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Wyoming Rebels #2

A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss

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New York Timesbestselling author Stephanie Rowe returns to Rogue Valley, Wyoming, where a missed opportunity for love a decade ago is given a second chance.

It's been four years since Steen Stockton has been able to see the sky without having to look through steel bars. Betrayal got him locked up, and it shut down his heart forever...until he runs into the only woman he's ever trusted, a woman he's never even spoken to…until now.

There's only one person who has ever looked at Erin Chambers as if she mattered, a man she's never forgotten. She's come back to Rogue Valley to reclaim herself, not to get involved with a man…especially not the sensual, guarded cowboy Steen has become.

Can two people with no ability to trust use a magical, unspoken connection from their past to rebuild their hearts, or will the scars of a lifetime of broken dreams and betrayal keep them from finding each other the second time around?

Books in the Wyoming Rebels Series:
A Real Cowboy Never Says No
A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss
A Real Cowboy Rides a Motorcycle
A Real Cowboy Never Walks Away (Sept. 2016)

Unknown Binding

First published July 28, 2015

400 people are currently reading
372 people want to read

About the author

Stephanie Rowe

124 books1,534 followers
Hailed as a "paranormal star!" by J.R. Ward, Stephanie Rowe is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty-five novels. She is the 2018 RITA® winner for Best Paranormal Romance, as well as a five-time nominee for this prestigious award. For more on Stephanie and her books, visit her at www.stephaneierowe.com, or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StephanieRow....

A life-long reader, she began crafting stories at age ten, but didn't realize it was her dream until she was an adult.

Once the light dawned, she immediately left behind "work" as the world defines it and went to "work" as she defines it, which means getting up every morning with a smile in her heart so she can spend the day doing that which makes her spirit sing.

Stephanie believes in learning to listen to your heart in order to figure out what your dreams are, and then opening yourself to the inspiration that will direct you there. She believes we all deserve the right to enjoy life, and for the ride to be as easy as we want it to be, and that we all should accept nothing less than making our dreams come true.

Stephanie lives in New England, and spends every day doing her best to fill it with people, observations and activities that uplift her soul, which include writing, tennis, dancing, friends, and her amazing family.

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5 stars
675 (57%)
4 stars
357 (30%)
3 stars
113 (9%)
2 stars
17 (1%)
1 star
5 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
Profile Image for Lori (on hiatus, life is crazy busy)).
450 reviews154 followers
June 3, 2021
Oh how I loved this story! Those Stockton boys sure know how to make my toes curl! This is Steen and Erin's story. Steen just spent four years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. Enter Erin, a vet in town covering the clinic while the local vet is out of town. Steen and Erin knew each other as teenagers. Each one had a crush on the other, but never let it be known. Together they fight the demons of their past, learn how to love and trust each other.
I love this couple! They had everything a good romance should have. This story was heartbreaking at times and I just kept cheering them on. If you are into a quick cowboy romance, then this is a series you don't want to miss!
Profile Image for Cindy.
2,344 reviews171 followers
July 31, 2015
These Stockton boys sure tug on the heartstrings. I figured from the first book that Steen's story would be the most heartbreaking and it was. All of the brothers lived through hell in their childhood years but from that pain forged a tight bond between them. That past also made them leery of women and they each vowed to never marry or let a women ever get close enough to hurt them.  Steen was the exception to this as he never felt he forged the tight bond with his half brothers and doesnt think he is the one worthy of love from a good woman.

In the last book we knew Steen was in prison and had stepped in front of a knife to save a fellow inmate. It wasnt looking like he was going to make it until his brothers fiance whispered to fight to live because there is a woman out there who needs him and was waiting just for him. When this book starts Steen is getting out of prison still mending from his wounds and even though he was in a coma the words she spoke are still on his mind. When he meets a woman from his childhood he realizes she is as broken as he is and thinks his reason for not dying is to make sure she gains the confidence she needs in herself to move past the damage her parents and ex husband have caused her. He never once thinks he is deserving of anything. But as their time together progresses he see's that maybe he got it wrong she would be the one to save him – to make him see that he did deserve love just as much as she did.

