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Jubilee, Texas #1
The Cowboy Takes a Bride
Ex-champion bull rider-turned-cutting-horse cowboy Joe Daniels isn't quite sure how he ended up sleeping in a horse trough wearing nothing but his Stetson and cowboy boots. But now he's wide-awake, and a citified woman is glaring down at him. His goal? Get rid of her ASAP. The obstacle? Fighting the attraction he feels toward the blond-haired filly with the big, vulnerable eyes.
When out-of-work wedding planner Mariah Callahan learns that her estranged father has left her a rundown ranch in Jubilee, she has no choice but to accept it. Her goal? Redeem her career by planning local weddings. The obstacle? One emotionally wounded, hard-living cowboy who stirs her guilt, her heartstrings, and her long-burned cowgirl roots...
When out-of-work wedding planner Mariah Callahan learns that her estranged father has left her a rundown ranch in Jubilee, she has no choice but to accept it. Her goal? Redeem her career by planning local weddings. The obstacle? One emotionally wounded, hard-living cowboy who stirs her guilt, her heartstrings, and her long-burned cowgirl roots...
348 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 27, 2012
110 people are currently reading
2054 people want to read
About the author
Lori Wilde
397 books2,263 followersLori Wilde can’t remember a time when she didn’t want to write. She even went to nursing school so she could have a schedule flexible enough to allow her to write on the side. She nursed for 20 years, working in a variety of settings from the newborn nursery to the recovery room, to dialysis. But she never lost her desire to write.
She sold her first book in 1994 to Silhouette Romance but later discovered she had a flair for comedy and branched out to Harlequin Duets and now, to Blaze.
Lori is an adventuresome soul who loves to travel. She’s taken flying lessons, completed two marathons, rode in a hot-air balloon, performed with a professional jazz band, traveled Europe as a teenager, hiked volcanoes in Hawaii, trod on glaciers in Alaska, shot white-water rapids, water-skied, snow-skied, raced all-terrain vehicles, bodysurfed in the Gulf of Mexico, and photographed grizzly bears in Yellowstone.
She lives in her native Texas, with her own real-life hero, Bill.
She sold her first book in 1994 to Silhouette Romance but later discovered she had a flair for comedy and branched out to Harlequin Duets and now, to Blaze.
Lori is an adventuresome soul who loves to travel. She’s taken flying lessons, completed two marathons, rode in a hot-air balloon, performed with a professional jazz band, traveled Europe as a teenager, hiked volcanoes in Hawaii, trod on glaciers in Alaska, shot white-water rapids, water-skied, snow-skied, raced all-terrain vehicles, bodysurfed in the Gulf of Mexico, and photographed grizzly bears in Yellowstone.
She lives in her native Texas, with her own real-life hero, Bill.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
March 30, 2012
I finished it last night and I loved it! I am a fan of her series and this is going to be another good one I can tell. She really touched me with her portrayal of Mariah. there was definitely a chemistry between Joe and Mariah. I like the way her characters developed and grew beyond their childhood hurts. Couldn't put it down last night and I had a way to go but I wanted to find out how she was going to give them their HEA. It was a very touching ending too.
April 20, 2012
THE COWBOY TAKES A BRIDE by Lori Wilde
If I bloom where I am planted, do weeds have to show up?
When everything is taken away in Chicago for Mariah Callahan picking up and moving to Texas makes complete sense. Mariah’s estranged father left her his little piece of paradise that turns out to be a complete nightmare but she is going to make the best of it especially since she has nowhere else to go. Mariah’s father was the man she always wanted in her life while he choose to chase dreams and horses. Mariah hopes that this plot of dirt will turn out to be her second chance in life and maybe bring closure to a pain that will not go away.
After Mariah meets her neighbor, former bull rider, and horse cutter Joe Daniels, she quickly concludes he is absolutely the icing on a wedding cake but not quite as sweet. He is suffering over his own loss yet the draw between the two is hard to deny. The pull toward each other is strong but so is the fight to stay away from each other. Mariah has had one man choose his own life over her and she will not go through that again. However, Mariah also knows that is nothing wrong with living in the moment where you are living and Joe could be a wonderful added attraction.
Mariah wants to cut and run but the town turns out to be great and everyone is helping her set down roots, dang it. Joe wants her to stay because he knows with something in his future perhaps he can let go of the past. Mariah so stubborn and full of determination you would never hold her height against her. Building a new life is never easy and when unexpected surprises arrive in the mail decisions become difficult and finding out you are the problem in the relationship is definitely scary. Mariah keeps hearing how she is like her father, like her former boss, and too much like her father when maybe she is just when maybe it is none of the above and she is just as she is supposed to be.
Everyone looks for a great book and since Lori Wilde has written just that put your cowboy boots on and start reading. Let this story take you on a great ride through the difficulties of romance and the price you have to pay for love.
If I bloom where I am planted, do weeds have to show up?
When everything is taken away in Chicago for Mariah Callahan picking up and moving to Texas makes complete sense. Mariah’s estranged father left her his little piece of paradise that turns out to be a complete nightmare but she is going to make the best of it especially since she has nowhere else to go. Mariah’s father was the man she always wanted in her life while he choose to chase dreams and horses. Mariah hopes that this plot of dirt will turn out to be her second chance in life and maybe bring closure to a pain that will not go away.
After Mariah meets her neighbor, former bull rider, and horse cutter Joe Daniels, she quickly concludes he is absolutely the icing on a wedding cake but not quite as sweet. He is suffering over his own loss yet the draw between the two is hard to deny. The pull toward each other is strong but so is the fight to stay away from each other. Mariah has had one man choose his own life over her and she will not go through that again. However, Mariah also knows that is nothing wrong with living in the moment where you are living and Joe could be a wonderful added attraction.
Mariah wants to cut and run but the town turns out to be great and everyone is helping her set down roots, dang it. Joe wants her to stay because he knows with something in his future perhaps he can let go of the past. Mariah so stubborn and full of determination you would never hold her height against her. Building a new life is never easy and when unexpected surprises arrive in the mail decisions become difficult and finding out you are the problem in the relationship is definitely scary. Mariah keeps hearing how she is like her father, like her former boss, and too much like her father when maybe she is just when maybe it is none of the above and she is just as she is supposed to be.
Everyone looks for a great book and since Lori Wilde has written just that put your cowboy boots on and start reading. Let this story take you on a great ride through the difficulties of romance and the price you have to pay for love.
June 29, 2020
Loaded with clichés, angst and only a so-so romance. If I hadn't been listening while doing other things, I would have DNF the book. But, I had nothing better to do, so I finished it. The first scene was to best scene in the whole book. I should have quit while I was ahead.
Joe Daniels tied one on and who can blame him. He buried his best friend two years to the day after he buried his wife. When he wakes up and finds a sweet, young thing glaring daggers at him, well what's a cowboy to do?
Mariah Callahan has been fired and blackballed in Chicago. Out of money and low on luck she learns her estranged father has died leaving her his ranch. Well, she can sell quick and get out of Jubilee, Texas and on with her life.
From the minute Joe and Mariah lock eyes on each other, sparks fly. He wants to buy the ranch and get her gone. She stirs feelings he thought long dead. She is not about to get involved with a cowboy like her worthless father. Each of them have a lot to learn about the other on this very bumpy road to true love.
Joe Daniels tied one on and who can blame him. He buried his best friend two years to the day after he buried his wife. When he wakes up and finds a sweet, young thing glaring daggers at him, well what's a cowboy to do?
