New York Times bestselling author R.C. Ryan takes readers on a wild ride with a strong heroine who must trust the cowboy trying to save her life. A cowboy with a wild side Kirby Regan isn’t opposed living on the edge. After all, she just quit her career in Washington, D.C., so she could move back to Wyoming and buy her family’s ranch. But hiking the Tetons after dark during a snowstorm goes … the Tetons after dark during a snowstorm goes beyond being adventurous, especially when Kirby’s boss warns her that an escaped convict is at large. Sheltering in a cave seems the safest option to ride out the blizzard-until Kirby realizes it’s already occupied . . . by a ruggedly handsome cowboy.
Like the mustangs he treats, veterinarian and rancher Casey Merrick prefers to live wild and free, which is why a relationship is not in the cards for him. He doesn’t mind sharing his space with a gorgeous stranger, as long as they can both keep their distance-a task that begins to seem impossible as the attraction between them heats up. But before they can worry about the spark smoldering between them, Casey must find a way to protect Kirby from nature’s most ruthless conditions . . . and a convicted killer on the loose.
Includes the bonus novel Wildflower Ranch, a continuation of Daisies in the Canyon,by New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown!
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Under the picturesque Teton Mountains of Wyoming is the Merrick Ranch – the second book in the Series by R.C. Ryan and she doesn’t disappoint. Casey Merrick has always enjoyed his own company in the wide open spaces. He learned to love the beauty of the Wild Mustangs from a young and which prompted him to become a Vet.
While on one of treks into the wilderness he runs across one Kirby Regan and both of their lives will change for ever.
This book is full of suspense, surprises and the joy of family love.
II hope you enjoy this book as much as I did as I couldn’t put it down until I read the last word..
RC Ryan’s This Cowboy of Mine blends romance and suspense perfectly. The author’s rich descriptive voice drew me into the story.
Veterinarian Casey Merrick has a deep respect and love for his family and the wild mustangs that live in the hills surrounding his family’s ranch. I loved the strong relationship between Casey and his great grandfather. Ham Merrick epitomizes the tough, no nonsense cowboy. The patriarch values honestly, hard work and family and he has instilled these values in Casey. These values test Casey throughout the novel.
Kirby Regan grew up on a neighboring farm. She has traded her career and lifestyle in Washington DC in order to purchase her uncles property. I like that Kirby was self-reliant and that her confidence enabled her to overcome several difficult situations.
RC Ryan does a fabulous job introducing Casey and Kirby! Think blizzard conditions, a dark cave and Kirby aiming gun at a sleeping Casey! Kirby believes she has stumbled upon an escaped convict! When the storm subsides, Casey and Kirby manage to reach his family’s ranch where she is welcomed by his family.
I enjoyed the slow burn romance that developed between Casey and Kirby. The author blends romance with suspense throughout the novel. The couple’s romance is at the heart of this novel but RC Ryan is able to maintain an element of tension throughout the novel as the convict has not been captured. This plot technique kept me turning the pages of the book.
This Cowboy of Mine is the first RC Ryan novel I have read. I loved the dynamic characters of Casey, Kirby, Ham and Gram Meg. I would love to read Aunt Liz and Jonah’s stories. The author’s descriptive writing enable me to picture the Merrick ranch and be a part of the family’s life.
This Cowboy of Mine has all the feels—it’s a feel good romance filled with fabulous characters and suspense!
Good read just slightly disappointed not as good as the first book, slower story line.
THIS COWBOY OF MINE, book two of the Wranglers of Wyoming series, delivers a love story against the backdrop of wintering, Wyoming ranchlands involving a cowboy hero, a heroine, a close-knit family, and an escaped convicted killer on the loose. R.C. Ryan delivers it all with drama, humor, and chemistry.
This Cowboy of Mine is the second title in the Wranglers of Wyoming series and brings us Casey and Kirby’s story – one full of suspense, discovery, and of course, that happy ending we all crave.
I fell in love with the large, rambunctious Merrick family at the start of this series, and my enjoyment of their close bonds and general shenanigans continue. This time around we get up close and personal with Casey who not only tends to the ranch but is a veterinarian as well. He’s taken a break from the ranch to head to the quiet solitude of the high country, and while roaming the hillsides comes across a badly injured horse who he cannot leave behind. A snowstorm is heading in so Casey takes shelter in a nearby cave until the storm passes… but this injured horse soon won’t be his only company.