This story was just these two spending time together and slowly revealing their painful past to each other. No big suspense plots or action scenes, just two lonely people connecting and learning to forgive themselves for their past mistakes. The author does a great job of just pulling you into their grief and making you feel for them and want to see them finally get that piece of happiness they deserve.
Profile Image for Suzi (Obsessive Reading Disorder).
2,213 reviews
September 3, 2015
Nice HEA for Steen Stockton the ex-con who almost gave up hope on life in book 1. Second chance love is wonderful. Strength of family is a dominant theme in this series. Another great book by this author.
Profile Image for Helen (Blissfully Bookish Besties).
684 reviews
July 19, 2015
A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss is the second in Stephanie Rowe's Wyoming Rebels series and is the story of Steen Stockton and Erin Chambers.

Erin is a specialist equine surgeon, staying in Wyoming for three weeks to run her friends veterinary clinic. All her life she has strived to be the best in order to gain acknowledgement and acceptance from her family. The only person to have ever looked at her for her is Steen Stockton.

Steen has spent the last four years in prison after a devastating betrayal that has hardened his heart, he is now free and staying at his half brothers ranch. While Steen is trying to figure out his place in the world, he is unexpectedly reunited with Erin, the only woman he has ever trusted.

I loved Steen and Erin's story! It is intense and emotional and the depth of their feelings for each other was captured amazingly well. The insight in to Erin and Steen's pain was so well written that your heart breaks for them - you will want to climb in to the book and give them a hug! This is a story of two wounded souls with the power to heal each other, if only they could trust each other with their hearts and accept that they are deserving of their very own happily ever after.

Steen and Erin's love story takes you on a journey and you can not help but be swept along for the ride. A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss is an enjoyable, sweet, sexy, modern day cowboy romance and is another must read from Stephanie Rowe; I highly recommend it to romance lovers.

**An ARC was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
Profile Image for Madison Warner Fairbanks.
3,265 reviews475 followers
July 29, 2015
A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss by Stephanie Rowe

You know that book where everything just clicks? Where the romance is like the first time you fell in love? Where the emotions are fragile, yet strong? Where you just sigh in pure pleasure?
This is exactly what I felt in reading Steen and Erin's story. Yes, I'm a bit smalsty but the feel good part of a romance is part of why I love the. So much.
This was a really great romance that I truly enjoyed. It goes on my Keeper shelf.

Steen Stockton is just out of prison. He knows he's not good enough for Erin Chambers, but he can't help being drawn to her. He's known her since grade school and has always been fascinated and strengthened by her goodness.
Erin has had fantasies about Steen since she was a teenager and she is taking her chances in living them out. Let the future take care of itself. She's going to live in the moment.

Excerpt:
“Erin's heart hammered in her chest the moment she realized Steen was about to kiss her. Dear God, after all these years? It was really going to happen?
His grip was so warm and gentle that all her fear fled, and she lifted her face to his. He closed the distance between them, and he kissed her, a true, perfect, real kiss that was so much more than anything she'd ever imagined. The moment his lips touched hers, all the years of fantasy dissipated, and all that was left was the reality of who he was, of this moment, and the feel of his lips on hers.”
Excerpt From: Rowe, Stephanie. “A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss.” Stephanie Rowe, 2015-07-28.

I received a copy of this book from the author. And then I bought a copy.
Profile Image for Debra Taylor.
882 reviews24 followers
March 19, 2016


I loved this book ! I don't know how Stephanie Rowe could possibly top this one because she had me hanging on every word.