Mariah Callahan has been fired and blackballed in Chicago. Out of money and low on luck she learns her estranged father has died leaving her his ranch. Well, she can sell quick and get out of Jubilee, Texas and on with her life.
From the minute Joe and Mariah lock eyes on each other, sparks fly. He wants to buy the ranch and get her gone. She stirs feelings he thought long dead. She is not about to get involved with a cowboy like her worthless father. Each of them have a lot to learn about the other on this very bumpy road to true love.
March 28, 2012
"Has something happened?"
"Are you sitting down?"
"No."
"Sit down," Joe commanded.
"Just tell me," Mariah said, bracing for the worst.
"Dutch is dead," he blurted.
Mariah blinked, nibbled her bottom lip, felt...hollow. Hollow as a chocolate Easter bunny...
"You okay?"
"I'm fine. It's not like my life is going to change," she said quickly...
"Wait," he said. "Don't hang up."
Her hand tensed around the cell phone. "What is it?"
"Dutch left you his ranch."
When Miriah called back her father's number she wasn't sure what to expect. The two had been estranged for most of her life. She didn't expect to hear someone else's voice answer the phone and certainly didn't expect to find out he died and already had been buried. But what surprised her the most was that she'd inherited his ranch. The timing, however, couldn't have been better inheritance wise. She'd recently been fired from her prestigious position with one of Chicago's most elite Wedding Planners. It had been her dream job and she'd been devastated. To make matters worse, her former employer of 11 years had black balled her and she couldn't get a job anywhere. Sometimes life just doesn't go as planned even for someone whose primary job is to plan things.
Joe Daniels was a wealthy young widower who had just lost his best friend, Dutch. With only two years between the loss of his wife and his friend he was in mourning and not taking things very well. Dutch's death brought back the feelings of loss he'd only recently been able to put behind him from his wife's tragic death. So when Miranda first encountered him he was not at his best. She found him practically naked in nothing but his BVDs, Stetson, and boots passed out in a golden plated horse trough. After attempting to make him leave her newly acquired ranch by threatening to call the police, she found out she'd made a mistake..."this here is is Green Ridge Ranch, and I have a sneaking suspicion you're looking for Stone Creek." Oops! Not exactly the way you want to go about meeting your neighbor.
This was such an enjoyable read. In many ways Miriah and Joe are very similar. They both are relationship shy and both mourn, although, for different reasons. They try to deny their feelings for the other and are afraid of being hurt and/or left behind. Miriah's feelings stemming from her father's abandonment of her and her mother all those years ago. Joe's coming from loving then loosing his wife. In other ways, however, the two are very different. She's a city girl although she has country roots, while he's country through and through. He's rich and she's poor. He's got a loving and supportive large family, while she's only had her mother and herself to rely on. He knows what it's like to love, while she doesn't have a clue. Despite it all, or perhaps because of it all, each seems to be exactly what the other needs.
I enjoyed many of the background characters and the side story that was included. They helped to create the feeling of a caring and close knit community that is rarely seen these days. Of those character lurking in the background, Ila, Joe's sister-in-law and one of his oldest friends, was my favorite. She added a fun dimension to the story. She's secretly been harboring a crush on Joe for years and had been upset when he'd married her younger sister. If looks could kill, Miriah would be on her way to greener pastures because Ila was most definitely sending death glares her way.
Favorite lines/quotes/moments:
- "Never thump a man's Stetson...Unless you've got a death wish. You got a death wish?"
- "Will you look at that"...
"What is it?"
She peered at her ankle. He'd connected the teeth patterns and it formed the letter D.
"That rat snake marked you with my brand." His dark eyes met hers. "D for Daniels."
- "Listen to me and don't you forget it. Make no mistake. What we did last night means everything. From here on out, I'm your man."
- "Miriah took a bit. Mmm, it was the best cranberry--Suddenly, her mouth ignited, it was all she could do to swallow it down instead of spitting it out. "What is that?"
"My specialty, hellfire cranberry sauce." Gamma bragged. "Here you go." She extended a glass of water to Mariah that apparently she had at the ready. "Cranberries, orange zest, and habanero peppers. It was my husband's favorite thing about Thanksgiving. God rest his soul."
Eyes watering, mouth aflame, Miriah gulped the glass of water. "What did he die from? A seared esophagus?"
Overall, I rated this one 3 1/2 out of 5 roses. It was a wonderful blend of characters with a nice story line about love, loss, forgiveness, and letting go. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a FAN rating - the temperature in the room seems to have suddenly gone up a couple of degrees and a fan would be nice.
"Are you sitting down?"
"No."
"Sit down," Joe commanded.
"Just tell me," Mariah said, bracing for the worst.
"Dutch is dead," he blurted.
Mariah blinked, nibbled her bottom lip, felt...hollow. Hollow as a chocolate Easter bunny...
"You okay?"
"I'm fine. It's not like my life is going to change," she said quickly...
"Wait," he said. "Don't hang up."
Her hand tensed around the cell phone. "What is it?"
"Dutch left you his ranch."
When Miriah called back her father's number she wasn't sure what to expect. The two had been estranged for most of her life. She didn't expect to hear someone else's voice answer the phone and certainly didn't expect to find out he died and already had been buried. But what surprised her the most was that she'd inherited his ranch. The timing, however, couldn't have been better inheritance wise. She'd recently been fired from her prestigious position with one of Chicago's most elite Wedding Planners. It had been her dream job and she'd been devastated. To make matters worse, her former employer of 11 years had black balled her and she couldn't get a job anywhere. Sometimes life just doesn't go as planned even for someone whose primary job is to plan things.
Joe Daniels was a wealthy young widower who had just lost his best friend, Dutch. With only two years between the loss of his wife and his friend he was in mourning and not taking things very well. Dutch's death brought back the feelings of loss he'd only recently been able to put behind him from his wife's tragic death. So when Miranda first encountered him he was not at his best. She found him practically naked in nothing but his BVDs, Stetson, and boots passed out in a golden plated horse trough. After attempting to make him leave her newly acquired ranch by threatening to call the police, she found out she'd made a mistake..."this here is is Green Ridge Ranch, and I have a sneaking suspicion you're looking for Stone Creek." Oops! Not exactly the way you want to go about meeting your neighbor.
This was such an enjoyable read. In many ways Miriah and Joe are very similar. They both are relationship shy and both mourn, although, for different reasons. They try to deny their feelings for the other and are afraid of being hurt and/or left behind. Miriah's feelings stemming from her father's abandonment of her and her mother all those years ago. Joe's coming from loving then loosing his wife. In other ways, however, the two are very different. She's a city girl although she has country roots, while he's country through and through. He's rich and she's poor. He's got a loving and supportive large family, while she's only had her mother and herself to rely on. He knows what it's like to love, while she doesn't have a clue. Despite it all, or perhaps because of it all, each seems to be exactly what the other needs.
I enjoyed many of the background characters and the side story that was included. They helped to create the feeling of a caring and close knit community that is rarely seen these days. Of those character lurking in the background, Ila, Joe's sister-in-law and one of his oldest friends, was my favorite. She added a fun dimension to the story. She's secretly been harboring a crush on Joe for years and had been upset when he'd married her younger sister. If looks could kill, Miriah would be on her way to greener pastures because Ila was most definitely sending death glares her way.
Favorite lines/quotes/moments:
- "Never thump a man's Stetson...Unless you've got a death wish. You got a death wish?"
- "Will you look at that"...
"What is it?"
She peered at her ankle. He'd connected the teeth patterns and it formed the letter D.
"That rat snake marked you with my brand." His dark eyes met hers. "D for Daniels."
