The Morgan men thought they left their troubled pasts in the dust. But one by one, they find themselves returning to the northern California ranch where the bad times began. Together, they have a chance to forge a new future based on brotherhood, hope, and love . . . Professional rodeo cowboy “HW” Morgan has finally achieved his dream of competing in the national rodeo finals—but his career … finals—but his career has come at a price. His twin brother wants nothing to do with him and a string of hookups haven’t warmed his bed. He’s got to get his head on straight—and the only place to do that is at home, if his family will have him.
Samantha Kelly isn’t sure what she’s doing at a new dude ranch. The army veteran is barely back on her feet again, still struggling to rehab an injury. But she’s willing to give equine therapy a try, even though her riding instructor is bold, brash, and distractingly easy on the eyes. As she and HW warily try to work each other out, slowly and surely an unbreakable trust is built—one on which dreams can be built . . .
Praise for The Reluctant Cowboy
“Pearce sets up solid main-character arcs and creates good chemistry in a realistic western. While Pearce’s descriptions of the ranch will inspire dreams of visiting one, the family secrets are alluring enough to make readers eager for the next book.” —Booklist
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This is my first book by Kate Pearce, love the story and Hw and Sam are great together! Read it in two evenings.
Highly recommend the book!
I do enjoy this series. With the issues from their childhood the Morgan’s had to deal with, it’s a wonder any of them managed to have a relationship.
I really did not expect to like HW. His character was so unlikable in previous books. While at the same time, you would get these slight glimpses of his pain.
HW and Sam battled from beginning to end. Normally if couples behave like that, I find the storyline very frustrating. They both had serious issues to overcome, but their characters and the relationship was so well written, I didn’t get the same level of frustration.
Sam was sassy, strong, independent with an underlying layer of vulnerability. HW was fragile. Not something you would normally attribute to a big, strong, tall cowboy. HW and Sam were also funny. I spent a lot of time laughing at their repartee.
A romantic, sexy, funny read. Makes you really want to visit the Morgan Ranch.
I voluntarily read and reviewed the Advanced Reader Copy.
5 stars
I purchased a copy of the novel The Bad Boy Cowboy: Morgan Ranch book 4 by Kate Pearce and this review is given freely.
A steamy but rocky romance and an emotion packed story filled with family, friends, and scenes of ranch life. Dissatisfied with rodeo life HW returns to Morgan Ranch to find inner peace and a new purpose in life but becomes frustrated when he does not receive the unconditional acceptance and immediate partnership he was hoping for. His life and emotions are further disturbed by the arrival of his long lost sister and by the wounded Army vet and amputee Sam who brings out not only his desire but his protective instincts.
I’ve been reading the Morgan Ranch books and loving each brother as they are introduced. The Bad Boy Cowboy introduces us to HW Morgan and for a character we came to know as self-centered and a bit of a jerk? Well, turns out this boy has depth! His story is all about reintegrating with his family at the family ranch and working with, and getting under the skin of, Samantha Kelly. LOVED their story; both characters are strong and broken in their own way, but they sure are good together. Sam was a bit too independent and the Morgan family always came down hard on HW, IMHO. Without either of those “conflicts”, the story would not have been as good as it was. I truly enjoyed this book, as I have with the rest of the brothers, and I am hoping that there is another read in the works for the Morgan sister… I recommend this read, wholeheartedly, and can’t wait for a new one set on Morgan Ranch.
I am loving this series and this book is one of my favorite as HW Morgan is the latest son to return to the ranch and reconnect with his brothers. The characters and stories in this series and this book will grab you by the heart and keep you glued to the pages. This author’s writing style makes the story flow easily and makes you feel as if you are on the ranch with all these great characters.
After years of pursing the elusive National Rodeo Championship, HW is no longer certain that’s what he wants. He misses his brother and his body is achy. Maybe this is the time to hang up his spurs. If it is what comes next? Can he find a place on the ranch where he belongs? All this is swirling in his head as he makes a visit home. That’s when he meets Samantha Kelly who seems to be struggling with her future as much as HW is. Is it possible the may find what they are looking for in each other?
A great read that should be on everyone’s must read list! I highly recommend it.
4.5 stars
Professional rodeo cowboy “HW” Morgan has finally achieved his dream of competing in the national rodeo finals but now wants time away from the circuit. He’s got to get his priorities right and the only place to do that is at home, if his family will have him. He also needs to apologise big time again
The ranch is nearly ready to open to the public & a number of ‘guinea pigs’ have been invited to test the facilities among them is Samantha Kelly. The army veteran is barely back on her feet again, still struggling to rehab an injury. She’s willing to give equine therapy a try, even though her riding instructor, HW is bold, brash, and distractingly easy on the eyes.
Cowboy novels aren’t my favourite trope but I love the author’s other books so gave this a try & I wasn’t disappointed, the characters as always are well developed & have plenty of depth, the pace of the story is well pace & I found myself wanting to continue to read even if I should have been doing other things, definitely the sign of a book I’m engrossed in. This is the fourth in the series but could be read as a stand-alone, however I’ll now be reading the earlier books & look forward to more in the series. HW & Sam are strong characters, their attraction is apparent from the start & their often stormy relationship was very entertaining.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
As we read about each brother in the Morgan family, we finally get to the “wild child” Rodeo star HW Morgan. He’s come home so figure out what he wants in life after coming in 2nd in the worlds. The winner is a young guy HW’s not sure he can beat. He’s pretty sure he’s retiring and his agent is NOT happy about losing one of his best money making clients. The ranch is doing a “test run” before they open as a vacation “Dude Ranch” and looking for feedback. Jay Williams, the town’s bar owner, knows that his friend, “Sam”, Samantha Kelly, PT and former Amy MP, needs to get away from her parents during her recovery from loosing her lower leg in the war. Sam agrees to come and give the family feedback about her experience at the ranch.
