Cowboys Like Us

Sons of Chance #6

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Real cowboys aren't born. They're made...Logan Carswell has just kissed his professional baseball career goodbye. Goodbye dreams, career and future. For now, though, he's working at the Last Chance Ranch and the town saloon, where sexy bartender Caro Davis is definitely taking his mind off his troubles...

Caro's days have been so hectic, she's forgotten all about the finer aspects of life. Like men. And sex. And really smokin'-hot sex with men like Logan. But when their two worlds collide--and boy, do they ever collide--they both realize that once the gear is off, a cowboy is still a cowboy!

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Westerns, Harlequin, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin Blaze, Audiobook

448 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestseller Vicki Lewis Thompson believes love makes the world go around and laughter makes the trip worth taking. The recipient of RWA’s Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award and the author of more than ninety books, Vicki pioneered a new kind of romance hero with Nerd in Shining Armor. Following the success of her nerd stories, Vicki launched a boisterous paranormal series featuring a matchmaking witch and wizard, an ADD dragon named George, and a black cat inspired by her own precocious feline, Eve.

Reviews

[Kathy Davie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sixth in the Sons of Chance western romance series and revolving around the Chance family and their friends. The couple focus is on Logan Carswell and Caro Davis.

The other 256 pages in Cowboys Like Us includes Notorious , Branscom Sisters 2.

My Take
It's an intriguing collection of conflicts, major and minor, in Cowboys Like Us with Logan's depression over his too-short career and Caro resigned to no spare time for herself. That's their personal lives. Thompson adds in Josie's concern for Caro's heart, Logan's worries over the town's perception of him and Caro, and Pete's proposal to the Chances and his offer to Logan. An offer that Logan battles with in his mind.

Yeah, Thompson does throw in the if-only-he-could-be-mine-but-I'm-too-self-sacrificing trope, but it isn't as irritating as it could be.

That Logan is a guy with many talents: shakin' cocktails, woodworking, baseball, empathy, and makin' love.

We get that hint of ghosts at the bar.

It's both fun and frustrating that Thompson gives us our Happily Ever After without really finishing it out, as Logan still isn't sure exactly what he's going to do.

Pete's idea spurs Caro on and provides her grandmother with a meaning for her life. And I'm not ashamed to say I'm using that idea on my mom. I'm actually quite excited that Mom is getting onboard with it.

It's typical of Thompson's writing (and the Sons of Chance series) that the characters are all so caring and reasonably perceptive, lol. I cracked up when Jack "suggested" to Logan that the shades need special attention and that the table isn't as sturdy as it looks.

"Jack nodded toward the rope. 'Not bad for a greenhorn.'

'Thanks. The post tried like hell to get away, but I was faster.'"

The Story
Logan Carswell has just kissed his professional baseball career goodbye. Goodbye dreams, career, and future. For now though, he's working at the Last Chance Ranch and the town saloon, where sexy bartender Caro Davis is definitely taking his mind off his troubles…

Caro's days have been so hectic, she's forgotten all about the finer aspects of life. Like men. And sex. And really smokin'-hot sex with men like Logan. But when their two worlds collide — and boy, do they ever collide — they both realize that once the gear is off, a cowboy is still a cowboy!

The Characters
Caro Davis bartends for Josie at the Spirits & Spurs, and in her off hours, she visits her grandmother, Bonnie, at Pine Grove, the assisted living home in Jackson.

Logan Carswell is suddenly a former catcher for the Chicago Cubs and will always be Josie Chance's older brother. Derek is his agent.

The Last Chance Ranch is…
…outside Shoshone, Wyoming with a third generation of Chances. Sarah Chance is the widowed matriarch; Jonathan died two years ago. Alex Keller, the new marketing director, is getting married to Tyler. Josie is married to Jack Chance (Diana's son), the oldest brother in this third generation. Grandma Judy lives in town and bemoans her empty guest room. Morgan is Gabe Chance's wife (Sarah is Gabe's birth mother). Nick Chance (his mother, Nicole, was a free spirit) and Dominique got married in a double ceremony with Josie and Jack back in October.

Mary Lou is the Chance cook who's "stepping out" with Watkins. Emmett Sterling is the ranch foreman. Emmett's daughter, Emily, is renting a room from the Chances; she'll be marrying Clay Whittaker before next summer. Butch and Sundance are the ranch dogs. Destiny is the horse Logan will ride while Caro will ride Cookies and Cream.

Wyatt, a wilderness guide, and Rafe Locke are fraternal twins; their father is Harlan Locke and Diana was their mother. Wyatt shows up to meet his half-brother Jack.

Shoshone is…
…the small town ten miles from the ranch. Josie's bar, Spirits & Spurs, is located there. Tracy and Steve are more of Josie's employees. Elmer Crookshanks has a gas station there, and people suspect he's rigged the traffic lights.