I knew from the first moment that Steen's story would be heartbreaking and it turns out that I was right. All of the Stockton brothers had it hard but at least they had each other. Steen just never felt like he belonged anywhere. Yet he was the sensitive brother who willingly gave his heart to a woman. Too bad for him that trusting the wrong woman wrecked his life. Now he was even more wary of women until Erin Chambers came back into his life. These two had a connection that could not be denied no matter how unsurmountable the obstacles were for them to be together.

I can tell you that this story will hook you hard right from the first page. Heck I was fascinated by Steen during the previous book. He was so sweet and unbearably broken that I couldn't help myself. The Wyoming Rebels series and this family of vulnerable cowboys has made me a die hard Stephanie Rowe fan. It is passionate and craftily written to rip your heart strings right out. Next up will be A Real Cowboy Rides A Motorcycle. It's Zane's book and he's a real rebel so I just can't wait for that one.
Profile Image for J♤Đ£ .
250 reviews11 followers
October 2, 2018
Steen was such a fucking sweetheart. I love hardened men who are really soft at their core. 😍👌💜💙
Profile Image for Pooja Menon.
109 reviews101 followers
Read
October 27, 2021
DNF @ 40% mark. Sometimes I pick up a book because I’m craving a specific kind of romantic setting. When I picked this one I had cowboys and horses and the open and wide landscape of Wyoming (a place I want to visit someday) on my mind. I had a hard won-hurt/comfort romance that would get my heart all twisty but end with tingles and happy feels on my mind. I wanted lots of feels.

So I was disappointed when this one didn’t do anything for me. I love good smut and reading about physical intimacy like anybody else, but there needs to be more than that and there needs to be a time and place for it (to make an impact, at least imo). Here, we all have the ingredients of a great plot.

Great setting that hasn’t yet been explored enough (both landscape and ranch life).

Damaged hero with an intriguing backstory: at the 40% mark we know some of what happened and some of it is alluded to. While I don’t need to know all at once what happened, I felt that the same things were alluded to over and over and would much rather have preferred and slow progressive reveal of the situation through action, flashbacks and actual scenes. Instead we got most of the hints through dialogue and self reflection.

Damaged heroine with a backstory - we get most of why she is holding back by this point and while I wanted to feel for her I wasn’t all that moved.

Both characters are nice and there is nothing to dislike about them. But their chemistry and build up lacked for me. By their second meeting we are delving into flirtation and make out sessions and a lot of internal self reflection about the same things ove…but that’s all there seems to be in the plot so far.

I’m sure we’ll see a lot more development as the book goes along, but by this point I need more to keep going or caring. Bummer.
532 reviews
July 28, 2017
Read and smile

I am still smiling after finishing this book. These characters are so rich and interesting I could not help but love them. I recommend you set aside time because you will not want to stop. I read past lunch and dinner and still had to finish.
Profile Image for Linda Levine.
4,636 reviews25 followers
July 19, 2015
You don't always realize the importance of those small actions you take on the people around you.

Steen has had a tough time. He just got out of prison and is trying to get some sort of life for himself. He doesn't expect to see Erin on the way home.

They never spoke about it but both had been greatly impacted by the time they spent around each other in school years ago.

Erin also needs to heal. She is trying to make a change and get away from her desire to please others to the point that she is heartbroken by their reactions to her choices and their emotional distance.

Their encounter is an opportunity for both of them to create something new and special. It won't be an easy journey for either of them.

Steen is such a strong man who has had to deal with so much loss and abuse during his life. Erin's abuse has been on a emotional level but is as damaging as any physical abuse. You root for these two to find some peace and happiness together. You know from the beginning that it won't be a simple path for these very different people to navigate. It takes a lot of twists and turns before they realize that they both deserve each other. They have a strong physical attraction for one another and that is less risky for them to explore than the emotional aspects of a relationship.

