What do you think?
Rate this book
Harts of the Rodeo #1
Austin: Second Chance Cowboy
No man should look as good as Austin Wright. Especially when that man is a suspect in a string of burglaries. And, Sheriff Dinah Hart can't afford the distraction. Roundup's thieves are growing bolder and Thunder Ranch's prize stallion, Midnight, is still missing, putting the Harts' entire livelihood at risk. Dinah needs to focus, because she's worked too hard to earn the town's respect just to throw it away on a fling.Austin knows he's got a bad reputation. He's been following his father's self-destructive footsteps for far too long. Now he's finally ready to take the first step toward fixing his life, and convincing people, especially Dinah, that he's changed.
But when Austin discovers an unexpected connection to Midnight's disappearance, will Dinah see him for the man he was, or the one he's trying to become?
But when Austin discovers an unexpected connection to Midnight's disappearance, will Dinah see him for the man he was, or the one he's trying to become?
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
18 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 24, 2018
TRIGGER WARNING FOR THIS BOOK: EATING DISORDER OR THOSE IN REMISSION FOR ED
"I'll pick you up at six-thirty."
"Where are we going?"
"Prime Rib and Fish House."
"That's kind of fancy, Austin."
"I'm that kind of guy, Dinah." He raised a brow. "Or have you already forgotten?" ...
"I'll be ready."
"And don't you go and wait outside for me, neither. You wait on the other side of the door and wait for me to knock like a gentleman."
Okay, first I want to say kudos to Galloway for a well-written and engaging book. Let's slow clap it out. *slow clap* Well done, and I mean that sincerely.
Instead of drawing emotions in crayon on cardboard cutouts - the go-to action of many romance authors - Galloway actually creates living, breathing characters here. The psychological motivations, the personalities, and the dialogue are enough reason to be happy with this book.
The book opens with Austin waking up, ready to vomit. He has no memory of the night before. A woman calls him and he doesn't remember her name or what he did with her last night.
His cotton mouth got drier as memories flashed. The times he'd driven home drunk, the times he'd woken up beside women he didn't remember meeting.
The time he'd lived on ramen noodles for two weeks because he'd had to borrow money for gas in his truck. Because he'd spent every last dime at a rowdy bar in Sheridan.
He's ready for AA! Even though the man who told him about the local AA chapter doesn't pick up his phone, Austin is determined and he seeks out another friend for support. He is going to stop drinking.
Dinah, our heroine, is someone we know well from the previous four books in this series. She is the Sheriff.
Dinah is complicated, just as Austin is complicated. For one thing, she thinks she needs to be tough and hard for her job. She cuts her hair short, she never lets anyone go into her small cabin (which is decorated in a feminine manner), she even avoids laughing in public. In a way she has a point - a lot of older males in Roundup don't think a female can do this job - but Austin sees through her and understands both her inner 'girl' and why she's sacrificing her to do her job.
Austin and Dinah go way back. They have been friends since school. But they only shared a kiss once. They were both wild. But after a huge pregnancy scare when Dinah was 17, she cleaned up and flew straight. She became sheriff. She stopped partying. But Austin never stopped (as we can see by how this book opens).
Austin also has a father who served time in penitentiary and is considered a bad element by the town.
THE UGLY
The worst feature of this book is Galloway's obsession with weight, dieting, and people controlling / commenting on other people's eating.
I can't list all the times weight and diet are mentioned here. Dinah insists on dieting and eating barely anything because she's so worried about her weight. Meanwhile, her skin is hanging off her bones because of the stress from the unsolved case she's working on. EVERYONE feels free to offer an opinion on what she's eating and what she's not eating, and Austin is the worst of them all.
Men have NO SAY in what you decide to eat, okay? No one does but you. I don't care if a man is concerned I'm getting too thin, and encourages me or orders me to eat; or if he is concerned I'm getting too fat and encourages me or orders me to eat less - It's the end of the relationship. I have a zero tolerance policy for this type of shit. There's only one person who decides how much or how little you should eat, when you should eat, what you should eat, how you should eat it, whether you are hungry or not - and it's you. YOU.
