Need Me, Cowboy (Copper Ridge: Desire, #6) by Maisey Yates

Jan 31, 2019 Esther rated it really liked it

Shelves: epilogue, hero-rich, arc, contemporary-v, angst, some-angst, virgin, emotion-grabber, family, virgin-heroine

ARC provide by NetGalley and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.

3.75

Levi has just been released from prison. He spent five long years in that pit, for a crime he did not commit, which was supposedly killing his wife. Well he's out now and he's going to show everyone he's someone to be reckoned with and he's going to start with the first and most important part of his plan. He's bought a beautiful piece of land and on that prime land he's going to build a home that's going to make a gran ARC provide by NetGalley and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.

3.75

Levi has just been released from prison. He spent five long years in that pit, for a crime he did not commit, which was supposedly killing his wife. Well he's out now and he's going to show everyone he's someone to be reckoned with and he's going to start with the first and most important part of his plan. He's bought a beautiful piece of land and on that prime land he's going to build a home that's going to make a grand statement. And he knows just who he's going to hire to build that home. Faith, she's an up and rising star in the Architectural world. She known for designing/building unique and beautiful homes.

Faith is asked to meet Levi on the property that he's purchased, with the intent of her building his home. She's heard all about Levi and boy if her brothers knew she was headed to meet with him they would not be pleased. Well what her overprotective brothers don't know is just fine with her. She's ready to do some things on her own without their knowledge (Faith and her brothers have their own business and work together and are very successful). She is a little nervous meeting with Levi but determined to keep an open mind. But boy when she stepped out of the car and walks up to that tall cowboy/badboy she never expected the pull of attraction, and boy was it strong.

Levi is also instantly attracted to Faith. The two fight their attraction in the first couple meetings, but it doesn't take long for them to both give in and they decide to have an affair. Levi won't marry, not after his disastrous first marriage, plus Faith is too young for him. Faith comes to learn all that Levi has endured and didn't expect to fall in love. The two have some intense and feisty discussions about their future. Levi resists at first but of course in the end realizes that she's what he really wants and it took is ex-wife coming back asking for them to reunite. He fights to get Faith back, but it didn't take much she was always all in.

This was a sweet and steamy read. I appreciated that Faith was a strong character, innocent yes but still a strong, quirky heroine with a caring heart. Poor Levi, you do feel for him, his childhood and his marriage was sad and heartbreaking. But the two were a good combination. I found the first half of the book to be engaging and second half seemed to drag a little. Nice secondary characters. ...more

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Apr 05, 2019 ♥Rachel♥ rated it really liked it

Shelves: love-a-sexy-cowboy

3.5 Stars

Levi and Faith meet when he hires her to design his dream home after spending five long years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He’s got a lot of anger, understandably so, and is a bent-on revenge by living well, but is a life centered on revenge really living well? Faith is a young and Levi feels there’s no place in his life for someone so innocent. With her passion and zest for life, Faith’s an irresistible temptation.

At twenty-five, Faith is a young design sensation. Her talent ...more

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Apr 04, 2019 Kay (aka) Miss Bates rated it really liked it

There are two romance authors I read for the sake of sinking into their familiar world: Betty Neels (I’m in the process of reading ALL her books, presently on 24 of 134) and Maisey Yates, incredibly prolific both. Do their books blend together and I don’t remember hide nor hair of any particular one? Absolutely. And yet, I can’t quit them. Neels and Yates, unlike in every way, share a deep, profound, abiding theme: no matter how chaste the Neels romance or carnal the Yates, the connection betwee There are two romance authors I read for the sake of sinking into their familiar world: Betty Neels (I’m in the process of reading ALL her books, presently on 24 of 134) and Maisey Yates, incredibly prolific both. Do their books blend together and I don’t remember hide nor hair of any particular one? Absolutely. And yet, I can’t quit them. Neels and Yates, unlike in every way, share a deep, profound, abiding theme: no matter how chaste the Neels romance or carnal the Yates, the connection between hero and heroine is mystical, inevitable, and sacred. They are meant for each other: their bodies know this before reason accepts and acknowledges. Love is a realization arriving in an epiphanic moment. In Neels, the heroine believes the hero couldn’t possibly love her undeserving self, but she loves him; the hero, older, wiser, and more knowing, knows from their introduction the heroine will be his wife. In Yates, love is an agon, a passion, a difficult birth, many layers of ego, hurt, and lack of faith and hope must be divested for a character, more often than not the hero, to admit his love and need for the heroine. Once he does, however, his devotion, love, and protection are his sole purpose. The Neels and Yates worlds? One quieter, on the surface more conservative; the other, created out of the passions of the flesh and a tender antagonism.

