Always a Cowboy: The Complete Series

by Genevieve Turner

All four sizzling, emotional cowboy romances in the Always a Cowboy series in one set!Forever a Soldier (Book One)A deeply wounded soldier, a determined scholar searching for a legend, and two hearts ready to break… or to heal.Forever a Maverick (Book Two) A parched farmer, a single mom in need of hope, and a convenient marriage that might become more.Forever a Heartbreaker (Book Three)A famous cowboy searching for more from his hectic life, a no-nonsense woman entranced by a man she couldn’t dream of, and a secret crush that threatens very real feelings.Forever a Bad Boy (Book Four) A bad boy in need of a good woman, a good woman in need of a hero, and two restless hearts in need of forever.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Westerns, Drama, Adult

1045 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2020

Reviews

[TESSALYN · Rating 3 out of 5]

***All ratings are out of 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest.

Forever a Soldier (Always a Cowboy, #1)
▶ Romance: 3
▶ Spice Scale:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 💦Steamy (Mild to moderate sexual tension): 2
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 🔥Smutty (graphic and plentiful): 2
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 💋Erotica (sexual exploratioon or theme): 0

▶ Other Genres & Tropes: historical fiction, mystery, western, slow burn, strong FMC, workplace romance

▶Content Warning/Trigger Warnings (if any & sorry for forgetting any too): mental health, anxiety, war, veteral, soldier, PTSD

▶ Main Character(s) Enjoyment Level: Lale Pehivan (FMC, 3), Hank Moreno (MMC, 3)
▶ Plot: 3
▶ Likes: : n/a
▶ Dislikes: n/a
▶ POV: Dual
▶ Format: Kindle
▶ Memorable Scene(s)/Moment(s): n/a
▶ Memorable Quote(s): n/a

▶ Date Read: Tue., 6/18/24
▶ Overall Enjoyment: 3 (it would've been a 4, but I felt like the family mystery side story got draggy, confusing, and lost the suspense it had at the beginning...)
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 1⭐: Disliked it ➔ don’t read. Disappointing, frustrating, or simply not for me.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 2⭐: Had potential ➔ a few redeeming qualities but overall underwhelming or flawed.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 3⭐: Enjoyable ➔ a decent read, but not especially memorable; mixed feelings.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 4⭐: Very good ➔ would recommend, might re-read, left a strong impression.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 5⭐: Loved it ➔ unforgettable, re-read worthy, highly recommend, usually a fav for me

▶ Review (may contain spoilers):
This book has a unique plot in that it involves our FMC investigating a historical incident with the descendants of those people, and it makes me wonder if this is a glimpse of how we get our history information--by interviewing and/or putting our noses in the family business. Although this historic incident brought our characters together, it wasn't that interesting. I kind of lost interest in the confusing family affair because there were just so many names thrown left and right, a lot of back and forth, and a lot of he-said, she-said kind of thing. So, I started skipping them.

But with that put aside, this was still an engaging read because I was intrigued by Hank's personality. He didn't seem to be those typical cold men who were just meant for the sake of being sexy (I'm talking about you, dark romance). At the same time, I liked that our characters were very mature and adult-like. They gave each other space and communicated. Well, towards the end, their communication faltered a bit, but it wasn't the big miscommunication trope. And besides, I expected it since Hank wasn't a person of many words, and most importantly, this was his character growth.

Speaking of character growth, I like that author Genevieve didn't trivialize Hank's situation, which was prevalent with the ending. I like that she wrote the ending to say that someone can still carry their trauma but grow with it as long as they attempt to change for the better. Because trauma doesn't just go away because you want it to. Trauma stays and creeps up, and I don't think I can ever find myself to tell someone who's in Hank's situation to just get over it. However, towards the end, we find out that it's not just trauma. It's also anxiety that he has, something that isn't really discussed and made a big deal out of, especially for men. My heart ached for him because anxiety is something we all have but with various waves of it. And that's why Lale is perfect for Hank. She's patient, and understanding, yet also the person who encourages him.

