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Moving Violations #1
One Tough Cowboy
First in a brand-new series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick
about one man’s pursuit of justice—and unbridled desire.
LAW AND ORDER.
For as long as Samantha can remember, Hunter—a man as strong as steel, with a heart of gold—has been her hero. It came as no surprise to Samantha when she found out that the ranch-hardened cowboy who always protected her from bullies went on to become the town’s sheriff. What does surprise her is how incredibly hot he still is. And how much she still wants him…
PRIDE AND PASSION
And, lo and behold, Hunter still has feelings for Samantha. The long-smoldering heat of their innocent flirtation has grown into a full-raging fire. But when tragedy strikes, and their small-town community is shattered, Hunter vows to do everything he can to keep his childhood sweetheart safe. But can Samantha trust that Hunter has her best interests at heart…and that, after all these years, his love is true?
“Leigh’s books can scorch the ink off the page.”—RT Book Reviews
LAW AND ORDER.
For as long as Samantha can remember, Hunter—a man as strong as steel, with a heart of gold—has been her hero. It came as no surprise to Samantha when she found out that the ranch-hardened cowboy who always protected her from bullies went on to become the town’s sheriff. What does surprise her is how incredibly hot he still is. And how much she still wants him…
PRIDE AND PASSION
And, lo and behold, Hunter still has feelings for Samantha. The long-smoldering heat of their innocent flirtation has grown into a full-raging fire. But when tragedy strikes, and their small-town community is shattered, Hunter vows to do everything he can to keep his childhood sweetheart safe. But can Samantha trust that Hunter has her best interests at heart…and that, after all these years, his love is true?
“Leigh’s books can scorch the ink off the page.”—RT Book Reviews
293 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 29, 2019
265 people are currently reading
2733 people want to read
About the author
Lora Leigh
190 books10.1k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Lora Leigh is a New York Times bestselling author of erotic romance novels. Leigh started publishing with electronic publisher Ellora's Cave in 2003. Leigh's longest-running series is The Breeds. She won the 2009 RT Award for erotica. Leigh was born in Ohio and raised in Martin County, Kentucky, US.
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6...
Lora Leigh is a New York Times bestselling author of erotic romance novels. Leigh started publishing with electronic publisher Ellora's Cave in 2003. Leigh's longest-running series is The Breeds. She won the 2009 RT Award for erotica. Leigh was born in Ohio and raised in Martin County, Kentucky, US.
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6...
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January 2, 2019
RATING 4.5 STARS
One Tough Cowboy is book one in the brand new series, Moving Violations by Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick. This is my very first book by both of these authors and what a way to start the New Year. This had pretty much everything I love in a book. Sweet romance, smokin smexy times, and intense suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat.
Samantha (Sam) Ryder spent her first eleven years in the small community of Deerhaven, California before her family moved away. She had known Hunter Steele her whole life and in her young mind, she loved him. She constantly got herself into trouble, just so he would save her. He was her hero. Now Sam is a police officer for the Detroit PD but has to come back to Deerhaven after the death of her dear aunt. One look at Hunter and her entire body wakes up. Hunter is about eight years older than she is. He has definitely changed. He is no longer the young carefree man he used to be. But so has she!
Hunter Steele is now the sheriff of Deerhaven. There have been three deaths in an eight month span of time in his town, all declared accidents. But Hunter knows better. He knew Sam would come back to settle her aunt’s affairs. One look at the woman she had become and Hunter knew she was going to be his.
First let’s talk about Hunter and Sam. These two were like a match to gasoline. They ignited each other. They practically set my kindle on fire they were so hot. They tried to fight their chemistry. But it was just impossible. And talk about stamina!!! I’ll just leave that there!
Then there is the suspense part of this book. There have been three suspicious deaths. There are some very obvious slimy things going on in the town but Hunter doesn’t have proof. The closer he and Sam get, the more he just wants to protect her but she’s not having it. She wants to help to solve the death of the aunt she loved. Add into the mix an unwelcome visitor from her past and I was biting my nails.
This story builds and builds to a peak and then has the sweetest ending that just topped it all off perfectly.
I do want to make one important note here. There is an attempted sexual assault. I feel like this fact should be made known in case this is a trigger for any readers.
I really did enjoy this book. What a great way to get to know these new authors! I am very intrigued by Hunter’s friend, Jacob Donovan and look forward to reading his story in the next book.
For more about this book and so many more, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/44036...
One Tough Cowboy is book one in the brand new series, Moving Violations by Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick. This is my very first book by both of these authors and what a way to start the New Year. This had pretty much everything I love in a book. Sweet romance, smokin smexy times, and intense suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat.
Samantha (Sam) Ryder spent her first eleven years in the small community of Deerhaven, California before her family moved away. She had known Hunter Steele her whole life and in her young mind, she loved him. She constantly got herself into trouble, just so he would save her. He was her hero. Now Sam is a police officer for the Detroit PD but has to come back to Deerhaven after the death of her dear aunt. One look at Hunter and her entire body wakes up. Hunter is about eight years older than she is. He has definitely changed. He is no longer the young carefree man he used to be. But so has she!
Hunter Steele is now the sheriff of Deerhaven. There have been three deaths in an eight month span of time in his town, all declared accidents. But Hunter knows better. He knew Sam would come back to settle her aunt’s affairs. One look at the woman she had become and Hunter knew she was going to be his.
First let’s talk about Hunter and Sam. These two were like a match to gasoline. They ignited each other. They practically set my kindle on fire they were so hot. They tried to fight their chemistry. But it was just impossible. And talk about stamina!!! I’ll just leave that there!
Then there is the suspense part of this book. There have been three suspicious deaths. There are some very obvious slimy things going on in the town but Hunter doesn’t have proof. The closer he and Sam get, the more he just wants to protect her but she’s not having it. She wants to help to solve the death of the aunt she loved. Add into the mix an unwelcome visitor from her past and I was biting my nails.
This story builds and builds to a peak and then has the sweetest ending that just topped it all off perfectly.
I do want to make one important note here. There is an attempted sexual assault. I feel like this fact should be made known in case this is a trigger for any readers.
I really did enjoy this book. What a great way to get to know these new authors! I am very intrigued by Hunter’s friend, Jacob Donovan and look forward to reading his story in the next book.
For more about this book and so many more, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/44036...
January 27, 2019
2 STARS
I was really excited about this book! Lora Leigh has been one of my favorite go-tos when I'm in the mood for a dirty talking uber alpha. Make him a cowboy, and I'm chomping at the bit! Unfortunately, this book was better in theory than it turned out in practice.
I loved the set up and potential of the story. Samantha has always loved Hunter from afar. He was ten years her senior while she was a troublemaking child and her crush was ultimately water under the bridge of their years apart. But then then a murder mystery brings these two together again when Hunter's uncle and her grandmother both die a suspicious death that's set to look like a suicide when they both know it isn't. Hunter is now the sheriff of the small town they grew up in. And Samantha is no longer the pixie pest he ones knew, but a hardened Detroit cop. When their pasts bring them together in the future, sparks obviously fly.