Peter Beckett is a potential buyer AND he has a proposal for the Chances. One that will bring new life to a great number of people.

The Cover and Title
The cover is dark browns against a stormy gray sky with Logan in battered jeans and a brown leather jacket open over his bare chest, a kerchief around his neck, and wearing a straw cowboy hat. His head is tilted down as he looks over the saddle he's gripping.

I think the title refers to how easily Logan picks up them cowboy ways, as he quickly fits right in with Cowboys Like Us.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh.

No. No bueno. Sadly - I recalled this series as a pleasant diversion but this installment was so predictable. One night stand. Suddenly everyone is so amazed by the amazing sex they must be in luuurve even though they barely know each other. I’m too old for this BS. Crap.

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story about Logan, the former Chicago Cubs catcher, and Caro, the small town bartender. Crazy how all the guys end up being Cowboys, even when they start out as city boys… <3

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Their are 2 different stories in this ebook I liked the first one better. They are Harlequin Blaze so they have too many sex scenes for me.
In Cowboys like us Logan Carswell is a former catcher for Chicago Cubs. Logan is at the wedding of good friend Alex Keller in Shoshone, Wyoming. Logan is feeling down because he doesn't know what he will do in the future with his knee problems now, all he has wanted to be is a baseball player.
Caro Davis is up beat and positive attidude he likes right now. Caro all she does is bartending and drives to visit her grandmother in care center. Her grandmother raised her and is depressed that she had to sell her home and go into care center. Caro thinks Logan is hot and he will only be around a few days and she could use a break.
Caro gets Logan to go to care center and he visits and talks baseball they want autoghraphs and he has a good time. Caro tells her grandmother about a program to help turn boys thats going to start and she wants to make quilts for the bunk beds to help welcome them.
Her grandmother thinks that is a good idea and she could help and then looked around her and realized that a lot of people can help. Organizing and makeing quilts gets her grandmother out of her depression and back to her old self.
Helping out at care center has helped Logan to feel useful again.
I liked this story and would like to read the other books about chance. I was given this ebook in exchange for honest review.
Notorious is the second book. notorious is all about sex with little else to plot line.
Noah Garfield is in Las Vegas for a friend wedding and he is the last single guy among them. Why his walking past a strip joint he sees Keely about to go in and thinks she their for job interview not a article interview for her job as magazine. Keely left his ranch ten years ago after she modle nude in magazine. Her father and sister still work for him and she has not seen or talked to them since.
Noah thinks she is homeless and offers her to stay in his room for weekend and he will help her find better job.
Keely has wanted him since she was 16 and he turned her down and lets him think he can help her. Keely plans to seduce him and he plans to not take advantage. So Keely is always talking dirty about sex and walking nude to tempt him.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real cowboys aren't born. They're made...
Logan Carswell has just kissed his professional baseball career goodbye. Goodbye dreams, career and future. For now, though, he's working at the Last Chance Ranch and the town saloon, where sexy bartender Caro Davis is definitely taking his mind off his troubles...
Caro's days have been so hectic, she's forgotten all about the finer aspects of life. Like men. And sex. And really smokin'--hot sex with men like Logan. But when their two worlds collide--and boy, do they ever collide--they both realize that once the gear is off, a cowboy is still a cowboy!
Love how easily this book flows from one place to another. Have't read one of Thompson's books for awhile, and found it awesome. This book had Cowboys Like Us only. There was no Notorious with it.
5 stars.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Logan Carswell, the male star of Cowboys Like Us, comes to Shoshone for his childhood friend Alex Keller’s wedding at a time when his own life isn’t nearly so happy. A devastating knee injury the prior season ended his pro baseball career, his girlfriend left him, and he doesn’t really know what to do with his future. So he’s feeling a little sorry for himself watching Alex celebrate with his new bride, but then Logan starts up a conversation with Caro Davis, a bartender at the Spirits and Spurs. Caro’s feeling a little disappointed in life lately too. She’s had to move her beloved grandma into an assisted living facility and sell the house they lived in together. Her grandma isn’t adjusting well at all, so Caro spends all her time either working or visiting her grandma, leaving no time for anything else. But the sexy ex-ball player tempts her to put herself first for just a few hours. With sparks flying all over the place, Caro decides to behave very un-Caro-like and invite Logan up to her apartment above the bar. She’s not accustomed to one-night stands, but she can’t let him walk away. Their one-night stand does absolutely nothing to satisfy their mutual attraction, and they quickly decide that their fling can last as long as Logan’s visit. As they spend more time together, their feelings grow deeper, and Logan starts to worry that the longer he stays, the harder it will be for both of them when he leaves. Logan has big decisions to make, and if he makes the wrong choice, he may lose something even more important to him than baseball—his chance at happiness with Caro.