I only date men who keep their fucking mouths shut about what I'm eating or not eating. I would never imagine telling a man what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat, shame him for taking seconds, force him to eat a meal when he doesn't want one... and I expect the same respect and courtesy. If I don't get it, I'm out.
Dinah could use some backbone in this department.
Eyeing her wrapped-up sandwich, he said, "Think you can eat another two bites?"
"You sound like my mother!"
"Naw, just trying to look out for you. Eat another bite, D."
Before she knew it, she was unwrapping the sandwich and taking one more bite. Just to please him. - 20%
Ew, disgusting.
"I'm excited, Austin."
"Then that's what we'll do. As soon as you eat something."
"I'm okay - "
"You're going to have to get used to this, D. I'm going to look after you, and I intend to do a good job of it." - 95%
Disgusting. I'm not even going to mention all the talk about dieting, weight, watching what you eat... every bite Dinah takes in this book is accompanied by some sort of commentary about if she's thin or fat, if she should be eating this or not, if she is being 'good' or 'bad'.... It's a ED nightmare. If you suffer from an ED or have an ED that is in remission, please avoid this book, it could be triggering. Not joking, this is a sincere warning.
Another mildly bad thing in here was Dinah. I wanted to like her and heaven knows Galloway was working hard to make her a real person. And she was succeeding, but I'm not sure I like Dinah. In ways she is relatable and sympathetic - she is under a lot of pressure from her job. She is working a big case and people are getting angry it isn't solved yet (carry-over from the first four books). She feels like she needs to work 24/7. She feels like she needs to stamp out her femininity and any signs of 'weakness' or humanity because of the job. Add on top of that her constant obsession with weight and diet.
But I also was getting very frustrated with her. In her gung-ho effort to be the sheriff she thinks everyone demands her to be, she makes some questionable decisions. Austin forgives her because he is a very forgiving person, but I was less willing to forgive. And her constant striving and thinking that she as a person was not good enough got trying at times.
THE GOOD
I liked Austin. He is laid-back, easygoing, and relaxed. Exactly what I like in men. He just takes everything in stride. He doesn't let anything ruffle him. He's a good counter for Dinah's neuroticism.
Dinah and Austin's cute interactions and little humor - despite both of them having a hard time in life - is the highlight of the book. Let's take a look at some of the cuteness.
Here's Dinah and Austin running into each other at the grocery store:
"Hope you have a good evening."
"You, too." He turned, took two steps, then came back over to her side. "Want to come over?"
"For dinner?"
"Don't act like I'm wining and dining you, D. It's just chicken and potatoes."
His idea sounded a whole lot better than a diet frozen dinner. And there was something between them that was hard to deny. "I've got a salad in a bag. I could bring that." Gosh, did she sound as lame as she felt?
"We'll have three food groups covered right there. After you take your groceries home, come over."
"All right. I will." - 15%
After their nice meal, this comes up:
"Any chance you going to church tomorrow?"
"I don't know. I don't go all that often. Why?"
"I'll be there. Thought if you were going to be there, too, maybe we could have lunch together after."
"You want another meal?"
She'd spouted the question as if he'd just asked to get in her pants. He bit the inside of his lip so he wouldn't smile. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to ruin your stash of Lean Cuisine dinners. I was thinking maybe we could get lunch at the Number 1 after. My treat." - 16%
When she says she'll have to think about it, he's just like "Ok, that's cool." I like this kind of man. No pressure, super chill. It was extremely attractive.
Another good thing about Austin is that he calls out Dinah on her woman-hate. He doesn't tolerate her talking shit about other females.
"Austin, I'm not like all the other women you date."
The smile vanished. "What the heck is that supposed to mean?" ...
"I'm just saying there's more to me than just being a good-time girl with a lot of great hair."
"Hey, now. Hair?"
"I'm just saying that Vanessa sure has a lot of hair for being a nurse in a medical practice."
He sat up straighter. "Wait a minute. You're talking about Vanessa Anderson?"