- "Listen to me and don't you forget it. Make no mistake. What we did last night means everything. From here on out, I'm your man."
- "Miriah took a bit. Mmm, it was the best cranberry--Suddenly, her mouth ignited, it was all she could do to swallow it down instead of spitting it out. "What is that?"
"My specialty, hellfire cranberry sauce." Gamma bragged. "Here you go." She extended a glass of water to Mariah that apparently she had at the ready. "Cranberries, orange zest, and habanero peppers. It was my husband's favorite thing about Thanksgiving. God rest his soul."
Eyes watering, mouth aflame, Miriah gulped the glass of water. "What did he die from? A seared esophagus?"
Overall, I rated this one 3 1/2 out of 5 roses. It was a wonderful blend of characters with a nice story line about love, loss, forgiveness, and letting go. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a FAN rating - the temperature in the room seems to have suddenly gone up a couple of degrees and a fan would be nice.
December 25, 2012
A traditional romance where not a lot happens - the tension and drama between the characters comes from internal sources "If I could only learn to trust again...." etc... which is somewhat at odds with what's actually happening in the book. For example Mariah desperately wants to belong and doesn't feel a part of anything yet within a couple of months of moving to Jubilee she has people who are co-signing loans for her. The mishmash of what that characters feel vs. what's playing out made it hard for me to like them and they came off as whinny. The climax is sweet, but a little low key and you're never in doubt of a HEA.
This book is sweet and I think it will appeal to those who like their characters on the softer side without any alpha posturing and it's a little more low key than some romances. I can't in any way say this is a "bad" book, it just doesn't appeal to my tastes.
This book is sweet and I think it will appeal to those who like their characters on the softer side without any alpha posturing and it's a little more low key than some romances. I can't in any way say this is a "bad" book, it just doesn't appeal to my tastes.
May 2, 2012
I thought I would like this book more but there was a decided lack of friendship between the two main characters that just allowed me to get bored with the book towards the end.
Overall, it's not bad. It's just a bit more emotionally involved than I'm used to, but I should have expected that given that Mariah's father's passing is what drove her to Texas and Joe.
I did get bored towards the end of the book, but that could've been because I just wanted to watch the NBA playoffs & not read.
The sample of her next book The Cowboy and the Princess did seem interesting, although it read like a historical romance, which is by far one of my least favorite genres.
Overall, it's not bad. It's just a bit more emotionally involved than I'm used to, but I should have expected that given that Mariah's father's passing is what drove her to Texas and Joe.
I did get bored towards the end of the book, but that could've been because I just wanted to watch the NBA playoffs & not read.
The sample of her next book The Cowboy and the Princess did seem interesting, although it read like a historical romance, which is by far one of my least favorite genres.
July 22, 2014
This was story telling at its best ! Mariah is a wedding planner in Chicago was now is out of work. Her world changes once she gets a call informing her that her estranged father has passed and left her his Ranch. Joe Daniels is one hot Cowboy, sweet, sarcastic, who is emotionally wounded and happens to be her neighbor. I won't give any details for finding out is the best part. But the chemistry is off the charts and the demons they have within are deep and tragic. This is my first book by this author and I can't wait for more. I want a Cowboy just like Joe !
November 29, 2017
Such a sweet book! I'm a fan or Lori Wilde and this book solidified why I enjoy her work. It goes to show that a person should never be judged by the cover of their book.
April 2, 2012
This Two-Fer Review posted on Guilty Pleasures
Rhys's Thoughts:
For Mariah Callahan, finding out that tragedy has struck her life and sent her spirally back to her childhood isn't something that she relishes. But it couldn't have come at a better time. With her life in Chicago in shambles, a chance to get away and hide from the world sounds like the best thing she has heard in quite awhile. With a mix up on directions, and a meeting with a half naked drunken cowboy be the thing that makes her change how she sees the world or will another tragedy and some missteps make her want her old life back more than ever?
Joe Daniels is going to get good and drunk...again. If the alcohol can numb the pain of loss before than he is damned if he isn't going to make it happen again. Not only has he lost his wife but now he has lost his best friend. With nothing and no one left to keep him going, getting drunk in a horse trough sounds like a pretty good idea. But coming face to face with a look a like of his deceased wife is just enough to make Joe wake up and pay attention. If only he can get her to stick around long enough, he may just have found the right person to make him whole again. With tragedy and heartbreak at every turn can these two see that with the other than can make anything bearable or will each problem just tear them further apart?
This was a great story, and yet another example of what a great author that Lori Wilde is. I have read several of her books in the past and have loved each and every one of her characters. Not only are they life like and complicated, each of them is broken in some way that only the counterpart character can mend. If you are looking for a great story that is full of funny moments and yet will bring tears to your eyes, than this is the story for you. Lori Wilde has done it again and made me a forever reader of her works!!
Rhys gives The Cowboy Takes A Bride Four Stars and a Recommended Read.
DiDi's Thoughts:
The Cowboy Takes A Bride enchanted me from the moment I saw the cover until I read the last word of Mariah and Joe's emotional, funny and sweet story.
Jobless, homeless and broke, Mariah returns to Jubilee after the death of her absentee father, Dutch, who left her his ranch. Upon her return, the first thing she comes across is a drunk, naked cowboy sitting in a horse trough, who happens to be her neighbor and late father's best friend, Joe Delaney. Due to her father's desertion, Mariah already has a dislike for cowboys so she immediately judges Joe as a drunk, no good cowboy. Joe looks up to find a mirage of his late wife, when he realizes it is his best friend's long lost daughter, his anger about the way she treated Dutch colors his judgement of her. The two have made up their minds, Mariah is selling the ranch ASAP and heading out and Joe is buying it to get her out of Jubliee. Only problem is Joe's money is tied up for two months, so he gets Mariah to agree to stay for two months, then he will pay her cash for the land.
Fate intervenes and throws Joe and Mariah together, they both fight their attraction to each other as hard as they can, both have so many issues, you begin to wonder how it could possibly work out. On top of their own emotional issues, Joe is a cowboy, which is the exact opposite of what Mariah wants in a man and Mariah has a city girl sass, something that intrigues and irritates Joe at the same time. During the two months Joe and Mariah go on a journey of healing, retrospect and discovery. Joe has to get over the loss of his wife, Mariah has to come to grips with who her father was, why he left her, guilty because she did not reach out to him and who she really is.
The story is well paced, Joe and Mariah have a strong chemistry but they do not jump right into bed together, they take their time, get to know each other, which is one of the things I really enjoyed in this book, we got to "see" them falling in love, we witness intimate conversations between them, not only in bed, but also when they are trying to get to know each other. The ending is perfect, emotional and sweet, followed by an equally sweet and sexy epilogue.
The Cowboy Takes A Bride is a story about two wounded souls who have to learn to deal with the past in order to move into the future. It is full of tears, chemistry and laughter. The secondary cast and the town of Jubilee make me want to rent a U-Haul and head up I-45 North to find my own Jubilee.
One of my favorite lines:
"His grin could drop a buckle bunny at fifty paces."
DiDi gives The Cowboy Takes A Bride Four Stars and a Recommended Read
Rhys's Thoughts:
For Mariah Callahan, finding out that tragedy has struck her life and sent her spirally back to her childhood isn't something that she relishes. But it couldn't have come at a better time. With her life in Chicago in shambles, a chance to get away and hide from the world sounds like the best thing she has heard in quite awhile. With a mix up on directions, and a meeting with a half naked drunken cowboy be the thing that makes her change how she sees the world or will another tragedy and some missteps make her want her old life back more than ever?