I’m sure I’ve said this about other books in the Sons of Chance series, but Cowboys Like Us is my absolute favorite book in this series. I’m a huge baseball fan, so I especially enjoyed Logan’s character (even if he played for a team I find particularly loathsome!). Most importantly for me, I really connected to Logan because he reminds me of a very good friend, who has been going through some similar problems. And watching my friend deal with a career-ending injury (not a pro sports career), I understand just how devastated Logan would be about the current state of his life and how uncertain he’d be about his future. It would have been easy to write Logan as a bitter, angry character, but Ms. Thompson does such a good job of exploring his justifiable frustrations while still keeping him from being completely bogged down in self-pity. But she doesn’t deny that Logan feels a certain measure of self-pity and, more importantly, that he entitled to a little self-pity. Logan is grieving the loss of his identity, and I feel Ms. Thompson did a remarkable job portraying Logan’s situation and his emotions realistically.

Caro’s life has also been turned upside down, and I don’t want to ignore that her situation has been just as devastating to her life. She’s grieving the loss of her “normal” life as well. And Caro’s dealing with a certain amount of guilt, even though she knows she made the best decision for her grandma’s health and safety. Of course, knowing something is the right decision doesn’t necessarily make it any easier to handle a situation. Again I feel like Ms. Thompson does a tremendous job exploring Caro’s emotions— the fear, the guilt, the sadness, and even the resentment. All of those emotions are completely normal in that situation, and I love that Ms. Thompson let Caro experience all of them instead of making her so perfect and selfless that she wasn’t a realistic character. Overall, I enjoy how these two people, both struggling in their personal lives, came together to help each heal and move forward.

But I don’t want to make it seem like this book is all about heavy emotions. The Sons of Chance series, on the whole, has offered some pretty hot romances, but Cowboys Like Us has one of the raciest scenes I’ve read in a long time. No reader looking for pure steam will be disappointed when Logan and Caro raid the bar and head up to her apartment. I’d recommend this book for that scene alone! And I do highly recommend Cowboys Like Us, both for the steam and the emotion. I received an ARC of this book from the author, but that did not influence my review

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Setting: Shoshone, Wyoming: Last Chance Ranch with 2 story ranch house – an expanded version of the log cabin – view of Grand Tetons; Spirit and Suds bar with apartment above; his condo in Chicago (he’s there for all of a hour, before he returns to Wyoming)

Characters:
Logan Carswell: former catcher for the Chicago Cubs (hurt his knee); childhood friend with Josie; ex-bartender; ex-woodworker; at Josie’s wedding, trying to find a new path; lonely;

Caro Carolyn Davis: life filled with bartending (just promoted from waitress) and caring for her grandmother (who raised her after her mother died when she was young); at loose ends; lonely; naturally optimistic;

Josie & Jack Chance: owner of the bar, pregnant, caring for Caro and Logan;

Summary:
Meeting at the reception, warned off of Caro as she has her hands full, Logan steps in to help bartend when things are overwhelming; and the two flirt, and stay to clean up, and end up in bed… and Caro knows its temporary, but her heart reaches out for him and his struggle… and his heart reaches out for her as he accompanies her to grandma’s retirement home, and he becomes involved with the residents;
Together they deepen their connection (mostly through sex)… they see the best in the other… and when he runs home when feelings start to get too big – and she seems to want him to expose a part of himself when he isn’t ready (not to her – he’s done that, but to others) … but when offered a job as sportscaster, he realizes it isn’t what he wants… he wants to be with Caro – so he immediately returns, and proposes to her at the bar – to whoops and hollers…

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sizzling Chemistry
Ex baseball player Logan comes to Shoshone for the wedding of a friend. With no idea what to do with his life now his career has ended prematurely, meeting bar manager Caro engenders a desire to stay on for a while. Both know that he will be leaving soon, if their eyes are open what harm can there be in a fling?
Loved this story with Logan having to find a new career path, Caro more life/work balance and an unlooked for love.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a re-release of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[lisa kincaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonder stories

This book kept me up reading it. I couldn’t put it down. The people seem to jump out of the story

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series

This book was every bit as good as the others in the series, which were as good as all the others by this great author.

[Jess the Romanceaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic

Expected Release Date: Available Now!
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Blaze
Author’s Website: http://www.vickilewisthompson.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Sons of Chance Miniseries
Series Best Read In Order: No
Steam Level: Hot

This is actually two books in one — Cowboys Like Us followed by the full-length story, Notorious.

The main book, Cowboys Like Us, follows Logan Carswell, who is a self-proclaimed “washed up baseball star”, after sustaining a serious knee injury during a game. Unable to play any longer, he finds himself adrift, with his girlfriend having left him now that he’s no longer a pro-ball “star”, his big-league friends rarely returning his phone calls, and the only career path available seeming to be sportscasting, which is something he simply can’t see himself doing.