Kirby has left behind the madness of Washington, D.C. in exchange for the hard work and beauty of her deceased uncle’s ranch in Wyoming. She’s figuring out a way to buy the ranch from her cousin but for now, her day job will have to do. She’s out counting wild horses when she gets a message from her boss to head back with caution – there is an escaped convict in the area. As she’s heading back she injures her ankle and has to take shelter… in a cave already occupied, but by who is the question. Well, the long end of a rifle should answer that question.
I was easily caught up in This Cowboy of Mine. I enjoyed Kirby’s and Casey’s romance, loved getting involved with the Merrick family once again, had a bit of excitement as the bad guy is brought down… and loved watching two people who are exactly right for each other fall in love and find a way to make it all work for them.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Forever via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
This book was the perfect escape. Kirby has just moved back to Wyoming in the hopes of buying her uncle’s ranch after his passing. On a hike gone wrong, she meets Casey who is waiting out a storm in a cave in the mountains. He is a veterinarian who lives and works on his family’s ranch along with his extended family. The story reads like a Hallmark movie. There are definitely somewhat unbelievable parts but that was all part of the escape for me. Casey and Kirby definitely had chemistry and I really liked what a good person Casey is. While I definitely didn’t ever feel a whole lot of conflict with the two main characters the loving, crazy family, small town background and addition of a bit of suspense all made the pages keep turning and before I knew it I was at the end. I would say if you are a fan of westerns or small-town romances this book is for you. I would love to read more from this author in the future.
Thank you to Forever for an ARC of this book. The opinions here are my own.
Sweet, gentle cowboy romance…
The Merricks are back and Casey’s story was such a good one! He and his family had suffered a heartbreaking loss early on which, luckily, brought the multi-generational group even closer together. They loved, laughed, joked and always had each other’s back. Always… When Kirby entered his life on the other end of a rifle, Casey was quick to take control of the situation. Happily, Kirby took it right back…
Suspense, mystery and desire was there from the start. Given the drama they found themselves in this should have been a crazy drama-filled read but instead it was a thoughtful, gentle love story with spicy drama thrown in… Family was at the core and they were there every step of the way as Kirby and Casey found the only place they seemed destined to be – at each other’s sides…
I read this in one sitting – I guess I couldn’t tear myself away from the sexy, funny cowboy and the strong woman who loved him… *happy sigh*
*I happily reviewed this story
**Thank you to NetGalley
This Cowboy of Mine is a wonderful story with endearing characters. It was another great read from this talented author that pulled me in and kept me turning the pages until the end. The engaging storyline flowed seamlessly and the vivid imagery makes you feel like you are there but, it is the amazing characters that this author creates that keeps me reading and looking forward to this authors next book. Another Amazing 5 read.
This is the first book I’ve read by R.C. Ryan and let me tell you, I will definitely be reading more. I absolutely LOVE the Merrick family and I hope they have more books coming. I’m ordering the paperback of Brand’s book so I can read how Avery and him got together. This Cowboy of Mine centers around Casey, a veterinarian, and Kirby, an employee with the Association of Land Management. She’s moved back to Wyoming to buy her uncle’s ranch. Casey and her meet when she busts in on him in a cave seeking shelter from a snowstorm. This was so funny because it didn’t take him very long to remove her rifle. She thinks he’s the escaped convict on the loose. I’m not going to leave any spoilers because I think everyone should read this new to me author that is now a favorite. I bet you will fall in love with the whole Merrick household. Grab your copy and see if I’m right.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley and Forever and this is my voluntary and honest review.
I read the first book of the series and was happy when this one came out. I was glad to see the Merrick family back and I loved catch up with them. I really have high hopes that Liz will get her own story one day because just like in book one this book opens up to Liz a little more. I really liked Casey he knew what he wanted and he went after it with guns a blazing and nothing was going to stop him. He had a big heart for helping injured souls. Man Kirby was not what I expected she was a pistol as well. She is broken but comes back to Wyoming to find healing and hopes to find home again. There is some graphic details towards the end of this story, there is also sexual content in this book so may not be suitable for all. I really did enjoy reading this book over all and had a hard time putting it down wanting to find out what happened next. I really can’t wait to see who grandma Meg is cooking up for Jonah…. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This Cowboy of Mine is the second book in R.C. Ryan’s Wranglers of Wyoming series, a contemporary western romance. I didn’t read the first book and hoped I wouldn’t be lost here; I’m glad to say it stood alone perfectly well. This was a fun, breezy, quick read. It’s perfect for the hectic holiday season. Sit down and read for the day, get swept away and recharge your batteries.