Sounds great, right? It could have been. Had the story, suspense, and their relationship been fleshed out more. As it was, the entire story was overrun but sex. All of the sex. So. Much. Sex.
Now look, I'm the last person to complain about a hot love scene. But when that's the only thing that's essentially driving the story, I get bored. I need more. I wanted so badly to connect to Hunter and Sam's relationship, but I felt nothing. Their build up was so good, but then when they do get together....meh. Not even a spark for me. I felt no chemistry between them after they have sex. It was lackluster at best and continued to fizzle the more they did it. It became ridiculous. Stakeout? They have sex. Bad guys may be watching? Sex! A bit of story? Sex sex sex and all of the sex! Anti-climactic ending with a predictable baddy that ends with a horrible assault on Sam? Sex right after! The story had such great potential, but unfortunately just fizzled out for me right around 20%.
I will say that there's a secondary character that was introduced here that immediately caught my attention and I'm invested enough to read his book which will be the next in the series.
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
I was really excited about this book! Lora Leigh has been one of my favorite go-tos when I'm in the mood for a dirty talking uber alpha. Make him a cowboy, and I'm chomping at the bit! Unfortunately, this book was better in theory than it turned out in practice.
I loved the set up and potential of the story. Samantha has always loved Hunter from afar. He was ten years her senior while she was a troublemaking child and her crush was ultimately water under the bridge of their years apart. But then then a murder mystery brings these two together again when Hunter's uncle and her grandmother both die a suspicious death that's set to look like a suicide when they both know it isn't. Hunter is now the sheriff of the small town they grew up in. And Samantha is no longer the pixie pest he ones knew, but a hardened Detroit cop. When their pasts bring them together in the future, sparks obviously fly.
Sounds great, right? It could have been. Had the story, suspense, and their relationship been fleshed out more. As it was, the entire story was overrun but sex. All of the sex. So. Much. Sex.
Now look, I'm the last person to complain about a hot love scene. But when that's the only thing that's essentially driving the story, I get bored. I need more. I wanted so badly to connect to Hunter and Sam's relationship, but I felt nothing. Their build up was so good, but then when they do get together....meh. Not even a spark for me. I felt no chemistry between them after they have sex. It was lackluster at best and continued to fizzle the more they did it. It became ridiculous. Stakeout? They have sex. Bad guys may be watching? Sex! A bit of story? Sex sex sex and all of the sex! Anti-climactic ending with a predictable baddy that ends with a horrible assault on Sam? Sex right after! The story had such great potential, but unfortunately just fizzled out for me right around 20%.
I will say that there's a secondary character that was introduced here that immediately caught my attention and I'm invested enough to read his book which will be the next in the series.
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
January 29, 2019
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK
One Tough Cowboy is the first book in Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick's new series, Moving Violations. The story introduces readers to Samantha, a Detroit police officer that finds herself heading back to her hometown of Deerhaven after the death of her aunt. There, she's thrust into a building mystery surrounding multiple deaths in the town. Which leads her to the towns Sheriff, the boy she had the biggest crush on when she was younger, who is definitely all man now.
Hunter and Samantha had an almost instant, and undeniably electric, connection once they were back in the same town together, which was really fun to read about. Their characters easily shared the spotlight with the mystery going on and I thought the authors did a good job of on the character development throughout the story.
I don't even know the best way to describe this book, and that's honestly an amazing thing. It had the thrill of a brilliant romantic suspense book, with a great deal of steaminess and the sweetest moments between Hunter and Sam. I just loved that everything blended together so well to make such a captivating story.
Bottom line, I loved the crazy ride that this book took me on. I was completely enthralled with the story and once I started and it had me ignoring everything as I read.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
One Tough Cowboy is the first book in Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick's new series, Moving Violations. The story introduces readers to Samantha, a Detroit police officer that finds herself heading back to her hometown of Deerhaven after the death of her aunt. There, she's thrust into a building mystery surrounding multiple deaths in the town. Which leads her to the towns Sheriff, the boy she had the biggest crush on when she was younger, who is definitely all man now.
Hunter and Samantha had an almost instant, and undeniably electric, connection once they were back in the same town together, which was really fun to read about. Their characters easily shared the spotlight with the mystery going on and I thought the authors did a good job of on the character development throughout the story.
I don't even know the best way to describe this book, and that's honestly an amazing thing. It had the thrill of a brilliant romantic suspense book, with a great deal of steaminess and the sweetest moments between Hunter and Sam. I just loved that everything blended together so well to make such a captivating story.
Bottom line, I loved the crazy ride that this book took me on. I was completely enthralled with the story and once I started and it had me ignoring everything as I read.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2019
Rollin', rollin', rollin'...
I don't know what's happened to me. A few years ago One Tough Cowboy would have floated my boat in a BIG WAY! Lora Leigh was one of my favourite naughty writers and I would go out of my way to read whatever she released. Unfortunately, I have come to a stage in my life where I want more storyline and fewer sex scenes. This story would have been so much better if a few of the porno scenes were cut. I'm still shuddering from some of the descriptions and if I had to read again, my eyes would have rolled right out of my head.
The storyline was interesting and I enjoyed the suspense and intrigue of the murder, mystery in their small town. The sheriff was one heck of a sexy cowboy who wasn't afraid of getting his hands dirty to make sure his county was safe. Samantha was a pretty tough cookie and wasn't going to be pushed around by anyone. The push and pull between them were fun to watch and I was entertained with them dealing with their sexual attraction in the workplace.
I liked One Tough Cowboy and admit that it was BLOODY HOT!! It was just too unrealistic for me to love it. . If you love cowboys, small-town romances and lots and lots of dirty talking, I highly recommend trying this one out.
Stacey is Sassy, received a complimentary copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
I don't know what's happened to me. A few years ago One Tough Cowboy would have floated my boat in a BIG WAY! Lora Leigh was one of my favourite naughty writers and I would go out of my way to read whatever she released. Unfortunately, I have come to a stage in my life where I want more storyline and fewer sex scenes. This story would have been so much better if a few of the porno scenes were cut. I'm still shuddering from some of the descriptions and if I had to read again, my eyes would have rolled right out of my head.
The storyline was interesting and I enjoyed the suspense and intrigue of the murder, mystery in their small town. The sheriff was one heck of a sexy cowboy who wasn't afraid of getting his hands dirty to make sure his county was safe. Samantha was a pretty tough cookie and wasn't going to be pushed around by anyone. The push and pull between them were fun to watch and I was entertained with them dealing with their sexual attraction in the workplace.