Leaving Chicago behind for a few days to attend a friend’s wedding, Logan can’t even relax in the manner to which he’s become accustomed — the prescription painkillers that allowed him to dance at the reception can’t be mixed with alcohol, and being in a small town prevents him from hooking up with even the most willing of women, because he can’t bring himself to leave a woman behind to face the small-town judgement that would result in her having had a weekend fling with him.

However, his plans to behave are obliterated when he meets Caro Davis, the wholesome yet sexy bartender who has forgotten how to relax since her grandmother has moved to an assisted living community. With her grandmother and her job literally taking all of her time, she hasn’t had time for men, but when it becomes clear that the incredibly hot Logan Carswell is interested, well, all bets are off.


While Caro’s belief that she wouldn’t be subject to pity after Logan left annoyed me, I found her determination to engage in an affair and let the rest of the town go hang was a bit refreshing. I also loved that Logan was a gentleman from the start, even though he intended for their time together to be a simple fling.

I think the fact that this was actually two books in one threw me off, and made me feel as though the ending were rushed, even though it really wasn’t. I still had so many pages left before the end of the book that when the resolution and even epilogue presented itself, I was taken a bit by surprise.

Overall, this was definitely hot little read, perfect for summertime.
3/5 Stars

Keywords: Affair Turns To Love, Bartender, Contemporary, Harlequin Blaze, Professional Athlete, Secret Affair, Small Town, Steam Level: Hot, Vicki Lewis Thompson, Western Romance.

[b]BONUS STORY — Notorious[/b]

Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Hot

Feeling stuck in her small hometown, and suffering from an unrequited crush on the sexy Noah Garfield, nineteen year old Keely Branscom shocked the town (and her family) by posing nude as the centerfold of Macho Magazine. Disgusted with her behavior, her father was understandably angry, but his harsh words were only the nudge Keely needed to leave her podunk town far behind.

Now, years later, Noah is in Vegas for his best friend’s bachelor party and wedding, when he literally bumps into Keely outside of a strip joint. A few arrogant assumptions later, and Noah is determined to play White Knight to Keely’s Damsel in Distress, only Keely isn’t looking for a white knight. Instead, she realizes that this is her only opportunity to exact some revenge on the serious Noah for turning her down when she was younger, and is determined to show him what he’s been missing all these years.

Overall, this one was surprisingly enjoyable. I don’t typically go for such brazen heroines, but the sexual tension and chemistry between Keely and Noah was enough to make the devil sweat. The misunderstanding about her career amused me, as did Noah’s determination to show her that someone could want her for more than just her body, especially when he started to justify his desires to himself by making it sound as though he would be doing her a favor by sleeping with her.

A very easy, sexy read, this too would be perfect for a lazy summer day. 3.5/5 Stars

Keywords: Affair Turns To Love, Childhood Friends to Lovers, Contemporary, Mistaken Identity, Reporter, Secret Identity, Unrequited Love, Harlequin Blaze, Small Town, What Happens In Vegas, Family Issues, Steam Level: Hot, UST Galore, Vicki Lewis Thompson.

–

This is the first time I’ve read a Harlequin that was essentially two books for the price of one. For less than $4 on the Kindle, you can enjoy both the sexy city-slicker-turned-cowboy Logan, and the staid rodeo rider Noah whose determination to not take advantage of the one woman he wants the most leads to some of the tastiest tension I’ve read in a Harlequin in a while.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2011/08/10/...

Publisher: Harlequin Blaze
Publish Date: Out Now
How I got this book: NetGalley

What could be better than a baseball star turned cowboy? I was officially in book hero heaven with this read. My first ever Thompson book and she blew me outta the water with this one.

Caro is a small town girl dealing with some pretty large problems. Her grandmother is sick and had to be put in a home, she recently moved out of the only house she knew, and is working and living over a bar. When city boy Logan comes to her small town for a wedding, the two are instantly attracted to each other. Although Caro knows that Logan won’t stick around forever, she is still determined the have as much fun as she can before he goes.

Logan is down in the dumps. His big major league career is over, his knee is busted up, and he is wallowing in self-pity. But the trip to the small town has everything to get him back on track. From Caro’s bubbly and optimistic personality, to the town who worships him, he really starts to feel more like a man and less like a failure. When things between him and Caro become more than just sex, Logan has to decide what he wants most: a small town life, or the hustle and bustle of the big city.

For a Blaze book, I didn’t find this one to be as erotic as some others I have read. Thompson did an amazing job of developing the characters early on, getting me hooked and reeling me in. I absolutely loved the romance in this one. I thought that Logan and Caro, while obviously attracted to each other, also had a little something extra from the moment they laid eyes on each other. They were sweet to each other, loving, caring and very almost fairy tale like. Once the romance got started, I really didn’t want to put this one down.

