A secret baby brings a second chance for love. Carlene Varner’s homecoming isn’t exactly going according to plan. She thought she’d have some time to adjust before introducing her daughter to Jace Dawson, the father her little girl has never known. Instead, within days of her arrival, her house burns down and she and Tilly have no choice but to move in with the sexy cowboy himself at the Prairie … himself at the Prairie Rose ranch. Now the whole Dawson clan-heck, the whole town of Happy-is all up in their business.
Jace has dealt with stubborn bulls and bucking broncos-but being a dad? He is so not ready for this… Yet the more time he spends with Carlene and little Tilly, the harder it is to imagine life without them. Now he just has to convince Carlene that he’s the real deal-and hope that this time she’s here to stay.
HOMETOWN COWBOY by Sara Richardson
Outrageously handsome Lance Cortez is practically a living legend in Colorado, as famous for riding bulls as he is for breaking hearts. What would a big-time cowboy star like him see in a small-town veterinarian who wears glasses, rescues animals, and cries when watching rom-coms? Turns out, plenty.
More in the Happy, Texas, series by Carolyn Brown:
Toughest Cowboy in Texas
Long, Tall Cowboy Christmas
more
Carolyn Brown is the queen of western romance! She writes with depth, heart, humor, and hope. Her well-drawn characters and fabulous small-town settings always draw me in and make me feel like a part of her story world.
I like secret baby romances so I was looking forward to reading this book. But the “baby” was an 8-year-old! I didn’t like that Carlene hadn’t told Jace about her. I understand why she didn’t tell him that she was pregnant when they were teenagers but to NEVER tell him he had a daughter! NO! Then, when she came back to town years later she thought she would tell him about their daughter when she was ready. Really? In a town where gossip was everyone’s favourite passtime? And when she looked so much like him and his family? Not a very bright woman. I couldn’t get over how selfish she was to keep him from seeing his child grow up and for telling her daughter that she didn’t have a father. On top of all that, I never felt the attraction we were told about whenever this couple were together.
Great wrap-up to the Happy, Texas Series!! I was sad to see the series end but loved the story. I just melted when Jace said, “She called me daddy!”.
*I also, really enjoyed the bonus book that’s included – “Hometown Cowboy” by Sara Richardson!*
Whew! I have to admit I was a bit nervous about this one after reading Long, Tall Cowboy Christmas. Of course, as I’ve stated before, I love all of the characters in this series so I had a bit of hope the author would pull through. And she did!
That’s not to say that the characters stopped talking to themselves far too often…they still do that. But not so much that it drove me to distraction. And there are a few timeline inconsistencies. One big one you won’t notice if you didn’t read the other books, but we hop right into Henry being back in town and having showed up at Christmas. That was a big problem of mine with the end of the last book, how that wasn’t resolved. Apparently, it was but not written about? I’m not sure. But he’s there in Happy and everyone is aware.
I have just loved Jace throughout this series. He’s such a great brother and uncle. I just knew he’d be a good daddy. He’s so patient with the situation and gives his daughter, Tilly, plenty of space to come to her own conclusions about him and their relationship. In fact, Jace is such a great guy that he doesn’t really give Carlene the full brunt of his hurt and anger that he should. At least in my opinion. In fact, the whole family is pretty darn accepting of what Carlene did to them by keeping Tilly a secret. As much as I love their open arms and love, it really threw me for a loop after the way some of them treated Lila when she came back to town sans child in Toughest Cowboy in Texas.
As for the chemistry, Jace and Carlene have that in spades. I especially enjoyed how their young daughter could even feel the vibe between them when they thought they were being so careful and discreet with their own feelings. That Tilly sure is precocious!
I may not have been completely enthralled with the second book in this series, but I am thrilled that it has ended on a high note. I’ve read a lot of this author over the last couple of months and she can really be all over the map. This story is a good, solid read.
https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/13/luckiest-cowboy-of-all-book-review/
I love her books can’t wait for the next one
Jace Dawson is all shook up. The one that got away returns with a surprise he hadn’t saw coming that packs a punch he won’t soon forget. Luckiest Cowboy Of All is the latest in the endearing Happy, Texas series. This time around it’s Jace who receives a TKO to the heart in this sunny and funny heart eclipsing read. Young love turned into adult heartbreak when Carlene Varner walked out of his life. Fast forward ten years and one precocious secret later and not only is the whole town talking, but the lovebirds may be on their way to a second chance. Carolyn Brown delivers the best desert ever. Double the guilty pleasure and none of the unwanted calories.
Luckiest Cowboy of All by Carolyn Brown is the final book in her Lucky, Texas series. Ms. Brown has once again brought together some characters who entertain with tender moments, family love and unity, witty conversations and fun scenes. These characters are so true to life that I found myself looking at them as friends and family as I read their stories. In this book Carlene Varner returns to Happy, Texas with her third grade, 8 1/2 year old daughter, Tilly because she wants her daughter to grow up in a place where she can happily put down roots. This is something she didn’t have growing up since her family moved every couple years. Carlene knows she will see Jace Dawson who she dated in high school since Happy is such a small town. What happens when they do meet again is a special and enlightening scene in the story. Needless to say the attraction between them is still as hot as ever. What happens along the way to Carlene and Jace finding their Happily Ever After is a fun read.
Carolyn Brown has a brilliant talent when it comes to writing child characters. In my opinion in this story little Tilly absolutely steals the show. She is a chatty, independent whirlwind of a kid and I found her to be the best part of the story. The things this child says are a hoot! For instance how she relates the story of when she saw a mouse in the falling down house she and her mother have moved into really made me laugh. She said, “I think I saw a mouse yesterday. But I didn’t cuss – even though I wanted to – because that get’s me in trouble.” I love this kid!
Reading the next book in a Carolyn Brown series gives you the warm feeling of coming home again after being away for a while. That’s a really great feeling. Pick up Luckiest Cowboy of All and enjoy the warm feeling of getting to know down-home characters in a makes-you-feel-good story.