Joe Daniels is going to get good and drunk...again. If the alcohol can numb the pain of loss before than he is damned if he isn't going to make it happen again. Not only has he lost his wife but now he has lost his best friend. With nothing and no one left to keep him going, getting drunk in a horse trough sounds like a pretty good idea. But coming face to face with a look a like of his deceased wife is just enough to make Joe wake up and pay attention. If only he can get her to stick around long enough, he may just have found the right person to make him whole again. With tragedy and heartbreak at every turn can these two see that with the other than can make anything bearable or will each problem just tear them further apart?
This was a great story, and yet another example of what a great author that Lori Wilde is. I have read several of her books in the past and have loved each and every one of her characters. Not only are they life like and complicated, each of them is broken in some way that only the counterpart character can mend. If you are looking for a great story that is full of funny moments and yet will bring tears to your eyes, than this is the story for you. Lori Wilde has done it again and made me a forever reader of her works!!
Rhys gives The Cowboy Takes A Bride Four Stars and a Recommended Read.
DiDi's Thoughts:
The Cowboy Takes A Bride enchanted me from the moment I saw the cover until I read the last word of Mariah and Joe's emotional, funny and sweet story.
Jobless, homeless and broke, Mariah returns to Jubilee after the death of her absentee father, Dutch, who left her his ranch. Upon her return, the first thing she comes across is a drunk, naked cowboy sitting in a horse trough, who happens to be her neighbor and late father's best friend, Joe Delaney. Due to her father's desertion, Mariah already has a dislike for cowboys so she immediately judges Joe as a drunk, no good cowboy. Joe looks up to find a mirage of his late wife, when he realizes it is his best friend's long lost daughter, his anger about the way she treated Dutch colors his judgement of her. The two have made up their minds, Mariah is selling the ranch ASAP and heading out and Joe is buying it to get her out of Jubliee. Only problem is Joe's money is tied up for two months, so he gets Mariah to agree to stay for two months, then he will pay her cash for the land.
Fate intervenes and throws Joe and Mariah together, they both fight their attraction to each other as hard as they can, both have so many issues, you begin to wonder how it could possibly work out. On top of their own emotional issues, Joe is a cowboy, which is the exact opposite of what Mariah wants in a man and Mariah has a city girl sass, something that intrigues and irritates Joe at the same time. During the two months Joe and Mariah go on a journey of healing, retrospect and discovery. Joe has to get over the loss of his wife, Mariah has to come to grips with who her father was, why he left her, guilty because she did not reach out to him and who she really is.
The story is well paced, Joe and Mariah have a strong chemistry but they do not jump right into bed together, they take their time, get to know each other, which is one of the things I really enjoyed in this book, we got to "see" them falling in love, we witness intimate conversations between them, not only in bed, but also when they are trying to get to know each other. The ending is perfect, emotional and sweet, followed by an equally sweet and sexy epilogue.
The Cowboy Takes A Bride is a story about two wounded souls who have to learn to deal with the past in order to move into the future. It is full of tears, chemistry and laughter. The secondary cast and the town of Jubilee make me want to rent a U-Haul and head up I-45 North to find my own Jubilee.
One of my favorite lines:
"His grin could drop a buckle bunny at fifty paces."
DiDi gives The Cowboy Takes A Bride Four Stars and a Recommended Read
June 5, 2014
Originally Posted On My Site At Addicted To Romance
Mariah Callahan has just lost her job as the assistant to a well known wedding planner in Chicago, and then her estranged father dies, and leaves her his home. So Mariah figures she has nothing to lose, so she drives down to Jubilee, Texas. Then she finds a sexy as sin cowboy practically naked except for his boots in a horse trough, and she knows she is in trouble with this man. Joe Daniels, a recent widower, and ex champion bull rider, is not ready for any relationship until he stumbles across Dutches daughter. Joe at first closes himself off from Mariah, knowing he isn't fully over his past wife yet, and the last thing he needs is one more complication in his life. But Mariah finds herself drawn not only to Joe, but the small quaint town of Jubilee, and only wants to find some purpose in her life. But when life takes a turn, and Mariah and Joe can't deny their attraction to each other, they may be in for one wild ride!!!
The Cowboy Takes A Bride is the first book in the Jubilee series, and even though this isn't the first time for me to try this author out, this book may be my favorite book she has written so far. I can't even believe that I have waited so long to read this one, when its been on the shelves of my library for quite some time. It has been quite some time since I have been pulled completely in with a contemporary romance, but when you mix it in with one sexy cowboy, a house that is falling apart, and a heroine searching for love and purpose in life, I just can't resist. There wasn't anything I didn't like about this book, I LOVED everything about this story. I can barely contain my excitement of this title, and how much I adored every moment I was able to soak it in.
The beginning scene is the most perfect way for this story to begin, and boy did I love the sparks that explodes between Mariah and Joe. From the first few pages, you see the attraction. Joe ,has been struggling with his late wife's death, and doesn't think he can ever love again. At the first scene, he is recovering from a period of being drunk, and drowning his sorrows away, and what happens next...a woman with fire in her eyes, orders him off his own land (but she thinks it is her land) Oh the story is just getting good right??? Well then he learns who she is, and all his senses flare up, and before he knows it he is engaging some sexy flirting, helping her when she needs a helping hand...and kissing the one woman that fires his blood like none other. Mariah has never been in a serious relationship, and doesn't have high expectations from Joe, but her heart starts to get involved, and she knows she could lose her heart to him.
I just loved the way this author tells this romance....makes you want to dream of cowboys that can kiss you breathless, a love story that is priceless and heart wrenching. Its bound to bring a tear to your eyes and some laughs to bubble up when you least expect it to happen. A TRUE GEM OF A ROMANCE!!! It will knock your boots off!!
Mariah Callahan has just lost her job as the assistant to a well known wedding planner in Chicago, and then her estranged father dies, and leaves her his home. So Mariah figures she has nothing to lose, so she drives down to Jubilee, Texas. Then she finds a sexy as sin cowboy practically naked except for his boots in a horse trough, and she knows she is in trouble with this man. Joe Daniels, a recent widower, and ex champion bull rider, is not ready for any relationship until he stumbles across Dutches daughter. Joe at first closes himself off from Mariah, knowing he isn't fully over his past wife yet, and the last thing he needs is one more complication in his life. But Mariah finds herself drawn not only to Joe, but the small quaint town of Jubilee, and only wants to find some purpose in her life. But when life takes a turn, and Mariah and Joe can't deny their attraction to each other, they may be in for one wild ride!!!
The Cowboy Takes A Bride is the first book in the Jubilee series, and even though this isn't the first time for me to try this author out, this book may be my favorite book she has written so far. I can't even believe that I have waited so long to read this one, when its been on the shelves of my library for quite some time. It has been quite some time since I have been pulled completely in with a contemporary romance, but when you mix it in with one sexy cowboy, a house that is falling apart, and a heroine searching for love and purpose in life, I just can't resist. There wasn't anything I didn't like about this book, I LOVED everything about this story. I can barely contain my excitement of this title, and how much I adored every moment I was able to soak it in.
The beginning scene is the most perfect way for this story to begin, and boy did I love the sparks that explodes between Mariah and Joe. From the first few pages, you see the attraction. Joe ,has been struggling with his late wife's death, and doesn't think he can ever love again. At the first scene, he is recovering from a period of being drunk, and drowning his sorrows away, and what happens next...a woman with fire in her eyes, orders him off his own land (but she thinks it is her land) Oh the story is just getting good right??? Well then he learns who she is, and all his senses flare up, and before he knows it he is engaging some sexy flirting, helping her when she needs a helping hand...and kissing the one woman that fires his blood like none other. Mariah has never been in a serious relationship, and doesn't have high expectations from Joe, but her heart starts to get involved, and she knows she could lose her heart to him.