There were a couple times that I wanted to smack Logan upside the head. At times he came across as a spoiled and whiny baby. Granted he went through a lot and was in a really crappy place and all that, but he did quite a bit of complaining and moaning about his new life. He had quite a few pity-parties and while I understand he had to go through it all to get to where he needed to be, I thought he should have had a little bit of drive to find something new to do with his life.

I loved Caro. She was sweet and so optimistic about everything. Despite all the hard and crazy things she went through, she still had a sunny outlook on life. She was passionate about work, her small town, her hobbies and most of all about getting Logan back into life. She was absolutely dedicated to the other people in her life, and it made her so likeable. When Logan hurt her I wanted to cry along with her. Thankfully his grand gesture was enough to make up for all the wrongs.

Many of the secondary characters were very engaging as well. I’m definitely going to go back and read more from Thompson’s backlist, especially these cowboy books. Add in the small town quirks and characters and I think this miniseries will be one that I will go back and re-read again.

All in all I really enjoyed my first Thompson experience. Her writing is engaging and fun. The plot moves quickly and seamlessly through the story. I loved the characters and will be going back for more.

I give Cowboy Like Us an A-

[Book Binge · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is no secret that I am going through my "cowboy" phase right now and really enjoying lots of different kinds of Western romance fiction as well as encountering some authors previously unknown to me. This is the second novel by this author that I have read and I continue to enjoy her writing style, the care she takes to research her work well, and just an overeall sense that she knows her subject well.

In a world where most of us feel overwhelmed on a regular basis and where some of us may have experienced crises of significant proportion is recent years, this story may resonate in a way that might not have been true in years past. It is a tale about two people who are really overwhelmed by life, to the extent that both are in danger of losing their sense of themselves. Logan is "stuck" in a world of disappointment, crushed dreams, and worry over the future. He is a young man who has already begun feeling old and the zest of life that should be coursing through his veins is most certainly missing. Caro, too, is simply overburdened and over-committed with the need to support herself, the demands emotionally of a grandmother who she loves dearly but who is just not accepting that the time has come for her to give up her huge house (which is too much for her maintain) and move into a retirement facility. As if the emotional demands are not enough, Grandma is on the phone whenever she perceives that Caro is late or has not paid sufficient attention to her. In the midst of their personal turmoil, Logan and Caro find each other and begin an affair that both know will be short-lived but which seems to meet needs in each of them they have long ignored.

While there is certainly lots of hot loving in its pages, I found this novel to be very compelling as it drew me into the struggles both Logan and Caro were experiencing and feeling like a cheerleader on the sidelines as I was hoping that each of them would manage a way to find a more permanent basis for remaining together. They were just so darn good together and they both felt so linked to one another. Yet there was always the spectre of Logan returning to Chicago to try to find his way beyond a failed pro baseball career and Caro to gain some balance in her life--living for herself in proportion to living for her Grandmother.

Vickie Lewis Thompson is certainly a romance author of note and the series of which this novel is a part has been really fun for cowboy romance fans. She is just so good at what she does! And while I am the last person to decry the simple love story of boy-meets-girl, I am especially fond of any romance that has just a bit of anxiety and crisis within its boundaries. Add to that the aspect of "long distance" as is the case here, and the reader is kept wondering how these two lovers are going to work this all out. It makes for a very satisfying reading experience and one that makes it worthwhile to spend time indulging that old love of reading. I don't think any true fan of romance fiction will feel that reading this book will ever be a waste of time and energy.

I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5.

This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Judith.

[Kati · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Original review can be found at Romancing Rakes***

My first book in Harlequin's Blaze line and I wasn't disappointed. This book left me wanting more of the people of Shoshone, Wyoming and especially the men of the Last Chance Ranch. Ms. Thompson took me on an emotional and VERY sexually charged ride that I never wanted to get off of but had to put the book down a few times to fan myself.

Top 5 Reasons to Read This Book:

1. Cowboys! Nope, not those outfitted in the blue,white and silver from Texas. But real life, honest to god, boots and tight jeans wearing, 10 gallon hat donning, horse riding, calf roping type of cowboys.

2. Logan Carswell. Ex-baseball player, looks good in jeans and boots, has quite the sexual appetite and good with his hands (yes, THAT way and also builds things). He's also quite the bartender. He meets Caro who is bar tending during the wedding, and both come to a mutual agreement: no strings attached sex. Well, you know how that goes. His injured knee becomes his armor of sorts. He doesn't know what to do with himself now that playing baseball is no longer an option. Broadcasting doesn't appeal to him.

3. Caro Davis. Small town girl, bartender, faithful granddaughter, compassionate. Caro is the bartender at the Spirits and Spur's where she is tending bar during Alex and Tyler's wedding. Her grandmother took her in when her parents passed away. Due to her grandmother's failing health, she sold the house, moved her grandmother into a home and lives in an apartment above the bar. She visits her grandmother every day. She also puts others first. Choosing to have a one night stand with Logan Carswell changes her life forever.

