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Lucky #2
One Lucky Cowboy
New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown delivers her signature Texas twang in this heartwarming tale about a cowboy and cowgirl who start off at each other's throats…and end up in each other's hearts. No big blond cowboy is going to intimidate this spitfire If Slade Luckadeau thinks he can run her off his ranch, he's got cow chips for brains… This smart-talking ranch woman is giving him serious pains She's winning every argument, and he's running out of fights to pick… With his granny up to some serious matchmaking, and trouble with a capital "T" threatening the Double L Ranch, suddenly it's Slade's heart that's in the greatest danger of all… The Lucky Cowboys Lucky in Love (Book 1) One Lucky Cowboy (Book 2) Getting Lucky (Book 3) Talk Cowboy to Me (Book 4) What People Are Saying About One Lucky Cowboy : "Loved it, loved it, loved it! What great characters! What a great story!" ―Joanne Kennedy , author of How to Wrangle a Cowboy "Word of warning―you will not be able to put this one down." ―Fresh Fiction "All of the Luckadeau men are H-O-T! " ―Cheryl's Book Nook "Carolyn Brown takes her audience by storm..." ―The Romance Studio
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
267 people are currently reading
1241 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Brown
182 books4,136 followersHi! I'm twenty five years old and movie star gorgeous. The camera added thirty plus years and a few wrinkles. Can't trust those cameras or mirrors either. Along with bathroom scales they are notorious liars! Honestly, I am the mother of three fantastic grown children who've made me laugh and given me more story ideas than I could ever write. My husband, Charles, is my strongest supporter and my best friend. He's even willing to eat fast food and help with the laundry while I finish one more chapter! Life is good and I am blessed!
Reading has been a passion since I was five years old and figured out those were words on book pages. As soon as my chubby little fingers found they could put words on a Big Chief tablet with a fat pencil, I was on my way. Writing joined reading in my list of passions. I will read anything from the back of the Cheerio's box to Faulkner and love every bit of it. In addition to reading I enjoy cooking, my family and the ocean. I love the Florida beaches. Listening to the ocean waves puts my writing brain into high gear.
I love writing romance because it's about emotions and relationships. Human nature hasn't changed a bit since Eve coveted the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Settings change. Plots change. Names change. Times change. But love is love and men and women have been falling in and out of it forever. Romance is about emotions: love, hate, anger, laughter... all of it. If I can make you laugh until your sides ache or grab a tissue then I've touched your emotions and accomplished what every writer sets out to do.
I got serious about writing when my third child was born and had her days and nights mixed up. I had to stay up all night anyway and it was very quiet so I invested in a spiral back notebook and sharpened a few pencils. The story that emerged has never sold but it's brought in enough rejection slips to put the Redwood Forest on the endangered list. In 1997 Kensington bought two books for their Precious Gems line. Two years and six books later the line died with only four of those books seeing publication. But by then Avalon had bought a book and another, and another. Ten years later the list has grown to thirty nine. Last year Sourcebooks bought the Lucky Series which is in the bookstores now. They've also bought The Honky Tonk Series which will debut with I LOVE THIS BAR in June and will be followed by HELL, YEAH, MY GIVE A DAMN'S BUSTED, and HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS.
Folks ask me where I get my ideas. Three kids, fifteen grandchildren, two great grandchildren. Note: I was a very young grandmother! Life is a zoo around here when they all come home. In one Sunday afternoon there's enough ideas to keep me writing for years and years. Seriously, ideas pop up at the craziest times. When one sinks its roots into my mind, I have no choice but to write the story. And while I'm writing the characters peek over my shoulder and make sure I'm telling it right and not exaggerating too much. Pesky little devils, they are!
I have a wonderful agent, Erin Niumata, who continues to work magic and sell my work. I'm very lucky to have her and my editors who continue to believe in me.
Happy reading!
Reading has been a passion since I was five years old and figured out those were words on book pages. As soon as my chubby little fingers found they could put words on a Big Chief tablet with a fat pencil, I was on my way. Writing joined reading in my list of passions. I will read anything from the back of the Cheerio's box to Faulkner and love every bit of it. In addition to reading I enjoy cooking, my family and the ocean. I love the Florida beaches. Listening to the ocean waves puts my writing brain into high gear.
I love writing romance because it's about emotions and relationships. Human nature hasn't changed a bit since Eve coveted the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Settings change. Plots change. Names change. Times change. But love is love and men and women have been falling in and out of it forever. Romance is about emotions: love, hate, anger, laughter... all of it. If I can make you laugh until your sides ache or grab a tissue then I've touched your emotions and accomplished what every writer sets out to do.
I got serious about writing when my third child was born and had her days and nights mixed up. I had to stay up all night anyway and it was very quiet so I invested in a spiral back notebook and sharpened a few pencils. The story that emerged has never sold but it's brought in enough rejection slips to put the Redwood Forest on the endangered list. In 1997 Kensington bought two books for their Precious Gems line. Two years and six books later the line died with only four of those books seeing publication. But by then Avalon had bought a book and another, and another. Ten years later the list has grown to thirty nine. Last year Sourcebooks bought the Lucky Series which is in the bookstores now. They've also bought The Honky Tonk Series which will debut with I LOVE THIS BAR in June and will be followed by HELL, YEAH, MY GIVE A DAMN'S BUSTED, and HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS.
Folks ask me where I get my ideas. Three kids, fifteen grandchildren, two great grandchildren. Note: I was a very young grandmother! Life is a zoo around here when they all come home. In one Sunday afternoon there's enough ideas to keep me writing for years and years. Seriously, ideas pop up at the craziest times. When one sinks its roots into my mind, I have no choice but to write the story. And while I'm writing the characters peek over my shoulder and make sure I'm telling it right and not exaggerating too much. Pesky little devils, they are!
I have a wonderful agent, Erin Niumata, who continues to work magic and sell my work. I'm very lucky to have her and my editors who continue to believe in me.
Happy reading!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
July 6, 2023
DNF 10%. This is the shittiest piece of misogynistic garbage yet. Read this book only if you hate yourself.
I’d like to take a moment to thank Ms. Brown for the invaluable lessons this book taught me about male/female gender roles including:
1. Men are sweaty and women are complicated.
2. Women are always bitching and whining, and men should buy them flowers to shut them up.
3. If a woman can’t cook she’s not worth anything; if a man can’t cook he’s adorable and needs coddling.
4. Men can take care of their own children for short periods of time, but then should be rescued because they are in over their heads and their penises make them lack basic nurturing skills.
5. If men aren’t extremely manly they are worthless, or worse, gay.
6. Violence against women is comedy fodder.
Notable quote:
‘she’s an old hippy and I heard she was one of the first ones to burn her bra… it’s sad she’s had more lovers than a real hooker’ poor poor liberal feminists, such lonely, crazy sluts. And sex workers, Ew.
‘you’re too pretty to work’ because looks are a commodity and women are objects.
And the award for the most mean spirited description of an other woman in a book, EVER, goes to the below:
‘Christy was decked out in skin tight designer jeans that emphasized her wide hips and thick waist. A halter top made of islet lace that let her tanning bed skin show through the little holes along with a back roll of cellulite begging to be released from her too tight bra, high-heeled shoes and lots of chunky gold jewelry. Her dark hair was piled up on top of her head in a style that was meant to look casual but had at least half a can of hairspray applied to keep every curl in place. She had certainly spared nothing to look good, but any fool could see when she looked at Slade, she saw dollar signs.’ Tell me you hate women without telling me you hate women, Ms. Brown.
This pile of garbage is going on the burn pile.
Update: I went to read the author’s bio and wow, I get it now.
I’d like to take a moment to thank Ms. Brown for the invaluable lessons this book taught me about male/female gender roles including:
1. Men are sweaty and women are complicated.
2. Women are always bitching and whining, and men should buy them flowers to shut them up.
3. If a woman can’t cook she’s not worth anything; if a man can’t cook he’s adorable and needs coddling.
4. Men can take care of their own children for short periods of time, but then should be rescued because they are in over their heads and their penises make them lack basic nurturing skills.