This is a great exploration of how to find joy in life after being damaged. HW has been running from his emotional hurts since he left home at 18. Sam is coping but not really living after her broken relationship and injury. Their interactions through HW giving her riding lessons make the other think about the difficult emotions they’re not dealing with. I enjoyed watching the growth in each character and the secrets HW has been keeping coming to light. This family deserves happiness and it’s slowing healing and finding love.
Thank you Kensington and Kate Pearce for the NetGalley ARC of this story for an honest review.
For the Morgan family life is about moving forward, not looking back. Despite the turbulent infighting, the heartbreaking losses and the emotional turmoil, Ms. Pearce has created a family as inspiring as they are flawed. It’s only fitting that these rough riding cowboys find their heart’s in strong willed women. The Bad Boy Cowboy is HW and Sam’s tumultuous romance. Sam is an army vet working her way back from injury, the demons in her head and the fear in her heart. HW is the man determined to bring the hidden warrior out of the darkness and into the light. The scenery isn’t always a pretty but the message is as uplifting as they come.
The Bad Boy Cowboy by Kate Pearce
Morgan Ranch #4
I wondered how the author would redeem HW Morgan after his introduction and comparison with his brothers…and am happy to say that though he still had some rough edges he was much more likable than I thought he would be.
HW was a good man. He had a kindness and patience some of his brothers did not. He had his demons from childhood but by the end of the book seems to have overcome most of them, found love and a place on the family ranch.
So, who was HW’s love interest? Did he end up with a buckle bunny from the rodeo? An old friend or perhaps a guest on the ranch or??? Well, he ended up with Sam Kelly, retired military veteran who lost part of her leg in combat. Sam is strong in so many ways but also afraid to lean on anyone and HW seems to have a savior complex always wanting to save the women he becomes involved with. The two get off to a rough start, find difficulty trusting and communicating but eventually move on and find a way to make their relationship work and both end up with a happily ever after on the ranch.
I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading Rachel’s story when it comes out. Who is Rachel? The lost sister now found and visiting the ranch for a bit.
There is the possibility of more romances on the ranch as guests, military veterans, children and others come to stay so…who knows how many books there will be in this wonderful series?
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4 Stars
I love this series. First of all because the Morgan boys (now men) were all named after characters from the old tv westerns that I used to watch with my grandfather when I was a young girl. I would not recommend reading this as a stand alone, but start at the begining with The Reluctant Cowboy.
This is HW’s story. The youngest of the twins, he was perceived by the rest of the family as their mother’s favorite. But none of them realized that she had messed with his head as much as she had the others. He was the charmer, because the lesson he learned from his mother was that no one who loved him stuck around; that something about him was “unloveable and leavable”. His brothers think he has a “savior complex”, but there are more family secrets that only HW knows about, that affected him the most.
At eighteen both of the twins left home to join the rodeo circuit with the dream of becoming Professional rodeo cowboys. However, in the last book, RY had had enough and went home. HW has finally achieved his dream of competing in the national rodeo finals, but at the end of the season realizes that he is getting too old, will never beat the younger guys coming up and he no longer has the desire in his heart. Without his twin, he is lonely, but he doesn’t know if he will be welcomed at home and if not there, what will he do?
In a previous book, we also met Jay, ex Navy SEAL who had come home to Morganville. He asks his buddy Samantha (Sam) Kelly, who he had befriended in military rehab, to come spend 6 weeks at Morgan Ranch as a guest to give feedback before the grand opening. She had lost the lower part of her left leg in Afghanistan.
HW is assigned to help Sam relearn how to ride a horse. They start out bickering, but slowly start to trust the chemistry between them. Both have survivors guilt and trust issues due to abandonment by people who supposedly loved them. Will they be able to lower their “shields” and tell each other how they really feel?
The characters are engaging, the setting beautifully described and conflicts abound. Humor, some danger and a couple minor “villains” included. Family and brothers, love and conflicts, gorgeous cowboys- what else could you want?
HW Morgan want to retire from the rodeo he isn’t young anymore and needs a break. He comes home to there Morgan ranch as the black sheep the family. He is ready to see his Twin Ry and the rest of his brothers and see what happens.
Samantha, Sam, is an Army vet who has lost her foot from the ankle down. She is asked by her friend Jay to go stay the new dude ranch and give them her thoughts.
When HW is asked to give riding lessons he is not thrilled at the job and Sam over hears this and decides to give HW a hard time. The two get off to a rocky start can these two work out their differences and trust each other?
I loved this series and learning more about the brothers. Both characters have issues they have to work out and they need each other. I love the banter between the two and at times were comical. The plot and setting was wonderful the reader would actually feel like part of the family.
Finding love and trust is not easy but the author lets you know it is possible.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.