From this “fabulous storyteller” (Carolyn Brown, New York Times bestselling author) comes a sweet western romance between a rodeo cowboy and his best friend’s ex-wife. What’s the saying, bad luck comes in threes? If so, Lily Green is due for something good. First, her divorce is finalized—on her birthday, no less. Then the first job she lands for her catering company turns out to be for her … job she lands for her catering company turns out to be for her ex-husband’s wedding. To top it off, she’s stuck working the event with Luke Everett, the sexy-as-hell best man who’s never been able to stand her. When can a girl catch a break?
For years, Luke has kept his feelings for Lily safely hidden. Hitting on his best friend’s ex-wife would definitely break the cowboy code of honor. But ever since an injury sidelined his rodeo riding, the two of them keep getting thrown together. It’s only a matter of time until his true feelings come to light. When that happens, it will either be the biggest mistake of his life, or a sign that his luck is about to change.
“Cross my heart, this sexy, sweet romance gives a cowboy-at-heart lawyer a second chance at first love and readers a fantastic ride.” — New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Ryan on Second Chance Cowboymore
Luke and Lily get a second chance to finally reveal their true feelings for each other. A misunderstanding lead to hurt feelings and blame but their attraction to each other helps them smooth it out. Their witty banter shows how different they are, but one thing is clear, even when they are at odds they agree on one thing: when all is said and done they want to be together.
AJ Pine’s take on the cowboy genre is fresh, fun, and hits your right in the feels. Her heroes always make me swoon in all the right ways
My oh my!! This was the first book I have ever read from this author and I can guarantee it will not be my last!!!
Lily is a chef who just agreed to cater her ex-husband’s wedding. Luke is her ex’s best friend and best man. What is the worst thing that could happen?
Lily is such a hard worker who prides herself on her cooking. She wants to have her own restaurant and won’t let anything or anyone get in her way.
Luke is a bull rider who wants to end his career on his own terms. Unfortunately for him, he is now being distracted.
I loved the push and pull of their relationship. These two have had feelings for each other from day 1, but both put off acting on them for their own reasons. The way they came together and tried to be mature about everything was refreshing.
I also loved how mature the other characters were as well. They weren’t dramatic over certain situations and realized that somethings are and aren’t meant to be.
This was such an excellent read. I am definitely going to go back and read the 1st book in this series.
-An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.-
Tough Luck Cowboy was such an unexpected surprise! This enemies to lovers/second chance romance hooked me in right from the start and though this is my first time reading a cowboy romance, I know it won’t be my last! This is book 2 in the interconnected standalone Crossroads Ranch series, and can be enjoyed without reading the previous book, Second Chance Cowboy.
I really loved both Luke and Lily. The tension and build up between them was so delicious and fun. I loved seeing their oil and water mix and watching all the sparks fly. 😉 There is so much unsaid between these two and their circumstances couldn’t be more complicated, with Lily being the ex-wife of Luke’s best friend. Through it all though, you can’t help but root for these two to get their second chance. One of my favorite things about the two of them is that even with the threat of loss looming or the odds stacked against them, they don’t give up their individual dreams and hopes (much to the dismay of the other at times). Even though Luke was emotionally closed off and Lily’s instinct was to run, I still found these 2 characters very brave and strong. Things move pretty quickly in the book, but considering this has been three years in the making, it didn’t feel rushed or like instalove at all. Though I really enjoyed the ending and epilogue (I’m hoping for more details or an epilogue further down the road in the next book or beyond), I was left curious about the future of Tucker and Luke’s friendship. Their reckoning was quick due to the timing of their discussion and just didn’t seem fully resolved to me. Perhaps this will also be addressed in the next book.
I actually have not read book 1, Second Chance Cowboy, but Ava ended up being one of my favorite characters. Her friendship and loyalty to Lily was unwavering and her analogy to being Lily’s bra was the best! Everyone can only hope to have a friend like her. I also am very intrigued by the youngest Everett, Walker, and am excited for his book next!
*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*
Nothing says disaster like being hired to cater your ex-husband’s wedding; the moment Lily Green learns that he wants her to do the honor she can’t help but cringe a little, and maybe even wince a little too. She can’t believe he is moving on already; but at this point in her career she can’t really turn the job away, it could be the job that helps her pave her way in the catering community. But if working with her ex isn’t bad enough she then learns that his best friend, and her nemesis, will be helping with the planning, which means they will be spending some quality time together. Which means there could be some serious tension filled moments lying ahead, how can someone so darn good-looking be so frustrating?
From the moment he met Lily, Luke Everett developed a little crush on her, but unfortunately for him her heart belonged to his best friend, and that is a line he’d never cross, so he just ignored the crush. But now that they are no longer married, she has taken on a new light, one that means that crush no longer needs to be hidden, but before he can act on anything with her, he needs to work himself into her good graces. Through the years they have had a few tension filled run-ins, many unfortunate misunderstandings, and now seems as good time as any to sort that all out and start with a clean slate… even it it happens to be while their planning her ex-husbands wedding!