Yates’s latest, Need Me, Cowboy (Copper Ridge #8) is exemplary of the Yatesian romance ethos. Levi Tucker is released from jail, exonerated of murdering his scheming wife. While he suffered through the hell of prison, grew soul-hardened and fought daily for survival, she enjoyed his wealth on the Riviera. He returns to Copper Ridge bent on revenge. What better revenge than to show the world his wealth, power, and rub it in his ex-wife’s face. The first step is to build himself a grand house to look down on the town that looked down on him. He hires Faith Grayson, protegé architect to design his new home. The rest is Yates history: Faith and Levi spar verbally; Faith breaks free of expectations to reach for the dangerous ex-con; Levi sets an end to their affair with the completion of the house plans. Levi and Faith are lovers, but their connection goes deeper and farther than the bedroom. They grow close and intimate. Theirs is not a terribly “talky” romance, but a connection borne of deep sympathy and understanding. But Levi’s self-hatred and sense of unworthiness reject Faith’s love. Until he doesn’t. Because he has to see the light of hope, faith, and love and let go of hatred and revenge. Waiting at the end of it is Faith.

I couldn’t help but think of Yates’s Need Me, Cowboy as romance allegory for the redemption of the lost man, the lost soul. There’s a beautiful scene where Levi and Faith ride Levi’s horses in the rain. Levi strips off his shirt and lets the rain wash off the “ugliness” of prison. Still, Levi has to grapple with what it means to be free: echoing the final stanza of Lovelace’s “To Althea, From Prison,” Levi can love only when he gives up revenge, hatred, and hardness. Faith, as her name indicates, must be embraced, claimed, kept, and protected. I’ve made it sound as if the heroine has no say, no will, but Yates knows the genre too well not to portray how Faith must break out of her own prison of perfection, her safety net of family, talent, and career, to risk her heart for the dangerous, difficult Levi. The Yatesian lesson: love is worth it, the risk, hurt, loss of self. And because it’s romance, Levi, like a caged bird set free, returns and stays with Faith.

A reader not enamoured of the Yatesian ethos may not enjoy Need Me, Cowboy. The romance is mystically enacted; the connection between hero and heroine doesn’t grow organically. If that’s what you look for in a romance, you won’t find it here. Yates tends to a romance shorthand of revelation and confession: the hero and heroine realize their love, run to or from it, and confess or deny – until they don’t. Yates is an epiphanic romance writer: love comes as a road to Damascus blow, wings beating around hero and heroine with declarations written on waving white banners. I was happy to dwell in Yates’s world and will be again. With Miss Austen, we say Need Me, Cowboy offers “real comfort,” Emma.

Maisey Yates’s Need Me, Cowboy is published by Harlequin Books. It was released on April 2nd and may be found at your preferred vendor. I received an e-ARC from Harlequin Books, via Netgalley.

(Because I love it, I’m quoting the final stanza of Lovelace’s “To Althea, From Prison”: “Stone walls do not a prison make,/Nor iron bars a cage:/Minds innocent and quiet take/That for an hermitage./If I have freedom in my love,/And in my soul am free,/Angels alone, that soar above,/Enjoy such liberty.”) ...more

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Sep 21, 2019 Cheesecake rated it liked it

Shelves: audio-reader-good, short-200-pgs-or-so, genre-harlequin, story-fun-easy-stress-free-read, story-sweet-and-light, sexy-ceo-wealthy-boss, fave-easy-stress-free-reads, story-unjustly-imprisoned, ow-wannabe-and-meddler

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For a book about an angry ex-con this sure was a sweet smooth ride.
Faith is the child prodigy architect, whose never been tempted by a man... until now.
Levi is the last guy any of her big brothers and nosey-ass sisters-in-law would like her to date, let alone hook up with.
But she does.
And it starts as fun and games but becomes more.
I want to emphasize that Faith wasn't crushing on him to start with. It was pure sexual chemistry... until it wasn't.

That's about all there is to it. Levi needs to ...more

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Mar 27, 2019 Stacee rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2019, netgalley, theyre-tattoos-not-ink-or-tats

3.5 stars

I’m always in for whatever Maisey writes, but I’ve really been enjoying this series.