4. Steamy sexy. In the bedroom, on a bed, on the counter, against a tree, in the bathroom. Are you getting the picture?

5. Cowboy Lingo/Metaphors. I'm still not sure how I felt about this. It made me giggle quite a bit and roll my eyes to the point that I thought they'd get stuck that way.

Favorite Quote:

'Here.' A stout little lady shoved a paperback at him. 'You can autograph this.'
Logan looked perplexed. 'But I didn't write it.'
'Doesn't matter. You can still autograph it.'
'But--it's a romance novel.'
'And you look like a romance hero to me, so...'

Overall: Well Ms. Thompson, you've convinced me to put your backlist in The Pile. I'm ready to take on some cowboys and perhaps give contemporaries a little more love. This book had me tingling in places I didn't know existed and maybe take a cold shower or two. I thought either I or the book would end up in flames, the sex was HOT! And yes, ex-baseball players can be cowboys too. And small town bartender's can capture the heart of a big city man. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. The end left me wanting more.

***review copy from Netgalley***

[Christi Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review reposted from my Smitten with Reading blog...


My Review:
Girls, we all love a hot alpha male who is vulnerable and needs saving. Caro, the heroine of this book, is just like us and she sees in Logan a hot sexy alpha-male that needs a little help. He's just lost his life's dream of playing baseball and is floundering without a purpose in his life. To focus completely on his baseball goals, he never made a Plan B for his life if something happened to his career like a player sliding into home and ruining his career as the starting catcher for the Chicago Cub. Now he's wallowing in the loss of all of his dreams.

Caro has her own life-stresses, but this eternally upbeat heroine refuses to let them get her down. She knows that Logan is only in town temporarily, but she doesn't have time for more than a fling anyways, so she jumps into bed with Logan with clothes flying figuring that he'll be a welcome diversion and maybe she might be able to help him along the way too.

I love the way that these two connected. Not just physically (although wow...that was really hot, too,) but they connect to each other viscerally and on a really emotional level. Caro can see what Logan doesn't say and it's the same for him with her. They "get" each other almost immediately. This translates into really incredible scenes in the bedroom too, but overall it makes for a truly beautiful romantic story. Logan is wounded mentally, but Caro doesn't try to brush over things to save his feelings. She talks to him about what is happening and calls him to the mat. She's honest when he really needs her to be (and when no one else will be,) but she's all the way there and completely supportive when he needs her to be.

They both know that their relationship can't go anywhere although neither of them are really happy about that fact. They are simply trying to embrace and enjoy the time that they have together without getting too emotionally involved. His life is in Chicago. Hers is in Wyoming and neither of them can see that fact changing anytime soon.

There is a lot of growth and development for Logan in this book. He has to redefine his life and his notion of self and, quite honestly, the life rules that he's used for his entire life. But it's a fabulous development and when it was all done, I was crying happy tears. Just a gorgeous story.

...And it looks like there are three more Sons of Chance stories coming to us next summer, 2012. YEEHAW!!!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a bad knee injury ends his professional baseball career, Logan Carswell finds himself at loose ends. But a quick trip to the Last Chance Ranch for his friend’s wedding turns into a new opportunity. Logan takes on working at the ranch and working at the local bar, Spirits and Spurs, but it isn’t just the chance to break away from his old life that has him staying in Wyoming. Gorgeous bartender Caro Davis makes Logan want to go from catcher to cowboy, and suddenly Logan’s future doesn’t look so grim.

Cowboys Like Us is a fast-paced, fun read that sizzles and satisfies. Vicki Lewis Thompson never fails to deliver a sexy-as-sin cowboy, and former Chicago Cubs catcher Logan makes one fine cowboy. The man’s got a way with his hands that’ll make you swoon and wish you were Caro. Caro, in turn, is a delightful, likeable heroine whose life has become all work and no play. It was wonderful to see her be able to relax and enjoy herself with Logan; she’s hardworking and sure as heck deserves it. Logan and Caro are a dynamic pair and that made Cowboys Like Us a pleasure to read.

Cowboys Like Us is the sixth book in the Sons of Chance series, but it can be read as a standalone. Even though I only read Alex’s book (Should’ve Been a Cowboy) before reading Logan’s, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. I do, however, want to read the other books in the series, because the men and women living on or near Last Chance Ranch are all great characters. My only complaint is that I have to wait another year until a new Sons of Chance book is out. Cowboys Like Us ends with a teaser for the next set of Sons of Chance books and I want those stories now. While I wait, I’ll definitely be sitting back and reading/re-reading Cowboys Like Us and the rest of the Sons of Chance books (Wanted!, Ambushed!, Claimed!, Should’ve Been a Cowboy, and Cowboy Up).

Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 6th installment in the Sons of Chance series, although I didn't know about the series until the 4th book, I fully intend to backtrack and find the first three as I've enjoyed the 3 I have now read.