"Yes, though I bet you know plenty of Vanessas." Now that it was all out in the open, she felt worse than catty. But how could she backtrack without seeming like more of a fool? "You know what I'm talking about, Austin," she said with a whole lot of bravado. "Vanessa must have more hair spray in that head of hair of hers than Miss Texas."
He scowled. "There's nothing wrong with her hairdo. She's got pretty hair." She knew that. That was the problem. "And, she's got a good brain and a good heart, too. She's a nurse, Dinah. And she's married!"
"She's a real pretty nurse. So, did she check you out?"
Stuffing the remainder of his sandwich in his plastic grocery sack, he glared hard at her. "Jeez, Dinah. I never thought you were the type of person who went around stereotyping others. Especially not other women, and especially not on a whim, just to be mean."
Did Austin Wright just say WHIM? "I don't stereotype."
He got to his feet. "I think you must. You're talking about Van like she's got nothing for nothing just because she's a beautiful woman who's embraced her share of the Walmart beauty aisle."
"I saw you hugging her." - 21%
You can see here why I admire Austin and why sometimes I didn't like Dinah. TO BE FAIR, she apologizes for her behavior later and admits Vanessa is a kind and lovely woman, and she really means it. So it's not like she doesn't grow and change.
Here's another cute scene, when Austin comes over to her house for the first time.
"I guess all this girly stuff is kind of unexpected, huh?"
Feeling his way, he shook his head. "No. I think it's real nice, Dinah."
"Between the rodeos and the ranch and the sheriff's office... I get tired of being in a man's world."
"I could imagine that. There's nothing wrong with you being a girl, Dinah."
"Hey, now."
"Oh, I know. I'm supposed to call you 'woman' or 'sheriff,' or who knows what. But I like seeing you in a dress, and I like the idea of you going to sleep in a place that reminds me of a cloud bank."
Her mouth opened then shut. Kind of like a guppy.
He saved her. "Ready? For dinner?"
"Oh. Yeah."
"Let's go, then." After she locked her door, he held out his arm for her to take. And wonder of wonders, she took his elbow even though she didn't need to. He escorted her down the back steps and to her side of his truck.
For the first time in a long while, he felt he was worth something.
All because a woman like her was choosing to spend some of her precious free time going out with a man like him. - 55%
And I want to note that he never tries to protect her, step on her sheriff's duties, or do any macho crap. He stays out of the way and lets her do her job.
This book could be so cute and 'awwwww' inducing. :D
"Now, this I can help you with," he teased.
And then proceeded to make love to her again.
Thirty minutes later, when she was running out the door, cell phone on her ear and cheeks slightly pink from his morning beard, Austin realized he could get used to this. He could get used to her. To a life with her.
Maybe he already had. - 77%
Look at this amazing part, where Austin is - through lots of coaching and support from his friends and family - finally open and okay with going to AA.
"Okay. Well, I've got my AA meeting tonight, but you can call me later." He couldn't believe it - he was finally starting to talk about his Alcoholics Anonymous meetings like they were part of his life, not a dirty secret.
She paused. "Have I told you how proud I am of you?"
That embarrassed him. "A better man wouldn't have had to go in the first place."
"That's where you're wrong. A good man deals with his faults and doesn't hide them." - 79%
This is SO TRUE to life, when you have a part of your life that you feel everyone will shame or hate you for, and you debate on keeping it a deep dark secret, and you're trained by society to think everyone will lecture and scold you for it, but then you decide to tell everyone about it and be open and damn the consequences. This could be mental illness, alcoholism, being a type-2 diabetic, being addicted to drugs, having an eating disorder etc. It's so freeing and powerful to take hold of a part of yourself like this, and not scuttle around in the dark, cowering, like you are used to. I really admire Galloway's entire handling of Austin, his alcoholism, his shame about it, and how he finally comes to grips with it in this book. Well done. Most romance novelists can't handle this well, if they even attempt at all. Props.
Sometimes this book was unbearably cute. I'm saying that in a good way.
Every week in church, he'd prayed for strength. Prayed to be a better person. Prayed to be the man that he'd used to dream about becoming.