I liked One Tough Cowboy and admit that it was BLOODY HOT!! It was just too unrealistic for me to love it. . If you love cowboys, small-town romances and lots and lots of dirty talking, I highly recommend trying this one out.
Stacey is Sassy, received a complimentary copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
January 29, 2019
I have read multiple books written by Lora Leigh and I especially enjoyed her Elite Ops series. It was pretty damn HOT.. if I do say so myself. Now as much as I love my military men...there is one thing that gets me even hotter that...Cowboys.
They are my Kryptonite !!! So I figured with this author and this title...I could not go wrong. 
I was a bit misled here though. The title made me think full-on cowboy story...but Hunter, our hero is the sheriff, and Sam, the heroine...is a cop. It's a good thing I also love crimefighters and suspense, but still...cowboys would have been better, just saying ;)
Samantha and Hunter reconnect when Samantha goes back to her home town after the death of her aunt. The boy, she once had a huge crush on, is now the town sheriff.
Now if there is one thing this book does not lack...it is sexy times. This was one hell of a steamy read...Yowza ;)
To be completely honest.. I could have done with a bit less steam. I can't believe I am saying this but...sometimes a bit less is more :P
I would like to warn those with triggers that this book deals with an attempted rape. What bothered me most about that part, is the fact that it was followed by yet more sex !!
I did enjoy the background story and suspense and I do recommend this one if you are a fan of small-town romance, suspense, and very steamy reads.
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January 10, 2019
This was a new to me author and I loved the idea of someone moving back to a small town and a rekindling of sorts.
I liked Sam and Hunter well enough. I enjoyed their banter and the button pushing. I didn’t quite believe their “chemistry” and would have like more conversation of substance.
Plot wise, it was sort of a hot mess. I liked the idea of the mystery, but there was so much sex all over the place, the idea of an actual plot {which happened to be a sex trafficking slash terrorist ring O_o} seemed to be added as an afterthought. There wasn’t any tension or sense of urgency.
Oh and by the way, the very climax of the story has Sam tied up, stripped, and assaulted in front of Hunter and a bunch of other bad guys. Then she gets free and her and Hunter go have sex. So there’s that. And yeah, I’m not putting this under a spoiler tag because everyone needs to see this. It was quite graphic and jarring.
Overall, the story had a lot of potential, but fell flat for me. If it wasn’t for the last few pages, it would have been a 2 star read, but I can’t over look the ending. I will not be reading any other stories in this series.
**Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Paperbacks for providing the arc free of charge**
I liked Sam and Hunter well enough. I enjoyed their banter and the button pushing. I didn’t quite believe their “chemistry” and would have like more conversation of substance.
Plot wise, it was sort of a hot mess. I liked the idea of the mystery, but there was so much sex all over the place, the idea of an actual plot {which happened to be a sex trafficking slash terrorist ring O_o} seemed to be added as an afterthought. There wasn’t any tension or sense of urgency.
Oh and by the way, the very climax of the story has Sam tied up, stripped, and assaulted in front of Hunter and a bunch of other bad guys. Then she gets free and her and Hunter go have sex. So there’s that. And yeah, I’m not putting this under a spoiler tag because everyone needs to see this. It was quite graphic and jarring.
Overall, the story had a lot of potential, but fell flat for me. If it wasn’t for the last few pages, it would have been a 2 star read, but I can’t over look the ending. I will not be reading any other stories in this series.
**Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Paperbacks for providing the arc free of charge**
December 27, 2018
Holy smokes! One smoking hot read! 3.5 Stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This book took me by surprise. I’ve read others by Lora Leigh and thought I knew what I was getting into. But this story has a lot of pluses, which are awesome, but also some minuses as well.
I enjoy a great romantic suspense and that’s what this book really was. Very little on the actual cowboy aspect so I’m not sure why the title included “cowboy”. I think it would’ve been fine with sheriff because that is what this hot piece of man candy is. And oh, Hunter is so, so mighty fine.
There are parts of this book that were a little confusing to me. It’s set in California in the northern region just outside of Oroville, which I’m picturing in my head is in the area of Paradise. While it is the country with plenty of farm lands and mountains, most people here in California don’t speak with a southern drawl. Except for me because I’m actually from Virginia.
So when he was sweetening up with Sam, he would go into a southern drawl which was odd unless the author was trying to be humorous. Which could be; it just didn’t set right.
Another thing I didn’t get was the Detroit connection. It seemed odd that her family moved to Detroit and yet there’s a connection of the illegal activity between Michigan and California but it didn’t include her or her family. So I’m not sure how that even happened. - Oh and loads of triggers in one major scene too...
But regardless of the small inconsistencies, most of the book was very good. A ton of heat and sex throughout the story. In fact, we were even having sex at some very inopportune times, which did read very oddly.
Overall I totally loved Sam and Hunter together. I love the fact that they just knew they belong together. It was instantaneous and had been since they were younger. That makes for a beautiful connection and plenty of hot sex, which the authors did write very well.
An attention grabbing plot, plenty of steam and action that flies off the pages, and a sexy ass sheriff made this a read to remember.
3.5 stars rolled to 4 stars
* copy received for review consideration
full review - https://amidlifewife.com/one-tough-co...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This book took me by surprise. I’ve read others by Lora Leigh and thought I knew what I was getting into. But this story has a lot of pluses, which are awesome, but also some minuses as well.
I enjoy a great romantic suspense and that’s what this book really was. Very little on the actual cowboy aspect so I’m not sure why the title included “cowboy”. I think it would’ve been fine with sheriff because that is what this hot piece of man candy is. And oh, Hunter is so, so mighty fine.
There are parts of this book that were a little confusing to me. It’s set in California in the northern region just outside of Oroville, which I’m picturing in my head is in the area of Paradise. While it is the country with plenty of farm lands and mountains, most people here in California don’t speak with a southern drawl. Except for me because I’m actually from Virginia.
So when he was sweetening up with Sam, he would go into a southern drawl which was odd unless the author was trying to be humorous. Which could be; it just didn’t set right.
Another thing I didn’t get was the Detroit connection. It seemed odd that her family moved to Detroit and yet there’s a connection of the illegal activity between Michigan and California but it didn’t include her or her family. So I’m not sure how that even happened. - Oh and loads of triggers in one major scene too...
But regardless of the small inconsistencies, most of the book was very good. A ton of heat and sex throughout the story. In fact, we were even having sex at some very inopportune times, which did read very oddly.
Overall I totally loved Sam and Hunter together. I love the fact that they just knew they belong together. It was instantaneous and had been since they were younger. That makes for a beautiful connection and plenty of hot sex, which the authors did write very well.
An attention grabbing plot, plenty of steam and action that flies off the pages, and a sexy ass sheriff made this a read to remember.
3.5 stars rolled to 4 stars
* copy received for review consideration
full review - https://amidlifewife.com/one-tough-co...