I really liked Faith and Levi. She’s sweet and he’s gruff and they’re both trying to prove something. I enjoyed reading how they slowly discovered their similarities. The chemistry was great and I was thrilled to see that there were actually some somewhat meaningful conversations.

Plot wise, it was fast moving since this is a shorter story. Of course I would have liked it to be a bit more fleshed out, ...more

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Jan 10, 2019 Jewlsbookblog rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019, contemporary-romance, netgalley, arc

Levi lost five years of his life in prison because his wife was a one heck of a selfish witch! However, he had a plan to show the world that he may have been down, but don’t count him out...yet. Hiring Faith to build him the biggest house was just the first step of many. Falling for Faith, however, was never part of the plan!

Faith was really sweet. More brainy then feels, she understood logic and numbers and wasn’t prepared for the storm of feelings Levi brought out in her. I had a lot of fun se ...more

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Jan 03, 2019 Sonya Heaney rated it did not like it

Shelves: nope, category-romance, contemporary-romance

The only thing I remember about this book is the "hero" thinking about the heroine sucking on his penis ... ...more

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May 12, 2019 Aly rated it really liked it

A beautiful story of resilience and redemption. The unfairness the hero had to go through will make you mad but the never-ending hope and the precious romance will put the pieces of your heart back together.

Finally free after five years behind bars, after being convicted of the murder of someone still alive, Levi Tucker have precise objectives. The main one goes hand in hand with his new motto: "The best revenge is living well." That's why he hired the hottest commodity in custom home design to ...more

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Mar 07, 2019 Anna's Herding Cats rated it really liked it

Shelves: cowboys, for-review, contemporary, colorado, architect, maisey-yates, ex-con, businessman, 2019

Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TauVtd

Need Me, Cowboy. Is there a time when I don't need a cowboy? Especially one from Yates? No...no there's really not! lol This one had a crazy unique set up, too!

The Gist: Levi's spent 5 years of his life locked away for his wife's murder. Only thing is...he didn't kill her. She's still alive. And he is pissed. And definitely ready for a bit of revenge on his money hungry social climbing ex. Thumbing his nose in her direction ...more

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Aug 24, 2019 Aou rated it really liked it

Shelves: virgin-h

A typical MY's story with flowery language but I liked it very much, especially the heroine. ...more

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Apr 04, 2019 Robin Loves Reading rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, netgalley, kindle, 2019-april-june, 2019-challenge, robin-loves-reading-2019-challenge

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Levi Trucker has been released from prison after being committed for a crime he didn’t commit. Fortunately, Levi has more than one good opportunity to rebuild his life. For starters, he is about to build a beautiful new home.

Levi hires a very successful architect, who happens to be quite a beautiful woman. There is no doubt to Levi that he desires her, but with his past, and with her being a bit younger than him, there is a line that he will not pass.

This story was an enjoyab ...more

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Jan 19, 2019 Autumn Miller ~ autumnbookreads rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs

*I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

3.5 Stars
I liked this book. Let me start off by saying that the first part of this book was really good, but the second part just fell a little flat. It lacked something that I can’t quite put my finger on. It left me with a weird taste in my mouth.

Levi- I loved him so much! This book will make your heartbreak for Levi. He was just so tortured and punished, so worthy of your support and love. All I wanted to do was hug him ...more

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Apr 01, 2019 Teresa (Reads_Romance) rated it liked it

Maisey Yates is one of my favorite new-to-me authors. Her books always have surprising depth, smoking hot love scenes, and well-rounded characters no matter the book length. I liked Need Me, Cowboy, but unfortunately, it didn’t knock my socks off.

Need Me, Cowboy is about a millionaire ex-con cowboy, recently exonerated for the murder of his wife, because she’s still alive; and a young, gifted, relatively naive architect he hires from prison to design his house. Catnip plot, right? I wanted to lo ...more

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Apr 05, 2019 Books and Spoons rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary, netgalley

I absolutely adore faulty, awkward characters in the stories because they are so easy to relate to, to find the common ground with them, to understand their predicaments. And Levi Tucker and Faith Grayson deliver as the faulty and awkward protagonists, tenfold.
I can only imagine the amount of anger, disappointment, hate, and need for revenge that is churning inside Levi. Yet all those negative thoughts are very focused on their target, and he does not take it out on just any passerby. With all ...more

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Mar 15, 2019 Maria Rose rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sexy-as-all-get-out, 4-5-stars, fully-reviewed-books, one-night-stand-becomes-more, western-romance

Need Me, Cowboy by Maisey Yates is the sixth story in her Copper Ridge: Desire series where cowboys and ranchers meet strong women who confound and inspire them in sexy and thoroughly entertaining romances.