5. If men aren’t extremely manly they are worthless, or worse, gay.
6. Violence against women is comedy fodder.
Notable quote:
‘she’s an old hippy and I heard she was one of the first ones to burn her bra… it’s sad she’s had more lovers than a real hooker’ poor poor liberal feminists, such lonely, crazy sluts. And sex workers, Ew.
‘you’re too pretty to work’ because looks are a commodity and women are objects.
And the award for the most mean spirited description of an other woman in a book, EVER, goes to the below:
‘Christy was decked out in skin tight designer jeans that emphasized her wide hips and thick waist. A halter top made of islet lace that let her tanning bed skin show through the little holes along with a back roll of cellulite begging to be released from her too tight bra, high-heeled shoes and lots of chunky gold jewelry. Her dark hair was piled up on top of her head in a style that was meant to look casual but had at least half a can of hairspray applied to keep every curl in place. She had certainly spared nothing to look good, but any fool could see when she looked at Slade, she saw dollar signs.’ Tell me you hate women without telling me you hate women, Ms. Brown.
This pile of garbage is going on the burn pile.
Update: I went to read the author’s bio and wow, I get it now.
June 30, 2018
2.5* but have to remove more for the racism, homophobia, and promotion of drunk driving
I have read enough Carolyn Brown to not at all be surprised by the style. Lots of women doing the women's stuff and men being men. The fact the MMC Slade knows how to do basic cooking is pretty progressive in Ms. Brown's world.
Slade is a a Luckadeau and lives with his eccentric grandmother who raised him. She has brought home Jane to help with the cooking and driving. He is worried that Jane is a conning grandma and in on respect he is right. She is untruthful about who she is because she needs somewhere to hide out for 6 weeks. Jane and Slade fight a lot and Grandma works hard to push them together. In the end it is not grandma's meddling but the two of them running from her dangerous ex that makes them hop into bed with each other. As a story it was a bit all over the place and not as relaxing a read as some of her other more recent books. But what made me cringe was the references to people's skin colour only when they were not white. Add to that the mocking of one young man by suggesting he is not manly enough and might have needed "starch for his wrists". That was when I was out.
I have read enough Carolyn Brown to not at all be surprised by the style. Lots of women doing the women's stuff and men being men. The fact the MMC Slade knows how to do basic cooking is pretty progressive in Ms. Brown's world.
Slade is a a Luckadeau and lives with his eccentric grandmother who raised him. She has brought home Jane to help with the cooking and driving. He is worried that Jane is a conning grandma and in on respect he is right. She is untruthful about who she is because she needs somewhere to hide out for 6 weeks. Jane and Slade fight a lot and Grandma works hard to push them together. In the end it is not grandma's meddling but the two of them running from her dangerous ex that makes them hop into bed with each other. As a story it was a bit all over the place and not as relaxing a read as some of her other more recent books. But what made me cringe was the references to people's skin colour only when they were not white. Add to that the mocking of one young man by suggesting he is not manly enough and might have needed "starch for his wrists". That was when I was out.
March 6, 2018
DNF@20%
I’ve read and enjoyed a few Carolyn Brown books over the last few years, but sadly this was not one of them. I had no idea this was a reissue of an older book (2009), but that wouldn’t have stopped me from reading, since I’ve already enjoyed another in this series – Talk Cowboy to Me.
No, it was the messy writing and awful characters that did that. Too many POV shifts in every scene, new characters being dumped in a heap on my head without any lead up or introductions, time jumps that leave a lot of stuff out, and that was just in the first few chapters. Perhaps this all smoothed out as the book progressed, but I couldn’t force myself to get that far.
Slade is a massive jerk. I get that he’s worried for his grandmother, but wow, he’s rude, and Jane isn’t much better. I know she’s running from something awful and I should feel sympathy for her, but except for the scene with the little girl and the kittens, I found her too prickly and almost as rude as Slate. Both of them need to grow up.
That little kid and her father were far more interesting, and I did like Granny Nellie and her sister Ellen too, they were fun. What was less fun was the way everyone found Ellen’s drink driving habits so hilarious. Sorry, but I just can’t find that kind of thing funny. In all, I guess this book just wasn’t for me.
(ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.)
I’ve read and enjoyed a few Carolyn Brown books over the last few years, but sadly this was not one of them. I had no idea this was a reissue of an older book (2009), but that wouldn’t have stopped me from reading, since I’ve already enjoyed another in this series – Talk Cowboy to Me.
No, it was the messy writing and awful characters that did that. Too many POV shifts in every scene, new characters being dumped in a heap on my head without any lead up or introductions, time jumps that leave a lot of stuff out, and that was just in the first few chapters. Perhaps this all smoothed out as the book progressed, but I couldn’t force myself to get that far.
Slade is a massive jerk. I get that he’s worried for his grandmother, but wow, he’s rude, and Jane isn’t much better. I know she’s running from something awful and I should feel sympathy for her, but except for the scene with the little girl and the kittens, I found her too prickly and almost as rude as Slate. Both of them need to grow up.
That little kid and her father were far more interesting, and I did like Granny Nellie and her sister Ellen too, they were fun. What was less fun was the way everyone found Ellen’s drink driving habits so hilarious. Sorry, but I just can’t find that kind of thing funny. In all, I guess this book just wasn’t for me.
(ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.)
March 7, 2018
I have enjoyed this author’s Lucky Penny Ranch series so I grabbed this one when I saw it. I didn’t realize it is a re-release from 2009.
This story does not flow well. The writing is not cohesive, it jumps around and is missing pockets of info right from the beginning. Characters are dropped in without explanation as to who they are or how they fit in the story.
Jane Day is a running away from less than ideal circumstances. She somehow ends up getting off her bus and meeting Nellie. Nellie needs a driver and hires Jane, a complete unknown, for the job. She takes Jane back to her ranch where her grandson, Slade, is understandably concerned. However, how he expresses his unhappiness is rude, condescending and obnoxious.
I’m assuming the “banter” between Slade and Jane is supposed to be funny but it was just mean, irritating, ridiculous and asinine.
Nellie and her sister Ellen I think are supposed to come across as full of life, entertaining old ladies. I liked Nellie, but wasn’t crazy about Ellen’s character. Ellen is made out to be a major partier who drinks too much repeatedly and gets behind the wheel to drive. And the family jokes about it. Nope. Not ok in any way shape or form.
I didn’t enjoy any part of what I’d read to this point. So, I’m not going to finish it. I will be looking much closer at pub dates for this author in the future and sticking with newer releases.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
This story does not flow well. The writing is not cohesive, it jumps around and is missing pockets of info right from the beginning. Characters are dropped in without explanation as to who they are or how they fit in the story.
Jane Day is a running away from less than ideal circumstances. She somehow ends up getting off her bus and meeting Nellie. Nellie needs a driver and hires Jane, a complete unknown, for the job. She takes Jane back to her ranch where her grandson, Slade, is understandably concerned. However, how he expresses his unhappiness is rude, condescending and obnoxious.
I’m assuming the “banter” between Slade and Jane is supposed to be funny but it was just mean, irritating, ridiculous and asinine.
Nellie and her sister Ellen I think are supposed to come across as full of life, entertaining old ladies. I liked Nellie, but wasn’t crazy about Ellen’s character. Ellen is made out to be a major partier who drinks too much repeatedly and gets behind the wheel to drive. And the family jokes about it. Nope. Not ok in any way shape or form.
I didn’t enjoy any part of what I’d read to this point. So, I’m not going to finish it. I will be looking much closer at pub dates for this author in the future and sticking with newer releases.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
March 4, 2018
One Lucky Cowboy (Lucky) Carolyn Brown
A woman on the run. A granny with a plan and a suspicious yet attractive man. One Lucky Cowboy is not an average Carolyn Brown novel. Jane and Lucky are complicated. Love may not be on their minds but Granny Nellie make sure is on her agenda. Jane has danger on her mind. Lucky has suspicion in his heart. Nellie has romance on her mind. Who will be the victor in the end? Ms. Brown brings her signature humor to the table while cooking up her own personal blend of intrigue. There are times it falls a bit flat on the mystery end, but the romance never misses on charm.