Now here he was being given the opportunity to be that man and so much more. If he didn't mess it up. - 92%
I was ooohing and ahing over the extreme cuteness between these two.
Not giving either of them another two seconds to think, he reached for her chin, turned her to face him and kissed her breathless. In his arms, Dinah didn't even hesitate. She melded her body to his, curving her arms around his neck. Feeling so sweet. So perfect.
When he lifted his head to draw a breath, she tried to argue. So he did the only thing he could. He kissed her again. And yet again, she followed his lead.
He couldn't resist the pull of satisfaction he felt. Dinah Hart didn't bend her will to anyone - except him, it seemed. Just like he wanted to bend for her. Gently rubbing his thumb along the fine lines of her cheekbones, he gazed into her lovely hazel eyes. "Better?"
"Um... no."
"No?"
"Austin, you didn't answer my question."
"I thought I did. If you're pregnant, I'm going to kiss you senseless. And if you're not, I'm going to kiss you senseless, too." He waggled his brows. "But then I might pull you to my bed and make everything last a little longer."
"But what about marriage?"
She looked so miserable, so torn, he almost laughed. "Dinah Hart, I love you. I want you to be happy. We'll figure it out."
"You think it's that easy?"
"I do," he said... - 93%
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
Zero to one hundred in point six seconds. They go from not having kissed in 13 years to fucking on the living room floor.
"This kind of took me off guard. And we can't even blame it on alcohol."
"No, ma'am, we cannot." He smiled, looking extremely pleased about that. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I do believe this is the first time in a long while I've woken up with a woman when I've remembered every single second of the evening before."
Every second? That kind of made her nervous. "Hmm."
He continued talking, because, well, he was Austin. "Dinah, shoot, you were something else."
Something else? "I don't know how to reply to that."
"You don't need to, sugar."
That sounded like a good thing, but it was also kind of worrisome. - 60%
So cute. :)
Also, both of these idiots not only do not think about birth control of any kind, but it doesn't even occur to them that they DIDN'T use condoms or birth control until midday next day. Inconceivable.
The sex is not described.
I do have to give Galloway major points for having the MCs tackle pregnancy and STDs like grown adults. They discuss if she was on the Pill. She wasn't. They discuss her pregnancy scare at age 17. Then they discuss STDs, a HUGE deal for a romance novel, where this matter is skirted 99% of the time.
Even though it embarrassed the heck out of her, she had to ask, "Have you been checked out lately?"
Every muscle in his face seemed to turn to stone. "What?"
"You know. For any disease?" When he still stared, she sputtered. "Like herpes?" His blue eyes narrowed. "And since, you know, we didn't use any protection..."
"I don't have herpes. Do you?"
She winced. "No."
"Syphilis?"
"There's no need to get nasty, Austin."
Slowly, he took his hand off the door handle as the steam left him. "You're right. I'm sorry. Of course, we should have acted our ages. We should've thought about a whole lot of things. I'll go get tested."
"I will, too," she said. Though it would only be for what had just happened between them. She hadn't been in a physical relationship for years.
The muscle in his cheek jumped. "Fair enough."
Well, this was awkward. "Do you still want to go look at puppies?"
He blinked at her, and she realized that he'd assumed she didn't want another thing to do with him.
And while that might have been the smartest decision, it wasn't the truth.
"Yeah. Heck, why not?" He got out and stepped away, then turned and waited for her. "Come on, Dinah. Let's see if we can find you something cute to hold on to." - 67%
Major points to Galloway for this excellent scene. Another big plus in the book is they continue having sex. So many times in American Romance the hero and heroine just have sex once and then never again. Galloway takes the more realistic route and realizes couples keep on having sex. So that was great.
"Come spend the night with me, Dinah."
"You sure about that?"
"I don't think I've ever been more sure. Come on, D. I'll be home in ten minutes, tops."
"Well..."