Faith Grayson is an accomplished architect and key to her family’s business success in custom designing homes based on her designs. But she’s tired of her older brothers viewing her as their little sister and not a grown woman who can make her own choices, and her own mistakes. When Levi Tucke ...more

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May 04, 2019 Nikki (Saturday Nite Reader) rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2019, romance, shorts-novellas

3.75 stars rounded up

When I need a light, quick read to up my reading pace I go with my tried and true Maisey Yates' Copper Ridge Cowboy series.

description

Ain't no shame in my cowboy game. In Need Me, Cowboy Levi Tucker does not disappoint.

Levi Tucker is fresh out of jail for a crime he didn't commit. He was exonerated but that doesn't give him the last 5 years of his life back, nor ease up the revenge he seeks on his ex-wife for possibly faking her death: he has something to prove to her and the town. So ...more

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Feb 04, 2019 Karen Machamer rated it it was amazing

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to friends and family.

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Aug 16, 2020 Juliana Philippa rated it liked it

Shelves: net-galley, advance-reading-copy-or-galley, ebook-digital-copy, 2020-reads, romance-contemporary, romance-series, series, 0-reviewed, romance, 3-half-stars

3.5 stars

"Love doesn't ask permission. Love gets in the cracks. And it expands. And it finds us sometimes when we least expect it."

This was a lovely novella-ish romance from Maisey Yates; it's set in Copper Ridge and you see a lot of the matched-up couples come through, but you can still read and enjoy the book without having read their stories. The fact that Faith and Levi keep their relationship a secret for most of the book helps you focus on the development of their relationship and make 3.5 stars

"Love doesn't ask permission. Love gets in the cracks. And it expands. And it finds us sometimes when we least expect it."

This was a lovely novella-ish romance from Maisey Yates; it's set in Copper Ridge and you see a lot of the matched-up couples come through, but you can still read and enjoy the book without having read their stories. The fact that Faith and Levi keep their relationship a secret for most of the book helps you focus on the development of their relationship and makes for not too many interactions with the other couples. It's sweet seeing how overprotective Faith's brothers are of her, but Yates also does a very good job of portraying Faith's feelings of constriction and lack of freedom.

It was an interesting setup and juxtaposition: Faith trapped by her success, need to feel perfect, and the weight of responsibility she feels for all those around her, and Levi trapped by his anger, need for revenge, and determination to spend the rest of his life in solitude proving how far he came and that no one could take him down. There's a vast age difference between them and they are a good-girl/bad-boy pair-up all the way, but it worked.

Faith was a bit of an unusual heroine, and I liked her complexity. Even though I said she was a "good girl," that's definitely not ALL she is, and I liked that she wasn't stereotypical.

My only criticism, really, is the one that sometimes pops up with Maisey Yates books, and that's the repetition that of the main characters' feelings and hang-ups, in long-winded speeches and in some of the many times they're stuck in their heads for so long.

There was something about her. It was that sense of innocence.

That sense of newness.

A sense that if he could be close enough to her he might be able to see the world the way she did. As a place full of possibility, rather than a place full of pain. Betrayal. Heartbreak.

Yes, with her, he could see the scope of so much more. And it made him want to reach out to her. It made him want to ...

He wanted her to understand him.

He couldn't remember ever feeling that way before.

*This review is of an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Some changes and/or edits may be made to the final published version. ...more