A woman on the run. A granny with a plan and a suspicious yet attractive man. One Lucky Cowboy is not an average Carolyn Brown novel. Jane and Lucky are complicated. Love may not be on their minds but Granny Nellie make sure is on her agenda. Jane has danger on her mind. Lucky has suspicion in his heart. Nellie has romance on her mind. Who will be the victor in the end? Ms. Brown brings her signature humor to the table while cooking up her own personal blend of intrigue. There are times it falls a bit flat on the mystery end, but the romance never misses on charm.
June 8, 2011
Free on Kindle, glad I didn't pay for it--- Uneven at best, it's strangely paced, and the leads are off-putting (i.e., the 'banter' ain't funny) no matter what situation they are in. Plus, the author likes to name-drop the strangest products and movies...it's like she mixed up her book notes with her shopping list.
March 17, 2018
I have been on the hunt lately for a good solid cowboy series that I could sink my teeth into... but so far I'm kinda striking out in this trope. I don't know if being a southern girl makes me overly picky when it comes to these stories, or if I just haven't found the right fit. But this one didn't work for me at all.
Slade Luckadeau is a moody cowboy, living with his granny and running the Double LL - the Luckadeau Ranch. It seems that Slade does not have the best taste in women, and he's a little bitter and distrusting of gals in general. Slade jumped to a lot of (wrong) conclusions about our heroine, and he was hostile toward her for a good part of the book. One thing that he did have going for him - he was a pretty good cowboy. There was some honest-to-goodness ranch work happening, not just playing at being a cowboy like I've seen in some other books. And once Slade let go of his hangups, he was a decent hero. I just wish there had been more character development so I could have gotten into his head a little more.
Jane Day is a runaway bride and is determined to stay in hiding until her 25th birthday (about 6 weeks time in our story). She was picked up right off the bus in Ringgold, Texas and taken home by the Luckadeau matriarch and given work as a maid and driver. She is full of sass and determined to stay no matter the thoughts of Slade Luckadeau. She did work hard and fit well into the ranch life, but I just could not connect with her character. She was a bit too prickly for my tastes.
The romance in this one was almost in the enemies to lovers realm, with our couple bickering for a good portion of the book. Once things do get more friendly, there wasn't much time for relationship building as our couple was on the run. What we did get was mostly PG-13 some fade to black action happening off page.
Overall, I think I just did not prefer this writing style. It seemed overly simplistic and trying to hard. The over-the-top southernisms threw me out of the story. I mean, I have heard people use the word underbritches before... but they were my grandparents age, not a hot young cowboy. The only time I find these types of colloquialisms to fit into a story is if its a comedic effect. That was not the case here.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca.
July 26, 2011
I have big, big problems with this book. It took only one chapter for this story to go from pretty good to now I’m not so sure how good it is. Then things really fell apart.
I liked the beginning of this book, meeting the characters, learning about why the heroine is hiding from her fiance. I didn’t even mind the sniping and snipping between the hero and heroine. In the beginning anyway. That’s another story that will come later. The main problem with this book for me that started early is the dialogue. Most of the time I couldn’t picture people speaking the way these characters do. A lot of the conversations never read right, sounded stilted and awkward. Now, that’s not to say there aren’t good moments with the dialogue. There are. A couple even made me chuckle. They’re few and far between, but they can be found.
A part of that problem with dialogue is the aforementioned snipping and sniping. Slade Luckadeau (I also don’t like this last name, but I’ll let that go for now) doesn’t like it one bit that his grandmother picked up a stray, lost woman off the bus and brought her home to work as a cook for the Double L Ranch. He thinks she’s a con artist. Therefore, they don’t hit it off very well from the outset and they’re constantly at each other, bickering, fighting, snapping, snipping, and sniping. At first that’s all fine, but this attitude between them lasts througout the book. Even after they’ve made love (another story that I’ll get to soon) and they’ve admitted their attraction to one another. It just got old fast. Near the end I know the author tried to placate me by having this couple love the bickering between them, that’s part of what attracted them to each other. Okay, fine, I can live with that. But just not practically every line of the book.
Now for that lovemaking. That didn’t happen until the last two-thirds of the book. And when it did, after waiting all that time for it, for that one pivotal moment when the hero and heroine finally come together in my romance novel, I got hardly anything at all. Definitely not the fiery, passionate scene that should have happened between these two after all this time. And all that fighting. And that’s the only love scene in the book. Zero sexual tension before or after the deed. No romance hardly at all. There are maybe a few times that things do get tender between Slade and Jane, but they don’t last long because the fighting starts again, just as it did after they made love.
There are some good things about this book, despite other problems like constant POV changes. I like the storyline of Jane overhearing her fiance’s plans, forcing her to run and hide for the next six weeks until her birthday, which is when she takes over the family company and can clean house of the vipers who are trying to get rid of her. Even the idea of how she met Nellie, Slade’s grandmother, is nicely done. Nellie herself and her sister, Ellen, are a hoot most of the time. They do a little matchmaking for the couple, but it stops short of being the fun it could have been. Despite their bickering, I do like Slade and Jane. They’re independent, know what they want (except when it comes to wanting each other) and they know how to have fun. I also like the secondary characters in the book, even the villains. They’re written very well.
It’s these few good things that kept the review grade from hitting rock bottom. There are two other books in the series, and, believe it or not, I’d actually like to read one or both of them. Why, you ask? I’d like to read this author without the snapping and biting taking front and center throughout the story. The writing is good, along with some good ideas. This particular book just wasn’t for me, but who’s to say her next one isn’t.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
I liked the beginning of this book, meeting the characters, learning about why the heroine is hiding from her fiance. I didn’t even mind the sniping and snipping between the hero and heroine. In the beginning anyway. That’s another story that will come later. The main problem with this book for me that started early is the dialogue. Most of the time I couldn’t picture people speaking the way these characters do. A lot of the conversations never read right, sounded stilted and awkward. Now, that’s not to say there aren’t good moments with the dialogue. There are. A couple even made me chuckle. They’re few and far between, but they can be found.
A part of that problem with dialogue is the aforementioned snipping and sniping. Slade Luckadeau (I also don’t like this last name, but I’ll let that go for now) doesn’t like it one bit that his grandmother picked up a stray, lost woman off the bus and brought her home to work as a cook for the Double L Ranch. He thinks she’s a con artist. Therefore, they don’t hit it off very well from the outset and they’re constantly at each other, bickering, fighting, snapping, snipping, and sniping. At first that’s all fine, but this attitude between them lasts througout the book. Even after they’ve made love (another story that I’ll get to soon) and they’ve admitted their attraction to one another. It just got old fast. Near the end I know the author tried to placate me by having this couple love the bickering between them, that’s part of what attracted them to each other. Okay, fine, I can live with that. But just not practically every line of the book.
Now for that lovemaking. That didn’t happen until the last two-thirds of the book. And when it did, after waiting all that time for it, for that one pivotal moment when the hero and heroine finally come together in my romance novel, I got hardly anything at all. Definitely not the fiery, passionate scene that should have happened between these two after all this time. And all that fighting. And that’s the only love scene in the book. Zero sexual tension before or after the deed. No romance hardly at all. There are maybe a few times that things do get tender between Slade and Jane, but they don’t last long because the fighting starts again, just as it did after they made love.
There are some good things about this book, despite other problems like constant POV changes. I like the storyline of Jane overhearing her fiance’s plans, forcing her to run and hide for the next six weeks until her birthday, which is when she takes over the family company and can clean house of the vipers who are trying to get rid of her. Even the idea of how she met Nellie, Slade’s grandmother, is nicely done. Nellie herself and her sister, Ellen, are a hoot most of the time. They do a little matchmaking for the couple, but it stops short of being the fun it could have been. Despite their bickering, I do like Slade and Jane. They’re independent, know what they want (except when it comes to wanting each other) and they know how to have fun. I also like the secondary characters in the book, even the villains. They’re written very well.