January 29, 2019
Samantha was always the trouble making littler kid, who found herself fascinated by the older, protective Hunter. She wasn't surprised when she returns home to find Hunter a law man. But Samantha is also a police officer and very suspicious of her the circumstances surrounding her aunt's death. She doesn't know who she can trust.
Hunter knows that his home town is filled with corruption. He is doing everything in his power to dig it out and the last thing he needs is to put the hot little Samantha in harms way. But Samantha isn't going to be side lined.
One Touch Cowboy supplies a strong mystery with lots of hot and steamy. I have to admit, I was more for the story and less for the steam, finding myself skimming over the pages after pages of sex to get back to the heart of the mystery.
I received this copy of One Tough Cowboy from St. Martin's Press. This is my honest and voluntary review. One Tough Cowboy is set for publication Jan. 29, 2019.
My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: Lora Leigh and
Series: Moving Violations
Sequence in Series: Book 1
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date: January 29, 2019
ISBN-10: 1250309484
ISBN-13: 978-1250309488
Genre: Contemporary Romance Western
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/One-Tough-Cowb...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-...
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/one-...
Hunter knows that his home town is filled with corruption. He is doing everything in his power to dig it out and the last thing he needs is to put the hot little Samantha in harms way. But Samantha isn't going to be side lined.
One Touch Cowboy supplies a strong mystery with lots of hot and steamy. I have to admit, I was more for the story and less for the steam, finding myself skimming over the pages after pages of sex to get back to the heart of the mystery.
I received this copy of One Tough Cowboy from St. Martin's Press. This is my honest and voluntary review. One Tough Cowboy is set for publication Jan. 29, 2019.
My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: Lora Leigh and
Series: Moving Violations
Sequence in Series: Book 1
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date: January 29, 2019
ISBN-10: 1250309484
ISBN-13: 978-1250309488
Genre: Contemporary Romance Western
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/One-Tough-Cowb...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-...
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/one-...
December 30, 2019
I won this in my very first ever Goodreads giveaway so to say I was pumped to read this would be an understatement. I wanted to love this read but not even my giddy feel good vibes could up my final rating.
Overall the story wasn't bad, if you've read Lora Leigh chances are you'll find fairly strong similarities in this book. There's family secrets, truly evil villains, murder, violence and a mystery to solve.
Sam is back in her hometown to find some answers regarding her grandmother's sudden death. When Hunter, the current sheriff and her not-so-secret crush from childhood offers to team up with her, the attraction is there, and decidedly mutual this time.
I guess I needed a little more one on one time with Sam and Hunter - when they weren't getting spied on, chased or endangered. It felt like they never had any downtime to really connect or fall in love. The ending isn't my go to for cute marriage proposals but the h is okay accepting the H as is, so it actually came off as pretty cute if a little unconventional :)
Side note:
The things Sam had to go through at the hands of the crazy evil dudes was a little too much for me. It was really graphic, toxic and just too much. The way it was all rushed and then glossed over in the end seemed out of place and left me feeling like the story wasn't actually complete. A bit more closure would have been nice. Especially given the trauma Sam must be experiencing after living through something of that magnitude.
Would I recommend? This one was not my jam :(
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
SAFETY INFO:
Overall the story wasn't bad, if you've read Lora Leigh chances are you'll find fairly strong similarities in this book. There's family secrets, truly evil villains, murder, violence and a mystery to solve.
Sam is back in her hometown to find some answers regarding her grandmother's sudden death. When Hunter, the current sheriff and her not-so-secret crush from childhood offers to team up with her, the attraction is there, and decidedly mutual this time.
I guess I needed a little more one on one time with Sam and Hunter - when they weren't getting spied on, chased or endangered. It felt like they never had any downtime to really connect or fall in love. The ending isn't my go to for cute marriage proposals but the h is okay accepting the H as is, so it actually came off as pretty cute if a little unconventional :)
Side note:
The things Sam had to go through at the hands of the crazy evil dudes was a little too much for me. It was really graphic, toxic and just too much. The way it was all rushed and then glossed over in the end seemed out of place and left me feeling like the story wasn't actually complete. A bit more closure would have been nice. Especially given the trauma Sam must be experiencing after living through something of that magnitude.
Would I recommend? This one was not my jam :(
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
SAFETY INFO:
November 26, 2018
I had so many issues with this book.
This first is, this takes place in California, albeit a small town, but the vernacular didn't match how Californians talk or think. Many Southern culture ways kept popping up (e.g. calling someone sugar (when you're not a grandma), referencing Yankees (and not the baseball team)). California played a small role in the Civil War and it was for the Union (it was a free state), so I didn’t get why Hunter kept calling Samantha a Yankee or making it sound like they were in the South.
The whole subplot with Sam’s ex, Tom, was unnecessary and was clearly just there to add drama. You had to really suspend disbelief to buy into that many coincidences that connected what was happening in this small California town to what happened in Detroit.
Every time Hunter and San slept together I cringed. It was super long and drawn out and some of the wording was awkward. Plus they did it at very stupid and inopportune times (like during surveillance). Two professionals would not let their guard down and potentially ruin an investigation just have sex.
SLIGHT SPOILER AHEAD
Lastly, the biggest thing for me was the sexual assault/attempted rape scene. It felt so gratuitous and cheap. There was a different way to convey whatever it was they were trying to say (which was what? That Hunter and Sam love each other? That her ex is a bad dude?) And honestly, in an international terrorist ring they aren’t going to let some random guy get his jollies and revenge on an ex when they’re in the middle of an operation that could very well be compromised. This is a delicate situation to write about, and I cannot stand when authors use it frivolously and without regards to the severity of it.
This first is, this takes place in California, albeit a small town, but the vernacular didn't match how Californians talk or think. Many Southern culture ways kept popping up (e.g. calling someone sugar (when you're not a grandma), referencing Yankees (and not the baseball team)). California played a small role in the Civil War and it was for the Union (it was a free state), so I didn’t get why Hunter kept calling Samantha a Yankee or making it sound like they were in the South.
The whole subplot with Sam’s ex, Tom, was unnecessary and was clearly just there to add drama. You had to really suspend disbelief to buy into that many coincidences that connected what was happening in this small California town to what happened in Detroit.
Every time Hunter and San slept together I cringed. It was super long and drawn out and some of the wording was awkward. Plus they did it at very stupid and inopportune times (like during surveillance). Two professionals would not let their guard down and potentially ruin an investigation just have sex.
SLIGHT SPOILER AHEAD
Lastly, the biggest thing for me was the sexual assault/attempted rape scene. It felt so gratuitous and cheap. There was a different way to convey whatever it was they were trying to say (which was what? That Hunter and Sam love each other? That her ex is a bad dude?) And honestly, in an international terrorist ring they aren’t going to let some random guy get his jollies and revenge on an ex when they’re in the middle of an operation that could very well be compromised. This is a delicate situation to write about, and I cannot stand when authors use it frivolously and without regards to the severity of it.
