A Cowboy’s Choice (The McGavin Brothers, #13)

Older romances are my kryptonite and A Cowboy’s Choice by Vicki Lewis Thompson is no exception. Give me a couple with a few miles under their belt before the 20-somethings any day. I find older couples with experience are relatable and people I want to spend more time with. Jo and Brendan are definitely both set in their ways. It is interesting to see where they decide to meet in the middle; I think we will see more of that in books to come. Their story is perfect for a snowy winter night.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.

After the simmering attraction between Brendan and Jo in A Cowboy’s Holiday, I was eager to follow how a real relationship would develop between the two. One of my favorite things about this series is that Vicki Lewis Thompson is including multi-generational main characters: Jo is the mother of the first romantic lead of the series, and Brendan is the uncle of several of the others. Allowing the older characters their shot at love is something I haven’t seen in a lot of other series, and it’s such a fun opportunity to explore (although I will say that these older characters are very fit for their age categories–which makes sense in the context of the setting and definitely makes the steamy romance scenes more fun).

Jo, who has been burned by both love and marriage, doesn’t want to deal with the tediousness of dating. She’s ready to jump into bed with Brendan to see if they’re compatible, and invites him on a romantic weekend. Things don’t go as planned when a snowstorm blows them off course, and Jo and Brendan end up in a remote cottage, surrounded by a bison herd. Luckily, Brendan’s a bit of an animal whisperer—but logical Jo can’t fathom trusting his talent in the face of wild animals. As usual, Thompson’s romantic scenes are full of steamy sensuality and joy, but some of the best scenes in this novel are the ones where Brendan (who was trained by an Aboriginal shaman in Australia) interacts with the huge wild bison. While I loved the scene in which Jo ultimately overcomes her skepticism to get to her HEA (the Whine and Cheese Club ladies are, as ever, a highlight of the book!), I wish she’d been allowed to get a little more evidence (as some of the other characters did) that supported the fact that yes, Brendan has training and experience in dealing with wild animals. It wasn’t that I wanted her to be convinced by logic, but I’d have liked for her to have a chance to weigh the evidence before finally being swayed by her emotional journey instead.

While this isn’t my favorite book of the McGavin series, it does include some of my very favorite scenes so far. Thompson has a deft understanding of people’s relationships with animals—tamed or wild—and when she leans into that, she creates some truly impressive and memorable moments.

I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis tells you right up front that this is going to be a wild ride, and it really is. The action starts quickly, and there are several surprises in store. Through it all, Brendan and Jo keep a real sense of humor and adventure — well, until things get dangerous. But all is resolved with a little help from the Whine and Cheese Club (love those ladies!).
I have loved every book in this series because they are all romantic and fun. This one was particularly special because Jo was a supporting player in the very first book. She was treated poorly by her ex-husband and absolutely deserves an HEA. As I get older, I find that I appreciate older characters like Jo. She knows herself, and she is not afraid to say what she wants. She has some discoveries to make, but she does that from a place of strength.
I was also excited to see that Brendan was getting a story because I wanted to know how his experiences in Australia had formed him. At the end of the previous book, we knew he was ready for the next phase of his life, but I didn’t realize he had that much of a plan. Wow! And I didn’t realize that he had special talents. He was a fascinating character all the way around.
I loved catching up with old characters, but Andy and Seth were hilarious! They stole their scenes and added to the comedy. Snowed in stories are always fun to read, but this one has some extra elements that make it special. I finished it with a big smile on my face!

I loved Brendan and Jo! Silver fox anyone? And with an Aussie accent? Yes, please! Jo certainly jumped in with both feet, but then got freaked out about it. Brendan was all in from the get go. What a fun story, when everything goes wrong but turns out right!

This was such a fun read – an older couple with one quite unsure of the HEA and hurt from a previous marriage that ended with him cheating on her – getting to return to this awesome town and the characters is always worth the trip! Loved reading this!!

Forty Eight Hours.
A romance with an older couple, although maybe “romance” is a bit of a misnomer. Jo and Brendan were attracted to each other when they first met several months earlier and with the permanent return of Brendan to the US, he wants to pursue that interest. Jo however with a divorce in her background and some awkward dating experiences, wants to escape that whole phase and suggests a long weekend away at a luxurious resort. Needless to say things do not go to plan but they still get in a lot of sex with each other. Jo is not looking for anything permanent but Brendan is in it for the long haul.
I appreciated that whilst Brendan swears like a trooper, we the reader don’t get to hear much of it and I was amused by some of the phrases used to illustrate his 30 years of working in Australia.
Although one in a series this novel can totally be read as a standalone.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.