It’s these few good things that kept the review grade from hitting rock bottom. There are two other books in the series, and, believe it or not, I’d actually like to read one or both of them. Why, you ask? I’d like to read this author without the snapping and biting taking front and center throughout the story. The writing is good, along with some good ideas. This particular book just wasn’t for me, but who’s to say her next one isn’t.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
April 1, 2011
I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. In fact, I had no idea what to expect when I began it. It looked good, had cowboys, and a woman on the run from an assassin. Seemed interesting. What I ended up with was the cowboys and the assassins, plus so much more.
Quick bit about the story: Jane leaved right before her wedding when she discovers that her fiance is really an assassin hired to kill her before her 25th birthday when she will inherit her family's oil business. She gets off a bus only to run into Nellie Luckadeau. One thing leads to another, and Jane is hired on to help Nellie around the ranch with cooking, cleaning, and driving her around. Nellie's grandson, Slade, immediately thinks that Jane is a con woman - she was going by the name Jane Day - and that she was there to fleece his grandmother. They immediately have sparks - but not the good kind, with Slade doing what he can to get her to leave. Somehow, the two of them keep getting thrown together - and when I saw "somehow," I mean Nellie and her sister Ellen are matchmaking. Slade eventually realizes that Jane is not a con woman, and they become quasi-friends. Then Jane's assassin's catch up to her, and she must reveal who she is on top of trying to stay one step ahead of the assassin.
I absolutely adored Nellie and Ellen, as well as their two friends. They were such a riot, and I can only hope I'll grow into an old woman like them. Slade and Jane were great together - they just circled around each other for the majority of the book, with neither of them being able to decipher what they felt about the other.
I was pleased with how Jane's hidden identity was handled. She was never less than honest about anything but her name, and even then it was obvious that it was not her real name. She would just say that she would not tell about her history, and would reveal bits about herself while avoiding names and places. This could have gone a completely different way - with the lies and betrayal piling up, instead of a woman clearly running/hiding from something and would just refuse straight-up to discuss it.
I do have to warn potential readers that if they are coming to this book for a steamy cowboy read, you will be disappointed. Actually, I take that back - I was expecting a bit of a steamy cowboy read and ended up loving the book in-spite of the lack of steam. There is no sex until about 3/4 of the way through, and even then there is nothing very graphic. It is mostly off the page. This book was more about the characters - both main and secondary - and two people that were clearly meant for each other but had no idea. It will definitely keep you chuckling, as well as guessing about what will happen next.
There were a few hints in the book that this was the second in a series, but nothing that took away from my enjoyment of the book. If anything they made me desperate to read that first book! Which I will be doing as soon as I can get my hands on it. This book is very highly recommended for anyone who wants to read a fun romance and escape for a bit from the real world.
Quick bit about the story: Jane leaved right before her wedding when she discovers that her fiance is really an assassin hired to kill her before her 25th birthday when she will inherit her family's oil business. She gets off a bus only to run into Nellie Luckadeau. One thing leads to another, and Jane is hired on to help Nellie around the ranch with cooking, cleaning, and driving her around. Nellie's grandson, Slade, immediately thinks that Jane is a con woman - she was going by the name Jane Day - and that she was there to fleece his grandmother. They immediately have sparks - but not the good kind, with Slade doing what he can to get her to leave. Somehow, the two of them keep getting thrown together - and when I saw "somehow," I mean Nellie and her sister Ellen are matchmaking. Slade eventually realizes that Jane is not a con woman, and they become quasi-friends. Then Jane's assassin's catch up to her, and she must reveal who she is on top of trying to stay one step ahead of the assassin.
I absolutely adored Nellie and Ellen, as well as their two friends. They were such a riot, and I can only hope I'll grow into an old woman like them. Slade and Jane were great together - they just circled around each other for the majority of the book, with neither of them being able to decipher what they felt about the other.
I was pleased with how Jane's hidden identity was handled. She was never less than honest about anything but her name, and even then it was obvious that it was not her real name. She would just say that she would not tell about her history, and would reveal bits about herself while avoiding names and places. This could have gone a completely different way - with the lies and betrayal piling up, instead of a woman clearly running/hiding from something and would just refuse straight-up to discuss it.
I do have to warn potential readers that if they are coming to this book for a steamy cowboy read, you will be disappointed. Actually, I take that back - I was expecting a bit of a steamy cowboy read and ended up loving the book in-spite of the lack of steam. There is no sex until about 3/4 of the way through, and even then there is nothing very graphic. It is mostly off the page. This book was more about the characters - both main and secondary - and two people that were clearly meant for each other but had no idea. It will definitely keep you chuckling, as well as guessing about what will happen next.
There were a few hints in the book that this was the second in a series, but nothing that took away from my enjoyment of the book. If anything they made me desperate to read that first book! Which I will be doing as soon as I can get my hands on it. This book is very highly recommended for anyone who wants to read a fun romance and escape for a bit from the real world.
July 7, 2010
Where to begin....while there are scenes of this book that are amusing and somewhat entertaining, there is a great deal more of it that is just plain awful. The dialogue is stilted and unnatural. What I am assuming is supposed to be banter between the main characters doesn't sound like the way two adults with two brain cells to rub together would talk. There are some genuinely amusing moments between Jane and Slade, but then the very next moment, there are inane catfights (in parking lots and Walmarts, no less) that make you wonder "Who are these people and what Jerry Springer show did they escape from?" Was the author going for a hardworking "salt of the Earth" kind of thing with these characters? They're wealthy, and they've got good old fashioned values? Not likely! Both of the main characters of this book (Slade and Jane) prove that having money obviously does not give you tact, or knowledge, or class for that matter. They argue like middle schoolers. Seriously, I was waiting for Jane to tell Slade, "I know you are, but what am I?" The heroine has a few tirades where she says "Nobody calls me white trash" and I found myself thinking "Well stop acting like it". And did we really have to read about the lyrics to every song they heard and/or danced to? Or the plot lines of the films they watched? Or the scenes where Jane and Slade dance and the rest of the people present all gather around them to watch and cheer. It's the type of thing a pre-pubescent girl pictures because she thinks it sounds dreamy, romantic and sweet. Then she (hopefully) grows up and realizes how tacky it all is. Honestly, the characters of this book (secondary as well as primary) prove to be tactless, ignorant, low class, people who are chugging down too much heart stoppin food and massive amounts of liquor, all so they can end up at the wedding ceremony (barefoot and pregnant no less) and head on over to their double wide trailer....whoooo-weeeee. Instead of charming, they're more along the line of slack-jawed yokels that tip toe dangerously close to the line of Deliverance (hmmm, there are several references to a pig...I'm just saying). Yikes! There's the "happily ever after" every girl dreams of.
April 10, 2015
My favorite characters of the trilogy are Ellen and Nellie. Funny old ladies. Slade was a bit of an ass and Jane wouldn't put up with that. Which is great, I've noticed a lot of books have a hero that's an ass but still gets the girl to fall for him. What's wrong with a nice man?
August 17, 2017
What a great story! This was fast paced, full of adventure, intrigue and many laugh's. Slade and Jane were both very strong character's! And I just loved the hilarious elderly ladies in this story!
February 26, 2018
This was truly a wonderful story. I can’t remember the last time I chuckled while reading a book. This is a story of mystery, intrigue and family. It does have a happy ending, but only after many twists and turns. Intimacy is done well and tastefully. I would say it could have been condensed some but overall I would recommend it.
April 7, 2018
One Hot Cowboy, One Sassy Hell Cat...Things are about to get interesting on the Double L Ranch.
Read More. . . http://www.romanceswithalittlekick.co...
Read More. . . http://www.romanceswithalittlekick.co...
