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Contemporary romanceMontana Mavericks--The Texans Are ComingHold on to your Stetsons! A reliable source tells me that Zane Gunther is hiding out in Thunder Canyon. Now the tweets and texts are flying about the music legend and a certain single mom who's having trouble making ends meet... Zane came to the Montana mountain town to escape the paparazzi--and a tragedy he can't forget. But keeping a low profile seems next to impossible, especially once he falls--hard--for local girl Jeannette Williams. Is this cowboy looking to make a home in Thunder Canyon? Stay tuned, loyal readers, to see if Zane is getting ready to propose to the widowed waitress who's already gaga over him...by crooning a love song straight from his heart!

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

25 people are currently reading
250 people want to read

About the author

Karen Rose Smith

351 books907 followers
Award-winning author Karen Rose Smith was born in Pennsylvania. Although she was an only child, she remembers the bonds of an extended family. Family is a strong theme in her books and she suspects her childhood memories are the reason.

In college, Karen began writing poetry and also met her husband to be. They both began married life as teachers, but when their son was born, Karen decided to try her hand at a home-decorating business.

She returned to teaching for a while but changes in her life led her to writing relationship novels. Now she writes romances as well as mysteries full time. Her first book was published in 1992; her 110th novel will be published in 2024. A winner of New Jersey's Golden Leaf Award in Short Contemporary Romance, Colorado Romance Writers Award Of Excellence for short contemporary, as well as the Phoenix Desert Rose Chapter's Golden Quill for Traditional Romance, she has also been honored with Cataromance.com's award for Best Special Edition and Washington Romance Writers Career Achievement Award. Her romances have made both the USA TODAY list and the Amazon Romance and Contemporary Romance Bestseller lists. Her mysteries have made the USA TODAY and Barnes and Noble bestseller lists.

She has written for Meteor/Kismet, Kensington, Silhouette and Harlequin. Readers can contact Karen through her website, on Facebook (Karen Rose Smith Author) and on Twitter @ Karenrosesmith, on TIKTOK at karenrosesmithauthor and on Instagram. They can also follow her monthly e-zine IN TOUCH with KAREN ROSE SMITH which has the latest news about her books, recipes and contests.

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5 stars
62 (32%)
4 stars
52 (27%)
3 stars
60 (31%)
2 stars
11 (5%)
1 star
5 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Paula.
545 reviews7 followers
October 7, 2020
Zane is a country music singer who is hiding out in a mountain cabin in Thunder Canyon, Montana, to avoid the paparazzi after a fan died at one of his concerts. Jeannette is a single mom who works two jobs to make ends meet. The two seem an unlikely pair yet the attraction is there, but they are not sure if there is a future for them. This was a very enjoyable romance and I really liked the premise of the story. I also liked Jeannette’s young son, Jonah. The story held my interest throughout. I only wish there had been more of a resolution to Zane’s story, career-wise, as it was pretty much left up in the air.
Profile Image for Gawelleb.
733 reviews22 followers
December 8, 2017
C’est mimi, c’est court ... avec tous les raccourcis
J’ai lu le roman / vu l’adaptation et je n’ai pas eu l’impression d’être devant la même histoire...
Beaucoup moins de rose bonbon dans le livre ... et pas de Noël 😂
Profile Image for Mombo.
203 reviews9 followers
March 19, 2012
Hmmm, I am not sure whether I really liked this story or not. Zane was okay, I guess, and Jeannette took some getting used to but the romance seemed secondary to her annoying "having trouble making ends meet" lifestyle.

Don't get me wrong. Some of my best friends are poor people, lol. I know, personally, that if some country singing superstar came along and wanted to whisk me off my feet well, let's just say, the ending scene, complete with score I might add, to "An Officer and a Gentleman" would be immediately running through my head. I would not be worried about hanging onto my job at a Hooters-wannabe restaurant in some cow town in the middle of nowhere. Some people, like Jeannette, really have no imagination.
Profile Image for Carmen.
2,025 reviews2,430 followers
Want to read
December 2, 2019
A Very Country Wedding. Harlequin movie.
Profile Image for Elaine - Splashes Into Books.
3,883 reviews136 followers
July 29, 2020
He may not be a prince, but Zane Gunther is a guitar playing singing sensation. However, a recent tragedy means he's endeavouring to escape the paparazzi by hiding out in an isolated cabin in Thunder Canyon.

Single Mum, Jeanette Williams, really isn't Cinderella as she doesn't have any ugly step sisters but she is hardworking, doing two jobs to keep her and her son. She has no idea who he is, other than the elusive occupant of one of the cabins she's cleaning, when they first meet and the attraction between them flares. However, he's under pressure to remain hidden and she's determined to resist to protect herself and her son so is there any chance for romance between them? Of course there is! You'll have to read it yourself to find out what happens in this delightful story!

