His long and winding road has brought him to a legendary western ranch—to the brothers he calls friends . . . and a woman who could change his roving ways . . . Turning his back on his American father’s business empire was the smartest decision Rio Martinez ever made. Now, after a high-flying career on the rodeo circuit, the world champion bull rider is ready for a change of pace. A summer … pace. A summer hiatus working the Morgan brothers’ California ranch turns into the hope of forever when Rio meets a beautiful French baker who makes him realize what’s missing from his restless life.
After her husband abandoned her, Yvonne Payet threw herself into running the café that was her dream. In the welcoming community of Morgantown, she found a place to call home. She cherishes her hard-won independence, and doesn’t need another handsome heartbreaker calling the shots. But Rio isn’t just the sexiest, most arrogant cowboy she ever met—he’s got great ideas for expanding her business. With a reality TV show on the horizon and her ex demanding a second chance, Yvonne has to decide which sunset she wants to ride off into . . .
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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After having read the whole series of the Morgans and waiting for the sister’s story, we get this fantastic book about Rio and Yvonne. This is my favorite book of the series. We have met both Rio and Yvonne is previous books and I wanted a book featuring Yvonne and, yay!, this one is perfect. They are both confident people and their banter is snarky and flirtatious and fun. Friends with benefits…yeah, that does not cut it for these two. I love how the family theme of these stories is carried over into this book. You cannot choose your family but they do the best they can to live within it.
On another note, Josie is cute and maybe a story somewhere in her future?
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
This was a fantastic read by Kate Pearce! I have only read her Morgan Ranch series, but I have loved all of the books. This is another great addition to the series. I was hooked from the first page, and I could not put it down until I was done! I love cowboy romances, so I really liked this book. I love how they do not come from a picture-perfect family. We see the struggles that they have gone through and are going through. This is Rio and Yvonne’s book, and Rio is not a part of the Morgan family but a friend. It was still a great addition to the series, and I love that it has expanded to outside of the family. It is a wonderful read, and I highly recommend this book and the other books in the series!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book.
This book took a few chapters to draw me in, but once it did, I was hooked! Rio is the very definition of a laid-back cowboy, until he isn’t. I fell in love with both his relaxed cowboy persona and the ruthless businessman he keeps hidden until needed.
Yvonne has her hands full running the bakery/restaurant that she started with her now-ex husband, and she doesn’t have time for a relationship. But she just can’t resist Rio anymore than he can keep his hands off her, so their incendiary chemistry forces them to find a way to make it work.
This story delves deep into Rio’s family history, and I loved the way the author detailed his personal journey as he buried the demons of his past. It was the icing on the cake that this journey crossed paths with Yvonne’s unfinished business, adding layers of drama and more than a few “Hell, yeah!” moments.
The HEA is nicely wrapped up in a beautiful, triumphant epilogue. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Turning his back on his American father’s business empire was the smartest decision Rio Martinez ever made. Now, after a high-flying career on the rodeo circuit, the world champion bull rider is ready for a change of pace. A summer hiatus working the Morgan brothers’ California ranch turns into the hope of forever when Rio meets a beautiful French baker who makes him realize what’s missing from his restless life.
After her husband abandoned her, Yvonne Payet threw herself into running the café that was her dream. In the welcoming community of Morgantown, she found a place to call home. She cherishes her hard-won independence.
Another engrossing read that I read in well under a day in fact read into the small hours to finish it. The characters are very well portrayed & have plenty of depth. The story flows effortlessly & you are drawn into the story from the first pages. Rio & Yvonne have no time to spare for a relationship, she has her growing business & he’s a world championship to defend but neither can deny their strong attraction but decide to be friends. This was a lovely romance that also had some conflict, I’ve loved all of the Morgan books & this didn’t disappoint
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
I received a free advanced copy of this book from the publisher. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
Having grown up watching 60s tv western with my grandfather, I have always been drawn to westerns, despite living most of my life in Atlanta, GA and being allergic to horses. From the first book in the series, THE RELUCTANT COWBOY, Kate Pearce has become one of my favorite authors. Her characters are artfully developed into appealing but complicated men and women. The scenery is described so well that in the mind’s eye, the reader can easily picture the Morgan ranch and Morganville. This is a wonderful series, but best read in order.