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Apr 07, 2019 Nate Brightman rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I love Maisey Yates. I've read all of her Copper Ridge and Gold Valley books. I feel badly for being anything but effusive about her writing. But I didn’t love her latest Copper Ridge (Desires) story Need Me Cowboy. I guess even though Faith is twenty-five and already has a hugely successful professional career you could call this a coming of age story as she fights to determine the direction of her professional future and her personal life of course losing her virginity and her heart along the I love Maisey Yates. I've read all of her Copper Ridge and Gold Valley books. I feel badly for being anything but effusive about her writing. But I didn’t love her latest Copper Ridge (Desires) story Need Me Cowboy. I guess even though Faith is twenty-five and already has a hugely successful professional career you could call this a coming of age story as she fights to determine the direction of her professional future and her personal life of course losing her virginity and her heart along the way I loved the Faith character. I loved the fact that Faith didn’t shy away from acknowledging she was an incredibly talented architect and just outright brilliant as a student. She owned those facts. I loved the fact that Faith wouldn’t let anyone else tell her what she should want or how she should feel. I loved the emotional support she got from an unexpected source, her older brother Isaiah whom I still believe suffers from a mild form of Asperger’s. I loved the fact that even though Faith was totally inexperienced when it came to romantic relationships she quickly understood what love is and how bravely she offered her love to Levi. So what did I find wrong with this book?
First of all it read far too much like Yate’s earlier work, Seduce Me Cowboy. Sexually inexperienced young woman in her mid-twenties goes to work for surly, gruff older sexually experienced man, starts a sexual relationship, which leads to her falling in love. And of course the male lead had so much emotional baggage he has to deny his feelings before he has a come to Jesus moment and accepts the love the younger woman is offering. In Seduce me Cowboy the main characters are Hayley and Jonathan (whom ironically are secondary characters in this book) and in this book its Faith and Levi. Then there’s the dialogue. Don’t get me wrong, I normally love when characters talk about their feelings or have philosophical conversations about being in love or what love is. That moment where the heroine lays it out for the emotionally blocked hero and tells him to get his head out of his ass and don't bother her until he does, is one of the things Maisey does as well or better than almost any other author. But IMHO Yates over did it in this story. There’s discussions about love and relationships between Faith and Poppy, Faith and Isaiah, and of course Faith and Levi. Too many platitudes about how you can’t carry love and (fill in the blank) at the same time. I also, felt the Levi Tucker character was a bit one-dimensional. For most of the book he’s either telling Faith how much he hates his ex-wife for what she did to him or loathing himself and fearing he might be his father’s son. Faith saw a softer, kinder side to him that allowed her to fall in love with him, but even though as a reader I had access to his internal thoughts, I didn’t see much of it. Mostly I got, rage, anger and self-loathing. ***Spoiler Alert**** Then there’s that ridiculous scene where Alexis suggests they get back together. I don’t care how desperate she was, she had to know after setting him up and letting the guy rot in prison for five years, there was no way he was going to take her back. She was worried enough about what he might do to her when he saw her to pack a gun but thought he might be up for a reunion? I know Maisey used that scene for Levi to have his big “Ah Ha” moment but it was just so unrealistic IMHO she should have found another way.
Much as I’m a fan of Ms. Yates and look forward to her next Gold Valley book due out later this month, as much as I liked the Faith character, I just can’t give this story more than a lukewarm 2 stars.
...more

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Mar 15, 2019 Danielle rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019-read, 2019-march-read

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This story told the story of the romantic adventure of the last and youngest Grayson, Faith paired with wrongly accused and imprisoned Levi Tucker, who had spent the last five years behind bars. HIs case was infamous for committing murder of his ex-wife he didn’t commit, and now he wanted to show the world the opposite of that by hiring Faith as his architect to build his dream house thus beginning their passionate relationship.

I did like the concept of the story, and it did interest me as soon This story told the story of the romantic adventure of the last and youngest Grayson, Faith paired with wrongly accused and imprisoned Levi Tucker, who had spent the last five years behind bars. HIs case was infamous for committing murder of his ex-wife he didn’t commit, and now he wanted to show the world the opposite of that by hiring Faith as his architect to build his dream house thus beginning their passionate relationship.

I did like the concept of the story, and it did interest me as soon as I heard what this story was about especially it featuring the baby sister of the Greyson men. It just added a layer to the story. They had some great chemistry between them and really bounced off of each other as soon as they met on the page. That attraction was fierce and very passionate, and it really showed the immediate connection that they had.

There was tension between them as they denied the fact that they were in fact very, Very attraction to each other, but I think it could have been dragged out a little bit more and just have that tension and anticipation build and build more and more in the book. Yes, they pushed each other buttons and pushed each other, masking their attraction between them, and really banter nicely back and forth, which I really liked seeing, and I want see more of that. But the fact that they got together pretty quickly, I thought, there was less of tension and anticipation in favor of the love scenes.