This is Logan and Caro's story. It is lighthearted yet steamy at the same time which seems unlikely to pull off but this author does. Logan suffers a career ending knee injury that leaves him drifting and landing him Shoshone and Caro's life. Carolyn "Caro" born and raised native is bartending Alex and Tyler's wedding reception when she crosses paths with Logan and it strikes like wildfire from the start. While she's overloaded with responsibilities he's grappling with "what comes now" never having thought of life without baseball. They're good for each other and the story keeps an enjoyable pace right to the end.

This being a 10th Anniversary Collector's Edition there was a bonus story "Notorious" the 2nd Branscom sister story about wild child Keely Branscom and Noah Garfield. I enjoyed this story and plan on reading the 1st Branscom sister book eventually. It's basically a role reversal kind of thing where Keely has been wild and posed for a nude centerfold at nineteen and Noah has been the prior rodeo bull riding cowboy who now holds the responsibility of running the family ranch. When their paths collide in Vegas of all places she brings out the wilder side of Noah and he eventually helps Keely realize she misses home and the upside to settling down. All in all a good story and good balance to this Anniversary edition book...can't beat they added the story for free.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really delightful novel that highlights the anxieties that come when something a person strives for nearly all their life is brought to an end far more quickly than expected. So it was with this professional baseball player whose career was cut very short due to a knee injury. As loose ends and coming to Wyoming to attend the wedding of his best friend, he encounters and literally falls over the cute and sassy bartender at the Spirits & Spurs bar. Yes he is mightily attracted to her, and no he has no interest in anything more than a no-strings-attached affair, but the more he is with Caro the more he is drawn to her enthusiasm for life, even though she is overburdened with care for her grandma and just trying to make a living. It is a really neat love story, with only one concern that I had--I know that Logan's life had essentially come to an end in his perspective, but I felt he dragged it out just a little. However, not having been in his shoes, who knows how I would have reacted to the same kind of life-changing occurrence. That he was a thinking person is evident, and Ms Thompson has created characters who are the kind readers find it easy to relate to. Caro is one of those persons who is so busy taking care of other people that she has allowed her own life to be put on hold. Even though she knows the affair with Logan has a "limited run," she knows that this is an opportunity for her to really be alive and she grabs it with both hands. Just a really good read, and is the sixth book in her series about the Last Chance Ranch and people connected to it.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many people know Thompson for her Nerds series. They're romance, but they're what is termed romantic comedy. Just the cover alone of Cowboys Like Us, tells you this is not going to be another nerd story. So you stand there in the store thinking, do I or don't I? Either way you risk a disappointment. Will you be disappointed if it turns out you don't like it as much as the Nerd series, or will you be disappointed if you don't buy it and hear it's great?

In this case, you'd be disappointed if you don't buy it.
One, this is a Blaze, so there's some HOT scenes for ya.

Two, it's Thompson, so even if there's no nerds on the Last Chance Ranch, there's still a great romance read.

Three, even the supporting characters are interesting and not just inserts that are plugged in because they're needed. Supporting roles can sometimes be just as vital to the story as the main characters.

Four, the main characters are good people with big hearts and intelligent heads on their shoulders. You won't be frustrated with a complete idiot or airhead doing absolutely annoying things.

Five, if you get the Blaze 10th Anniversary Collector's Edition, then you'll get a bonus story included. It's Thompson's very first Blaze book, Notorious, which was originally published in 2001.


That's a handful of reasons ladies, and you know what they say about having your hands full. No, sheesh! Get your mind out of the gutter. One in the hand...and all that. So get one in your hands (a book, you perverts) and keep reading!

[Wminbc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six books into the Sons of Chance and I still enjoy my visit! Logan is Alex’s childhood friend, who travels from Chicago to The Last Chance Ranch for Alex and Tyler’s wedding (see Should Have Been a Cowboy review). Logan has been sidelined from his career as a professional baseball player. While his knee may be shot, getting lucky with Caro after the wedding is no long shot…They both feel the heat.

Caro has had a rough few months: selling her family home and ranch, installing her grandmother in a care facility, and getting dumped. Needless to say, a little fun on the range looks mighty tempting. Add to the temptation, a hunky man who not only tells her she is gorgeous but looks at her that way too! It’s all too much for Caro and she gives in…big time. I loved how she jumped in with her whole heart and both feet. I also enjoyed watching Logan grow into his own skin, albeit slowly. The sweet HEA was lovely, but even more fine was the Epilogue…and the introduction of more men to the Sons of Chance! Enjoy! 