An undiagnosed severe postpartum depression, splintered the Morgan family apart, and not until Chase Morgan made his fortune and came back to the ranch to help his grandmother (The Reluctant Cowboy) did the family begin to heal. Now not only have all the Morgans come home, but HW and Ry’s friend Rio has come to help out for the grand opening. Rio Martinez is the World Champion Bull Rider, but also the son of business mogul, who he hates, because of how his mother was yanked from his life at the age of 7 and he was then abused by his step mother and ignored by his father. Despite seeing how each of the Morgan men have found their “one”, he does not believe in love. However, he is so drawn to baker Yvonne Payet, despite the Morgan women thinking that Chase’s partner Will, would be perfect for her. Busy business owner, Yvonne not only doesn’t have time for romance, but after her ex-husband left her shortly before they were to open the bakery, she doesn’t trust charismatic men. Neither is at a place where they have time for a relationship, but they can’t seem to keep their hands to themselves. This book is an excellent addition to the series, even including recipes at the end.
Loved it!
Good read.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I really like this book. It’s full of romance and reconciliations. Rio showed it doesn’t make you less of a man to be vulnerable and romantic. And, Yvonne is a strong independent woman with a whole lot of love to give. This was one of those rare books you don’t want to put down.
I liked the characters.
The Billionaire Bull Rider by Kate Pearce was an entertaining read.
There was palbable interest and chemistry between Yvonne and Rio.
I liked the change and development Yvonne went through since her husband left her high and dry to manage the café in Morgantown on her own. I liked how she built strenght from this disappointment and came out a lot stronger at the end. She learned so much about herself too and I liked how she understood the working of her ex and wasn’t one to be fooled anymore.
Rio’s character was also great. He had a rough start with his parents’ battlefield of marriage what later ended in a rather painful divorce. Add a demanding, cold, emotionally distant and cruel businessman father who cannot be impressed by his only son’s achievement whether in or out of the boardroom. Rio has found his calling by being a successful bull rider but it doesn’t mean he isn’t still affected by the wrongs of his father. His biggest challenge is to forgive and move on.
I liked how humble Rio was. He didn’t brag about his achievements but let his actions spoke for themselves.
Both Yvonne and Rio were reluctant and unsure about starting a relationship. They even agreed it wasn’t an option in their current situations. But you can’t stop love now, can you?
My only complaint that all the back and forth and the all the things why they couldn’t have anything going on between them was a bit dragged out compared to the epilogue where everything was closed down just too quickly, and I mean literally in just a few sentences.
A review copy has been provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
The Billionaire Bull Rider is Book 5 in the Morgan Ranch series. This one (probably more so than the rest) could stand alone just fine but this is an amazing series so I would highly recommend starting from the beginning to get the entire backstory. Especially considering everyone from the earlier novels do make an appearance.
It amazes me that Ms. Pearce can crank out hit after hit regardless of genre. Whether it’s historical, paranormal, sci-fi, erotic, contemporary or cowboy-western, you can pretty much figure if it has Kate Pearce’s name on it, it’s going to be phenomenal and this story was no exception!
The chemistry between Rio and Yvonne was evident right from the start. I loved the interactions between the 2 of them and even though they’ve played a minor role in earlier stories, this is the first time we’ve really gotten to take a deep dive into their pasts.
Overall this was an excellent addition to the series and I cannot wait for Rachel’s story.