Their love scene was very intense, and it happened in his truck plus it was her first time. It wouldn’t have bothered me so much that was where it took place if there was a more romantic, intimate scene later on in the book. The next love scene was in his bed, but felt more of them just slaking their physical lusts than building emotional intimacy between the two of them, and then other love scene that was shown, which was more of foreplay only scene, was intimate and more than just them slaking their lust, but it wasn’t a full blown intimate scene. I just would have liked to seen them making love and connecting both emotionally and physical together. A more softer, tender scene would have been nice to see as they connected on every level possible. I was looking forward to it, and I was expecting especially to show the juxtaposition between their first time scene to the last one. Then I would have felt better about the truck scene because then I would have felt like I got pay off from it. I just think there should have been a scene where he made up for her first time by having a slow, tender scene where they connected on all levels. Not that they didn’t connect on all levels in the book, but it would have been nice to see that in the bedroom. I would have liked to see that.

However, I did really like seeing them connect emotionally outside the bedroom. It was very intense, but very much what they both needed. There was the theme of freedom throughout the whole book, and how they were both in prison and had yet to break free of those prisons until they met each other. I loved seeing that metaphor play out through book. I loved how they were freedom for each other, and that they were each the key to each other’s happiness. They each saw each other as they truly were. They were themselves which each other, and it was very beautiful to see them come together and connect on that level. They really were each other’s salvation. They needed other. They needed love from each other because that was what healed each of them. And very beautiful to see them progress through the book as they got closer and closer to one another.

Another thing I really adored about this book was the interaction between Faith and her brothers Joshua and Isaiah, who were featured in previous books. Joshua and Isaiah were the typical protective big brothers, who happened to work with Faith in their business, and wanted to make sure that she wouldn’t get hurt. They hovered. They questioned her. They stifled her, not allowing her any freedom to be herself and made her feel very constricted. Yes, they loved her, but they still treated her like a little girl not the woman that she was, the complete opposite of how Levi treated her. She wanted to be respected for her choices. It was very entertaining to see her stand up to her brothers and fight for independence. But my favorite scene was between the three of them as they had an honest heart to heart with her about her breakup with Levi. It was really sweet and adorable and really much they cared about their baby sister even offering her advice on the whole Levi situation. It was a very beautiful moment between all of them, and I was so happy that it was in there. I adored it.

Overall, I did like this book. This may have been my favorite Maisey Yates, but I think I am really spoiled with her HQN line, aka her longer formats, where there enough space to create ample anticipation and tension between the couple before they finally do get together in a passionate love scene, and that’s what I kind of expect and want from her stories so when these shorter formats come around I just feel they are too short. Because of that Levi and Faith had to get together a lot sooner than I would have liked. I could stood for more anticipation and more tension as built up more within the book. I could had it drawn out a little bit more because I just felt like it was too quick from when Faith and Levi met to when they hopped into the bed or more accurately the truck. I needed more of a gap there. Also I think the truck scene was okay, but I wish there was a more intimate, tender scene later on that would have made up the fact that Faith lost her virginity in a truck very quickly. There just needed to be more of a pay off there. The rest of the story I adored, though. I liked that they developed emotional intimacy between them. I loved seeing their bond grow throughout the book. I loved how they made each other better people. I loved the fact that they were each other’s freedom. I loved the whole freedom metaphor that was in there. I liked seeing them together. I really enjoyed seeing Faith with her brothers, and it was just a good story. It was a very welcome an addition to the Copper Ridge series. ...more

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Mar 28, 2019 Catherine Wright (Cat's Guilty Pleasure) rated it really liked it

I just love these quick little reads from Maisey. This one was an enlightening one about where you find your self and how to let go of the things that hold you back. Levi was an angry man and had every right to be, Faith was the quintessential good girl. Together they were perfect until Levi just couldn't let go. Do they find each other or will he just walk away? ...more

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Jul 21, 2020 Elena rated it liked it

Shelves: 2020-book-challenge-120

2.5 *
ok, great potential but just really fell flat.
nothing else to say ... i can't even remember it and i only finished it a couple of days ago... ...more

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Apr 15, 2019 Donna Repsher rated it really liked it

Maisey Yates has become a go-to author for me--I've loved both her Copper Ridge and her Gold Valley series, and I generally fall in love with her main characters, but because I voluntarily requested an advance reader copy of this novel months ago, and because the download didn't include a cover photo, I didn't realize this was a shorter novel written for the Harlequin Desire line, which explains why I felt this novel was too short, too rushed, and didn't have the emotional depth I've come to exp Maisey Yates has become a go-to author for me--I've loved both her Copper Ridge and her Gold Valley series, and I generally fall in love with her main characters, but because I voluntarily requested an advance reader copy of this novel months ago, and because the download didn't include a cover photo, I didn't realize this was a shorter novel written for the Harlequin Desire line, which explains why I felt this novel was too short, too rushed, and didn't have the emotional depth I've come to expect from Ms. Yates' longer novels. While I liked the story and the main characters, that lack of depth is the reason I can only give this novel 4 stars.