December 6, 2018
I read the word cowboy and thought yes sign me up! One Tough Cowboy is actually about the town sheriff. It’s set in Deerhaven, California. Hunters family run the well-known Steele Spur Ranch, but Hunter’s career is in the police force. In the past eight month, 3 suspicious deaths have occurred and the most resent brings an old friend back to town.
Samantha moved to Detroit with her family. She also joined the police force, but is used to the busy city. When her Aunt dies she finds herself back in her hometown. She believes Aunt Dottie’s death was murder and she’s not leaving town until she finds out what happened to her. The town has changed in someways but Hunter Steele is still smoking hot. He’s five years older than her and always looked out for her as a kid. Sam was a bit of a troublemaker in her younger days and Hunter had his hands full with her. Now they are older the attraction is obvious. Their relationship is heated, the town is corrupt and the police work is dangerous. This book is intended for an adult audience.
4 stars out of 5. *I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Samantha moved to Detroit with her family. She also joined the police force, but is used to the busy city. When her Aunt dies she finds herself back in her hometown. She believes Aunt Dottie’s death was murder and she’s not leaving town until she finds out what happened to her. The town has changed in someways but Hunter Steele is still smoking hot. He’s five years older than her and always looked out for her as a kid. Sam was a bit of a troublemaker in her younger days and Hunter had his hands full with her. Now they are older the attraction is obvious. Their relationship is heated, the town is corrupt and the police work is dangerous. This book is intended for an adult audience.
4 stars out of 5. *I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
December 1, 2018You know I can't resist a Cowboy!!
Giddy up!!
Giddy up!!
January 17, 2019
Wow! Talk about sizzling! This book will absolutely melt anything within its vicinity and then some. To tame the heat, just a bit, is a mystery at its center, one that Hunter and Samantha are trying to solve. With shifty characters and a mayor that has his own interest at heart, this plot took us on a wild ride.
Hunter is a strong alpha hero, possessive and protective of his heroine even though she’s more than capable of taking care of herself. They knew each other when she was still a child and then again when she was seventeen they shared a moment of intense regard. Now that she’s back home again they are immediately drawn to each other as they work together to solve the murder of three of Deerhaven’s residents.
I really enjoyed this one but I will warn that there is a scene that can possible trigger some readers. There is also a lot of sex…as in, a LOT. This is a couple that will definitely leave you panting and breathless for a variety of reasons.
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
Hunter is a strong alpha hero, possessive and protective of his heroine even though she’s more than capable of taking care of herself. They knew each other when she was still a child and then again when she was seventeen they shared a moment of intense regard. Now that she’s back home again they are immediately drawn to each other as they work together to solve the murder of three of Deerhaven’s residents.
I really enjoyed this one but I will warn that there is a scene that can possible trigger some readers. There is also a lot of sex…as in, a LOT. This is a couple that will definitely leave you panting and breathless for a variety of reasons.
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
December 30, 2018
If there is one thing I can always count on from Lora Leigh, it's the heat. Lordy can that woman write sexual tension like no other! Honestly, she can write anything and I'll read it just for that alone.
This wasn't exactly what I was expecting. We do have a few cowboys and Hunter does own a ranch, but this was more of a romantic suspense story instead of a cowboy story. Hunter is the sheriff and Sam is a cop from Detroit. She came home for her aunt's funeral and gets embroiled into a scary situation dealing with sex trafficking and terrorists.
Hunter and Sam's relationship was the kind where they know they should stay away from each other but their attraction won't let them. You get the impression they never would have gotten together if she hadn't come back home. It at least made sense since Hunter is about 10 years older and only knew her as a kid he protected when they were younger. I was glad to see he didn't continue to treat her as a kid once they saw each other again.
Overall, the heat was high and the suspense was intriguing. Bonus, there were some hot eye candy on the side. Maybe we will get a few more books.
This wasn't exactly what I was expecting. We do have a few cowboys and Hunter does own a ranch, but this was more of a romantic suspense story instead of a cowboy story. Hunter is the sheriff and Sam is a cop from Detroit. She came home for her aunt's funeral and gets embroiled into a scary situation dealing with sex trafficking and terrorists.
Hunter and Sam's relationship was the kind where they know they should stay away from each other but their attraction won't let them. You get the impression they never would have gotten together if she hadn't come back home. It at least made sense since Hunter is about 10 years older and only knew her as a kid he protected when they were younger. I was glad to see he didn't continue to treat her as a kid once they saw each other again.
Overall, the heat was high and the suspense was intriguing. Bonus, there were some hot eye candy on the side. Maybe we will get a few more books.
June 9, 2021
One Tough Cowboy features a romance between a woman returning to her hometown and falling for her first crush all over again.
Samantha Ryder never planned to return to her hometown of Deerhaven, California but after her beloved Aunt Dottie dies under mysterious circumstances, Sam is determined to find out what happened. After Sam arrives in Deerhaven she begins working with Hunter Steele, the town sheriff and Sam's first crush, to find out what happened to Dottie. As the attraction between Sam and Hunter grows, the two dig into Dottie's death discovering a conspiracy that runs deeper than either of them ever imagined.
Sam had a penchant for trouble growing up but now she is a Detroit police officer. Sam is distrustful by nature and as such she is immediately suspicious about her aunt's death. I liked how Sam refused to back down when it came to investigating Dottie's death. Hunter knows illegal activity is going on in Deerhaven and is doing what he can to stem to flood. I liked that Hunter had morals and stuck to them despite the fact everyone around him doesn't make that easy.
Sam and Hunter's relationship is in large part based on their physical attraction to one another. This book is high steam with a lot of sex scenes throughout. Personally I enjoy my romances to be more explicit, so I enjoyed this fact. Unfortunately outside of their attraction to each other, there didn't seem to be a lot to Sam and Hunter's relationship. There were a couple things I didn't enjoy about their romance. First, Hunter is roughly ten years older than Sam and he admits to wanting to sleep with her while she was only seventeen which is a little gross. Second, Hunter has a tendency to override what Sam wants and uses her attraction for him to get his way. So overall their romance didn't completely work for me.
The investigation into Dottie's death proved to be quite interesting and ended up being part of something much bigger. I thought the direction everything went was interesting and overall really enjoyed the suspense plotline. Unfortunately there is a scene towards the end of the book as this plot is being wrapped up that I really didn't like. Sam and Hunter are caught by the bad guys and Sam is sexually assaulted while Hunter is forced to watch. I found this scene to be unnecessary and it was quite disturbing to read. Had this scene not been included, I would have rated this book higher.