Rio, a world champion bull rider, comes to Morgan Ranch to help with the mechanical bull riding lessons. Here he meets Yvonne who starts to become an important part of his life. They both agree that they have careers that will keep them apart once he goes back on the PBR circuit. Along the way Yvonne’s ex appears and Rio’s father comes back into his life. There is a lot of turmoil they each have to work thru separately and then together. The book is a great addition to the Morgan Ranch series and I would highly recommend it. You will not be disappointed in this book or any of the others in this series.
The Billionaire Bull Rider by Kate Pearce
Morgan Ranch #5
Neither Yvonne nor Rio is at the point in their lives where they believe they are ready to settle down. Both have issues from the past that impact them as they move forward socially, emotionally and professionally. Communication is essential for them to reach a more than friends with benefits relationship. And, as they meet at Morgan Ranch with the whole crew around them it is an interesting time for both as they try to work their way forward.
What I liked:
* Yvonne’s strength
* Rio’s multifaceted background
* The idea that a bull rider (or any sports personality) can have a “mind”
* The support system that the community provides
* The way the two finally worked out how to trust and share and find their way to a HEA
What I didn’t like:
* Yvonne’s ex (but I wasn’t supposed to like him)
* Rio’s childhood (it was difficult to read about)
* Maybe a few other things if I think about it…
What I wonder is who will have their story told next. The Morgan’s, for the most part, have found their partners but with this book two newbies to the story have arrived so that makes me think there are more stories to look forward to that star people in town or working on the ranch.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington – Zebra for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4 Stars
I’m really loving Kate’s Morgan Ranch series. This one is about Rio Martinez, this year’s Champion Bull Rider, who we’ve met on the rodeo circuit with HW Morgan. He going back for one more year to defend his title then retiring. Rio is on the ranch helping out for the summer and meets Yvonne Payet the french baker who owns the town bakery. They both are too busy for a relationship but end up having one anyway. I loved watching these two dancing around each other, they have so much chemistry. Rio is so much more than he seems. His Dad, Graham, owns a multi-national company in the food and entertainment industry. His Mother has a ranch in Brazil where he learned his cowboy skills. We get to see Rio being able to help Yvonne with a potential reality cooking show that draws them closer together and alerts her supposed ex, Paul Giresse from France. The plot thickens when we discover Paul never got around to finishing up the divorce in France.
Thank you Kate and Kensington for the opportunity to read and review this story in a delightful series.
Another wonderful addition to the Morgan Ranch series. I’ve enjoyed all the books I’ve read in this series, and this book adds another great romance. Rio and Yvonne may not be blood, but they are definitely part of the Morgan family. Ruth provides the wonderful and spot on advice we have come to love and expect from her. If only we all had someone has heartfelt and loyal in our lives.
The Morgan ladies may have been trying to set Yvonne up with Matt, but the chemistry and pull to Rio was undeniable. As much as they both told themselves they were not in a place for a relationship, the attraction was too intense, the pull too strong.
Rio’s devotion to his mother and sister is admirable and shows his strong character. His past with his father, the truths revealed, were heartbreaking but vital to his story.
There was some drama, but for me, it wasn’t super angsty and a bit predictable. But, regardless of it’s predictability, it added to the story, and was necessary to tie up the ending.
I do hope there will be more books in the Morgan Ranch series as I have come to love this family, the community, and everything about them.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy and this review is of my own free will and contains my honest opinions.
The Billionaire Bull Ride by Kate Pearce is book Five in the Morgan Ranch Series. This is the story of Rio Martinez and Yvonne Payet. I have read the previous book, but fee this can easily be a standalone book.
Rio who is a famous bull rider has taken to be on Morgan’s Ranch to help them and himself by getting away for a while. Their he meets Yvonne who he cannot seem to stay away from. Yvonne is trying to get over a past ex who hurt her and is focused on just working with no plans for love. Rio too doesn’t think a long term relationship would be for him after seeing how his parents marriage was. But neither can fight the growing feels they have for to long.
Another great story by Ms. Pearce….loved it!
