He’s come back to Copper Ridge, Oregon, to keep a promise–even if it means losing his heart…Putting down roots in Copper Ridge was never Alex Donnelly’s intention. But if there’s one thing the ex-military man knows, it’s that life rarely unfolds as expected. If it did, his best friend and brother-in-arms would still be alive. And Alex wouldn’t have inherited a ranch or responsibility for his … responsibility for his late comrade’s sister–a woman who, despite her inexperience, can bring tough-as-iron Alex to his knees.Clara Campbell didn’t ask for a hero to ride in and fix her ranch and her life. All she wants is the one thing stubborn, honorable Alex is reluctant to give: a chance to explore their intense chemistry. But Clara has a few lessons to teach him, too…about trusting his heart and his instincts, and letting love take him on the wildest adventure of all.
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Wild Ride Cowboy by Maisey Yates
Copper Ridge #9
The Donnellys #3
This is the first book I have read by this author but not my last. The book was well written, the characters well developed and the story believable. I enjoyed the story and when the book ended wanted to know more about the Donnelly brothers, the women at the winery Clara works part time at and wondered if Asher the barista would find love and if so with whom.
In this book Alex Donnelly has returned to the family ranch after being discharged from the military. He is there to help on the ranch but has also been given the task of helping his buddy Jason’s younger sister – now alone as both parents and her brother are dead. Clara Campbell is in a funk and crushing on a barista when Alex steps into her life and begins to drag her out of the doldrums. Though he is ten years older than her at twenty-one she is a woman and knows what she wants – Alex. There are ups and downs and issues to deal with BUT there is eventually a happily ever after and a hook for Liam Donnelly’s story which is next in line.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQN for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4 Stars
Always a good choice.
Clara Campbell has lost so much in her young life, her parents have passed, and now she is coping with the loss of her brother, who died during his deployment. She is drifting through life, still broken and wounded from all her losses, and not really dealing properly with all the responsibilities that have piled up since her brother’s passing… namely a certain sexy soldier who currently also happens to be her caretaker. Alex, her brother’s friend, has been left in charge of the ranch she lives on, the place she calls home, and anything else that might arise for the next year, problem is Clara wants nothing to do with him nor is willing to let him call the shots in her life. She doesn’t need a babysitter, and she doesn’t really need a constant reminder of her brother hanging around everyday… but Alex doesn’t seem to want to take the hint!
Alex Donnelly never really planned on making a return to Copper Ridge, let alone moving back their to start the next chapter of his life, but when his best friend loses his life in Afghanistan, Alex finds himself assigned to all the responsibilities he left behind. Namely his little sister Clara, she is young, all alone now, and Alex feels like it is his job to get her back on the straight and narrow, and help her heal after losing her brother, but she has no intentions of letting him in. She is beyond frustrating, but Alex isn’t about to walk away… he has a promise to keep!
Wild Ride Cowboy is a story of healing, hope, and second chances. This was my first visit to Copper Ridge and I have to say I really enjoyed my time with these two, Alex and Clara were quite the pair, they definitely kept me on my toes!! Alex had his hands full with his young damsel Clara, she was feisty and not willing to back down from his ultimate alpha tendencies, it was a lot of fun to watch them dance around one another, and dish out the banter! Their story was filled with moments that made me smile, moments that had me near tears, and moments that had me doing some serious swooning… overall I would say it was a successful first visit! Highly recommend this one, especially if you like good-hearted cowboys… Alex is sure to swoop in and steal your heart from the very first chapter!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.
I waited to write this review hoping I would be a bit less emotional mess than I was when I finished the book, but I don’t think there’s hope for that. I absolutely loved Alex and Clara and their story to happily ever after. I think this is my favorite Copper Ridge novel, it just hit me in the core, and touched every single emotion on its way.
Alex Donnelly is a war veteran, the youngest brother in the dysfunctional Donnelly family. His parents did a number on him by the emotional neglect, and enforcing the thoughts of him not being enough, not being valued or cared for. His best friend died while they are deployed, and left the family ranch for Alex’s care, to make sure his sister, Clara, will be set for life as the only surviving member of the family.
Clara Campbell (that last name with her eating habits is just perfect!) has lost every member of her family, yet she is surviving, barely functioning, yes, but continuing on. She has lived her life on the family ranch, teaching herself how to live, how to take care of herself and manage life with so much loss surrounding her. She is a virgin with limited life experience outside her safe circle, yet with a vast knowledge of life, loss, sorrow, and survival.
Her loneliness was heartbreaking, how death has taken everything dear to her, leaving her gasping. Yet I am not sure which is worse, her destiny, or the one of Alex’s where his parents choose to leave him behind and ignore him instead. They have the feelings of solitude and survival as the common factor as otherwise, they are the complete opposite.
The amount of emotion the author has managed to fit on each page of the story blew me away. The feelings are raw and real, they are tense and bottomless. They are both broken inside, vulnerable under the tough exterior. They have hidden the burden of pain from the world with smiles but with each other, they find the courage and the challenge to be true to themselves acceptable.
I love how the story was built with long, deep, difficult conversations where the characters had a chance to air out their emotions, their disappointments, and triumphs of life. The conversations between Alex and Clara, the talks between Alex and his brothers, they go deep into their thoughts and feelings, to a mentally naked place where there’s nothing left to hide. These characters truly get to know each other, giving a solid foundation to built their relationships on, instead of just being present, or physically satisfying their needs. They are able and willing to do the hard things to heal, to grow, and to find their peace and place in life.
The story is not all angst and tears, it is well built with a balance of dark and light. There are joy and cheer, there are moments of laughter, amusing banter, brotherly love, and passion and tenderness between a woman and a man. Yet instead of going overboard with sexual tension, the author goes deep and exposes all the difficult, hurtful inner thoughts and emotions, giving the story beautiful depth and graceful character development. Wild Ride Cowboy is easily one of my favorite stories from 2017
~ Five Spoons
starts off strong but fades toward last third of book
If you love characters with emotional baggage and books with a happily ever after, then you should read this.
I enjoy Maisey Yeats and her hometown cowboys and am moving on to the next one in the series.
I love Maisey Yates’ books…she’s funny and romantic and realistic all wrapped up into one!
I really enjoyed it. It was an easy read.
Wild Ride Cowboy is delectably stunning, emotionally intense and hard to let go of. She wants love, he needs love, but guilt and a promise stand in the way. For Clara life has been one devastating loss after another. Now the sole survivor of her once abundant family, she buries herself in work and unrequited dreams. Alex is a reminder of a loss too fresh to endure. Her brother’s best friend is dealing with his own grief and guilt. A promise has brought him face to face with destiny. Clara is the missing piece of his soul. Will he allow fear to deprive him of his heart’s desire? The feelings are heartbreakingly real, after all Copper Ridge is the place where second chances go to begin.