May 9, 2011
This might have been a good book and was not without charms--but there were so many things about it that were just so unlikable. First of all, I really didn't like Jane--she kept saying she wasn't white trash , but then behaved like nothing but--really annoying. There seems to be a contest among romance writers lately to see who can come up with the most obnoxious heroine--if Ms. Brown didn't win, she surely made it to the semi-finals. The cat fights with the alpha male's other trashy girlfriend got real old real fast, and all the snipping and sniping with Slade got old even faster. Half the time I couldn't really figure out what they were mad about and just wanted to recommend a good therapist to each of them. I did feel bad for Jane when she happened to overhear that her fiance and step-father were going to have her killed, and the resulting chase scenes were the best part of the book. In general, the story just seemed to drag everything out too much. Then that barefoot stuff at the end was just too stupid--why would the author even consider that cute?
August 12, 2021
I picked up this book solely because it's by Carolyn Brown and I love her books. I didn't read the blurb and had no idea what I was getting into. What I got was a roller-coaster ride that was totally unexpected. I went into the book looking a western romance, and while I got that, I also received a very snarky, funny, romantic suspense. I was on the edge of my seat, eagerly waiting to see what was going to happen next.
If you read my reviews, you know that I give 5 stars quite sparingly. So that in itself speaks volumes on how much I enjoyed this story. Jane and Slade were interesting characters apart, but together there were just crazy mad sparks flying. The way they goaded each other was fun to watch. Throw in a couple old ladies and then the reason that Jane is on the run and it was a wild ride.
I can't wait to revisit this family and series and have to back track to book 1 and hope that it's as good as this one. Well done Ms Brown!
If you read my reviews, you know that I give 5 stars quite sparingly. So that in itself speaks volumes on how much I enjoyed this story. Jane and Slade were interesting characters apart, but together there were just crazy mad sparks flying. The way they goaded each other was fun to watch. Throw in a couple old ladies and then the reason that Jane is on the run and it was a wild ride.
I can't wait to revisit this family and series and have to back track to book 1 and hope that it's as good as this one. Well done Ms Brown!
May 30, 2025
Was an action/romance/comedy which is my favorite combo for any book/tv show/movie, so very biased on this book.
Wish the action was a bit longer and more direct/detailed. The plot ideas though were a fun enough concept to make me want to keep reading. Their tension and passion was great too which is what I’m considering the comedy part (never really laughing, but smiling at their frequent beef).
Could understand why others may read and think some of the action details are incomplete/not as satisfying. However taking it for what it is, a romance book, with higher stakes. It was really good.
Giving 5 stars for the plot ideas, my inability to put it down, the fact I told Steve about the plot about 5 times, constantly wondering what happens next, their age gap (24 & 30), and the 3 seniors we rode an elevator with at a casino reminding me of Granny, Ellen, and their 2 other friends.
Wish the action was a bit longer and more direct/detailed. The plot ideas though were a fun enough concept to make me want to keep reading. Their tension and passion was great too which is what I’m considering the comedy part (never really laughing, but smiling at their frequent beef).
Could understand why others may read and think some of the action details are incomplete/not as satisfying. However taking it for what it is, a romance book, with higher stakes. It was really good.
Giving 5 stars for the plot ideas, my inability to put it down, the fact I told Steve about the plot about 5 times, constantly wondering what happens next, their age gap (24 & 30), and the 3 seniors we rode an elevator with at a casino reminding me of Granny, Ellen, and their 2 other friends.
June 23, 2011
I would have given this book more start because of the story line - but just could not bring myself to do it. I will start by saying that the "idea" of this book is a good one. The plot would have been good if the author could have not jumped and repeated so much. Actually it got pretty annoying and I don't understand why I didn't just go with my gut and put it down! The language was awful! I don't understand why authors seem to think that they need to use bad language so much, actually I might have given this book 3 stars if the language was not so terrible! All in all - I'm sorry that I spent my hard earned money on this book!
February 26, 2016
I definitely had read this book before, but didn't remember until it was too late. I read of couple of reviews prior who complained about the first half v second half of the book and that the flow wasn't there, I say: romance novels are, as a rule, governed by convoluted circumstances.
This book was certainly convoluted, and the beginning was fun-I enjoyed the characters' banter and chemistry, but really it lost me at the end-the last few chapters were pretty terrible, and I ended up actually not liking the book as much. For me, this ended on a sour note.
I recommend to people who already have the book, or otherwise don't have to spend any money to read it.
This book was certainly convoluted, and the beginning was fun-I enjoyed the characters' banter and chemistry, but really it lost me at the end-the last few chapters were pretty terrible, and I ended up actually not liking the book as much. For me, this ended on a sour note.
I recommend to people who already have the book, or otherwise don't have to spend any money to read it.
April 28, 2018
One Lucky Cowboy is the second novel in Carolyn Brown's Lucky series, and a re-worked reissue of a novel she originally released in 2009, but since I hadn't read the earlier version, I'm uncertain as to how many changes were made in this edition. While I usually enjoy her cowboy romance novel, I found myself feeling more than a little ambivalent about this one, and for that reason I can only give it a 3-star rating.
My first issue is that the story doesn't flow very well. It opens with Slade Luckadeau, the supposed hero, hating the heroine, Jane Day, at first sight. She's in his grandmother Nellie's ranch kitchen helping to make breakfast. He automatically assumes she's a con artist, even more so when he learns that Nellie, who shouldn't be driving at all because she's sight impaired, picked her up at the bus station in town and offered her a job, plus room and board. Rather than give the apparent down-on-her-luck young woman the benefit of a doubt, he treats her like something the cat dragged in and is both rude and obnoxious to her--even trying to fire her on the spot, but Nellie hired her, likes her, and Jane has no intention of leaving.
We soon learn that Jane is more than just your average runaway bride, she's running for her life, after overhearing her fiance, John, and the woman posing as his sister, Ramona, on the night before her wedding, discussing their plans to kill her once Jane marries him, for the $1 million dollar life insurance policy they've taken out on her, having been hired by her stepfather, who is now in control of the multi-million dollar oil company she's due to inherit on her 25th birthday, just 6 weeks away. Jane hits the road as soon as she thinks everyone is asleep, with very little money, a couple of changes of clothing, and not much more, leaving her ID, her credit cards, her lying, murderous fiance and everything else behind. It was sheer luck that she was sitting on that bench outside the bus station in this small town, wondering what to do next when Nellie sat down next to her. She needs to hide out for the next 6 weeks until her birthday, and what better place to hide than a ranch in the middle of nowhere.
While Jane is an incredibly likable character, smart, sassy, hard-working, kind and spirited, Slade is a rude, obnoxious, and overbearing jerk--yes, he's handsome, but he's been dating an absolute bitch of a woman who has two rude, bratty, and obnoxious daughters, but Jane is more than able to hold her own despite both of them. She certainly has Nellie's support, and soon she also has the support of Nellie's sister, Ellen, and these two feisty old women are the best thing about this novel--they are absolutely hilarious, act like teenagers high on hormones, and they are laugh-out-loud funny. The best thing is that they are quick to realize that Jane is a good person, perfect for Slade, and one who won't won't take any guff from him, or anyone else either, and yes, they are also into matchmaking.
Slade, however, acts like a total jerk for most of this novel. He automatically assumes that Jane is using a fake name (she is, but not for the reason he thinks she is), that she's a gold-digger out to steal his grandmother's money, or on the run from the police. To say that he's unwilling to give her the benefit of a doubt is putting it mildly, despite the fact that his grandmother and great-aunt accept and trust Jane implicitly. While I generally enjoy verbal sparring and sass in a romance novel as the two main characters get to know one another, in the case of this novel, it became far more of a minus than a plus, and even when Jane proves herself to everyone else on the ranch, Slade isn't buying what he thinks of as her act. Frankly, in the thousands of romance novels I've read over the years, Slade is one of the least likable "heroes" I've ever come across. I disliked him from the beginning to the end.
Once Jane's cover is blown and the lies her stepfather tells about her escape from a mental institution are believed, Nellie, who doesn't believe it for a second insists that Slade take Jane on the run and keep her safe from her would-be assassins until her 25th birthday. He's certainly unwilling and lets Jane know that he doesn't believe her for a second, and is only doing this to appease his grandmother. By this point in the novel, I couldn't find a single thing I liked about him, and although he's trying to keep her safe, and although there's a sexual attraction building between these two, Jane is right to be wary of all men since her ex-fiance's lies and betrayal, and Slade does little to endear himself to her.