Ultimately One Tough Cowboy wasn't for me although I do usually enjoy Lora Leigh's books so I wouldn't judge her work based on this book alone.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
Samantha Ryder never planned to return to her hometown of Deerhaven, California but after her beloved Aunt Dottie dies under mysterious circumstances, Sam is determined to find out what happened. After Sam arrives in Deerhaven she begins working with Hunter Steele, the town sheriff and Sam's first crush, to find out what happened to Dottie. As the attraction between Sam and Hunter grows, the two dig into Dottie's death discovering a conspiracy that runs deeper than either of them ever imagined.
Sam had a penchant for trouble growing up but now she is a Detroit police officer. Sam is distrustful by nature and as such she is immediately suspicious about her aunt's death. I liked how Sam refused to back down when it came to investigating Dottie's death. Hunter knows illegal activity is going on in Deerhaven and is doing what he can to stem to flood. I liked that Hunter had morals and stuck to them despite the fact everyone around him doesn't make that easy.
Sam and Hunter's relationship is in large part based on their physical attraction to one another. This book is high steam with a lot of sex scenes throughout. Personally I enjoy my romances to be more explicit, so I enjoyed this fact. Unfortunately outside of their attraction to each other, there didn't seem to be a lot to Sam and Hunter's relationship. There were a couple things I didn't enjoy about their romance. First, Hunter is roughly ten years older than Sam and he admits to wanting to sleep with her while she was only seventeen which is a little gross. Second, Hunter has a tendency to override what Sam wants and uses her attraction for him to get his way. So overall their romance didn't completely work for me.
The investigation into Dottie's death proved to be quite interesting and ended up being part of something much bigger. I thought the direction everything went was interesting and overall really enjoyed the suspense plotline. Unfortunately there is a scene towards the end of the book as this plot is being wrapped up that I really didn't like. Sam and Hunter are caught by the bad guys and Sam is sexually assaulted while Hunter is forced to watch. I found this scene to be unnecessary and it was quite disturbing to read. Had this scene not been included, I would have rated this book higher.
Ultimately One Tough Cowboy wasn't for me although I do usually enjoy Lora Leigh's books so I wouldn't judge her work based on this book alone.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
November 14, 2018
ARC received for review
Good first book. Lots of chemistry and smokin' up the sheets between Samantha and Hunter. Plus there were bad guys to catch although that part was a little confusing and there was just too much stuff going on with too many people. Then the ending was just meh, even the epilogue wasn't much.
Good first book. Lots of chemistry and smokin' up the sheets between Samantha and Hunter. Plus there were bad guys to catch although that part was a little confusing and there was just too much stuff going on with too many people. Then the ending was just meh, even the epilogue wasn't much.
January 27, 2019
One Tough Cowboy by Lora Leigh; Veronica Chadwick is the First book in the Moving Violations Series. This is the story of Samantha and Hunter. Hunter used to look out for her and protect her when she was younger. So it was no surprise when learned he had become the sheriff of their town. But she was taken back by her feelings that still linger their for him and how attractive he has become. Hunter too is drawn back to Sam and the feelings of protectiveness that he has...along with other growing feelings. Besides the hot love story there is a underline suspense story.
Enjoyed their story!
Enjoyed their story!
February 8, 2019
3.5 stars
Sometimes knowing what to expect from author can be a detriment for a reviewer. With Lora Leigh, most of her books carry us along on a tide of suspense, erotic love-making, and plot twists and turns that keep us guessing. Then there’s One Tough Cowboy, which is part of the Moving Violations series. If it were by an unknown author, I’d have said it was a pretty good book, with a couple of minor issues. But because it IS Lora Leigh, its something of a yawner.
Samantha had a crush on Hunter when he protected her from bullies as they were growing up. When she comes back to the town of Deerhaven, California, to settle the estate of her aunt Dottie, she finds he’s just as protective as ever-and hotter. But she’s now a cop in Detroit and she smells something fishy about her aunt’s death-and so does Hunter. Can they find a way to work together to solve the series of mysterious deaths in the little town without giving in to the attraction between them?
I had several logistic problems with the story. The coincidence of having Sam’s abusive former boyfriend from Detroit involved in the crimes going on in the California town is not really believable, especially when other police officials have heard he’s shady. Why would a cop in California know anything about an information officer in Detroit?
I also question why Sam would start a relationship with Hunter, then start working for him. That one just screams sexual harassment, but Hunter just walks out when that accusation is made.
There is some hot action on the pages -and between the sheets- along with a yummy hero, a smart, determined heroine, and an interesting cast of characters. It just isn’t up to Lora Leigh’s usual standards, which is a bit disappointing.
January 30, 2019
Hot and suspenseful…
This author duo has created a sizzling story full of tension, suspense and passion. Samantha and Hunter are not strangers though I wouldn’t say this was second chance. What may have been was cut short early but Sam is back and though they both were mourning, they were also united in finding justice…
Sam and Hunter were the stars of this sexy, small town romance. Full of quirky characters, a dangerous mystery and chemistry galore, it was a fast-paced yet at times gentle read. Hunter was rightfully cranky as he dealt with resentful staff, suspicious deaths and a blast from the past. Sam was strong and capable with warmth bubbling through her calm exterior. The sparks flew high and the passion sizzled through one after the other blush-worthy scenes. Whew, the fan was on high but the emotional thermometer was just as red hot. They had liked each other – a lot – so while things moved quickly now it was building on all that had come before. And that felt oh so right…
There will be more from this town and I’m looking forward to it all! ~Diane, 4 stars
This author duo has created a sizzling story full of tension, suspense and passion. Samantha and Hunter are not strangers though I wouldn’t say this was second chance. What may have been was cut short early but Sam is back and though they both were mourning, they were also united in finding justice…
Sam and Hunter were the stars of this sexy, small town romance. Full of quirky characters, a dangerous mystery and chemistry galore, it was a fast-paced yet at times gentle read. Hunter was rightfully cranky as he dealt with resentful staff, suspicious deaths and a blast from the past. Sam was strong and capable with warmth bubbling through her calm exterior. The sparks flew high and the passion sizzled through one after the other blush-worthy scenes. Whew, the fan was on high but the emotional thermometer was just as red hot. They had liked each other – a lot – so while things moved quickly now it was building on all that had come before. And that felt oh so right…
There will be more from this town and I’m looking forward to it all! ~Diane, 4 stars
December 1, 2018
One Tough Cowboy
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC copy to read and give my honest opinion.
This was a fun read as we meet Sam and Hunter. Book starts out with a death and it seems foul play has occurred according to the Sheriff. A childhood friend comes back to town and old feelings with new ones surface.
What did I like? The chemistry between the two main characters was panty combustible and hot! The story is a small town cop vs corruption and scandal. Several characters look like they're going to be great in a separate book, Hunter had his hands full with Samantha but it wasn't too over the top.
Would I buy this book? I love this author but this book was a bit plain so I'd have to say no. It was a fun read but it's definitely kindle copy. An actual paperback would be a waste of money.
