#Book Review #A Cowboy Kind of Love (Heart of Texas #6) by Donna Grant @St.Martin’s Press

A dashing cowboy gets his second chance at romance in the next book in the Heart of Texas series

Who wants to rodeo again?

Jace Wilder has been rebuilding his life since the love of his life, Taryn, up and left town unexpectedly. But when she mysteriously returns, Jace’s dependable world comes crashing down. Taryn is hiding a dangerous secret, and no matter how hard he tries, Jace can’t stay away―especially when Taryn is at risk. And especially when the attraction he thought he’d buried long ago is back and hotter than ever. Will he be able to trust Taryn again?

Taryn Hillman’s world fell apart one horrifying night, and it’s never been the same since. When she sees a small chance at untangling herself, she takes it, though it means returning to Clearview – and seeing Jace again. But when he vows to protect her, will Taryn take a chance, and this time, never let him go?

(From the blurb)

“MY FAVORITE COWBOY is a suspenseful tale of two wounded souls overcoming their internal issues to love.” – Romance Junkies

“A captivating romance novel with a sexy cowboy making this perfect for anyone who loves a steamy romantic read.” – Fresh Fction on My Favorite Cowboy

Publisher: St.Martin’s Press
Publication Date: April 27, 2021

My thoughts:
I can’t believe we are now on Book 6 in Donna Grant’s Heart of Texas seies!
The fans of the series are going to be very happy to revisit Clearview and see the familiar characters. There’s also a new love story- this time it’s Jace’s turn…

Jace’s friends are worried about him. It’s been five years since his girlfriend Taryn left him. He never got a closure. All she left was a hurried note…His family all disappeared leaving their possessions behind. But Jace just keeps thinking about Taryn. Sometimes there is really just One woman for you and that’s it. Now it seeems that his imagination and his broken heart have been playing tricks with him- he thinks he might have seen her in a car in Clearview.

Taryn’s life turned into a nightmare when her father and her brother got addicted to drugs. They got so indebted that a drug king pin kidnapped the whole family to keep them in virtual slavery and force them sell drugs on the streets. Taryn’s father and her brother got killed in front of her. Taryn’s younger sister Payton is the only member of her family left and Taryn will do anything to save her, including getting a hefty sum of money, a price for their freedom. Even shady criminals won’t lend her the money, once they catch a whiff of who she is indentured to. Taryn is tired and scared and can only thiink ofone man who has never let her down- Jace.

Can the book be read as a standalone? Yes. Donna Grant provides a brief recap of the challenges the previous five couples faced on their way to happiness. Having said that, I think at this stage it is almost too much of the backstory for a new reader to enjoy the book fully- it is better to start from the earlier books.

The series is all about friendships, loyalty, families you are born into and families you make. It is about strong, protective men and strong, independent women. Taryn has sacrificed everything for her father and her siblings, so you can see how she fits in this close-knit group of friends. Loyalty is her main characteristic and, to be honest, we don’t get to know her that much beyond this. Jace is clearly the One for her as she is for him. After all, they spent five years pining for each other…There are some very steamy scenes once they get back together, so if this is not your kind of thing, you can skip them. I would have prefered a bit more dialogue, more emotional catch-up, but I guess there are different ways of showing you care.

The book is fast paced and there’s a lot of action, especially towards the end, which is understandable since Jace and his friends are all either ex-military or are in the law enforcement. There are a few twists that I didn’t expect at all.
If you have been following the series, you are probably going to read the book in one sitting, and then will start waiting for the next story. Ryan’s? or perhaps Ryan’s mysterious cousin is going to get his own book?

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

About the author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant has penned ninety novels, novelettes, novellas, and short stories spanning multiple genres of romance including the exhilarating Dark King and Reaper paranormal series, the romantic suspense Sons of Texas series, the historical paranormal Kindred series, and the contemporary Heart of Texas series. She lives with her two children, a dog, and three cats in Texas.

Thank you for reading the post! Have a lovely Sunday!