Kirby Regan was burned out working in the chaos of Washington, D.C. She decides to get back to her roots and return home to Wyoming to purchase the ranch that belonged to her deceased beloved uncle. While out for her new job documenting the number of wild mustangs, she learns there’s an escaped convict in the area. A snowstorm is approaching, so she seeks shelter in a cave. Oh, but it’s already occupied…by handsome rancher and veterinarian Casey Merrick. Casey was in the wild for some alone time, and had come across a dying filly. He was able to get the horse into the cave to treat it before the storm hit. He didn’t mind giving up his solitude if it meant spending time with this alluring woman. Back home in the bosom of Casey’s family, the two become closer. But whatever happened to the escaped convict?
As stated earlier, this was a fun, quick read. Kirby was a lovely young woman who returns to Wyoming to buy the ranch where she spent her happiest times; she wanted a home. When she meets handsome cowboy Casey, she begins to find that feeling of home and family that she so greatly desires. They were a wonderful couple, though at times I sometimes felt that she cared for Casey’s family more than him. I had to laugh – charming Casey winked a lot, and I couldn’t help but picture him with an eye tic. The Merrick family was a big, boisterous and loving lot; I could see how Kirby fell in love with them. I loved Casey’s interactions with his family, especially his brothers and great-grandfather Ham. There was also some excitement in the latter part of the book which kept me on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait to go back and visit the lovable Merrick clan!
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
This Cowboy of Mine by RC Ryan is a comfortable romance (Wranglers of Wyoming, Book 2) between Casey Merrick local veterinarian and heartthrob, and Kirby Regan, newly arrived from Washington DC to count wild horse herds and buy her uncle’s ranch from her cousin who had inherited it but really didn’t want it. They had grown up together but really had known each other until she stumbled over a root in the dark, on the run from an escaped convict; sprained her ankle; entered a cave looking for a place to spend the night; and was met with a man holding a rifle on her. He was in the cave nursing an injured mustang that was too injured to walk. After getting the misunderstanding out of the way with, they came to an easy truce until the next day when he took her to where her truck should have been parked. It was gone. They went to town to the doctor. It was not a sprain, it was a hairline fracture. Needing more supervision than she had, he offered to let her stay a few days at his family’s ranch but when they went to her small apartment to get some things for her, they discovered it had been tossed. The sheriff agreed it was probably the convict. Confident they would catch him soon, Casey hauled Kirby home where his family quickly assimilated her. It was a fun romance to watch grow.
This is a very homey, comfortable book. Casey’s family is large and loving. It is multi-generational which gives plenty of perspectives on any given situation. Casey and Kirby both love the solitude and beauty of the wilderness so that bonded them immediately. Such a cozy and easy relationship made this a real joy to read. The personalities added some spice. I love cowboy romances but sometimes authors forget there needs to be a story as well as sex. Ryan supplied that story, in spades! I don’t remember when I have enjoyed a book more.
I was invited to read a free ARC of This Cowboy of Mine by Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #thiscowboyofmine
You’ll fall in love with the whole Merrick family!
I thoroughly enjoyed this return visit with the Merrick family in Wyoming. Casey is a veterinarian as well as being fully involved in his family’s ranch, while Kirby is returning to her family’s roots after a stint in DC. Their first meeting was breathtaking and intense, though I appreciated that the pacing of this story didn’t keep us at that intensity all the way through.
There’s an escaped killer who wreaks havoc on Kirby’s life, but that only gives her the opportunity to spend more time with the Merricks, whose Gram Meg is almost as famous for her hospitality as she is for her refusal to take No for an answer. It is in these day-to-day life on the ranch scenes that the heart of this story shines through, and I dare anyone to read this and not fall instantly in love with the entire idyllic lifestyle.
Casey and Kirby get a sweet and very satisfying HEA just in time for the holiday season, and I absolutely loved every bit of it. I can’t wait to read more in this series so I can spend more time with this delightful family. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Kirby Regan has developed a bit of an adventurous spirit since selling nearly everything she owned to move back to her native Wyoming from hectic Washington, D.C. She hopes to buy her late uncle’s ranch from her cousin, but until then she must keep her current job which means hiking into the high country to count mustang herds. A fast-moving snowstorm makes for more than Kirby bargained for, especially when her boss calls to warn her that an escaped convict is believed to be in the area as well. When she stumbles upon a cave, Kirby thinks it the perfect place to wait out the storm, only it’s already being used by a devastatingly attractive cowboy.
Veterinarian and cowboy Casey Merrick enjoys his freedom and hasn’t ever really envisioned himself in a serious relationship. But when a beautiful stranger shows up to share his cave, Casey can’t deny the attraction that flares between them. Before they can figure out what to do about their connection, however, Casey must protect Kirby from the elements and the killer who seems to have learned too much about her.