He could tell she was carefully weighing the pros and cons of this. And there were a whole lot of cons and probably not too many pros. But that's what happened when a person overthought things too much. "Just come on, Dinah. I'm the best offer you're going to receive tonight. I promise. Come over and I'll heat you up some soup and tell you how impressed I am that you solved your case." - 76%
TL; DR - Cute, sweet, with fully fleshed out characters. Even though it wasn't perfect (no detailed sex, Austin trying to control Dinah's food intake, obsession with diet and weight, Dinah being a little too neurotic for my tastes) it was head and shoulders above most American Romances. Fun and engaging. 3D characters. Good storyline.
ROMANCE CATEGORIES:
Contemporary Romance
Cowboy/Western Romance
Second Chance Romance
Non-Virgin Heroine
Police Romance
He's a Rodeo Rider and Store Owner, She is Sheriff
When Austin turned and took that lonely walk back to his own truck, he realized all of a sudden that he wasn't all that lonely after all. He had a woman who was expecting him to call... and a father he felt he could finally have a relationship with again. Life had never felt so sweet. - 88%
"I'll pick you up at six-thirty."
"Where are we going?"
"Prime Rib and Fish House."
"That's kind of fancy, Austin."
"I'm that kind of guy, Dinah." He raised a brow. "Or have you already forgotten?" ...
"I'll be ready."
"And don't you go and wait outside for me, neither. You wait on the other side of the door and wait for me to knock like a gentleman."
Okay, first I want to say kudos to Galloway for a well-written and engaging book. Let's slow clap it out. *slow clap* Well done, and I mean that sincerely.
Instead of drawing emotions in crayon on cardboard cutouts - the go-to action of many romance authors - Galloway actually creates living, breathing characters here. The psychological motivations, the personalities, and the dialogue are enough reason to be happy with this book.
The book opens with Austin waking up, ready to vomit. He has no memory of the night before. A woman calls him and he doesn't remember her name or what he did with her last night.
His cotton mouth got drier as memories flashed. The times he'd driven home drunk, the times he'd woken up beside women he didn't remember meeting.
The time he'd lived on ramen noodles for two weeks because he'd had to borrow money for gas in his truck. Because he'd spent every last dime at a rowdy bar in Sheridan.
He's ready for AA! Even though the man who told him about the local AA chapter doesn't pick up his phone, Austin is determined and he seeks out another friend for support. He is going to stop drinking.
Dinah, our heroine, is someone we know well from the previous four books in this series. She is the Sheriff.
Dinah is complicated, just as Austin is complicated. For one thing, she thinks she needs to be tough and hard for her job. She cuts her hair short, she never lets anyone go into her small cabin (which is decorated in a feminine manner), she even avoids laughing in public. In a way she has a point - a lot of older males in Roundup don't think a female can do this job - but Austin sees through her and understands both her inner 'girl' and why she's sacrificing her to do her job.
Austin and Dinah go way back. They have been friends since school. But they only shared a kiss once. They were both wild. But after a huge pregnancy scare when Dinah was 17, she cleaned up and flew straight. She became sheriff. She stopped partying. But Austin never stopped (as we can see by how this book opens).
Austin also has a father who served time in penitentiary and is considered a bad element by the town.
THE UGLY
The worst feature of this book is Galloway's obsession with weight, dieting, and people controlling / commenting on other people's eating.
I can't list all the times weight and diet are mentioned here. Dinah insists on dieting and eating barely anything because she's so worried about her weight. Meanwhile, her skin is hanging off her bones because of the stress from the unsolved case she's working on. EVERYONE feels free to offer an opinion on what she's eating and what she's not eating, and Austin is the worst of them all.
Men have NO SAY in what you decide to eat, okay? No one does but you. I don't care if a man is concerned I'm getting too thin, and encourages me or orders me to eat; or if he is concerned I'm getting too fat and encourages me or orders me to eat less - It's the end of the relationship. I have a zero tolerance policy for this type of shit. There's only one person who decides how much or how little you should eat, when you should eat, what you should eat, how you should eat it, whether you are hungry or not - and it's you. YOU.