I just loved the way this author tells this romance....makes you want to dream of cowboys that can kiss you breathless, a love story that is priceless and heart wrenching. Its bound to bring a tear to your eyes and some laughs to bubble up when you least expect it to happen. A TRUE GEM OF A ROMANCE!!! It will knock your boots off!!
September 16, 2015
A mix of good and meh. For me the meh outweighed the good. So, 2.5.
The good: Despite sexual chemistry that's incendiary, the two leads hold off and hold off and hold off until they know each other fairly well through ongoing proximity and plenty of conversations. It's refreshing. I really liked that. After a while it seemed a bit less believable though...it went on a bit too long for reality.
There's a secondary romance between a tall woman and a short man. Yay! We basically never see this in books. And being tall myself, this made me happy to see.
The heroine has gumption and absolutely takes care of herself. After moving to a strange new place with only a couple of hundred bucks in her purse, she gets a job, she starts a small business, she fixes up a home, she makes new friends, she is afraid but puts on her game face.
The meh:
Ok it's romance-land where the normal rules of reality do not apply. So despite the fact that nobody can "black ball" you so you can't get any sort of job -even waiting tables - in a big city like Chicago, we have to suspend disbelief because the plot needs us to. We also have to believe that a wedding chapel can be designed by an architect and built with permits in place within the space of a couple of months. And that an adult can recall a bunch of things that happened when they were 3 years old (nope, that's been scientifically disproven), that a woman would accept a gift of approx $400 boots from a man she barely knows, and that if you haven't ridden a horse in years, you can just hop on for an hour's athletic ride doing "cutting" and not feel it in your thighs the second you get off.
So, yeah, too much damn disbelief. I began to feel like the author thinks I'm stupid.
My biggest concern though was for the romance itself. Firstly the book's biggest hurdle is the hero's love for his first wife who died two years before. Turns out they were only married for two years. And not together for much longer than that as they were not age mates in High School and the hero is less than 30 now. So, do the math. Yes, sure, you loved your first wife, but this is too much melodrama over her. (Plus, after two years, why hasn't he gotten rid of more of her stuff, or given it back to her family?)
The book's second big hurdle is the whole, "don't marry a cutter, men who are more in love with their work than you are not a good thing." The heroine is continually reminded of this - her Dad was a cutter who abandoned her as a child largely due to it. Her dad even writes her a letter saying this! Everyone else in the town, who are cutters, talk about nothing but horses and the sport. So, this poor heroine is not only falling in love with one, but living surrounded by them.
This concern is to my mind never resolved. The couple make promises to each other flush in new love. But I don't see much reason to believe these will pan out long term.
Effectively on this point the story leaves romance-land and takes a turn onto fairy tale lane. And I just could not make myself follow it there.
The good: Despite sexual chemistry that's incendiary, the two leads hold off and hold off and hold off until they know each other fairly well through ongoing proximity and plenty of conversations. It's refreshing. I really liked that. After a while it seemed a bit less believable though...it went on a bit too long for reality.
There's a secondary romance between a tall woman and a short man. Yay! We basically never see this in books. And being tall myself, this made me happy to see.
The heroine has gumption and absolutely takes care of herself. After moving to a strange new place with only a couple of hundred bucks in her purse, she gets a job, she starts a small business, she fixes up a home, she makes new friends, she is afraid but puts on her game face.
The meh:
Ok it's romance-land where the normal rules of reality do not apply. So despite the fact that nobody can "black ball" you so you can't get any sort of job -even waiting tables - in a big city like Chicago, we have to suspend disbelief because the plot needs us to. We also have to believe that a wedding chapel can be designed by an architect and built with permits in place within the space of a couple of months. And that an adult can recall a bunch of things that happened when they were 3 years old (nope, that's been scientifically disproven), that a woman would accept a gift of approx $400 boots from a man she barely knows, and that if you haven't ridden a horse in years, you can just hop on for an hour's athletic ride doing "cutting" and not feel it in your thighs the second you get off.
So, yeah, too much damn disbelief. I began to feel like the author thinks I'm stupid.
My biggest concern though was for the romance itself. Firstly the book's biggest hurdle is the hero's love for his first wife who died two years before. Turns out they were only married for two years. And not together for much longer than that as they were not age mates in High School and the hero is less than 30 now. So, do the math. Yes, sure, you loved your first wife, but this is too much melodrama over her. (Plus, after two years, why hasn't he gotten rid of more of her stuff, or given it back to her family?)
The book's second big hurdle is the whole, "don't marry a cutter, men who are more in love with their work than you are not a good thing." The heroine is continually reminded of this - her Dad was a cutter who abandoned her as a child largely due to it. Her dad even writes her a letter saying this! Everyone else in the town, who are cutters, talk about nothing but horses and the sport. So, this poor heroine is not only falling in love with one, but living surrounded by them.
This concern is to my mind never resolved. The couple make promises to each other flush in new love. But I don't see much reason to believe these will pan out long term.
Effectively on this point the story leaves romance-land and takes a turn onto fairy tale lane. And I just could not make myself follow it there.
March 29, 2012
Good sense comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from actin' like a damn fool.
-Dutch Callahan
In the first book of Lori Wilde's New Series, Jubilee, Texas, we meet Ex-champion bull rider-turned-cutting-horse cowboy, Joe Daniels, who wakes up to see this little blond spit-fire staring down at him while he is lying half-naked in a horse trough. Talk about a HELLO!!
Mariah Callahan has nothing left, no job, no money, no home in Chicago and her mother is a newlywed living in Argentina with Iggy, the love of her life. What else is Mariah to do but head to Jubilee and claim the Ranch that her estranged has left her. She plans to sell the property as soon as she can and finally get her own Wedding Planning business off the ground, but how can she think about anything but a certain emotionally wounded, hard-living cowboy who stirs her guilt, her heartstrings, and her long-burned cowgirl roots.
OH BOY.....did Lori Wilde start out with a bang in Jubilee, Texas.....You know its the Horse Cutting Heartland....haha....you will get it once you read it. I was tearing up within the first few chapters, maybe even the first few pages. I FLEW through this book, page after page, wanting to know what would happen next. This book touched my heart and held on tight. I would definitely compare this book to a Kristan Higgins Novel, which ALWAYS has me bawling like a baby.
I think Joe Daniels has crawled into a little spot of my heart and I'm not sure that I'll ever let him go. I think I'll remember Joe and Mariah for a long, long time. If you have ever lost a loved one, or have lost the one that you loved more than anything, then you will be able to relate to Joe and what he is going through. I was in love the second that Mariah started to worm her way into that hole left in Joe's chest where his heart used to be. The build-up of the romance between them was sweet, and sexy, and sometimes STEAMY...like those hidden kisses against.....oh wait...sorry...almost gave it away.
I have to say that I did LOVE Mariah Callahan from the start. She was vulnerable, sweet, at times a spit-fire and she never backed down when it came to Joe Daniels and his grief, but she wasn't going to be a replacement for what he lost and she wasn't going to be with someone who would just leave her, just the way her father did all those years ago.
Oh...SO MUCH EMOTION, so much pain and grief, so much regret and sorrow, you can't help but feel for these two, who if they just let go of all the pain could really love each other and love each other good!!
So my recommendation is to READ THIS BOOK!! I adored it!! I couldn't put it down and for that to happen...you know its GOOD!!!