This book could get draggy, but what shines is our leads' chemistry and love story.



Forever a Maverick (Always a Cowboy Book 2)
***All ratings are out of 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest.

▶ Romance: 4
▶ Spice Scale:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 💦Steamy (Mild to moderate sexual tension): 2
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 🔥Smutty (graphic and plentiful): 2
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 💋Erotica (sexual exploratioon or theme): 0

▶ Other Genres & Tropes: western, fake relationship, marriage of convenience, slow burn, strong FMC, single mother, small town romance, he falls first

▶Content Warning/Trigger Warnings (if any & sorry for forgetting any too): can’t recall any…

▶ Main Character(s) Enjoyment Level: Ash (MMC, 3), Juniper (FMC, 5)
▶ Plot: 4
▶ Likes: n/a
▶ Dislikes: n/a
▶ POV: Dual
▶ Format: Kindle
▶ Memorable Scene(s)/Moment(s): n/a
▶ Memorable Quote(s): n/a

▶ Date Read: Tue., 6/18/24
▶ Overall Enjoyment: 4
▶ Overall Enjoyment: 4
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 1⭐: Disliked it ➔ don’t read. Disappointing, frustrating, or simply not for me.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 2⭐: Had potential ➔ a few redeeming qualities but overall underwhelming or flawed.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 3⭐: Enjoyable ➔ a decent read, but not especially memorable; mixed feelings.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 4⭐: Very good ➔ would recommend, might re-read, left a strong impression.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 5⭐: Loved it ➔ unforgettable, re-read worthy, highly recommend, usually a fav for me

▶ Review (may contain spoilers):
I was surprised with Ash's "personality change" in this book but not in a bad way. When Ash was introduced in the first book, Forever a Soldier, he came off as a shy man crushing hard on Juniper, the woman who didn't have room for love in her life anymore, because he couldn't maintain eye contact with her for long, so before I got into their love story, I had a totally different expectation. A part of me wished that author Genevieve had utilized this concept a bit more because I found it a bit cute.

I'm also glad that the situation about the water rights wasn't a major plotline because I have little to no clue about the politics behind it, and it would've been confusing and unnecessary (in my opinion). What I like about this book is that it provides two points of views: a single mother who'll do anything for her child because of the stigma society has for teenage mothers (especially single ones) and of a person who loves the single mother (or a single parent). Genevieve did a great job posing the problems each would face, and I'm glad that it's not left as the elephants in the room because most books I've read about single parents getting into a relationship hardly discuss realistic topics, so it was a bit refreshing.

One thing I am disappointed though is that I think Ash trivialized Juniper's fears. Yes, I do think that Juniper overthinks certain situations (like the one with the other mothers), but I also believe that her fear and overthinking are valid because being a single mother is hard. So, I was a bit disappointed in Ash when he lectured her and kind of somewhat guilt-trip her. I understand that he wanted her to see that sometimes it's not as bad as we think it is or that it's our thoughts that are in the way of creating opportunities, but I think there was a better way to let her know. Other than that, I think it was sweet that the one way to prove that he will love her son just as much as if the boy was his own is by gifting the boy his beloved grandfather's watch. The part when Juniper (and myself) realized Ash had done that, I reacted the same way as she, and I'm glad she didn't have to think twice about following her heart.

Although books with a single parent falling in love again storyline always sound messy and scary, this was a simple yet cute read. And it really shows that not all love stories with "messy" backgrounds need a complicated journey to achieve a happy ending.