This book is a bit outside my typical wheelhouse, but I’m enjoying branching out. I was very charmed by this story and the entire Merrick family, though they were quite overbearing at times. Casey was a lovely, sensitive hero and I think he deserved more from Kirby. [Potential mild spoilers ahead.] This was low on steam for me with a lot of fade to black, but I was okay with that only because Casey was so sweet and endearing. Kirby’s dialogue felt very stiff and like it didn’t match up with her thoughts or her attraction to Casey. She sometimes made me wonder if she loved him or just his family as their attraction sometimes felt a bit one-sided. Kirby became a problem for me toward the latter half of the book because she kept harping on about being a burden and just came off sounding like a tiresome martyr. After the traumatic experience she and Casey had together and all the realizations she came to, I expected her to be open and honest with Casey at last. Instead she tried to run away again, and it was Casey who had to be mature and put himself out there yet again. Even after all that, Kirby never actually told Casey she loved him. Although she made her feelings plain enough, I felt like I needed the words even though Casey didn’t seem to mind. Even towards the end when Casey was pouring his heart out to her, Kirby still tried pushing him away. To me, that just didn’t fit the story’s progression up to that point and it was a bit off-putting. Overall, however, I enjoyed this story. There was a bit of a slow down towards the middle, but I loved the Merrick family’s dynamic, Casey was an excellent hero, and I was charmed enough to want to continue the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s both a romance and suspense story which makes for a compelling read. The Merricks are a great family. They are all connected and truly love, like and respect each other. They tease each other, which makes them real, but only want for all of them, including those they’ve chosen as their family to be happy and satisfied with the lives they are living. Casey Merrick and Kirby Regan, the main characters and both strong, smart adults who feel strongly about their land, the work they do and are not looking for anything more than that. They meet while trying to stay safe in a cave during a snow storm. After a short standoff with a rifle, they begin the dance all the way to their happily ever after. The great outdoors, horses, an escaped convict on the loose, love, and a happily ever after. I didn’t read the first in the series, but didn’t have any issues jumping right in. I am looking forward to the next in the series. It’s an easy enjoyable story.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Cowboy romance with a little suspense!
Veterinarian Casey Merrick is taking shelter in a cave from a sudden blizzard taking care of an injured mustang. Kirby Regan is injured while taking a count of the mustang herds in the mountains when she runs across Casey Merrick in a cave. Casey and Kirby have to spend time in close quarters staying warm until they can return to civilization.
If you like your cowboy romance mixed with a little suspense with the search for an escaped prisoner, you need to read This Cowboy of Mine! R.C. Ryan has returned to the Merrick family with Casey’s story and the beautiful state of Wyoming!
Now I want to read Jonah’s story!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’ve been looking forward to this second novel in the Wranglers of Wyoming series, since I enjoyed the first novel in the series, My Kind of Cowboy, and getting another chance to read more about the wonderful, close-knit, Merrick family, and the author didn’t disappoint (well, only slightly), and I give this novel a 4-star rating.
The hero in this novel is Casey Merrick, in addition to joining his ranching family, he’s always loved and cared for animals and became a veterinarian. Since ranchers and veterinarians rarely get a chance to get away, Casey is going to try and there’s nothing he likes better than heading into the back country in the gorgeous Grand Tetons and being alone, enjoying nature, solitude (essential when he lives at the busy family ranch), and the freedom the great outdoors provides. He’s not been gone long when he comes upon an injured wild filly, and with snow coming down he finds a cave in which to hole up with his own horse and the injured filly, whose leg is badly infected and needs to be treated, until the weather improves.
Kirby Regan, who grew up on her uncle’s ranch with her cousin (Kirby lost her parents at a young age), not far from the Merrick ranch. She has been working in Washington, D.C. for years. She’s tired of the noise, the traffic, the busy pace, and when she receives word that her beloved uncle has died, she finds a job back in Wyoming, working for the Office of Land Management. It’s a step down career-wise and financially, but a step in the right direction for her–she want’s to purchase her uncle’s ranch from her cousin (they’ve never been close) and carry on her uncle’s ranching legacy.