I enjoyed the storyline and the author was very good about sharing their past histories so the reader can understand why they take the actions they do. When you have hurt so deeply, it is hard to believe there is a chance for happiness. I was very glad that Steen got an opportunity to learn about his family and try to remove some of the distance he felt from them. Erin really stood her ground for the first time and made the choices that mattered to her. You really see them both grow emotionally.

I received a copy in return for a honest review.
74 reviews1 follower
June 29, 2017
Great story

We go on with the next brother, to the trials, twist, turns that come with the turn of a page. A man and women on a search, and the truth, will it set them free to love?
Profile Image for Cookie.
302 reviews2 followers
September 19, 2017
Okay so the first book I rated 5 stars but this one opnly 3. Why well it was too deep. This couple is supposed to have a past but when first described it was a past of high school acquantices. But as the book progresses they instatntly have this deep love. And talk of it often. It seemed like the couple needed more reason for this deep love so they added more history. But it didn't jive with the way they set it up. So if you love insta love with lots of deep talk and deep trust (yet they struggle with trust the whole book). Then this is for you. I still have hope for the series and can't wait to check out the next book. I would have liked more brother interaction in this book. Another reason for the 3 stars. First book tried to introduce most of the brothers but this book only had two pages worth the brother who bought the ranch. And I thought his woman Mira would have played a much bigger role in the book. But this book was soley about Erin and Steen. So I guess the one pro about that is you could read it as a stand alone. But it is relatively short 163 pages on my ereader and there was way more room to add a little interaction of the other brothers and Mira. The woman who spoke the words that saved his life and she took big risk to to that. SO next book will determine if this series is a good one or not for me. CROSS YOUR FINGERS!
Profile Image for Sania.
921 reviews
May 9, 2017
Standalone/Cliffhanger: Standalone
Ages of H and h: In their 20s
Multi-Luv'n/Ménages:
Was There Descriptive Sex:
Descriptive Sex &/Or Drama Between H/h With OW/OM:
>>If So, Before or After H/h Hookup:
Contains Cheating:
Amount of Sex In The Book:
HEA/HFN/etc Ending:
Will This Meet My 'Safety Gang' Buddies' Approval:
Any Triggers/Warnings: No but
>>Detail: Steen is wrongly convicted of assault I think. OW,the reason he went to jail comes to around to cause more trouble but she's firmly told to 'f*&k off'
Do You Recommend This Book: Yes.
Will You Re-read This Book: No
Would You Read More Books By This Author: Yes
476 reviews2 followers
July 26, 2021
Second Chance at Destiny

Steen Stockton has spent four years in prison. The youngest of nine haphazard brothers his once hopeful life has become wasted and dismal. Until Erin Chambers strides back into his life. They knew each other once, but that was years ago. Now both their lives are totally different from what either of them expected. But they've never forgotten each other and now they have a chance to help each other fulfill the destinies they were meant to have. Will Steen overcome his abusive past? Can Erin learn to see past her distant parents, cheating husband and unfulfilling job? Will finding each other complete the futures they deserve? Second chances are the best.
Profile Image for Tracy Sylvester.
997 reviews7 followers
March 14, 2022
Steen Stockton didn't have the will to live. It took being on his deathbed and hearing the voice of his soon to be sister in law to bring out of it. Steen's been spurned by someone who professed to love him and it put him in prison for something he didn't do. When he becomes a free man he goes back home to Wyoming and his brother Chase's ranch. Erin Chambers has been cheated on and brought down by her ex husband. She comes to Wyoming for a few weeks to find herself and finds her high school crush Steen Stockton instead. I absolutely loved this second chance at finding love with characters you can't help but root for!
Profile Image for Lynn Smith.
2,682 reviews8 followers
February 12, 2018
A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss

