A TALE AS OLD AS TIMEMegan Perl went from beauty to beast when a car accident left her permanently scarred. Before, Megan was outgoing and vivacious, always with a man at her side. Now? She spends more time behind a camera than in front of it. She’s ready to turn her hobby into something more by offering photography sessions at the castle where she works. This year is dedicated to her career, not … career, not men. If only she wasn’t so crazy-attracted to the cowboy who’s renting the stable on the castle grounds…
Jake Reardon is no stranger to tragedy. After a fall left his bride in a coma on their wedding day, he was forced to watch her slowly fade away in a hospital bed. Now, he finds himself in the unwelcome position of virgin widower. At Rosemont Castle, he can finally focus on establishing his career as a horse trainer. The only problem is that his new landlady makes him hotter than the Virginia sun.
Sparks fly every time Jake and Megan cross paths, but there’s no way he’s going to lose his virginity with the woman who manages the property he’s leasing. As their attraction grows, though, so do their emotions. Jake carries his scars inside, but Megan has to wear hers for the world to see. Can love heal their wounds, or will it tear them apart?
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Megan and Jake, A Journey of Healing
I was so excited to read this as Megan has been a secondary character from the 1st book in this series along with a cameo appearance of Jake and a bit of his history also included made this a very much anticipated read.
This can be read as a stand alone first of all, as bits of their histories are scattered throughout. While Megan has visible scarring, that manifests emotionally, Jake sees Megan, not scars, not the emotional turmoil. He’s perfect for Megan, tho he also has some serious issues to overcome himself, but is ready to start living his life again or finally start, I should say.
Bringing in rescue horses was brilliant, made me fall in love with Jake even more and when he said “Bug doesn’t know that” meaning the horse’s scars, I got so emotional.
I don’t want to give away what’s in the book, but it’s chocked full of all the emotions, there’s heat, laughter and fur babies galore. It reads at a fairly fast pace.
A feel good sigh ending out of so many past tragedies
Two wounded souls collide! With the next book in her quaint modern day fairy tale Almost Royal series, Rachel Lacey once again takes us on an emotional journey of redemption with her cast of kindhearted folks always game to help an animal and a lost soul. Fun characters, an interesting setting and lots of adorable critters worked into the mix!
Megan Perl used to be the outgoing one in the group who was always up for a good time and chasing the next adventure in life … until a freak accident left her scarred and hating life. She’s slowly regaining some confidence and has opened another part of the world to her heart through her growing gift of photography. Now if only she could get her heart to stop beating out of her chest every time she encounters their new tenant!
Jake Reardon is finally branching out into a horse training business of his own, and the risk of it all is always on his mind as he waits with baited breath to see if the business is going to come calling. He too has had his share of heartache and misfortune in his short life, so he recognizes Megan’s discomfort when he sees it. He also sees the attraction he feels reflecting back from her eyes as well!
5 BEAUTIFUL SWEET STARS!! What a beautiful sweet story about to broken people inside and out. Megan and Jake’s story will touch your hearts with happy and sad tears. This author knows out to write memorable stories that never leave you.
After sustaining facial scars in a car accident, Megan Perl hides behind her camera hoping people don’t notice her scars. Normally a vivacious extrovert, Megan withdraws from life. While she does enough to not worry her friends too much, she clearly isn’t living. Until Jake rides into her life…
Jake Reardon, aka horse whisperer, arrives at Rosemont Castle with hopes of starting over. Having experienced the loss of his wife, Jake is not looking for a relationship. So he rents the barn at Rosemont with hopes of becoming a horse trainer. Jake has experienced success working with horses who’ve learned bad habits, etc. Jake also plans on renting extra stalls to add to his income. When Megan approaches him with a request to house abused horses, he can’t say no. In fact, Jake finds he has a hard time saying no to anything Megan requests. But he’s not ready for a relationship, or is he?
If you’re looking for a modern day “Beauty and the Beast”, look no further. Rachel Lacey has penned an emotional, gritty, endearing love story. It’s realistic, relatable, and easily one of her best novels! I read a gifted copy and all opinions stated are my own.
Favorite Quotes:
… a slow smile spread across his lips, and poof, there went her hormones, exploding for him all over again.
Her parents never gave up on a miracle, but at some point over the years, I realized we were just watching her die. Years and years of watching her die.
… small town and all. If he was spotted buying condoms, half the population of Towering Pines would know about it in no time.
My Review:
This was a quick and pleasantly satisfying tale featuring two endearing and resilient main characters who were survivors of tragic events. As a teenaged groom, Jake could do little more than watch as his new bride slipped into a coma then lingered for nine long years. Megan remained self-conscious and insecure after surviving a car accident that had resulted in life-long scarring. Their blossoming relationship provided a sweet, tender, and heartwarmingly gratifying story as they supported each other through new careers and transitions. It was also delectably sensual as the young widower was a quick study and eager to please. Snap!