Life on the Morgan Ranch has really gotten busy in this fifth book of the series. Each of these books can be read standalone but I recommend you read them all to see how this family and the ranch changes. This book features Rio Martinez and Yvonne Payet. Rio is a buddy of HW’s from the rodeo circuit and Yvonne is the owner of the local cafe. Rio is attracted to Yvonne right away but she’s already had one miserable relationship and she’s not ready to give anyone else a chance. Rio isn’t about to give up on her though and before long they are wrapped up in each other’s crazy lives.
I really love this series and I’m glad to see it continue. This author’s writing is exceptional and you’ll fall in love with these characters. I definitely recommend this book.
Man, I’ve missed the folks at the Morgan Ranch. It was so good to touch base with them all while reading this book. Although this story isn’t about any of the Morgans, Rio is staying at the ranch and good friends with the guys. As for Yvonne, she’s the local baker and friends with all the ladies…if you’ve read the other books (and you should!) you’ve met her before.
I thoroughly enjoyed the way Rio and Yvonne met. Sometimes chemistry just can’t be denied. Even when your friends are trying to set you up with someone totally different and you aren’t even sure you’re interested in any sort of relationship. There was instant attraction between these two. It was fun to watch them try to deny the pull for the first week or so that they knew each other.
Rio is really such a sweet man. He cares so very deeply for his mom and his half-sister; his mom is even the reason he isn’t so keen on getting into any type of long-term relationship. Seeing his parents fight and the awful things they did to each other makes him distrust passion and think those types of feelings toward someone can’t be sustained without the passion turning sour. But he can’t help his soft side coming out around Yvonne. In fact, he can’t help his alpha-male side coming out either and that’s something new for him. To his credit, he understands that Yvonne is not the type of woman who wants a man to “take care” of her and his alpha feelings are best kept on a short leash.
Yvonne is also bitter on love since she fell quickly and passionately in love with a man and married him when she was a little younger. That man ended up leaving when he realized she wasn’t as malleable as he thought, and he definitely didn’t keep his alpha feelings on any sort of leash. It’s hard for Yvonne to see that not all men are going to be intimidated by her strong personality. She finds it easier to go without love, or any relationship really, so she doesn’t have to go through heartbreak ever again.
Some of the things that happen with Rio’s father are a bit predictable, I just wasn’t sure how they’d play out. I was more than willing to go along for the ride to see where the author was taking the story. The same with Yvonne and her ex. What I found odd is the things that were destined to play out between Rio and his father and Yvonne and her ex that I thought would make a lot of noise were actually a bit anticlimactic, and the things I didn’t think would be a big deal ended up causing some issues.
I don’t know how to explain this without spoilers, but I’ll try. Rio and Yvonne were adamant about being just friends since neither of them were looking for a relationship and Rio would be leaving the area. There were quite a few times they had little spats and would later apologize to each other because that’s what friends do. But the last time Yvonne got upset with Rio I felt was one too many. I don’t know what it was, but my personal tolerance for that line of the story was done. Maybe because there is a super sweet and romantic scene shortly before that (when Yvonne falls asleep in Rio’s bed in a most innocent way – probably my favorite scene in the book) and I was done with them not being totally open with each other.
Regardless, I really loved this story. It had humor and heart and steam and love and friendship. All the things I love to read about.
** I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in my review are my own and given freely. **
https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/27/the-billionaire-bull-rider-book-review/
The author takes us back to the Morgan Ranch and Morgantown. This time the story does not belong to the Morgan siblings whom we have come to love, but rather to their friend Rio and pastry chef Yvonne.
Rio is a world champion bull rider , helping out his friends at their ranch. Though as the story progresses, we find out he is much more than that.
Yvonne owns and runs the local cafe and is well known for her pastries. She has had to overcome obstacles, and is a very independent woman. Rio and Yvonne start a “friends with benefits” relationship which of course gets complicated.
In addition to their story, we are reminded the importance of family, whether by blood or by bonds created .
Another well written story in this series which was engaging and had complex characters.
I received this copy from Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.