Great second book in the series. Steen had just got out of prison when he ran into Erin. They knew each other in school and he always thought of her as that girl with the good pure heart. Erin has had a crush on Steen since she was fourteen.
Two wounded people afraid of trusting or loving another learn that sometimes in life you have to take that chance.
Love the characters,the storyline, pretty much everything about the books.
76 reviews
April 6, 2022
What a delightful story❤ Steen and Erin show us that we all carry scars. Some you see and others you don't, but that doesn't make them any less damaging. What an interesting back story and then meeting up again. After reading the first book in the series and now the second I'm hooked and have to read the rest of the series. It's nice to see the relationship with the brothers developed seeing as they are all extranged.
1,011 reviews5 followers
February 5, 2020
An easy read with moderate angst. I liked the growth in the hero character. The heroine has a ridiculous back story with her parents and ex-husband. Part of the story also has a good deed later helping the do gooder (good karma in action). I noted a couple of small veterinary mistakes when I was reading, but not enough to be a problem for me .
Profile Image for Melissa’s Reviews.
307 reviews2 followers
March 3, 2020
They meet as teenagers, but their paths went in different direction, but when time got tough they thought of each other. Steen’s life was tough and thought why should he live? he’d help the new guy in prison and got stabbed, his soon to be sister in law talked him into living, staying in the ranch he didn’t feel was his home. Then he reunited with Erin....
109 reviews
January 1, 2021
OMG!! I loved this book!!

Wow! Just an incredible story! Sad, a flicker of hope, the possibilities... so poignant..
I loved Steen's damaged soul, and how he finally began to get a sense of his own self worth from a woman who saw the man he truly was...
With an incredible HEA ending!
Thank you Stephanie! It was the perfect book to usher in a new year!!
LDR
750 reviews2 followers
November 17, 2021
I’m not crying…

This was so heart wrenching and sweet. I am sooo loving these damaged characters and their stories of healing and redemption.
A friends to lovers romance and second chances.
Her being a vet just resonated with me and I loved their shared history and them coming back together.
302 reviews2 followers
January 1, 2024
Beautiful and perfect passion

Okay, there's a few places that need a little editing polish, and I always take a star off for that. But this has the best written passion I've ever read. Across any romantic genre. I love these open, honest, direct, up front speaking characters with integrity in this series. And this couple is my favorite.
138 reviews1 follower
September 30, 2018
This is another great bok in a wonderful series

This is the third book I have read in this series and all have been great. Each one is imaginative in their own way. They are not predictable which makes them hard to put down until they are done.
584 reviews3 followers
January 19, 2020
A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss

Second book of Stephanie Rowe's that I've read and again I really enjoyed Steen and Erin's story they've admired each other from afar ever since school and 10 years later well lets just say it's very interesting and a good cowboy romance.
620 reviews3 followers
December 30, 2020
Redeeming love story

Steen feels so broken he thinks he doesn't belong anywhere or with anyone. It takes Erin to show him how wrong he is. I love this Stockton brother. Watching Erin convince him he deserves his family, and her, was satisfying. I like the theme of redeemed lives, lived together for true happiness.
Profile Image for Christine.
148 reviews2 followers
February 20, 2021
The perfect escape. Love these characters, love the setting, love the relationships. And such a treat to know we have so many more stories to hear to learn about all the brothers! Wouldn't mind if there was one for me ;-)
707 reviews
April 26, 2022
Love this series

The stories are continuing and boy are they worth reading this one has so much happening heartbreak and than redemption found you will so enjoy this story getting ready to start book three
Profile Image for Terra Boustead.
285 reviews
March 19, 2023
Enjoyable

Another entertaining story of family and love. Wonderful characters with challenging lives and emotions to overcome. I laughed then cried as they worked through these issues together.
754 reviews
March 21, 2023
Interesting name (Steen). As far as the book goes felt it was a bit rushed. I get that Erin & Steen grew up together & always had feelings for each other. I think the book was underdeveloped. Definitely could of add more to build the story up for them. With that being said I’m happy they got HEA!
272 reviews
November 12, 2017
Good read

With all the crap Teen went through he still has a good heart and Erin is so good for him. Nice read
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