3-3.5 stars.
This time we have Megan and Jake, they both work and live in the same place, so there’s plenty of opportunities for them to meet frequently.
She went through an awful car accident that left her scarred in the face and it’s very hard for her to let that go. He’s there renting the stables for his business with horses.
There’s definitely sparks between them and I loved their interactions with the rescue horses (Bug! I wanted to hug the hell out of her), those also spoke of their gentle personalities.
I also felt for Jake’s story, man what a crappy card he was dealt. 🙁
In the end, it was lovely to see them open up to the other and to new opportunities in life, they both deserved it. <3
Now I can’t wait for the next book in the series. From the excerpt, it sounds great!
*Thank you to the author for providing a copy for which I’m giving my honest opinion*
If you follow me you know that I don’t like to read reviews before I read a book. And many times, more often than not, I don’t read the blurb too. I really enjoy the surprise I get going into it.
That’s how I felt with Once Upon a Cowboy. Of course, I knew what happened to Megan from the prior book, I even had an idea about Jake too. But what I didn’t know about was Jake and Megan together. That I wanted to learn on my own.
We all know from the prior book If the Shoe Fits that Megan and her friends had gotten into a car accident. Poor Megan was cut very badly on her face and arm. The very badly shaped how she felt about herself. Because she couldn’t stop thinking about it, she also felt everyone else did too.
Jake story is a little different. I really enjoyed him and felt he was such a great guy. The last ten years or hell even longer, haven’t been easy on him. He really turned out to be an upstanding kind of guy.
Together these two help each other mend. Jake is a very thoughtful person that is needed by Megan. And she’s adventures and keeps Jake on his toes. These two just worked.
Once Upon a Cowboy is such a cute, heartwarming story that you’ll enjoy reading. I will tell you that I think you really should read If the Shoe Fits first because it leads perfectly into this one. We all know how much I like to read in order. Both books will make for the perfect summer read.
Once Upon A Cowboy Book 2 Almost Royal
5 Stars
Brilliant! Loved this second chance in love and friendship story! So many twists and turns I didn’t see coming. Captivated my interest from the front cover to the very end!
“Life’s short, and true love like what we have is rare.”
Such a marvelous story! Can’t wait for book 3.
Part of the Fairy Tales series, Once Upon a Cowboy by Rachel Lacey is a take on Beauty and the Beast and is all sorts of fun. Lacey flips the story and places Jake in the Belle role, he loves Megan’s library, while Megan is the beast. The reversal works for these characters. More than anything, this story is all about learning to live on your own terms, even when life hands you lemons. I can’t wait for the conclusion to this fun series.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.
Once Upon A Cowboy is an amazing story with the perfect amount of twists and turns along the way! This book is sure to capture your attention from the first page and keep you engaged throughout each passing page! I fell in love with both Jake and Megan and their realistic personalities.
This is the 2nd book in the Almost Royal series but I can be read as a stand alone.
Megan and Jake are two individuals with devastating pasts, will they be able to break free towards their happily ever after?
It had been a while since I had read the previous book in this series, but thankfully, the author did a wonderful job of reminding the reader exactly what had happened in that previous story. Unfortunately, I wanted a bit more depth from it than what was written, a problem I feel stemmed from it’s shorter length.
The story is a great Beauty and the Beast reversal, don’t get me wrong, complete with heart-tugging animals, but Megan was my major problem with this book. She was so vain! It seemed she cared more for her outward appearance than for her character, and that caused her to be ultra sensitive when it came to the changes in her appearance that had happened in the previous book. Her vanity and sensitivity caused issues with her interactions with the guests, and also ultimately with Jake himself. I was left wondering why she hadn’t had any kind of therapy after the accident if she was that hung up on the changes!
I really loved Jake though! I loved how patient and gentle he was, both with Megan and with the horses he was working with. While he too had tragedies and scars in his past and appearance, he seemed much better adjusted to them than Megan was. I felt he was an ideal person for Megan in that regard. Reading about his interactions with the horses and watching him fall for Megan was a true joy for me in reading this book!