If you haven't read anything by Lori Wilde, try The Cowboy Takes a Bride....you wont be sorry!!!
-Dutch Callahan
In the first book of Lori Wilde's New Series, Jubilee, Texas, we meet Ex-champion bull rider-turned-cutting-horse cowboy, Joe Daniels, who wakes up to see this little blond spit-fire staring down at him while he is lying half-naked in a horse trough. Talk about a HELLO!!
Mariah Callahan has nothing left, no job, no money, no home in Chicago and her mother is a newlywed living in Argentina with Iggy, the love of her life. What else is Mariah to do but head to Jubilee and claim the Ranch that her estranged has left her. She plans to sell the property as soon as she can and finally get her own Wedding Planning business off the ground, but how can she think about anything but a certain emotionally wounded, hard-living cowboy who stirs her guilt, her heartstrings, and her long-burned cowgirl roots.
OH BOY.....did Lori Wilde start out with a bang in Jubilee, Texas.....You know its the Horse Cutting Heartland....haha....you will get it once you read it. I was tearing up within the first few chapters, maybe even the first few pages. I FLEW through this book, page after page, wanting to know what would happen next. This book touched my heart and held on tight. I would definitely compare this book to a Kristan Higgins Novel, which ALWAYS has me bawling like a baby.
I think Joe Daniels has crawled into a little spot of my heart and I'm not sure that I'll ever let him go. I think I'll remember Joe and Mariah for a long, long time. If you have ever lost a loved one, or have lost the one that you loved more than anything, then you will be able to relate to Joe and what he is going through. I was in love the second that Mariah started to worm her way into that hole left in Joe's chest where his heart used to be. The build-up of the romance between them was sweet, and sexy, and sometimes STEAMY...like those hidden kisses against.....oh wait...sorry...almost gave it away.
I have to say that I did LOVE Mariah Callahan from the start. She was vulnerable, sweet, at times a spit-fire and she never backed down when it came to Joe Daniels and his grief, but she wasn't going to be a replacement for what he lost and she wasn't going to be with someone who would just leave her, just the way her father did all those years ago.
Oh...SO MUCH EMOTION, so much pain and grief, so much regret and sorrow, you can't help but feel for these two, who if they just let go of all the pain could really love each other and love each other good!!
So my recommendation is to READ THIS BOOK!! I adored it!! I couldn't put it down and for that to happen...you know its GOOD!!!
If you haven't read anything by Lori Wilde, try The Cowboy Takes a Bride....you wont be sorry!!!
March 11, 2012
Rating: B
This was a funny and sweet romance with a cowboy who's still holding on to his past love and a city gal who's desperate to get back where she thinks she belongs. Most of the time it's light, showing how humor and kindness can make even the biggest problems seem smaller. But it does have some serious moments as Wilde allows the characters to reveal their fears, making them more real and less the stereo-typical cowboy and big city gal.
Mariah Callahan is in for a surprise when she heads to Texas to take possession of the ranch her estranged father left her after his death. She doesn't hesitate to leave Chicago since she is out of work and nearly out of money. What comes as even more of a surprise than her sudden inheritance is her neighbor, good-looking cowboy Joe Daniels.
Joe Daniels has had a couple of rough years. He's recently widowed and now he's lost his best friend. He lives for his horses, one in particular that is the legacy from Dutch Callahan, his best friend and Mariah's father. Joe's focus is on winning the next competition but he manages to make time for Mariah. It's interesting to see how Joe feels responsible for Mariah and when he begins to fall for her, it's a combination of that responsibility and the attraction that keeps him near Mariah. Joe's still holding on to the past but slowly lets go as he sees a possible future with Mariah. Even with his faults, Joe is one of those heroes that's easy to like.
The relationship between Mariah and Joe is there before they meet. The attraction is certainly there, but more than that, Joe is a link to Mariah's father. Mariah learns more about her father, much from Joe, which causes some jealousy and resentment on Mariah's part. I did like how their relationship developed from annoyance to genuine respect for each other. Mariah did go back and forth when deciding whether to stay or go. She kept changing her attitude from a "can do" attitude to a defeatist attitude. Once she made up her mind to make a go of the wedding planning in Jubilee she was a force to be reckoned with. Then a few setbacks had her ready to pick up and leave. She seemed to give up too easily after working so hard.
Small town charm envelopes Mariah, giving her hope in her new business venture. Joe is there to help her, along with the group of eclectic cowboys or "cutters" as they are known. I did like the setting even if it was the quintessential small ranching town with cowboys coming out of the woodwork. The antagonist is weak and really didn't add much to the story. He could have easily been replaced or cut out completely and not missed. He created some friction but it could have been achieved in other ways, saving us from his lackluster depiction.
The Cowboy Takes a Bride is a tender, often humorous romance. It's an easy read, and enjoyable if you like small town settings and cowboys.
This was a funny and sweet romance with a cowboy who's still holding on to his past love and a city gal who's desperate to get back where she thinks she belongs. Most of the time it's light, showing how humor and kindness can make even the biggest problems seem smaller. But it does have some serious moments as Wilde allows the characters to reveal their fears, making them more real and less the stereo-typical cowboy and big city gal.
Mariah Callahan is in for a surprise when she heads to Texas to take possession of the ranch her estranged father left her after his death. She doesn't hesitate to leave Chicago since she is out of work and nearly out of money. What comes as even more of a surprise than her sudden inheritance is her neighbor, good-looking cowboy Joe Daniels.
Joe Daniels has had a couple of rough years. He's recently widowed and now he's lost his best friend. He lives for his horses, one in particular that is the legacy from Dutch Callahan, his best friend and Mariah's father. Joe's focus is on winning the next competition but he manages to make time for Mariah. It's interesting to see how Joe feels responsible for Mariah and when he begins to fall for her, it's a combination of that responsibility and the attraction that keeps him near Mariah. Joe's still holding on to the past but slowly lets go as he sees a possible future with Mariah. Even with his faults, Joe is one of those heroes that's easy to like.
The relationship between Mariah and Joe is there before they meet. The attraction is certainly there, but more than that, Joe is a link to Mariah's father. Mariah learns more about her father, much from Joe, which causes some jealousy and resentment on Mariah's part. I did like how their relationship developed from annoyance to genuine respect for each other. Mariah did go back and forth when deciding whether to stay or go. She kept changing her attitude from a "can do" attitude to a defeatist attitude. Once she made up her mind to make a go of the wedding planning in Jubilee she was a force to be reckoned with. Then a few setbacks had her ready to pick up and leave. She seemed to give up too easily after working so hard.
Small town charm envelopes Mariah, giving her hope in her new business venture. Joe is there to help her, along with the group of eclectic cowboys or "cutters" as they are known. I did like the setting even if it was the quintessential small ranching town with cowboys coming out of the woodwork. The antagonist is weak and really didn't add much to the story. He could have easily been replaced or cut out completely and not missed. He created some friction but it could have been achieved in other ways, saving us from his lackluster depiction.
The Cowboy Takes a Bride is a tender, often humorous romance. It's an easy read, and enjoyable if you like small town settings and cowboys.
February 26, 2012
Mariah Callahan was a big time wedding planner in Chicago, and then her boss fires her. She is at loose ends when she receives a call that her estranged cowboy dad has died and has left her his ranch. Not having a job or any prospects she heads to Jubilee, Texas.
Joe Daniels is a horse man who was best buds with Mariah’s dad, Dutch. When Joe lost his wife two years ago, Dutch saved him from himself. Joe has some opinions about the daughter who never contacted her father. He doesn’t want to like the big city girl who comes off as cold and aloof at first, but it takes him all of about five minutes to see past her cool demeanor.