Tough Luck Cowboy is small town western romance at it’s best; it stars a handsome, mildly moody, cowboy determined to win the heart of the woman who has held a special place in his for many years, and a feisty heroine determined to make him work damn hard for her time and affection. For a long time these two have been on the outs with one another, for various reasons, but now life has given them a chance to remedy the mistakes they made in the past… but at a very unconventional venue. Oh how I loved this story, these two had a hard fight ahead of them, and a lot of forgiving to do, and boy was it fun to watch it all play out, there were lots of laughs and swoons to be had here! This is my second visit to the series, and I must say I love this one just as much as the last, these characters will pull you into their enticing little town and make you feel right at home with them; just like your one of the gang. If you like handsome brooding cowboys, and feisty heroines who like to push their buttons, then this charming little tale will be right in your wheelhouse, each page is riddled with heart, swoons, and humor! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
The Crossroads Ranch series continues in Tough Luck Cowboy with the story of star crossed lovers, Luke Everett and Lily Green. A.J. Pine’s great characterization and strong family relationships make this an entertaining read.
Tough Luck Cowboy by A.J. Pine is a fantastic western romance. Ms. Pine has delivered a well-written book and furnished it with an outstanding cast of characters. Luke is recovering from being tossed like a salad by a bull. Lily is starting her own catering company and the first event she’s hired for is her ex-husband and his food network fiance. Luke has hidden his feelings for his best friend’s ex-wife but now he and Lily are being thrown together. Luke and Lily’s story is loaded with drama, humor, sizzle and a little suspense. I enjoyed reading Tough Luck Cowboy and look forward to reading more from A.J. Pine in the future. Tough Luck Cowboy is book 2 of the Crossroads Ranch Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
I won a copy of this book from Goodreads. I think. Or Reading Cafe. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
really enjoy anything with cowboys but they have to have great angle, plot, storyline and outstanding characters. It has that and great read. carmen
I love this author. Great book.
Really liked this book–page turner and with some mystique.
Pine adds another entertaining and intense book to the Crossroads Ranch series. The first book in this series left very large boots to fill for me. Poor Luke, in love with Lily for so long but she was married to his best friend until they aren’t married anymore.
Somehow, Lily ends up catering her ex-husband’s wedding, with Luke as her helper of sorts. A well-written enemies to lovers situation develops between them and it’s so entertaining. I really do enjoy Ms. Pine’s writing, she gets down to the nitty gritty emotion without bogging you down. Let’s not forget how freaking hot the chemistry is between Luke and Lily.
I thoroughly enjoyed Tough Luck Cowboy and I cannot wait for more in the Crossroads Ranch series.
*copy provided by publisher via Netgalley*
If I’m being totally honest, cowboy romances have always been something I liked more in theory than in actuality. Or so I thought, apparently. I’ve read more of them this year than in any past and I gotta say — I’m loving them. Tough Luck Cowboy was so, so very good.
Lily and Luke’s story hit all the right notes for me. First off, I really liked the characters. Lily was determined to move on from her failed marriage and driven to get her catering company off the ground. But, plot twist — her first client is her ex husband and his new soon-to-be wife. Nothing awkward there, right? What sounded like it would be an impossible situation actually ended up working out quite well. Throw in the fact she also has to deal with Luke on top of everything else and there was quite a little story there.
Luke wasn’t the easiest guy to like in the beginning, but it didn’t take all that long for him to grow on me. I do love me a grumpy hero and he certainly had his moments. I loved how he and Lily played off each other. Their chemistry was spot on and rather intense and it was pretty obvious they should’ve been together all along. Ah, if only things had gone differently that first night. Of course, if they had, we wouldn’t have gotten THIS story and I would’ve been sad. As it was, I loved how everything came together for Luke and Lily in their kinda sorta second chance hate-to-love story.
A.J.’s Crossroads Ranch series just keeps getting better. I am loving the Everett brothers and can’t wait to see what’s next.
FAVORITE QUOTES
“Today is the day I turn it all around. I messed up. Married the wrong guy. Put my dream on hold for his. I detoured. Today I get back on track.”
“I think you think life is one big party, that you don’t take anything or anyone seriously, and that you think it’s charming women prefer you naked than any other way because that’s probably the only time you give them your undivided attention. It’s no wonder anyone in your orbit would think his life didn’t measure up.”
“I watch a lot of things, sweetheart. And you know I didn’t step foot on the dance floor to meet your roommate.”
“I’m going to make you lose control, sweetheart. I’m going to show you what it means to let go.”
“I want more. Not forever. Just—more.”
I really enjoyed this one. It shows you how one miscommunication or not taking the one risk can change the course of your life. Lily lives her life by her lists and schedules. Luke doesn’t do serious so his heart stays intact. They give off vibes that they don’t like one another, but the the attraction they have for one another comes off them in waves. I enjoyed watching Lily and Luke take a chance and grow. This book has a good flow that makes it easy to read.