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and this is my honest review after choosing to read it and really enjoying doing so. It has characters that are easy to relate to and Jeanette's son is a real star! It is a heartwarming story and delightful read.
Profile Image for Celeste Haehnel.
125 reviews3 followers
Read
January 23, 2021
This book, wow I truly hated it. I am not going to leave a star rating because that seems unfair because I was always going to dislike this book. I do not read romance novels, moreover I don't even like romances when they come up in books as a side plot usually. So, why did I read this book you ask, well when your friend looks at you with her big green eyes and asks how far you are in this book you both bought as a joke for like 3.99, her face all eagerness, you just have to read it. I will refrain from that star rating because I don't think it is fair to knock a book that I was always going to dislike no matter how well written it was, and this is not one of those well written books out there. And maybe I am merely just one of the uninitiated and I don't understand that romance novels are just supposed to be painful and poorly-written, and if that is the case I would say 10/10 would recommend.
Profile Image for Neil.
1,593 reviews14 followers
March 1, 2021
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

This is a nice easy read and whilst it is predictable I also found it enjoyable.

The characters are entertaining.

3 stars purely because it left some unanswered questions at the end...
Profile Image for CR.
4,175 reviews40 followers
July 24, 2020
Great little story with a lot of angst and great characters that I fell in love with.
Profile Image for Char (1RadReader59).
3,204 reviews20 followers
January 17, 2012
OMG!!! I loved this book the best so far in this series. The love story between Zane (A country singer) & Jeanette (A single mom) is beyond sizzling from the moment they meet. Don't get me wrong there are some fan yourself love scenes in the book but the gentleman, gentleness, & kindness he shows her & her son is what makes him the most sexy in your mind. Wow, could you just imagine the movie possibilities? LOL Highly Recommend this book. 6* for me.
After reading some of the other review I could see where some would feel conflicted but compared to some of the one side wishy washy relationship books of just read over the course of the last month this has been refreshing. Wishy washy in the way of either the man or the woman lead in the book string one or more guys long while being conflicted & some of them sleeping with more then one. Now that book I really wanted to throw by the end or shake the lead upside down. LOL.
Profile Image for Lizzie.
34 reviews4 followers
August 13, 2014
I loved this book. I thought Jeanette was a fab character and with a leading man like Zane what else do you need in a book. I loved their journey as a couple and the supporting characters just added to the story perfectly!
1,833 reviews4 followers
November 6, 2017
Wow

When I wasn't sitting on the edge of my seat,I was laughing until I had tears in my eyes.I really liked this story.
Profile Image for Lynn.
559 reviews3 followers
September 9, 2020
Jeannette is a single mom to four-year-old Jonah and works two jobs to make ends meet. One as a house cleaner, and one as a server in a restaurant. She is struggling, but she will do anything to take care of her son. When she gets fired, she quickly assumes it is the tall, dark handsome stranger she ran into while cleaning his cabin. When she runs into him on the street, she decides maybe he is not so bad after all, but can she run the risk of loving again?
Zane is a country music superstar who is hiding in a cabin in the woods after a publicity nightmare. He can not bring himself to write or sing and just wants to be left alone. When he runs right into a beautiful blond cleaning his house, he is instantly attracted, but needs to stay hidden and off the grid. When he runs into her and her son in town, can he risk being friends with her without her selling his story to the press?
What a sweet small-town contemporary romance. I loved the friendship that blossoms between Jeannette and Zane, and how they include her small son into the story. It was well written and is one of those feel good romances that make you smile. Thank you so much to the author Karen Rose Smith, Harlequin Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of the book to review. It was fabulous! All opinions expressed for this review are unbiased and entirely my own.


Profile Image for Readsandeats.
1,081 reviews24 followers
January 24, 2021
His Country Cinderella by Karen Rose Smith. Published by Mills and Boon.
This was first published in 2013 but was recently re published.
This was a lovely story and I really liked that the main characters were the characters that the plot revolved round. Yes, there were supporting characters but the plot was mainly Zane, Jeanette and her son Joshua.
Zane is a famous country singer who is hiding in a house up a mountainside. Jeanette is the cleaner who has been employed by the cleaning company. They are not supposed to meet but one day they do. The story revolves round their attraction and subsequent relationship beginnings. I really enjoyed the way that Zane accepted that Joshua was Jeanette’s focus and the way that Joshua just accepted Zane from the beginning was so lovely. Zane also realises that Jeanette has no clue as to who he is, which is so refreshing for him and he really likes that she is getting to know him as Zane and not the famous singer he is.
Both Jeanette and Zane have things in their past that they have to deal with. We see them grow and see the strength that develops from them trusting each other.
A well written story and one I would recommend.
1,119 reviews3 followers
April 24, 2021
I suspect I should have looked closer at the book jacket before I chose to read this. the book jacket gives you a clear suggestion that the storyline will be sweet and possibly too sweet. This is part of the M&B Cherish line and that is another indication that you are going to get a storyline with some angst but little humour and lots of tear-jerking writing styles.
Actually, it read better than my comments above may have suggested. But the trope of the new love being the new muse appears and the successful man meets and falls for the not very well off widow with son is only too familiar.
So do read if this is the type of story that you like - cozy and it all goes well - but I prefer a dash of humour and snark in my romances. I'm giving it a 3 star rating as in its own way it was readable and enjoyable.
Profile Image for Jessica.
2,209 reviews51 followers
August 4, 2020
Zane is a singer trying to keep on the down low while things are going down for him. He just wants some peace and quiet in his selection until he meets his lovely cleaning lady Jeannette.