Thoughts for the author? This is a cute book and a fun read but let's be honest... this whole scenario has been done before. Three and a half stars.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC copy to read and give my honest opinion.
This was a fun read as we meet Sam and Hunter. Book starts out with a death and it seems foul play has occurred according to the Sheriff. A childhood friend comes back to town and old feelings with new ones surface.
What did I like? The chemistry between the two main characters was panty combustible and hot! The story is a small town cop vs corruption and scandal. Several characters look like they're going to be great in a separate book, Hunter had his hands full with Samantha but it wasn't too over the top.
Would I buy this book? I love this author but this book was a bit plain so I'd have to say no. It was a fun read but it's definitely kindle copy. An actual paperback would be a waste of money.
Thoughts for the author? This is a cute book and a fun read but let's be honest... this whole scenario has been done before. Three and a half stars.
February 1, 2019
So, just to get this settled, One Tough Cowboy isn’t really a cowboy book. It is, however, a pretty damn hot and suspenseful read! So stick around a bit...
Samantha and Hunter have a history. A bit of a distant love story, sorta. Samantha and Hunter grew up in the same small town, but Samantha is about eight years younger that Hunter, so they were definitely moving in different social circles. But what neither knew was that the other was wildly infatuated with them. Yep. Serious unrequited romance going on behind the scenes. So when Samantha is back in town to help settle her aunt’s estate. Sparks fly between these two. Hunter let Samantha get away all those years ago, but he’s not going to let it happen again.
And in addition to sparks flying, there’s bullets too. Guess it’s a good thing Hunter is the sheriff and Samantha is a cop. And they both need to apply all they know to figure out what’s just going on in their supposed mild mannered, quaint town. All is not as it appears!
I have to admit it took a bit for me to warm up to Hunter and Samantha’s romance. I was a bit skeptical over Hunter’s intensity, but he won me over in the end! Another bit of skepticism crept in about the craziness that was happening in town—how the sheriff missed the clues, because there certainly were some big ones!
All in all, I did enjoy One Tough Cowboy in the end. The rest of the side characters are intriguing enough that I would definitely read more in this series. ~ Missy, 3.5 stars
Samantha and Hunter have a history. A bit of a distant love story, sorta. Samantha and Hunter grew up in the same small town, but Samantha is about eight years younger that Hunter, so they were definitely moving in different social circles. But what neither knew was that the other was wildly infatuated with them. Yep. Serious unrequited romance going on behind the scenes. So when Samantha is back in town to help settle her aunt’s estate. Sparks fly between these two. Hunter let Samantha get away all those years ago, but he’s not going to let it happen again.
And in addition to sparks flying, there’s bullets too. Guess it’s a good thing Hunter is the sheriff and Samantha is a cop. And they both need to apply all they know to figure out what’s just going on in their supposed mild mannered, quaint town. All is not as it appears!
I have to admit it took a bit for me to warm up to Hunter and Samantha’s romance. I was a bit skeptical over Hunter’s intensity, but he won me over in the end! Another bit of skepticism crept in about the craziness that was happening in town—how the sheriff missed the clues, because there certainly were some big ones!
All in all, I did enjoy One Tough Cowboy in the end. The rest of the side characters are intriguing enough that I would definitely read more in this series. ~ Missy, 3.5 stars
February 2, 2019
One Tough Cowboy was smoking hot with some government corruption on the side. The story starts with 3 deaths-the mayor's wife, the sheriff, and an elderly woman in the town. This last death brings Samantha back to Deerhaven, CA. Hunter, the new sheriff knows these deaths are suspicious and he knows the mayor is up to something dirty. When Sam comes back to town, sparks fly and they jump right into a very sexual relationship. But, Hunter wants Samantha to move back to Deerhaven permanently and be a deputy.
Samantha was a pretty good character. She is smart and independent. She grew up a tomboy and now she is a tomboy who looks smoking hot. Hunter was the older boy Samantha had a crush on, but now they are both grown up and feeling the attraction. The book was good, but there were things that just kept it from being great. First, they all talk about southern manners and yankees and such. But, they are in California. Are there parts of California where people have southern accents and mock 'yankees'? Second, I wish the mystery aspect of the story had more punch. There were entire chapters dedicated to hot sex between Samantha and Hunter and the rest of the story felt like a side plot. I think that if the story was going to be a sexy contemporary romance, that would have been fine and the mystery could have been a simple plot device. But, because it does play a larger roll it should have gotten more 'time'. Finally, the characters were okay, but they felt like stereotypes of characters-the shmarmy mayor, the domineering ex, the dumbass deputies, the uber mysterious ex special forces buddy....its just all felt hokey at times.
POV: 3rd
Tears: no
Trope: small town, second chance (ish)
Triggers: none
Series/Standalone: stand alone
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
authors like Lexi Blake, Lisa Renee Jones, Shayla Black...then you will probably like One Tough Cowboy!
One Tough Cowboy
December 25, 2018
I have a weak spot for romances with a sheriff in it so I was really interested in this one. And I liked both Hunter and Sam as a couple. However, there were too many sex scenes for my taste, especially at the most weird moments. Near the end there is a very traumatic scene for Samantha, but they have sex after. There was a plot somewhere but it was lost in the sex :-)
*** ARC via Netgalley ***
*** ARC via Netgalley ***
January 30, 2019
Y’all. This Book!
I loved it, I loved everything. The way it’s written, the plot, the pace, characters and romance. Yes the romance was of the charts hotter then hell, the chemistry these two have is busting from the pages. And the suspense mystery of what’s happening around them all, with people getting killed, acting weird. Gah! I just really loved it.
Arc was given to me for an honest review.
I loved it, I loved everything. The way it’s written, the plot, the pace, characters and romance. Yes the romance was of the charts hotter then hell, the chemistry these two have is busting from the pages. And the suspense mystery of what’s happening around them all, with people getting killed, acting weird. Gah! I just really loved it.
Arc was given to me for an honest review.
November 25, 2018
First book in the series and it was an ok read for me. It left me on the fence. Could have gone either way. I thought the plot was good but had trouble with the characters both Hunter and Sam. There are a few secondary threads through the story and suspense of course and some serious sheet burning between Sam and Hunter. Simply, I didn't feel connected or invested in the story. Still it was a good book to read, easy and simple.
arc from NetGalley and publisher for an honest review
arc from NetGalley and publisher for an honest review
November 26, 2018
Samantha returns to small-town Deerhaven after the death of her Aunt Dottie. Hunter is the sheriff of Deerhaven and he’s worried about this latest death. It’s the third death and Hunter is suspicious, despite the credible explanations. Cop, Samantha doesn’t believe her aunt’s death is a natural one either, and she decides to investigate. This puts her head-to-head with Hunter, her childhood champion.