I would have loved to see Megan go seek the help of a counselor, rather than just get a verbal talking to from her mother and suddenly have her head on straight. I think if the story had been plotted out more, and detail given to the months that were essentially glossed over, we might have seen more growth from Megan, which would have made for a more enjoyable story for me. In the end, it was an overall really enjoyable read, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
I was very quickly lost in Megan and Jake’s world! I loved going back to Rosemont Castle and getting Megan’s story. The mountains of Virginia and a real castle are definitely a place I’d visit! I love what these girls have done to this place and their animal rescue program. While Megan was planning on focusing on their business, Jake moves into the farmhouse with his horse to start his business. This story was so sweet, endearing and I never wanted to leave their world! I loved how easy their relationship was and how they fit together. While they didn’t set out for anything serious, the reader can’t help but feel the emotions between these two. Things weren’t perfect or easy, but life was better when they were together. Megan has issues from the wreck and hasn’t been able to move forward in life. Jake had the weight of tragedy around him and he’s trying to start anew. While both things are very different, I liked seeing them work together and and how they wanted to be there for the other person. This was such a sweet, feel-good story and I love how realistic this felt. I can’t recommend this book enough!
Megan was one the belle of the ball but a devastating car accident has made her feel more like the beast. When Jake rents the barn and farmhouse on the castle property she is instantly attracted but her scars hold her back. Jake has mourned his late wife for years. The decision to start his own business training horses seems like the start of a new life for him. He hadn’t counted on the beautiful, sexy Megan coming into his life. Sparks fly but old hurts haven’t healed and some scars can’t be seen.
I loved Megan and Jake’s story! Both characters had such unique backgrounds. I love the Fairy Tails program the girls run at the castle and the inclusion of the animals in the story. This is the second book in the series but can easily be read alone.
Both Megan and Jake have both had their share of heartache and drama. Megan’s entire personality changed after the car accident that left her with facial scars. While Jake basically became a widower on his wedding day. So perhaps it comes as no surprise that the two are drawn to one another but they will have to decide if it is love or just two people trying to deal with their excess baggage.
Once again, Rachel Lacey has written a very enjoyable romance filled with wonderful characters, including some furry characters. While it is the second book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone. However, since there is mention of the previous characters in this book, I recommend reading the series. Having said that, I’m looking forward to what is in store for Ruby, the third member of the group as they prepare for Elle’s wedding.
Here we have book #2 in Almost Royal Series…
This book was so beautifully written. Ms. Lacey has brought two characters who have scars inside and out that somehow help each other like no one could. Jake and Megan are a perfect couple.
Megan was in a car accident and scars she wears outside. Jake has them inside. He has lost a wife so young. He’s a horse trainer. He’s attracted to Megan, but doesn’t know where it might go. The both take things one step at a time. Never can fight things between them.
See what happens.
Once Upon a Cowboy can take another little piece of my heart, because I’d gladly offer up the whole thing. Jake and Megan turn a heartaching fairytale into an inspirational showstopper. Lacey puts her own spin on a fan favorite and delivers a modern day masterpiece. A glass of heartbreak served up with a tasty side of forever.
Once Upon a Cowboy was so good! Jake is an all-around great guy and I loved everything about his character. I enjoyed reading about his job as a horse trainer, especially when he was working with the rescue horses. I love the Almost Royal series, and I’m looking forward to Ruby’s story. Hopefully, we’ll getting another glimpse into Jake and Megan’s lives, as well. I would love to read more of their story!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary Advance Reader Copy.
beautiful well written story. Megan has her physical scars and insecurities to overcome. Jake gas a tragic past he has worked through. Thought Jake’s extended family was very refreshing and not the norm, the animals added to the story and had a lot of meaning. Definitely an updated version of the beauty and the beast type of story with the twist in the characters. It is an enjoyable easy read. I received a free copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Megan & Jake are drawn to each other through a deep chemistry attraction & a deeper sense of connection. They’ve both been injured in different ways. Megan was tragically scared in a car accident. Jake was widowed by a senseless accident. His bride was injured on their wedding night before their first dance & lingered in a coma for years. Now she’s gone & he’s lost. Both of them have suffered & both of them need to learn to live again.
To me, a major part of this story is the act of learning to let go & live again. Both Megan & Jake need to continue on with life but they are both afraid. Megan is terrified that no one can see past her scars to her heart & passion. She’s picked up a camera & is using that to hide behind. Jake is afraid that he’ll find someone to get serious about & they’ll turn away from him because of his secret. They have a tough time trusting each other even as they can’t stay away. This is another emotional story by Ms. Lacey.
It is a touching book about
a person who has lost their spirit
& someone who has suffered a tragic loss. I really enjoyed reading this story!
It is a heartfelt, fun, sexy & moving romance.
The night Megan & Jake, met,
their connection was undeniable.
This past year, Megan has closed
herself to love. She feels no one
could love her because of her scars.
Jake, has lived the pass 10 years
hoping & grieving for his wife,
after a tragic accident that left her in
a coma. Jake’s ready to start the next
chapter in his life.
They each carry their own scars,
but are they willing to open their hearts.
Megan & Jake, steal your heart
from the very first pages to the last.