Mariah and Joe are both battling their ghosts. Mariah is trying to overcome the bitterness of a father who seemed to be so well loved, but left her when she was so young. Just when Joe is coming to grips with his wife’s death, his best friend dies. These are two people with very broken hearts.
Although this story gets hokey at times, I really enjoyed it. I blew through this book in a day getting totally wrapped up in Mariah and Joe’s wounded hearts mending together. There is so much more than meets the eye with both characters and as they get to know one another more, their characters become more appealing to each other and to the reader.
I could have done without all the Sleepless In Seattle references, it was just too much for me. I thought the comparison unnecessary and it really didn’t add any validity to the tale, I think it actually made the story seem less real. Joe and Mariah didn’t need the extra drama or comparisons, the author was doing fine on her own establishing their story, adding the movie into it just distracted me.
This book was surprisingly light and refreshing despite the heavy emotional content. The characters are wonderful, the town inviting, and I think the series is off to a great start!
Cherise Everhard, February 2012
Joe Daniels is a horse man who was best buds with Mariah’s dad, Dutch. When Joe lost his wife two years ago, Dutch saved him from himself. Joe has some opinions about the daughter who never contacted her father. He doesn’t want to like the big city girl who comes off as cold and aloof at first, but it takes him all of about five minutes to see past her cool demeanor.
Mariah and Joe are both battling their ghosts. Mariah is trying to overcome the bitterness of a father who seemed to be so well loved, but left her when she was so young. Just when Joe is coming to grips with his wife’s death, his best friend dies. These are two people with very broken hearts.
Although this story gets hokey at times, I really enjoyed it. I blew through this book in a day getting totally wrapped up in Mariah and Joe’s wounded hearts mending together. There is so much more than meets the eye with both characters and as they get to know one another more, their characters become more appealing to each other and to the reader.
I could have done without all the Sleepless In Seattle references, it was just too much for me. I thought the comparison unnecessary and it really didn’t add any validity to the tale, I think it actually made the story seem less real. Joe and Mariah didn’t need the extra drama or comparisons, the author was doing fine on her own establishing their story, adding the movie into it just distracted me.
This book was surprisingly light and refreshing despite the heavy emotional content. The characters are wonderful, the town inviting, and I think the series is off to a great start!
Cherise Everhard, February 2012
March 4, 2012
Received this ARC from Amazon Vine.
This is an emotion packed book that will make you laugh and make you cry. Mariah’s plight comes right off the page and you can't help but love her. Her confusion over her feelings for Dutch and Joe tears her, and me, in two.
Mariah and Joe come together, two people who never expected to find someone to love. Joe never thought he could have a permanent attachment to a woman, after the death of his wife. Mariah career driven attitude didn’t allow for a social life; even though the one thing she fears most is being alone.
Mariah Callahan was completing how she, a successful wedding planner assistant from Chicago, got to this place in time. Well…let’s see…cause & effect.
Cause ~ fired from her job and blackballed in the industry; therefore she has been unemployed for the past 3 months; ~~ Cause ~ long stint of unemployment meant she wasn’t able to pay her rent; therefore she got evicted for her apartment; ~~ Cause ~ estranged father pasts away; therefore she inherited the Stone Creek Ranch.
So Mariah, an unemployed ~ homeless ~ reluctant ranch owner, relocates to Julilee, Texas. That is when the story really begins.
This is the first book I have read by Lori Wilde. However, after this installment I quickly went to her blog and was happy to see that she has 2 more installments to the Julilee, TX series tentatively scheduled for later this year.
The Cowboy and the Princess, August 2012
A Cowboy for Christmas, October 2012
This is an emotion packed book that will make you laugh and make you cry. Mariah’s plight comes right off the page and you can't help but love her. Her confusion over her feelings for Dutch and Joe tears her, and me, in two.
Mariah and Joe come together, two people who never expected to find someone to love. Joe never thought he could have a permanent attachment to a woman, after the death of his wife. Mariah career driven attitude didn’t allow for a social life; even though the one thing she fears most is being alone.
Mariah Callahan was completing how she, a successful wedding planner assistant from Chicago, got to this place in time. Well…let’s see…cause & effect.
Cause ~ fired from her job and blackballed in the industry; therefore she has been unemployed for the past 3 months; ~~ Cause ~ long stint of unemployment meant she wasn’t able to pay her rent; therefore she got evicted for her apartment; ~~ Cause ~ estranged father pasts away; therefore she inherited the Stone Creek Ranch.
So Mariah, an unemployed ~ homeless ~ reluctant ranch owner, relocates to Julilee, Texas. That is when the story really begins.
This is the first book I have read by Lori Wilde. However, after this installment I quickly went to her blog and was happy to see that she has 2 more installments to the Julilee, TX series tentatively scheduled for later this year.
The Cowboy and the Princess, August 2012
A Cowboy for Christmas, October 2012
February 13, 2013
Let me start by saying I am not a fan of Westerns, don't care for country music, and don't have a particular draw towards cowboys. However, this book was just very well written and I'm glad I read it. Annie has lost her job and found out that her estranged father has died and left her his property in Texas. She goes down there from Chicago to find that she not only has to deal with her own memories, but also the memories of people who knew him better. One of those people was his best friend, who is a widower knocked for a loop by Dutch's death. Needless to say, Annie and Joe don't hit it off immediately, despite their attraction.
This book deals so well with grief, loss, and reconciliation, that it was quite poignant at times. However, it also has great humor, mildly eccentric characters, and a very sweet relationship. There is also a subplot about another relationship that is also sweet, too. There are moments of romance, but mostly the actions are those of real people. This book is really a joy, without false drama or contrived situations, but with some of the difficulties faced in life. And on a side note, I appreciated that Annie and Joe weren't drawn together because of their shared histories, they have very different pasts, but each bring something important to the other.
So, I don't know that I will read more Westerns, but I definitely recommend Lori Wilde as an author.
This book deals so well with grief, loss, and reconciliation, that it was quite poignant at times. However, it also has great humor, mildly eccentric characters, and a very sweet relationship. There is also a subplot about another relationship that is also sweet, too. There are moments of romance, but mostly the actions are those of real people. This book is really a joy, without false drama or contrived situations, but with some of the difficulties faced in life. And on a side note, I appreciated that Annie and Joe weren't drawn together because of their shared histories, they have very different pasts, but each bring something important to the other.
So, I don't know that I will read more Westerns, but I definitely recommend Lori Wilde as an author.
May 16, 2012
My FULL REVIEW here!!!
Mariah learns that she has inherited her father's ranch, which is quite a shock since she hasn't seen him since he showed up and embarrassed her at school when she was 14 years old. Normally, she'd want nothing to do with the ranch her father owned, but since she is unemployed and pretty much broke, she doesn't really have any other options besides going to Texas and selling the ranch so she can start her own business.
Joe lost his wife, and exactly 2 years later he loses his close friend Dutch Callahan, which is why Mariah finds him majorly hungover and naked in a golden horse trough. After the rocky start to their meeting, Joe and Mariah form a friendship of sorts, which Mariah isn't thrilled with but has to put up with, since she's agreed to sell the ranch to him. To support herself until Joe buys the ranch, Mariah takes a waitressing job, which is far from ideal, but the only option in town. After being in town a few weeks, befriending some of the "locals", and starting to get used to the slower pace of small town life, Mariah starts to question herself....can she possibly give up big city life in Chicago for this small, horse town and make her dreams come true here?