The prologue opens with correspondence between Levi Tucker and architectural wunderkind, Faith Grayson, whose lightning-fast success at age 25 has made demands for her innovative designs highly prized. Levi is and has been behind bars for 5 years, serving a life sentence for murdering his wife, Alicia, although no sign of her body or evidence of any violence was ever found. He's about to be released because his wife finally shows herself after remaining in hiding for the past 5 years, clearly proving that she's not dead, ergo, Levi didn't kill her, although after serving 5 years in hell for a crime he didn't commit, has him consumed by his rage, his hatred for her, and his need for revenge. Now that he'll soon be released, he's filed for divorce, and, while imprisoned, has managed to grow his considerable wealth even though his supposedly dead wife has been siphoning money out of his accounts during his incarceration. Levi has become fascinated with Faith Tucker's architectural designs and he wants her to design his dream house, high up in the mountains overlooking the town of Copper Ridge, the town that turned against him when he was wrongly accused and convicted of murder.

Young, sheltered and virginal Faith initially turns down Levi's requests for her to design his home, until he is finally exonerated of the crime he didn't commit, and when Levi offers her 3 times her going rate, she finally agrees to meet with him. Her overprotective brothers, who are also her business partners, don't trust ex-con Levi as far as they can throw him--quite a task since he is big, muscular, tattooed, and downright scary because of the rage he harbors. Although Faith first meets him secretly, with some trepidation, she's intrigued by him, by the property on which he wants to build his new home and equestrian center--at least his horses have never let him down or betrayed him. Faith, after meeting with him, manages to see Levi's dream house--one without doors, and all windows, so that he never has to feel shut inside again. Faith sees Levi's dream home, and he, in turn, is attracted to her looks, her innocence, her self-assurance, and her ability to envision his dream home, although more than a decade and the hard life he's led in prison, make them a rather odd couple.

Once the two begin a sexual relationship, Levi is quite clear that it's only going to last while Faith is designing his new home. He hasn't had sex in 5 years, she's never had sex at all, and he's very clear about it being sex only, hard, fast and dirty, since he has too much pent-up rage to make soft, gentle love to this shy, sheltered virgin. His abusive upbringing by a violent alcoholic father, and his beaten and abused mother, who deserted him after his father's death, have led him to believe he'll never have a wife or family because he believes his father's propensity for violence is something he's inherited, and something he certainly doesn't want to pass on to any children he might father.

Can Faith's upbeat, optimistic attitude, her wide-eyes hopefulness, her need to pursue her own dreams, manage her own career, choose the projects she wants to design, and gain her independence from her overprotective brothers to forge her own path, help Levi see that he needs to do the same? Faith certainly is clear with him about his need to let go of the anger he's harboring and choose a new path for himself and his life--something he can't do while hanging onto his troubled past. Instead, he tells her their relationship is over, and that he's not the man she needs, breaking her heart. It doesn't seem likely, but Alicia's sudden appearance at Levi's home site, and his reaction to seeing and talking again to the woman who so negatively impacted his life, may change things in ways Levi doesn't expect, and in ways Faith cannot anticipate.

This is, like all of Ms. Yates' books, an addictive, well-written novel, with memorable characters, and an interesting plot, but the Desire imprint simply doesn't allow her the time or space to do more than give us a bare-bones glimpse at the inner workings of these two fascinating characters. Although the framework for more is certainly present, as is the HEA ending, it left this reader wanting more. It's because I've read and adored her earlier Copper Ridge and Gold Valley novels, that I know Ms. Yates is capable of giving the reader so much more than the brevity of the Desire imprint allows, that although I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, I felt somewhat disappointed at the brevity of the ending.

As stated earlier, I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own. ...more

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Feb 08, 2019 Moira rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Maisey Yates is one of my favorite authors and I was looking forward to this next installment in the Copper Ridge series. Each of her sibling's stories have been a bit unconventional and this one fit right in. Levi was tried and convicted for killing his wife, who it turns out just wanted to disappear from their life and didn't come forward to exonerate him at trial. The consequences: he served 5 years in prison before his wife was found alive and he was released.

