Book review: Big Sky River (Swoon-Worthy Cowboys #3) by Linda Lael Miller

Available now! 
Sheriff Boone Taylor has his job, friends, a run-down but decent ranch, two faithful dogs and a good horse. He doesn't want romance-the widowed Montanan has loved and lost enough for a lifetime. But when a city woman buys the spread next door, Boone's peace and quiet are in serious jeopardy. 

With a marriage and a career painfully behind her, Tara Kendall is determined to start over in Parable. Reinventing herself and living a girlhood dream is worth the hard work. Sure, she might need help from her handsome, wary neighbor. But life along Big Sky River is full of surprises...like falling for a cowboy-lawman who just might start to believe in second chances.

This was my favorite of the 3 books in this series. Boone and Tara had terrible things happen to them. Both have struggled with those things and tried to come to terms with their lives. When Tara bought the chicken farm next door a place that used to belong to Boone's family they didn't seem to be able to get a long. After a couple things happening brings Boone's to little boys home to him from his sisters and Tara's ex-step daughters for a visit each starts to see that they don't really know that much about each other. Suddenly they realize that they are attracted to each other. This book is tear worthy and should make your heart melt too. I loved the both characters and hurt for them both. I was excited to see how the story laid itself out and cheered for them. 4 out of 5 stars for Big Sky River by Linda Lael Miller. 

Find out more here www.lindalaelmiller.com

Book review: Close Enough to Touch (Jackson Hole series) by Victoria Dahl

Can a city girl make it in the wild, wild West?


For makeup artist Grace Barrett, Hollywood isn't the land of golden opportunity. It's the land of difficult divas, cheating boyfriends and unemployment. So when her great-aunt offers her a free place to stay in Jackson, Grace thinks she'll spend a little time in the sticks to figure out her life, and then move somewhere exciting to live out her dreams. But it turns out that there are a few more thrills in this small town than Grace was expecting....

Cole Rawlins is a rugged Wyoming cowboy born and bred. Yet he can't help but be drawn to the fascinating big-city girl who moves in across from him. He wants to get close enough to Grace to see past her tough facade, but if he does, she might see the real Cole. The one with a Hollywood history gone bad. As they discover a sizzling attraction, it becomes harder for him to keep his demons at bay-and those fires from long ago may burn them both.


They'll need more than scorching-hot passion to make this opposites-attract affair work. But if they can learn to trust one another enough to reveal their secrets, they just might have a chance at forever.

I've read a handful of Victoria Dahl books and enjoyed them. This is book 1 in a new contemporary series that is supposed to sport 3 books total and a novella. I can't wait to see who these other stories will be about. I can make a guess or two having read book one now but no way am i certain. lol Grace Barrett has had a really hard life. Her childhood sucked and she ran away from home at 16 and lived on the streets. She pulled herself together and finally was doing ok as a make up artist for the movies. Then she met a guy who became her boyfriend and seemingly used her to help himself. Unfortunately some of her own self doubt and past experiences she makes a couple bad choices. Running away she lands in Jackson Hole, Wyoming staying rent free in a apartment building her great aunt owns and is normally only rented to men. To say her aunt is a bit odd is a understatement. She also owns and runs the saloon next door. Right off the bat Grace meets sexy cowboy Cole Rawlins. He's got his own bad history with the movie industry when years ago he ran off with woman who had come to Jackson Hole to film a movie. He was young and dumb and paid for it later. Neither Cole nor Grace trust easily. It takes a while for Cole to figure out that Grace has nothing. No furniture no possessions and no money. I have to say the man had to be blind to miss it though. His perceptions of her are off kilter and it takes him a while to start figuring her out. It all goes nuts as both their pasts come back to haunt them. Unfortunately where is a lot of misunderstanding going on this book. I like how 2 complete opposite characters get tossed together and Grace and Cole both have to deal with their pasts and insecurities and figure out where they belong. With each other of course! An enjoyable read. That being said i am really interested in the next books in the series. 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars for Close Enough to Touch by Victoria Dahl.

Find out more about this book and Victoria Dahl's other work here on her website. www.victoriadahl.com

Book review and giveaway: Val's Rancher by author Debra Kayn

Val McDougal knows all about heartbreak. First, the love of her life, Sam Turner, left to join the rodeo circuit two years ago. Now she faces a new kind of pain—her beloved father is dying. The last thing she needs is Sam's unexpected return to Pike, Montana, to take over his family's ranch, stirring up desires Val doesn't think she can handle.


Sam knows he made the biggest mistake of his life when he broke things off with Val. He's determined to win her back, this time for good. But despite the sizzling heat between them, Val keeps pulling away. He has to convince her to trust him—and her own heart—again, especially as the time draws near when she'll need him the most...


Val's Rancher is book number two in the Sisters of McDougal Ranch series. There are 5 McDougal sisters  all names after different kinds of lace. All with the middle name Lace too. They were all brought up on a huge ranch with their protective daddy after their mama died when Valenciana  was still a toddler. Val took a shine to a older boy when she was a youngster and it kind of stuck over the years. Sam was older than Val but he waited for her and finally they started dating and she thought they had it all until he decided to leave. Told her to grow up and took off for the rodeo circuit. It about killed her but she decided that she would indeed grow up and find her own way in the world and didn't need him or any other man. She went to college and got a business degree and own and runs her own bar now. Suddenly Sam's back. He's hell bent on showing her he's back to stay. Val's daddy is dying from ALS and it's only a matter of time. This was introduced in the first book in the series Chantilly's Cowboy. This part of the story gets to me. I loved the girls daddy Stuart. He was such a presence in the first book and you could have knocked me over to find out he was dying. Turns out when Sam left he kept in touch with Stuart and he helped Sam find his way back to Pike. After Sam left he figured out he was the one who had growing up to do but it seems Val has some issues of her own to work through now. This book has love laughter, sadness and discovery. Of course it has a nice dose of sexy cowboys too. This has been a great series and i read this book in one sitting. 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick Stars for Val's Rancher by Debra Kayn. To find out more about this series and read excerpts for both books 1 and 2 check out Debra Kayn's website here www.debrakayn.com. You can find her on Twitter  here http://twitter.com/#!/DebraKayn . Next up in this series is Margot's book in  February 2012 Margot's Lawman. Plenty of time to get caught up in the series by then if you're interested.

Debra Kayn has been gracious enough to giveaway one of the books in the Sisters of the Mc Dougal Ranch away to one lucky commentor. Winners choice ebook of either Chantilly's Cowboy or Val's Rancher. Open  for US and internationally. Just leave a comment and a valid email address by Friday October 21st and your entered to win!  Must be a follower of this blog. Good luck!! Ends Friday October 21st.