Mariah learns that she has inherited her father's ranch, which is quite a shock since she hasn't seen him since he showed up and embarrassed her at school when she was 14 years old. Normally, she'd want nothing to do with the ranch her father owned, but since she is unemployed and pretty much broke, she doesn't really have any other options besides going to Texas and selling the ranch so she can start her own business.
Joe lost his wife, and exactly 2 years later he loses his close friend Dutch Callahan, which is why Mariah finds him majorly hungover and naked in a golden horse trough. After the rocky start to their meeting, Joe and Mariah form a friendship of sorts, which Mariah isn't thrilled with but has to put up with, since she's agreed to sell the ranch to him. To support herself until Joe buys the ranch, Mariah takes a waitressing job, which is far from ideal, but the only option in town. After being in town a few weeks, befriending some of the "locals", and starting to get used to the slower pace of small town life, Mariah starts to question herself....can she possibly give up big city life in Chicago for this small, horse town and make her dreams come true here?
May 17, 2012
Good book. I really liked both characters and the other people of the town. Mariah came to Jubilee after her father died. She was still feeling a lot of hurt from his abandonment, and planned to simply sell the land and go back to Chicago. Joe wanted the land but wouldn't have the money for a couple months. She agreed to stick around until he did, and decided to start up her own wedding planning business while she was there. Joe was glad she was giving him a chance to get the money needed. Joe was still in recovery mode from losing his wife a couple years before. The more he got to know her, the more he liked her. There was a lot of back and forth between the two, due to their individual issues. Mariah was afraid to commit because she thought Joe was just like her dad. Joe didn't think he could love again after losing his wife. Part of the problem they both had was that neither wanted to be the first to say "I love you". I liked the way that Joe was so supportive of Mariah's business and did so much to help. I also liked the way that the people of Jubilee also made her feel welcome. I liked the side romance between Ila and Cordy and the way they helped Joe and Mariah at the end. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.
March 19, 2013
Mariah's father left the family when she was seven. Now Dutch is dead and Mariah has inherited her father's land and a small cabin with a leaking roof.
Last two years have been tough on Joe. He has lost both his wife Becca and his best friend Dutch. And now Dutch's daughter, who didn't want anything to do with his cutter father, has arrived to town.
I liked the book a lot. The beginning was really good and humorous. I was laughing out loud when reading how the main characters met. I liked the town and the people with their obsession about horses. But then it went too serious too quickly. Joe and Mariah felt so insecure and they didn't talk to each other at all. And I felt miserable reading about the tragedy that struck the town.
Fortunately there were Dutch's sayings before every chapter and these were just amazing. As was the end of the book - the humour was back and I adored it.
My favourite Dutch's sayings:
Good sense comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from actin’ like a damn fool.
Bloom where you’re planted and if you can’t do that, plant where you bloom.
The biggest troublemaker you’ll ever meet stares you in the face when you brush your teeth.
Last two years have been tough on Joe. He has lost both his wife Becca and his best friend Dutch. And now Dutch's daughter, who didn't want anything to do with his cutter father, has arrived to town.
I liked the book a lot. The beginning was really good and humorous. I was laughing out loud when reading how the main characters met. I liked the town and the people with their obsession about horses. But then it went too serious too quickly. Joe and Mariah felt so insecure and they didn't talk to each other at all. And I felt miserable reading about the tragedy that struck the town.
Fortunately there were Dutch's sayings before every chapter and these were just amazing. As was the end of the book - the humour was back and I adored it.
My favourite Dutch's sayings:
Good sense comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from actin’ like a damn fool.
Bloom where you’re planted and if you can’t do that, plant where you bloom.
The biggest troublemaker you’ll ever meet stares you in the face when you brush your teeth.
May 29, 2012
This was a great book. The story was clear, straightforward, entertaining, and just downright great storytelling. There were no surprises in this book, but I enjoy the predictability of romances, so I'm not complaining. Joe was a great hero. He was a strong, reliable, and protective character who wanted the best for the heroine. Pure alpha male. Mariah was a terrific heroine. She was independent, reliable, and strong in her own way. I admired Mariah when she decided to leave the hatred for her Father behind. She did not let that bitterness rule her life. I loved this story because a mourning widower and a woman with a Father that neglected her come together and form a strong bond of love. It just takes them a little while to figure that out, which I will allow because after all, this is romance! Lol. This book had an epilogue. I normally don't care for that, but in this book it made sense. I think I found a new favorite author and will be reading more of her books.
April 28, 2013
Another heart-touching, tear-enducing story by Lori Wilde. this is the story of Mariah and Joe. Joe is still grieving for his wife who died two years ago;add to that his est friend, the one who helped survive the lost of his wife, just passed away. And along comes Mariah, his best friend's estranged daughter who has trust issues cause her dad left when she was young. There's automatic chemistry between them that they try really hard to fight. They help rach other to heal as they fall in love and almost screw it all to pieces by their stubborn pride and not wanting to be the first admit they love each other before it all falls into place. I love stories like this :)
I can't wait to read more by this author :)
I can't wait to read more by this author :)
March 16, 2012
Reading a Lori Wilde is like comfort food. You always know your going to get something that fills you up and makes you feel good while eating it. The Cowboy Takes A Bride is just like that. I loved how each Joe and Mariah fought their relationship at different times leaving us wondering what the heck they were doing. I also liked how they both found themselves thanks to the other. This is a great start to a new series.
August 8, 2015
Is it bad if you laugh when the main character is about to die? Yeah, I thought so. I didn't really take Mariah seriously. I kept finding myself laughing at situations that Mariah was in that weren't supposed to be funny. The townspeople seemed interesting. I wish we could have gotten to know Prissy better. I own a copy of this book, but since I wasn't all that impressed, I don't think I'll be rereading it.
January 23, 2015
I thought the book was just ok.
I liked the beginning and I liked the end. It was all the things in the middle. That we're just meh for me. I found some things rushed and some things that just dragged on. And on. And on. The blurb for the next book looks good and is on my list now. I won't give up. I won't give up.
I liked the beginning and I liked the end. It was all the things in the middle. That we're just meh for me. I found some things rushed and some things that just dragged on. And on. And on. The blurb for the next book looks good and is on my list now. I won't give up. I won't give up.
June 22, 2018
I reccomend this book for it's "oh my God just tell her already!" romance. For the daddy issues that's touched on and the "yes! fireworks!" love making scenes.
Lori Wilde is such a great writer when it comes to western romances. She has a way with cowboys that just makes me want to run out and find one of my own. (Sorry, honey!!)
Lori Wilde is such a great writer when it comes to western romances. She has a way with cowboys that just makes me want to run out and find one of my own. (Sorry, honey!!)
May 27, 2016
I loved the small town of Jubilee and the way Lori Wilde brought these two wounded souls together. Funny, yet it had those moments that gripped your heart in a vice, causing me to wipe at my eyes discreetly as I read on the plane. I highly recommend this book to lovers of small town romance.
December 7, 2012
I'm not usually a fan of Westerns, but this one was interesting and a lot of fun. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters. Very well done.
August 6, 2016
Two-haiku review:
Her dad leaves her ranch
Jobless, she goes to Texas
Meets her hot neighbor
Nicely done romance
Both characters have issues
Love overcomes loss
Her dad leaves her ranch
Jobless, she goes to Texas
Meets her hot neighbor
Nicely done romance
Both characters have issues
Love overcomes loss
March 11, 2015
It was a solid three in some parts but it sorta failed for me with all the touchy feely over talkative male. That's just me. IT's a personal thing. Other people dig that.
November 7, 2020
Loved this book! Great romance that you can't put down.
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