This was a pretty cheesy contemporary romance and I still found myself loving it anyways. I loved getting to konw the characters and finding out why he needed his space. There was obviously going to be conflicts should the two get together I mean Jeannette is a single mother with a impressionable boy, knowing that Zane could leave at any moment, paparazzi should they be found out. Then theres the reason Zane is having a hard time singing and the romance between the two because clearly there is going to be a romance to make things complicated. Overall this was a pretty good book I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Victoria Wilks.
298 reviews6 followers
February 16, 2021
His country Cinderella is without a doubt a cheesy romance, but that is what made me enjoy this story all the more.
Zane is a famous country singer, but after a rather unfortunate event at one of his concert, he finds himself hiding out in Thunder Canyon, hoping to avoid the ever watching paparazzi. This is where he meets one of the local's Jeanette Williams, along with her son. The more time Zane spends with them, and within this community, the more he finds himself wondering if there could be more to life than the fame he has come to know.
This is undoubtedly a predictable read from the off, but I still found myself really enjoying it!. The characters were fun, the storyline was well plotted and flowed wonderfully. An enjoyable read!
Profile Image for Gladys.
13.9k reviews163 followers
August 28, 2020
I thought that this was a pretty good read. The story is a combination of instalove, poignancy and sweetness. Zane was likable and a very decent guy. I wish I could have liked Jeannette more because on the surface she was a relatable character, however I honestly found her quite annoying. This is my candid, independent review.
Profile Image for Zee Monodee.
Author 45 books346 followers
April 2, 2021
Short and sweet, and the little kid made it cute. A bit meh about the insta-romance, but loved the chemistry and easy dialogue between the hero and heroine, and enjoyed the setting
407 reviews2 followers
December 22, 2021
Cute story. Good for a “hallmark movie”
Profile Image for Ariel.
130 reviews
June 12, 2024
Wow. Just wow. I've never read one of these before. We watched the movie, which was hilarious, and then thought it would be funny to read the book. Did not disappoint. One star for humor, one star for the cheesy title. That's all I can give it. 🤣
Profile Image for Megan.
28 reviews
August 22, 2016
My ratings: 2.75

1 star: didn't finish/didn't like
2 stars: ambivalent
3 stars: good solid one-time read
4 stars: great, will read more from author
5 stars: exceptional, will re-read multiple times! Favorites

Based on writing skills, how immersed I am in the story, and if the plot flows smoothly and believably for reality or the "world" created. Are the characters believable, likable/unlikable, and diverse. I will not give any spoilers.

So I thought this was a good read but there were parts that moved a little slow for my liking. I felt like a lot of the content was surface and the chemistry between the two characters lacked depth.

I liked the premise of the overall characters but thought that there was quite a bit left to be desired in how they communicated. There was a lot of back and forth, with large amounts of emotional wishy-washy and angst. I just thought the execution of the overall story was somewhat bland. Nothing great, nothing horrible.

Towards the middle I was like can we just get on with the story, because not much happens (there much growth in plot or character relationship). But I had to finish it to see what happened. The ending was by far the best part of the book (the happily ever after).

I don't think I would recommend this book, mostly because I didn't find it memorable enough to bring up. I do like other books from this author, so I think this one was an exception and just a miss for me.
Profile Image for Julee Johnson-Tate.
46 reviews1 follower
October 18, 2011
I was thrilled to get a copy directly from the author from commenting on a blog--happy it's autographed.

The thing that made me want to read it is:
1. The author is really nice
2. The hero is a celebrity who is "hiding in plain sight"

I have a character in one of my novels who is doing the same thing and I appreciated her take on the celebrity who walked away.

There was only one time I wanted to throw the book across the room because the character did something stupid without any decent motivation. I didn't because it was autographed and my husband was sleeping in the hotel room. And I did go ahead and finish it. Some nice touches and turn of phrases. Good resolution, well, of course, it's a Harlequin, right? Nice secondary characters.

The thing I think I disliked the most is the cover. Ah, well, that's something the author really doesn't have control over. Thanks so much, Karen, for sending the book and I will definitely keep an eye out for your future books, as well as the older ones.
Profile Image for Sonya Watkins.
243 reviews8 followers
April 2, 2012
Short romance. Figured I'd read it since I owned it. Romance isn't really my thing, but this was ok.
Profile Image for Hayley Tackett-Sebring.
72 reviews
February 27, 2022
Both the book and the adaptation of the movie are about the same. 4 stars, and a really sweet read. If you enjoyed this, I’d also check out the movie as it has the same amount of love.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews

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