Kirby’s first task at her new job is to head for the mountains to count the herds of wild horses who are running free in the foothills of the Grand Tetons, a task she loves, but when she receives word from her superior that there’s an escaped convicted killer on the loose, she’s told to head back, but the weather takes a turn for the worse, and as she’s hurrying back to her truck she injures her ankle, and realizes she needs to find a place to hole up until the storm passes, and luckily, the cave she finds is already occupied by Casey and two horses. Thinking he might be the escaped convict, it’s not a friendly meeting, with the rifle in her hands pointed in his direction, but the animosity doesn’t last long, and soon Casey is wrapping Kirby’s swollen ankle and taking care of her as well as the injured horse.
By the time the storm passes and it’s safe to leave the cave, Kirby discovers that her truck is no longer where she left it, and shortly thereafter, when Casey returns her to the small apartment she’d rented, she learns that it’s been ransacked, and so she returns to the Merrick ranch, and in only a short while is being treated with warmth and kindness, and welcomed to stay in their sprawling ranch house for as long as she needs to, getting to know and like this close knit family, let her ankle heal, and especially since she hasn’t a family of her own.
Aside from bonding with the many Merricks, and the growing attraction between Kirby and Casey, not a lot else happens for the majority of this novel but it is nonetheless a well-written and an enjoyable read. As someone with little family of my own, its slow pace and lack of action gave me a chance to appreciate the members of this family and the warmth, teasing and kindness they were willing to share with a stranger. The only reason I gave this novel a 4-star rather than a 5-star review was that although we learn a lot about Kirby and her growing feelings for Casey, what I felt was missing was the same exploration of what Casey is feeling–he was kind, nice, protective, caring and decent, but simply mentioning that he was easygoing and smiled a lot in Kirby’s company didn’t provide this reader with the same depth of character we got to witness in Kirby.
Of course, there’s still an escaped killer on the loose, and the action and suspense do indeed pick up near the end of this novel, but I think it would have been far more effective to have alternated between the killer’s mindset periodically as counterpoint to the many chapters of Merrick family bonding in the novel, rather than to merely bring him into action so close to the end of it. It did make for an exciting finish, and the expected HEA ending, but I couldn’t help feeling that the pacing of this novel was just a bit off.
Despite the few issues I mentioned, I did enjoy this warm and fuzzy novel and its characters, and I’m looking forward to the next novel and the next Merrick to find his or her HEA ending.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
I requested and received received an ARC of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have read other books by this author and also in this series, so obviously I enjoy her writing or I wouldn’t waste the time to request more titles by her. This story was about Kirby and Casey. Casey lives in a huge home with the rest of the Merrick family and they welcome Kirby to stay with them after her run of bad luck. Casey’s protective side takes over and he saves the day like a knight riding in on a white horse.
I enjoy the bit of romance, mystery and suspense that RC Ryan adds to her books – they aren’t my usual go-to reads, but they are very enjoyable.
I was excited to get back to The Wranglers of Wyoming series and the Merrick family. This is a great family and it’s always fun to revisit them.
Casey Merrick is a vet and rancher. He’s the middle child and he loves to be able to get away into the hills to clear his head and spend time in nature. When he encounters an injured wild horse, he knows he won’t be able to get her home and the vet in him won’t allow him to leave her. He finds a cave where he can stay with the injured horse and his horse Solitaire.
Kirby Regan has returned to Wyoming after many years away working in Washington DC. When she was small and her parents passed away, she came to Wyoming to live with her Uncle on his ranch. Now that he has passed, she wants to buy the ranch from her cousin and put roots down where she grew up. With a new job counting herds of wild horses, she sets out on her first outing, but when she injures herself and finds out there is an escaped convict on the loose, she realizes she’s going to need to seek shelter, she finds the closest place she can – a cave.
When Kirby and Casey first meet, it isn’t under the best circumstances. They finally get that all worked out and they end up finding that spending time together is really easy. As things begin to unfold after they come down from the mountain, Kirby finds herself in need of a place to stay, so the Merrick’s take her in. She and Casey continue to grow closer, but will they allow themselves to give in to what is developing between them?
I enjoyed this tale and I definitely look forward to reading more about this family!
**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Kirby Regan lost her parents when she was young and went to live with her uncle on his ranch in Wyoming. After his death she decided to leave her job in Washington D.C. thinking her uncle’s daughter would sell the ranch to her. While counting herds of wild horses for her job a snow storm blew in and Kirby was forced to find shelter in a cave. That cave was already occupied by rancher and veterinarian Casey Merrick. Casey had found an injured wild horse and was treating the horse while sheltering from the storm in the cave. I like how this author had her heroine and hero meet. Both characters are nature lovers and animal lovers so they fit well together. The threat of an escaped murderer injected suspense into the story and I enjoyed that aspect. It was entertaining reading about Kirby and Casey falling in love and getting their Happily Ever After.