This is an amazing book with wonderful, realistic and loveable characters. Luke and Lily are two strong, damaged characters. Their pasts help to define who they are, for better or for worse. Sometimes being damaged emotionally is a lot harder on a person because their scars are internal. They both have family who love them but, it is in loving each other that they may be able to heal. Will they take a chance on each other? Will he lose his best friend, who is like a brother to him and also Lily’s ex- husband? This is an amazing book and I would definitely recommend it.
**4-4.5 stars** Tough Luck Cowboy is the second book in A.J. Pine’s Crossroads Ranch series and it’s another winner! Be sure to add this one to your TBR!
Luke Walker and Lily Green may have acted like they hated each other, but the chemistry between these two was combustible! Little did they know that each harbored feelings for the other. When they met 3 years ago at a line dancing bar, things did not go the way Luke planned that night and Lily ended up going home with his best friend Tucker and they later married. Fast forward to present day and Lily is getting a divorce, Tucker is getting remarried and Lily is catering the wedding! Oh, how things have changed…
When Luke is injured during a bull-riding competition, he’s forced to lay low for a while and forced into close proximity with Lily, the woman he’s secretly been in love with. But there’s no way he’s crossing the line, especially since Lily was married to his best friend. He also doesn’t do commitments and believes he can’t offer Lily what she deserves. The two of them can’t seem to keep their hands off each other though, even in the middle of a heated argument. There is no denying the chemistry between them and soon they stop trying to fight their feelings. But there are obstacles in their way and Luke and Lily will have to decide if what they have together is worth the risks for true love and happiness.
It isn’t an easy road to happily ever after for these two…but what a ride! A.J. Pine delivers another great read in the Crossroads Ranch series!
TOUGH LUCK COWBOY is the second full-length instalment in AJ Pine’s contemporary, adult CROSSROADS RANCH romance series. This is rodeo rider and rancher Luke Everett, and pastry chef /caterer Lily Green’s story line. TOUGH LUCK COWBOY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. Some of the premise crosses-over, and runs parallel to some of the events in the August 2018 novella Saved By the Cowboy.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Lily and Luke) TOUGH LUCK COWBOY follows the second chance relationship between rodeo rider and rancher Luke Everett, and twenty-seven year old, pastry chef /caterer Lily Green. Lily Green signed the divorce papers on her twenty-seventh birthday, feeling like a complete failure having never anticipated her husband’s affair. A perfectionist and list maker at heart, Lily knew she was difficult at times but our heroine had only ever loved one man, her ex-husband’s best friend Luke, a man she fell for, three years earlier, the same night she met Tucker Green. When Lily accidentally agrees to cater her ex-husband’s upcoming wedding, all bets are off when she is forced to work alongside the man she has loved from afar. Enter Luke Everett, rodeo rider, and the bane of Lily’s existence as our heroine believes Luke despises his best friend’s ex. What ensues is the rebuilding friendship and relationship between Lily and Luke, and the fall-out as an injured Luke is determined to re-enter the rodeo ring in the hopes of remaining on top.
The opportunity to cater the upcoming feast for a Food Network star, Lily has no idea that she has offered up her services for her ex-husband’s wedding. Struggling to make a name for herself, outside of her failed relationship with her ex-husband, Lily is hoping to succeed in a business where others have failed. Luke Everett knows that one more concussion could mean the end of his career. Badly injured in his last outing six weeks earlier, Luke struggles between head and heart when Lily gives our hero an ultimatum in order to save his life. Lily’s constant need to run is disconcerting especially as it reminds her of a man who left long ago.
The relationship between Lily and Luke is acrimonious at best; their constant bickering, back and forth, vitriol comments and accusations are hurtful especially when neither one is deserving of the other’s actions. Luke is unaware of his best friend’s affair, and Lily knows nothing about Luke’s feelings for her. The $ex scenes are intimate, passionate and seductive, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
TOUGH LUCK COWBOY is a story of family, pride, heart-break and second chances. The premise is engaging and lively; the characters are determined and challenging; the romance is provocative and intense. TOUGH LUCK COWBOY is an emotional and energetic story line.
Lily’s birthday is spent finalizing her divorce and offering to cater her now-ex-husband’s wedding. Talk about starting a book off with a bang!!
Luke and Lily seem to hate each other but when they end up being thrust together constantly, they have a chemistry that can only be described as explosive. Luke is a laid-back, reckless rodeo cowboy. Lily is a Type-A, driven chef. They seem so different which is why when they met, Luke differed to his friend. But the more time they spend together, the more their similarities come to light and their hate grows to more than either of them were expecting.
I loved Luke and Lily!! I was immediately pulling for them. Even though there was definitely some drama in their story, I felt like this book was mostly light and feel good. I am loving this Crossroads Ranch series and I can’t wait to see what happens in Walker’s book!
*This is my voluntary review of an advanced reader copy*