The title of the book led me to believe there would be a cowboy. Not true. The hero is the sheriff of a small town, and that is the extent of the cowboy angle. The main characters in this series are great. Both Sam and Hunter strike sparks off each other, and I liked them as they investigate the three suspicious deaths. The suspense part of the plot takes a back seat to the love scenes, and given the world building and suspense, the balance between this and the sex scenes feels off. There is one particular scene where the hero and heroine are watching for the villains, but they have a steamy encounter instead.
The conclusion of the story left me with a meh feeling. The story wasn’t bad, but the skewed balance between the plot and the love scenes took away from my overall enjoyment of One Tough Cowboy.
Three stars.
The title of the book led me to believe there would be a cowboy. Not true. The hero is the sheriff of a small town, and that is the extent of the cowboy angle. The main characters in this series are great. Both Sam and Hunter strike sparks off each other, and I liked them as they investigate the three suspicious deaths. The suspense part of the plot takes a back seat to the love scenes, and given the world building and suspense, the balance between this and the sex scenes feels off. There is one particular scene where the hero and heroine are watching for the villains, but they have a steamy encounter instead.
The conclusion of the story left me with a meh feeling. The story wasn’t bad, but the skewed balance between the plot and the love scenes took away from my overall enjoyment of One Tough Cowboy.
Three stars.
February 4, 2019
#giveaway one paperback copy (US Residents Only) http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/disp...
I think I went into this book with my expectations to high and was disappointed when they didn't hold up to what I had expected. Don't get me wrong, this is a good story but for me it just fell short. I loved the aspect of Hunter taking the Sheriff's position after his uncle's death and doing some undercover work to see what was really going on in his small town with the few "accidents" that had occurred knowing that they were in fact murder and not an accident at all. The latest "accident" is what brings Samantha back home, the pixie pest hasn't been home in ten years and, well now she is all grown up and Hunter is available so she may just have to do something about that crush she always had on him.
The sex was constant, I don't think I have ever said that a book had to much sex in it but I think this book may have been a better read for me if it cut a couple of scenes out and added to the drama that was unfolding in the town of Deerhaven, California. Explain more about the bad guys and how things were going on in the town that no one knew about, don't have Hunter and Sam having sex during a steak-out to me that was just needless and really far fetched, yes the sex scene was HOT, they all were, but that's not the point, for me it took away from the story because it was as if them constantly having sex was the story.
Like I said for me it just fell short, I will read the next book in the series because I am intrigued enough by the characters to see what happens but I will be honest and say that if I find it just ok again I will probably stop with that book.
I always recommend readers giving a book a chance on their own, don't let my review turn you away there are a lot of people that rated this four and even five stars so give it a try for yourself. I hope you enjoy the read. Happy Reading!!!
I think I went into this book with my expectations to high and was disappointed when they didn't hold up to what I had expected. Don't get me wrong, this is a good story but for me it just fell short. I loved the aspect of Hunter taking the Sheriff's position after his uncle's death and doing some undercover work to see what was really going on in his small town with the few "accidents" that had occurred knowing that they were in fact murder and not an accident at all. The latest "accident" is what brings Samantha back home, the pixie pest hasn't been home in ten years and, well now she is all grown up and Hunter is available so she may just have to do something about that crush she always had on him.
The sex was constant, I don't think I have ever said that a book had to much sex in it but I think this book may have been a better read for me if it cut a couple of scenes out and added to the drama that was unfolding in the town of Deerhaven, California. Explain more about the bad guys and how things were going on in the town that no one knew about, don't have Hunter and Sam having sex during a steak-out to me that was just needless and really far fetched, yes the sex scene was HOT, they all were, but that's not the point, for me it took away from the story because it was as if them constantly having sex was the story.
Like I said for me it just fell short, I will read the next book in the series because I am intrigued enough by the characters to see what happens but I will be honest and say that if I find it just ok again I will probably stop with that book.
I always recommend readers giving a book a chance on their own, don't let my review turn you away there are a lot of people that rated this four and even five stars so give it a try for yourself. I hope you enjoy the read. Happy Reading!!!
December 13, 2018
Who knew a little town like Deerhaven, CA could be such a hotbed of intrigue and trouble? One Tough Cowboy is one wild ride of a book – and I can’t tell you much about the story as I’m afraid I’d give you spoilers…and it’s so much more fun if you read all about it yourself. Seriously, right from the very beginning of the story, we find out about three deaths: the mayor’s wife, the former sheriff, and a longtime friend of theirs.
One Tough Cowboy is a story about Samantha Ryder (call her Sam or Sami Jo if you have a death wish) who returns to town when her aunt dies. She used to live in Deerhaven when she was young, where she grew up with the now sheriff, Hunter Steele. She and Hunter dance around their feelings for one another while trying to solve whatever mystery has taken over this town. Their dance is a sexy/smexy one. It is also an intricate story and I was biting my nails. I received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
One Tough Cowboy is a story about Samantha Ryder (call her Sam or Sami Jo if you have a death wish) who returns to town when her aunt dies. She used to live in Deerhaven when she was young, where she grew up with the now sheriff, Hunter Steele. She and Hunter dance around their feelings for one another while trying to solve whatever mystery has taken over this town. Their dance is a sexy/smexy one. It is also an intricate story and I was biting my nails. I received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
January 20, 2019
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
When I saw the cover to this One Tough Cowboy it made me smile. I love a good cowboy romance, a sweet hometown girl, small town sheriff whose a gentleman but loves fiercely. I even like when behind close doors the good boy gets dirty. But this book had none of those things.
The book was 75 percent sex scenes. I read some heavy sex romance books and this even put some of them to shame, with its non-stop sex scene after sex scene. On top of that, some of the word choices during said sex scenes to describe the act was completely off-putting.
Now lets talk about the lack of a plot line. The little plot that there is is over the top, rushed and unrealistic.
I guess I just went into One Tough Cowboy expecting one thing and got something completely different that I just honestly didn't enjoy.
When I saw the cover to this One Tough Cowboy it made me smile. I love a good cowboy romance, a sweet hometown girl, small town sheriff whose a gentleman but loves fiercely. I even like when behind close doors the good boy gets dirty. But this book had none of those things.
The book was 75 percent sex scenes. I read some heavy sex romance books and this even put some of them to shame, with its non-stop sex scene after sex scene. On top of that, some of the word choices during said sex scenes to describe the act was completely off-putting.
Now lets talk about the lack of a plot line. The little plot that there is is over the top, rushed and unrealistic.
I guess I just went into One Tough Cowboy expecting one thing and got something completely different that I just honestly didn't enjoy.
January 29, 2019
I loved the instant heat between Sam and Hunter. Teenage attraction blossoms into adult love. With all the mystery and danger surrounding them, they found time to connect. I enjoyed how the story built up, keeping you wondering what was next. Watching Sam and Hunter work as well as play and learn about each other made this a good read.
I received an ARC through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.
I received an ARC through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.
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