There's far more to this story, attempts on Jane's life, and even FBI involvement, although they've been brought in to apprehend the supposed mentally unstable runaway, it's clear that she's not unstable, she's running for her life, and even when they believe her story and try to help protect her, keeping her safe is more of a problem than they realize, since they have a traitor in their midst.
While Slade eventually does accept what Jane's been telling him all along, that people are trying to find her and kill her for her money, he still acts like jerk, and I found him an impossible character to like, which basically ruined the HEA ending for this reader, because I couldn't imagine that Jane's life with him would be anything but non-stop bickering and verbal sparring. Jane seemed to find it appealing and exciting, but this reader most certainly did not.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
My first issue is that the story doesn't flow very well. It opens with Slade Luckadeau, the supposed hero, hating the heroine, Jane Day, at first sight. She's in his grandmother Nellie's ranch kitchen helping to make breakfast. He automatically assumes she's a con artist, even more so when he learns that Nellie, who shouldn't be driving at all because she's sight impaired, picked her up at the bus station in town and offered her a job, plus room and board. Rather than give the apparent down-on-her-luck young woman the benefit of a doubt, he treats her like something the cat dragged in and is both rude and obnoxious to her--even trying to fire her on the spot, but Nellie hired her, likes her, and Jane has no intention of leaving.
We soon learn that Jane is more than just your average runaway bride, she's running for her life, after overhearing her fiance, John, and the woman posing as his sister, Ramona, on the night before her wedding, discussing their plans to kill her once Jane marries him, for the $1 million dollar life insurance policy they've taken out on her, having been hired by her stepfather, who is now in control of the multi-million dollar oil company she's due to inherit on her 25th birthday, just 6 weeks away. Jane hits the road as soon as she thinks everyone is asleep, with very little money, a couple of changes of clothing, and not much more, leaving her ID, her credit cards, her lying, murderous fiance and everything else behind. It was sheer luck that she was sitting on that bench outside the bus station in this small town, wondering what to do next when Nellie sat down next to her. She needs to hide out for the next 6 weeks until her birthday, and what better place to hide than a ranch in the middle of nowhere.
While Jane is an incredibly likable character, smart, sassy, hard-working, kind and spirited, Slade is a rude, obnoxious, and overbearing jerk--yes, he's handsome, but he's been dating an absolute bitch of a woman who has two rude, bratty, and obnoxious daughters, but Jane is more than able to hold her own despite both of them. She certainly has Nellie's support, and soon she also has the support of Nellie's sister, Ellen, and these two feisty old women are the best thing about this novel--they are absolutely hilarious, act like teenagers high on hormones, and they are laugh-out-loud funny. The best thing is that they are quick to realize that Jane is a good person, perfect for Slade, and one who won't won't take any guff from him, or anyone else either, and yes, they are also into matchmaking.
Slade, however, acts like a total jerk for most of this novel. He automatically assumes that Jane is using a fake name (she is, but not for the reason he thinks she is), that she's a gold-digger out to steal his grandmother's money, or on the run from the police. To say that he's unwilling to give her the benefit of a doubt is putting it mildly, despite the fact that his grandmother and great-aunt accept and trust Jane implicitly. While I generally enjoy verbal sparring and sass in a romance novel as the two main characters get to know one another, in the case of this novel, it became far more of a minus than a plus, and even when Jane proves herself to everyone else on the ranch, Slade isn't buying what he thinks of as her act. Frankly, in the thousands of romance novels I've read over the years, Slade is one of the least likable "heroes" I've ever come across. I disliked him from the beginning to the end.
Once Jane's cover is blown and the lies her stepfather tells about her escape from a mental institution are believed, Nellie, who doesn't believe it for a second insists that Slade take Jane on the run and keep her safe from her would-be assassins until her 25th birthday. He's certainly unwilling and lets Jane know that he doesn't believe her for a second, and is only doing this to appease his grandmother. By this point in the novel, I couldn't find a single thing I liked about him, and although he's trying to keep her safe, and although there's a sexual attraction building between these two, Jane is right to be wary of all men since her ex-fiance's lies and betrayal, and Slade does little to endear himself to her.
There's far more to this story, attempts on Jane's life, and even FBI involvement, although they've been brought in to apprehend the supposed mentally unstable runaway, it's clear that she's not unstable, she's running for her life, and even when they believe her story and try to help protect her, keeping her safe is more of a problem than they realize, since they have a traitor in their midst.
While Slade eventually does accept what Jane's been telling him all along, that people are trying to find her and kill her for her money, he still acts like jerk, and I found him an impossible character to like, which basically ruined the HEA ending for this reader, because I couldn't imagine that Jane's life with him would be anything but non-stop bickering and verbal sparring. Jane seemed to find it appealing and exciting, but this reader most certainly did not.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
January 6, 2013
A very lacklustre romance. The dialogue was stilted, the situations incredible, and the book was at least 50 pages too long. The characters were very one-dimensional and the number of coincidences and near-misses were so contrived, it was a struggle to finish reading this book. Highly UN-recommended... don't waste your valuable time!
August 13, 2011
This book isn't really worth the time you take to read it. The plot is a little stunted and doesn't flow well. The writing is ok, very repetitive. The chemistry between the two lovers is good. But its so hot and cold and hot and cold it gets annoying.
I would say don't read it.
I would say don't read it.
June 22, 2011
This book was terrible. I had a hard time even finishing it. There were just too many over the top silly conversations.
August 12, 2011
Maybe I’m being mean, but I think I know why I got this one for free. It was like reading a Harlequin story written by a six-year-old. Blah.
February 26, 2021
Fun book. The day before her wedding, Jane overheard her fiancé, John, and his sister, Ramona, plotting her death so that her stepfather can retain control of her property. Now she's on the run, looking for a safe place to hide out until her birthday when that property becomes hers. After laying a false trail, Jane took a bus west and got off in a small town in Texas, hoping to find a job. There she met Nellie Luckadeau, who is the answer to her prayers. The feisty old lady hires her to help cook on the ranch and be her driver, which suits Jane just fine. Unfortunately, Nellie's grandson, Slade, disagrees with his grandmother.
Lucky can't believe his grandmother brought some stray woman home from the bus station. He is sure Jane is a con artist looking for a way to part Nellie from her money, and he won't stand for it. But Nellie is adamant that Jane stays: "I hired her. You can't fire her," so Slade tries rudeness and intimidation next. I understood that Slade was worried about Nellie, but she's a sharp old lady, and it would take real talent to pull the wool over her eyes. It bugged me that Slade didn't trust Nellie enough to give Jane a chance.
The sparks that flew between Slade and Jane were fierce but mostly antagonistic. He is flat-out rude to her, but Jane fires right back. He's convinced she's a useless city girl who will turn and run at the first sign of hard work. Jane delights in proving him wrong at every turn. For the first couple of weeks, they can't be in the room together five minutes before they're slinging barbs at each other. When Nellie gets the bright idea to visit her sister, Ellen, leaving Jane behind to manage the cooking for a week, things start to change a little. I loved seeing Jane pitch in on the ranch work, showing Slade that he's wrong. The antagonism begins to fade a little, though the snark and sniping continue.
By the time Nellie and Ellen return, there is a different kind of spark mixed in with the sniping, though neither one wants to admit it. Those two ladies have matchmaking on their minds, and nothing is going to deter them. It was fun to see them find ways to throw Slade and Jane together. Their big chance comes when Jane's past catches up to her. After spotting John and Ramona at the July Fourth celebration, Jane confesses all to her friends. Nellie wants Slade to take Jane and hit the road, keeping her moving until her birthday. Once again, Slade allows his cynicism and suspicion free reign and is a total jerk. Nellie wins the battle, though Slade takes some steps of his own to try to discover the truth. I wouldn't have blamed Jane if she'd clunked him on the head and shoved him out of the truck.