Forever a Heartbreaker (Always a Cowboy Book 3)
▶ Romance:
▶ Spice Scale:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 💦Steamy (Mild to moderate sexual tension): 1
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 🔥Smutty (graphic and plentiful): 2
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 💋Erotica (sexual exploratioon or theme): 0

▶ Other Genres & Tropes: workplace romance, secret identity, she falls first, celebrity-fan romance

▶Content Warning/Trigger Warnings (if any & sorry for forgetting any too): can’t recall

▶ Main Character(s) Enjoyment Level: Ethan (MMC, 3). Fee (FMC, 4)
▶ Plot: 2
▶ Likes: n/a
▶ Dislikes: n/a
▶ POV: 3rd
▶ Format: Kindle
▶ Memorable Scene(s)/Moment(s): n/a
▶ Memorable Quote(s): n/a

▶ Date Read: Tue., 9-24-24 - Fri., 9-27-24
▶ Overall Enjoyment: 2
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 1⭐: Disliked it ➔ don’t read. Disappointing, frustrating, or simply not for me.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 2⭐: Had potential ➔ a few redeeming qualities but overall underwhelming or flawed.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 3⭐: Enjoyable ➔ a decent read, but not especially memorable; mixed feelings.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 4⭐: Very good ➔ would recommend, might re-read, left a strong impression.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 5⭐: Loved it ➔ unforgettable, re-read worthy, highly recommend, usually a fav for me

▶ Review (may contain spoilers):
This one took me some time to finish compared to the rest. I wasn't hooked immediately, unfortunately, and had to push myself to read it. Ethan's an okay guy. He's your typical celebrity hero who has had enough of fame and wants substance to his name and prefers authentic relationships. Nothing new to say and nothing else to add because that doesn't stop him from still eyeing Fee, the wedding organizer of the event both of them are attending. So much for being someone who won't give in to any fan but is willing to do so just because she didn't show any interest.

Because she hides a secret. Skip to the next paragraph to avoid major spoilers: she knew who he was all along and had a huge crush on him. Because of this, she was acting disinterested ito keep it secret. Very professional of her--and befitting her personality.

How they fell in love is quite blurred, at least to me. For Travis, it was somewhat like lust at first sight, and for Fee, it was a crush that developed. In the end, everything worked out fine, but the development for the start of their relationship wasn't done fairly well.

Then the two kids are reeled in to glue our leads together, but I found it stagnant and pointless because I think if Ethan was extremely hurt and betrayed, he would've wanted her to grovel some more. Yes. Her. Grovel. When we got to her "big reveal," I did think he was overreacting, but I did see where he was coming from. But with him forgiving her so easily (although it's because she was the one of the few who knew about the situation), it kind of makes it hard for me to see how important it was that he wanted to be seen not as a celebrity anymore.

And due to lackluster chemistry, I felt like this book was draggy. It had a plot but not enough substance to maintain interest. In the sweetest words I can say, it's a simple story. In my harshest critique: it's pretty dry.

It's sad. The story doesn't do the title justice--it just wasn't enough to break hearts. At least, not mine.



Forever a Bad Boy (Always a Cowboy Book 4)
▶ Romance: 2.5 (3 just seems too high, and 2 seems too low)
▶ Spice Scale:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 💦Steamy (Mild to moderate sexual tension): 2
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 🔥Smutty (graphic and plentiful): 2
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 💋Erotica (sexual exploratioon or theme): 0

▶ Other Genres & Tropes: brother's friend, friend's sister, workplace romance, player turned devoted, drama, mystery, adventure, celebrity, independent woman, workplace romance, sibling betrayal, she falls first and he falls harder

▶Content Warning/Trigger Warnings (if any & sorry for forgetting any too): can’t recall

▶ Main Character(s) Enjoyment Level: Travis Green (MMC, 5), Evie Gallagher (FMC, 5)
▶ Plot: 4
▶ Likes: our leads, their chemistry, somewhat realistic depiction of life and choices
▶ Dislikes: Maybe Jake...
▶ POV: 3rd
▶ Format: Kindle
▶ Memorable Scene(s)/Moment(s): n/a
▶ Memorable Quote(s): n/a

▶ Date Read: Fri., 9-27-24
▶ Overall Enjoyment: 3.5 rounded down
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 1⭐: Disliked it ➔ don’t read. Disappointing, frustrating, or simply not for me.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 2⭐: Had potential ➔ a few redeeming qualities but overall underwhelming or flawed.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 3⭐: Enjoyable ➔ a decent read, but not especially memorable; mixed feelings.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 4⭐: Very good ➔ would recommend, might re-read, left a strong impression.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 5⭐: Loved it ➔ unforgettable, re-read worthy, highly recommend, usually a fav for me