Now he plans to build a house at Maisey Yates is one of my favorite authors and I was looking forward to this next installment in the Copper Ridge series. Each of her sibling's stories have been a bit unconventional and this one fit right in. Levi was tried and convicted for killing his wife, who it turns out just wanted to disappear from their life and didn't come forward to exonerate him at trial. The consequences: he served 5 years in prison before his wife was found alive and he was released.

Now he plans to build a house at the top of a mountain looking down on the town that has disowned him. He works hard to transition outside of prison life and Faith Grayson is the architect he hires to make his dream come true to design a house and equestrian center fit for the man he is. One catch, he needs to let go of the anger and frustration of his past and as we all know that's easier said than done.

In addition to hiring Faith and her building firm to design and build the house they enter into a relationship while this is happening. They each agree it's for the duration of the design phase only. Faith figures she'll get experience with men as she's led a sheltered life as a child prodigy. She's the brains behind their family firm and her brothers rely on her. They're also very protective and although they respect the gains she's made in the architectural world it's not the same in her personal life. They question her and treat her as if she's still a child and she's 25 years old.

Levi just wants some physical relief as he valued his privacy while in prison. He closed off his heart and this story is a 'coming of age' story for him too. Due to his upbringing with an abusive and alcoholic father, along with living on the 'wrong side of the tracks' and an unjust imprisonment, he needs to come to terms with the fact that he does deserve to give and get true love. When his former wife shows up it is a life altering moment for him when he realizes he needs to release his feelings of revenge and anger to fully embrace the love and 'happily ever after' that he can have with Faith.

This ARC ebook was complimentary, provided by the Publisher HARLEQUIN BOOKS and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review. ...more

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Dec 28, 2019 Deb rated it it was amazing

Maisey Yates has penned yet again another good read in the Copper Ridge Series I can’t wait to see who’s book is next in the series. I do know one thing, it will be fantastic.

Levi Tucker is a hard dark man, that has battled for his place in this world from parental neglect to a conniving soon to be Ex-wife Alicia planed his down fall. All Levi knew is there is only one person you can count on and that was yourself. Levi was interesting to get a bead on, he comes at me in many different ways, but ...more

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Mar 31, 2019 Cheryl rated it really liked it

I really loved this latest Copper Ridge book by Maisey Yates. It can definitely be read as a stand-alone alone...all you missed was secondary characters’ own coupling up.
Levi and Faith are definitely a mis-matched couple. He’s fresh out of prison, innocent of the crime he was accused of, and very angry. She’s a brilliant new face in architecture world, lacking in her personal life, but optimistic in general. While there’s a bit of an age difference, and she’s inexperienced, I feel like they wer ...more

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Mar 24, 2019 Pam Graber rated it really liked it

Levi Tucker spent five years in prison for killing his wife. When it's discovered that she's alive and he's released, his anger knows no bounds. He decides that flaunting his wealth, that she can't touch anymore, is his best revenge. Part of that will include a magnificent house, and who better to design it than Faith Grayson, local girl who has begun to receive national recognition for her architectural designs.

Faith Grayson feels the weight of her family's success on her young shoulders. Witho ...more

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Apr 08, 2019 Becky rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, contemporary

Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books, on 4/8/19.

Faith and Levi's story is simply wonderful--they are both really strong characters who have so much more inside them than first appears. Faith especially kept surprising me (not to mention Levi and even her own family) with her inner strength and determination--she really is so much more than her young age and relationship inexperience would make her seem. And Levi...? Though his wrongful conviction and home life growing up were horrible, the prison ...more

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Jun 22, 2020 Cheri rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

Levi and Faith are amazing together. I cannot stress that enough. AMAZING!

The concept of this story is wonderful and heartbreaking and makes me angry. Levi already had a chip on his shoulder before prison, of course he’s going to be a bitter man when he gets out. Faith, on the other hand, has been protected her whole life. She feels she has a lot to prove, she’s ready to stand on her own two feet without input from her brothers, but there isn’t a terrible past or incident she needs to get beyond ...more

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Mar 09, 2019 💋Meme Chanell Book Corner💋 rated it really liked it

Levi lost five whole years of his life he can’t get back all because of his manipulative ex now he wants to show the people and that ex that he can do so much better starting with the house he has always wanted to build and he wants the best to design it and that’s Faith. Faith is the youngest and has three overprotective brothers that still treat her like a child even though she is 25.

She knows taking this job with an ex con will upset her brothers so she keeps it secret.
She is attracted to Lev ...more

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