The next part of the book ranks right up there as some good romantic suspense. Slade and Jane barely keep one step ahead of their pursuers, even with the help of the FBI. Jane finally gets to the point where she's had enough of running, and they decide to turn the tables on their pursuers. I loved their plan and had to laugh at some of their antics as they pulled it off. I found it hard to believe that John didn't recognize her, but it worked. Things get a little intense when John escapes custody, and then Slade and Jane barely escape a safe house with their lives. There are a few more twists before Slade delivers Jane to her home just after her birthday.
By this point, both Slade and Jane have realized that their hearts are involved, but neither talks about it. Slade can't see why someone in Jane's position would be interested in him, so he slinks off back home to Texas. I felt like he'd earned his misery, though I did feel a little sorry for him. Meanwhile, Jane faces a slew of decisions to make regarding her future. I cheered for her at the oil company office that first morning as the new-and-improved Jane took charge. A little more self-examination showed her what she needed to do to be happy. I loved the ending and seeing Slade's reaction to her purchase. More sparks - of both kinds - fly as they work their way to settling their future together.
I loved Nellie and Ellen. Both of them have big hearts, and I liked how they took to Jane. It was fun to see them try to wiggle information out of her, though what they did with it came as quite a surprise. I was bothered a bit by their ease with Ellen driving after drinking and Nellie driving with her vision problems. At least Nellie took the steps of hiring Jane to do the driving for her. Though she only appeared for a little while, I loved the little girl, Lizzy. I liked how Jane helped her deal with the two bratty girls and loved the bit with the leprechaun's gold. That Kristy woman who tried to claim Slade was a real piece of work, and I enjoyed seeing Jane take her down. I haven't read the other three books in the series yet, but I want to read Beau and Milli's story and see what happens with Griffin and Remington.
#netgalley
Lucky can't believe his grandmother brought some stray woman home from the bus station. He is sure Jane is a con artist looking for a way to part Nellie from her money, and he won't stand for it. But Nellie is adamant that Jane stays: "I hired her. You can't fire her," so Slade tries rudeness and intimidation next. I understood that Slade was worried about Nellie, but she's a sharp old lady, and it would take real talent to pull the wool over her eyes. It bugged me that Slade didn't trust Nellie enough to give Jane a chance.
The sparks that flew between Slade and Jane were fierce but mostly antagonistic. He is flat-out rude to her, but Jane fires right back. He's convinced she's a useless city girl who will turn and run at the first sign of hard work. Jane delights in proving him wrong at every turn. For the first couple of weeks, they can't be in the room together five minutes before they're slinging barbs at each other. When Nellie gets the bright idea to visit her sister, Ellen, leaving Jane behind to manage the cooking for a week, things start to change a little. I loved seeing Jane pitch in on the ranch work, showing Slade that he's wrong. The antagonism begins to fade a little, though the snark and sniping continue.
By the time Nellie and Ellen return, there is a different kind of spark mixed in with the sniping, though neither one wants to admit it. Those two ladies have matchmaking on their minds, and nothing is going to deter them. It was fun to see them find ways to throw Slade and Jane together. Their big chance comes when Jane's past catches up to her. After spotting John and Ramona at the July Fourth celebration, Jane confesses all to her friends. Nellie wants Slade to take Jane and hit the road, keeping her moving until her birthday. Once again, Slade allows his cynicism and suspicion free reign and is a total jerk. Nellie wins the battle, though Slade takes some steps of his own to try to discover the truth. I wouldn't have blamed Jane if she'd clunked him on the head and shoved him out of the truck.
The next part of the book ranks right up there as some good romantic suspense. Slade and Jane barely keep one step ahead of their pursuers, even with the help of the FBI. Jane finally gets to the point where she's had enough of running, and they decide to turn the tables on their pursuers. I loved their plan and had to laugh at some of their antics as they pulled it off. I found it hard to believe that John didn't recognize her, but it worked. Things get a little intense when John escapes custody, and then Slade and Jane barely escape a safe house with their lives. There are a few more twists before Slade delivers Jane to her home just after her birthday.
By this point, both Slade and Jane have realized that their hearts are involved, but neither talks about it. Slade can't see why someone in Jane's position would be interested in him, so he slinks off back home to Texas. I felt like he'd earned his misery, though I did feel a little sorry for him. Meanwhile, Jane faces a slew of decisions to make regarding her future. I cheered for her at the oil company office that first morning as the new-and-improved Jane took charge. A little more self-examination showed her what she needed to do to be happy. I loved the ending and seeing Slade's reaction to her purchase. More sparks - of both kinds - fly as they work their way to settling their future together.
I loved Nellie and Ellen. Both of them have big hearts, and I liked how they took to Jane. It was fun to see them try to wiggle information out of her, though what they did with it came as quite a surprise. I was bothered a bit by their ease with Ellen driving after drinking and Nellie driving with her vision problems. At least Nellie took the steps of hiring Jane to do the driving for her. Though she only appeared for a little while, I loved the little girl, Lizzy. I liked how Jane helped her deal with the two bratty girls and loved the bit with the leprechaun's gold. That Kristy woman who tried to claim Slade was a real piece of work, and I enjoyed seeing Jane take her down. I haven't read the other three books in the series yet, but I want to read Beau and Milli's story and see what happens with Griffin and Remington.
#netgalley
March 7, 2018
Jane is a sassy independent gal with tons of spunk who meets her match in gruff, straight-talking cowboy Slade.
"One Lucky Cowboy" was first published in 2009 and has been updated just a touch. The first third of the book seems to include as many colorful Southern sayings as Brown could cram in.
However, as a native Texan who delights in the descriptive turn of phrases, I found them to be a bit much at the start of this one! And, at one point wondered if one or two had been thrown in at the last minute because they just didn't quite fit the context.
And, while the main characters are country at heart, with their social, economic and and educational backgrounds, they probably wouldn't sound quite like hicks or uneducated farmers. I know plenty of farmers and ranchers who are plenty country without abusing the English language constantly with the wrong tenses or contractions. The word don't was used too frequently in place of doesn't for me to believe. They're ranchers, not uneducated, uncaring bubbas. (Granted I was reading an ARC, and thus wouldn't normally mention it, as is customary. Perhaps these were addressed in the final edit? Fingers crossed. However, in are-release, that's not usually the case.)
Aside from that, I really enjoyed this book. The banter was other wise witty, the antics laughable as the pair tries unsuccessfully not to like the other. The pace is fast as Jane tries to outrun her murderous fiancé, his even more felonious lover and the stepfather who put out the hit on her so she wouldn't live long enough to claim her inheritance.
Slade's Granny realizes immediately that there's something special about Jane and enlists her audacious sister Ellen's aid in helping her. Slade's convinced Nellie is being taken advantage of by a con. Jane's keeping secrets alright, just not the ones he thinks.
When he does find out... he'd still rather dump her in the nearest swamp or ditch than get more entangled in her mess and the fire burning between them hotter than an August evening in East Texas.
This pair is put through the ringer by and with each other, as they find themselves in hot water time and again. There's action, sparring, humor, sizzle interaction, clever if not kooky characters and some romance too.
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
"One Lucky Cowboy" was first published in 2009 and has been updated just a touch. The first third of the book seems to include as many colorful Southern sayings as Brown could cram in.
However, as a native Texan who delights in the descriptive turn of phrases, I found them to be a bit much at the start of this one! And, at one point wondered if one or two had been thrown in at the last minute because they just didn't quite fit the context.
And, while the main characters are country at heart, with their social, economic and and educational backgrounds, they probably wouldn't sound quite like hicks or uneducated farmers. I know plenty of farmers and ranchers who are plenty country without abusing the English language constantly with the wrong tenses or contractions. The word don't was used too frequently in place of doesn't for me to believe. They're ranchers, not uneducated, uncaring bubbas. (Granted I was reading an ARC, and thus wouldn't normally mention it, as is customary. Perhaps these were addressed in the final edit? Fingers crossed. However, in are-release, that's not usually the case.)
Aside from that, I really enjoyed this book. The banter was other wise witty, the antics laughable as the pair tries unsuccessfully not to like the other. The pace is fast as Jane tries to outrun her murderous fiancé, his even more felonious lover and the stepfather who put out the hit on her so she wouldn't live long enough to claim her inheritance.