▶ Review (may contain spoilers):
I like this one a bit more than the other three, and I think it's because this one's more relatable. We have our lead man, Travis Green, a motocross "bad boy" and best friends with the FMC's brother, Jake. The book depicted Travis as a partier and has a one-time history of breaking the law. From the very beginning, Evie crushes on him–hard–but is smart enough to know that his lifestyle isn't for her, and this makes me instantly love her (just like all of Genevieve's FMCs).

But we also see that she's in a dilemma of her own: she's stuck in a lifestyle that she can do so much more in, and ironically, that's what our MMC sees and makes clear to her. And in his confession about her situation, he implies that he's no longer the person who chases after such a thrilling and dangerous lifestyle, and instead, wants to change.

For her.

Now, I've read so many books where it's usually our MMC who changes for our FMC, but not every MMC gives us a "valid reason," and when our MMC changes, we, the readers, see it as a romantic thing and mentally agree that it's for her. But Travis makes it clear that he fell for Evie, knew she deserved better, and wanted to change so that he could be the one to give her that "better" life. With this, I wish we had a backstory on how he became the black sheep of his family (other than breaking the law) and a bit of a fleshed-out story on how he came to love Evie and decided that what he was doing just wouldn't be enough for her. I mean, like Evie, it’s kind of hard to believe that he’s willing to let go of something he's been doing for so long and so successful after an epiphany of "oh, my, I fell in love with my best friend's sister even though I knew her for a long while now."

I understand that love can be so powerful and unexplainable to make us do something, but it would've been nice to have more from Travis. To me, it was like he was settling, you know. Like motocross had become boring, the party life became repetitive, and he just saw what Evie had to offer--something new (and not so much change). I don't know--maybe I'm reading too much into it, hehe.

[CA Portnellus · Rating 4 out of 5]

New author for me. Fun series, taking characters we meet in one book, into the next one(s), with their love lives and problems. Each book was a decent read, some better than others. If you need sexy and spicy details of the characters' love lives, you got them here! Some turnarounds of characters attitudes and demeanors are surprising, but push the love issues to the front. Each person realizing they need, yearn for, and desire this other tempting person.
Some fun splits from curmudgeonly hermit males to crabby and snarky females, both protecting themselves like porcupines, ready to fight to be alone. Interesting jobs for most of the characters, although unsure that the title Cowboy fits each male character, but the reader is swept away in the fantasy anyway by the new love interests and handsome fellas. Definitely not HM romance movie scripts, even though similar trends are threaded through out the story arcs.
As an aside, periodic rough, sloppy grammar in the narratives, missing connector words, and typos make for a lesser star rating.
Overall, a sexy fun set of novels for the ladies who need that brain candy and cute, strong hero on the cover!

[Catherine L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

complete series

Book 1 deserves a 5 star rating but there only a rating for the series and not each one. I had read book 2 quite some time ago and loved it. The characters and the plot line were both so different that it was totally engaging. Book 2 deserved a rating of 4. Book 3 deserved a rating of 3 and nook 4 only a 1. So combined I made it a rating of 4. I’ve noticed that if you get all enthused about a series, the quality decreases as the number of the book increases. It’s usually a “ why did I bother?” I should read only books 1 and 2 in a series. Should I say to authors uh , just don’t bother” or say “you’ve got to work harder, don’t rest on your laurels?” Hmmm…

[Loa G. Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of my seat reads. Did not want them to end.

I loved the descriptive locations in each book. Each character was so unforgettable. I would defiantly recommend this series to likes small western towns and handsome cowboys.

[Peni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please see individual stories for review.

[Debra Johnson]

Amz Prch. Dec. 12, 2023

[Angel Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good reads.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compelling characters and stories, but I just didn't connect with the writing.