and felt so realistic. Everything in the story felt natural and helped me get sucked in early on and root for them until the finish line.
This Madsen novella was a great read. It didn’t feel to short or too long. Just the perfect length. And if it’s a taste of what the other Accidentally in Love series has in store for me, I may have a new favorite author waiting for me.
It seems I’m a sucker for winter romances, and An Officer and a Rebel was no exception. I was reading this one during a hot summer day, but was easily transported into the middle of a snowstorm. Madsen wrote such a great setting for the book, reading that alone made me love the book.
But what’s a romance without great characters? The setting isn’t the only thing Madsen’s great at writing. I really enjoyed reading Kelsey and Nate’s story. They’re great characters, know their flaws, and felt so realistic. Everything in the story felt natural and helped me get sucked in early on and root for them until the finish line.
This Madsen novella was a great read. It didn’t feel to short or too long. Just the perfect length. And if it’s a taste of what the other Accidentally in Love series has in store for me, I may have a new favorite author waiting for me.
July 26, 2014
Between a 3 1/2 and 4
Kelsey decides to drive a little out of her way to drive through her old hometown. She narrowly avoids hitting a deer but ends up teetering on a guardrail. When she didn't think it could get worse her ex-boyfriend's brother happens to be the one help her.
Kelsey is a free spirit and I really enjoyed how different her character is from most I read. Nate is a cowboy cop and a definitely hunky hero.
The plot is quick and it all happens in a few days - all during the weeks of Christmas and New Years. Nothing earth shattering or gut wrenching. This seems to be a novella to tie up a few loose ends and I did get the feeling I was missing some key elements as I haven't read the other books in the series.
If you want a nice quick (I read it in a few hours) easy Holiday read check it out.
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review.
Kelsey decides to drive a little out of her way to drive through her old hometown. She narrowly avoids hitting a deer but ends up teetering on a guardrail. When she didn't think it could get worse her ex-boyfriend's brother happens to be the one help her.
Kelsey is a free spirit and I really enjoyed how different her character is from most I read. Nate is a cowboy cop and a definitely hunky hero.
The plot is quick and it all happens in a few days - all during the weeks of Christmas and New Years. Nothing earth shattering or gut wrenching. This seems to be a novella to tie up a few loose ends and I did get the feeling I was missing some key elements as I haven't read the other books in the series.
If you want a nice quick (I read it in a few hours) easy Holiday read check it out.
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review.
July 28, 2014
Every second around this girl was asking for trouble and he'd never wanted to be in trouble so bad in his life.
AN OFFICER AND A REBEL by Cindi Madsen is a sweet and sultry Christmas-in-July romance. I do love reading about snow in our summer heat :-). This novella is part of Cindi's Accidentally in Love series with interconnected characters, but this story can be easily read as a standalone. It was a quick read at only 90 pages and was previously released as part of the Stranded with a Hero anthology.
My full review has been posted as Reading Between the Wines Book Club. Check it out here: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...
AN OFFICER AND A REBEL by Cindi Madsen is a sweet and sultry Christmas-in-July romance. I do love reading about snow in our summer heat :-). This novella is part of Cindi's Accidentally in Love series with interconnected characters, but this story can be easily read as a standalone. It was a quick read at only 90 pages and was previously released as part of the Stranded with a Hero anthology.
My full review has been posted as Reading Between the Wines Book Club. Check it out here: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...
July 26, 2014
This was a quick, fun, light read. In this opposites attract story the town good boy and the wild child are reunited in a snow storm when they’re all grown up. There is great chemistry between them and plenty of history (she dated his brother in high school) which generally brings about what angst there is in the story. Kelsey was fun and I enjoyed reading about her but I really loved Nate. There's just something about that good hearted all American boy that just gets to me (I'm a big Captain America fan too). Like I said this is a quick read that can easily be read in an afternoon. If you're looking for a quick pick me up pick this one up. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
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