Slade's Granny realizes immediately that there's something special about Jane and enlists her audacious sister Ellen's aid in helping her. Slade's convinced Nellie is being taken advantage of by a con. Jane's keeping secrets alright, just not the ones he thinks.
When he does find out... he'd still rather dump her in the nearest swamp or ditch than get more entangled in her mess and the fire burning between them hotter than an August evening in East Texas.
This pair is put through the ringer by and with each other, as they find themselves in hot water time and again. There's action, sparring, humor, sizzle interaction, clever if not kooky characters and some romance too.
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
March 18, 2018
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf
One Lucky Cowboy falls into that “good story” area for me. While I enjoyed it, for the most part, there were times that I frankly was a bit frustrated. In the end, the enjoyed this story part of me won out, but it was close. This story is a reissue – there is absolutely nothing wrong with re-releasing a book again, let me make that opinion clear. I simply realized that I had read this story years ago.
Jane is certainly a spitfire, and that is putting a nicer name on some of her actions. She’s on the run from a very bad situation so it’s understandable that she’s not too trusting of anyone. Yet the bantering between Jane and Slade often comes off as simply mean and rude. I also, quite honestly, had an issue with the appearance of making light of a drinking problem. I “got” what was intended, but the jokes were grating on something so serious, in my own opinion.
In the end, there were parts of Slade and Jane’s story that I truly enjoyed, other parts no so much. I’m going to go with a good book rating which is kinda in the middle because that’s how I feel about One Lucky Cowboy – kinda in the middle of liking and not. Remember, this is my personal opinion, your reaction may be quite different – the only way to know is to read this one for yourself and make up your own mind.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
One Lucky Cowboy falls into that “good story” area for me. While I enjoyed it, for the most part, there were times that I frankly was a bit frustrated. In the end, the enjoyed this story part of me won out, but it was close. This story is a reissue – there is absolutely nothing wrong with re-releasing a book again, let me make that opinion clear. I simply realized that I had read this story years ago.
Jane is certainly a spitfire, and that is putting a nicer name on some of her actions. She’s on the run from a very bad situation so it’s understandable that she’s not too trusting of anyone. Yet the bantering between Jane and Slade often comes off as simply mean and rude. I also, quite honestly, had an issue with the appearance of making light of a drinking problem. I “got” what was intended, but the jokes were grating on something so serious, in my own opinion.
In the end, there were parts of Slade and Jane’s story that I truly enjoyed, other parts no so much. I’m going to go with a good book rating which is kinda in the middle because that’s how I feel about One Lucky Cowboy – kinda in the middle of liking and not. Remember, this is my personal opinion, your reaction may be quite different – the only way to know is to read this one for yourself and make up your own mind.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
March 6, 2018
3.5 star
I was pulled right into this story. The story has laughs, pain, anger, secrets, and heartbreak.
If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first
Lucky in Love (Lucky, #1)
This is Jane and Slade (Lucky Slade)’s story. Jane is on the run from her ex fiancé who happens to be a paid assassin. She never planned on staying in one place long. When she meets Nellie who is an older woman that needs help on her ranch Jane agrees to stay and help out. Jane knows she does not want to bring danger to Nellie so she needs to stay under the radar. Lucky believes that Jane is a con artist right from the start. He is determined to uncover all her secrets. He knows that Jane has secrets and he wants to know them all. Jane needs help and a break from all the running. If she has to put up with the cowboy who is always bickering with her to do it she will. Will danger find Jane? Will Lucky protect her if need be? Or will he finally have his proof that Jane is bad news? What happens when all the intimidation does not work? Can he seduce all her secrets out of her? What happens when they start falling for each other? Is it fate or will he just be pulling off an act to get all his answers?
I loved these characters and the side characters. I felt I could connect with the characters and the story was a great read.
I recommend this book.
I was pulled right into this story. The story has laughs, pain, anger, secrets, and heartbreak.
If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first
Lucky in Love (Lucky, #1)
This is Jane and Slade (Lucky Slade)’s story. Jane is on the run from her ex fiancé who happens to be a paid assassin. She never planned on staying in one place long. When she meets Nellie who is an older woman that needs help on her ranch Jane agrees to stay and help out. Jane knows she does not want to bring danger to Nellie so she needs to stay under the radar. Lucky believes that Jane is a con artist right from the start. He is determined to uncover all her secrets. He knows that Jane has secrets and he wants to know them all. Jane needs help and a break from all the running. If she has to put up with the cowboy who is always bickering with her to do it she will. Will danger find Jane? Will Lucky protect her if need be? Or will he finally have his proof that Jane is bad news? What happens when all the intimidation does not work? Can he seduce all her secrets out of her? What happens when they start falling for each other? Is it fate or will he just be pulling off an act to get all his answers?
I loved these characters and the side characters. I felt I could connect with the characters and the story was a great read.
I recommend this book.
December 20, 2019
Okay, I really enjoyed this book till, well, till the moment I kept mumbling and ranting because the story went downhill. Fast. Oh, don't get me wrong, it was still sweet and I still laughed but seriously? You are friends with a Sheriff but you don't get him involved when you are faced with real criminals? You've got all the money that you need at your hands and, oh, right, nobody cares that you are kidnapped? Nobody cares to speak up and tell that you are not...oh, alright. No. Obviously not.
We are talking about that last part of the book though (mostly) that was rather far fetched and constructed. The story didn't flow anymore, it got so many bumps and dumps and...couldn't really convince me anymore.
As I said, I enjoyed the part about Jane and Slade and their banter even though they fight somewhat fierce and I also loved Nellie, Slade's grandmother and the woman who hired this complete stranger at the busstop. I also liked that Nellie and her sister Ellen were full of life and having fun even at the mature age of...oops...but I didn't like the fact that they didn't think that it was wrong to drive drunk or drive half-blind. Sorry, that's a big no-go for me.
As the book still managed to keep me interested, it's 2.5 stars, rounded up to three.
We are talking about that last part of the book though (mostly) that was rather far fetched and constructed. The story didn't flow anymore, it got so many bumps and dumps and...couldn't really convince me anymore.
As I said, I enjoyed the part about Jane and Slade and their banter even though they fight somewhat fierce and I also loved Nellie, Slade's grandmother and the woman who hired this complete stranger at the busstop. I also liked that Nellie and her sister Ellen were full of life and having fun even at the mature age of...oops...but I didn't like the fact that they didn't think that it was wrong to drive drunk or drive half-blind. Sorry, that's a big no-go for me.
As the book still managed to keep me interested, it's 2.5 stars, rounded up to three.
March 7, 2018
Slade is suspicious of Jane right from the start, but their frenemy chemistry is stronger than his determination to believe she's a con artist. Jane's backstory is teased out until we're finally given the whole sordid tale, transforming her into a sympathetic character who is more than a match for the cynical Slade. Neither of these two are what the other thinks they are, and their banter is downright hilarious! Jane is a sassy, feisty firecracker, and Slade soon can't resist her brand of honesty. I really, really loved watching these two get to know each other.
This story pulls you in and grabs hold of you from the very beginning. The writing is amazing, the characters come alive, and the plot is rich and well-structured. The secondary characters are absolutely perfect! Nellie and Ellen are my role-models for life! There's never a slow moment in this book, and resolving the threats against Jane was riveting and brilliantly done. The HEA was beautifully done, right down to the bare feet!
I couldn't love this book more, and it's got a permanent place on my to-be-read-again shelf. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided through NetGalley.
This story pulls you in and grabs hold of you from the very beginning. The writing is amazing, the characters come alive, and the plot is rich and well-structured. The secondary characters are absolutely perfect! Nellie and Ellen are my role-models for life! There's never a slow moment in this book, and resolving the threats against Jane was riveting and brilliantly done. The HEA was beautifully done, right down to the bare feet!
I couldn't love this book more, and it's got a permanent place on my to-be-read-again shelf. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided through NetGalley.
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