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carolyn (Caro) Davis has enjoyed watching Logan Carswell with his easy going personality. Logan Carswell, former Chicago Cubs catcher, hasn't found much enjoyment in life lately due in part to his injured right knee. Being at The Last Chance Ranch has given Logan much needed peace and some relazation. Logan knows that he shouldn't get involved with Caro but being with her is like surrounding himself in light. The attraction between the two is explosive. When Peter Beckett offers a solution to Logan for his next project sends Logan into a tailspin which sends him running back to Chicago. Will Logan realize his home is elsewhere? Will Caro understand Logan's actions? Your answers await you in Cowboys Like Us.

Love love this series. It's lighthearted, fun, honest, and smokin' hot. The characters are believable and real. The story tugs at the heart and elsewhere. I look forward to each story I read in the series.

[Cleffairy Cleffairy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea
Date reviewed:21 July 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/cowboys-like-us

This is quite an unforgettable story. I love the character's dynamics, love the pace, and definitely love the blazing passion portrayed in this story. Truth be told, I am not a Cowboy story fan. I don't usually read cowboy stories, even if it's a romance or an adult fiction, but I feel that I could definitely read this book over and over again without feeling bored.

Passionate, witty and very descriptive setting. Quite a keeper. I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. I received an ARC of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review for this book.

[Azhureheart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book at Musings of a bookworm by in June or July.
I really enjoyed Notorious the second novel in that bundle. It was funny, sexy and everything I could hope for. Keely and Noah had much chemistry, I was waiting to see how the whole situation would be resolve and it was a bit rushed but satisfying and with neither of them acting like a fool to stupid to live. It could have been all drama and cries but it wasn't and that was great.
Cowboy Like Us was a bit of a lack-luster. I didn't care much about the characters, nor about the story. I've seen these characters a million times and I didn't feel there was anything special about Caro or Logan.
Notorious, though, was good and I hadn't read it yet. So ♥

[Mick Messner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two books here the first cowboys like us is excellent. THE SECOND NOTORIOUS IS THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ, I HAVE READ IT 5 TIMES AND EACH TIME MY HEART CRACKS.
NOAH GARFIELD AND I ARE CARBON COPIES. I HAVE NEVER FOUND MY KEELY. IF SHE IS OUT THERE MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN. I WOULD MARRY HER IN A HEARTBEAT.
I WAS NEVER JEALOUS OF NOAH BECAUSE WE ARE SO MUCH ALIKE. I AM JUST JEALOUS HE FOUND "KEELY".

BY THE WAY I HAVE NEVER READ A BOOK MORE THEN ONCE UNTIL NOW. I CANNOT STOP READING IT.
VICKI's WRITING IS MAGIC.
BY THE WAY,MY NAME IS MICK AND MICK IS THE NEW NICK. KEEP THEM COMING VICKI AND"KEELY" FIND ME, PLEASE.

I got the kindle version for my IPAD. IT CAME WITH 2BOOKS.

[Pattianne]

COWBOYS LIKE SU - SONS OF CHANCE SERIES #6 (Logan and Caro)

Real cowboys aren't born. They're made...

Logan Carswell has just kissed his professional baseball career goodbye. Goodbye dreams, career and future. For now, though, he's working at the Last Chance Ranch and the town saloon, where sexy bartender Caro Davis is definitely taking his mind off his troubles...

Caro's days have been so hectic, she's forgotten all about the finer aspects of life. Like men. And sex. And really smokin'-hot sex with men like Logan. But when their two worlds collide--and boy, do they ever collide--they both realize that once the gear is off, a cowboy is still a cowboy!

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

i liked and didnt like this book. i fell inlove witht he story line. i however thought it was a little drawn out for my taste. to me i could have been a little faster in the movement of how the characters got together.

i liked how they came together to help each other deal with their problems. while doing that they did fall in love. the atmosphere always crackled when the two main characters were together and i think that made the storyline.


i do recomend this to other readers but caution that they might think it is a little slow moving for their tastes.

[Kerry sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pleasant little story of learning to adapt to new circumstances. It made me laugh and almost made me cry at the end. The characters where likeable and believable, Caro was a little miss sunshine which, in real life is a pain, worked in this story. I have to say this was basic chic lit. There was no real meat to the story for me but it was a nice story. Would I recommend this book..... yes to those who like feel good stories.

[Tofu Fairy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say at this point that hasn't already been said about this series of books? I don't want to regurgitate my previous reviews LOL so let me just say that its a must read for anyone who enjoyed the books prior to this one. Loved it! (see my other reviews for more details on why!) And please note that I am not saying the books themselves are interchangeable or anything like that...I just happen to like them all for the same reasons! :-D

[Heather L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this one, in part because I could identify with the heroine, Caro, having been the primary caregiver for terminal and/or parents for ten years. It is not an easy position to be in. Also liked Logan's story, even if the outcome was a bit predictable. Overall an enjoyable read.

[Readers Roundtable · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Cowboys Like Us, Vicki Lewis Thompson has created an appealing romance that contains a surprising amount of depth and substance. To read this review in its entirety please visit http://thereadersroundtable.com/mains...