I only date men who keep their fucking mouths shut about what I'm eating or not eating. I would never imagine telling a man what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat, shame him for taking seconds, force him to eat a meal when he doesn't want one... and I expect the same respect and courtesy. If I don't get it, I'm out.
Dinah could use some backbone in this department.
Eyeing her wrapped-up sandwich, he said, "Think you can eat another two bites?"
"You sound like my mother!"
"Naw, just trying to look out for you. Eat another bite, D."
Before she knew it, she was unwrapping the sandwich and taking one more bite. Just to please him. - 20%
Ew, disgusting.
"I'm excited, Austin."
"Then that's what we'll do. As soon as you eat something."
"I'm okay - "
"You're going to have to get used to this, D. I'm going to look after you, and I intend to do a good job of it." - 95%
Disgusting. I'm not even going to mention all the talk about dieting, weight, watching what you eat... every bite Dinah takes in this book is accompanied by some sort of commentary about if she's thin or fat, if she should be eating this or not, if she is being 'good' or 'bad'.... It's a ED nightmare. If you suffer from an ED or have an ED that is in remission, please avoid this book, it could be triggering. Not joking, this is a sincere warning.
Another mildly bad thing in here was Dinah. I wanted to like her and heaven knows Galloway was working hard to make her a real person. And she was succeeding, but I'm not sure I like Dinah. In ways she is relatable and sympathetic - she is under a lot of pressure from her job. She is working a big case and people are getting angry it isn't solved yet (carry-over from the first four books). She feels like she needs to work 24/7. She feels like she needs to stamp out her femininity and any signs of 'weakness' or humanity because of the job. Add on top of that her constant obsession with weight and diet.
But I also was getting very frustrated with her. In her gung-ho effort to be the sheriff she thinks everyone demands her to be, she makes some questionable decisions. Austin forgives her because he is a very forgiving person, but I was less willing to forgive. And her constant striving and thinking that she as a person was not good enough got trying at times.
THE GOOD
I liked Austin. He is laid-back, easygoing, and relaxed. Exactly what I like in men. He just takes everything in stride. He doesn't let anything ruffle him. He's a good counter for Dinah's neuroticism.
Dinah and Austin's cute interactions and little humor - despite both of them having a hard time in life - is the highlight of the book. Let's take a look at some of the cuteness.
Here's Dinah and Austin running into each other at the grocery store:
"Hope you have a good evening."
"You, too." He turned, took two steps, then came back over to her side. "Want to come over?"
"For dinner?"
"Don't act like I'm wining and dining you, D. It's just chicken and potatoes."
His idea sounded a whole lot better than a diet frozen dinner. And there was something between them that was hard to deny. "I've got a salad in a bag. I could bring that." Gosh, did she sound as lame as she felt?
"We'll have three food groups covered right there. After you take your groceries home, come over."
"All right. I will." - 15%
After their nice meal, this comes up:
"Any chance you going to church tomorrow?"
"I don't know. I don't go all that often. Why?"
"I'll be there. Thought if you were going to be there, too, maybe we could have lunch together after."
"You want another meal?"
She'd spouted the question as if he'd just asked to get in her pants. He bit the inside of his lip so he wouldn't smile. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to ruin your stash of Lean Cuisine dinners. I was thinking maybe we could get lunch at the Number 1 after. My treat." - 16%
When she says she'll have to think about it, he's just like "Ok, that's cool." I like this kind of man. No pressure, super chill. It was extremely attractive.
Another good thing about Austin is that he calls out Dinah on her woman-hate. He doesn't tolerate her talking shit about other females.
"Austin, I'm not like all the other women you date."
The smile vanished. "What the heck is that supposed to mean?" ...
"I'm just saying there's more to me than just being a good-time girl with a lot of great hair."
"Hey, now. Hair?"
"I'm just saying that Vanessa sure has a lot of hair for being a nurse in a medical practice."
He sat up straighter. "Wait a minute. You're talking about Vanessa Anderson?"
"Yes, though I bet you know plenty of Vanessas." Now that it was all out in the open, she felt worse than catty. But how could she backtrack without seeming like more of a fool? "You know what I'm talking about, Austin," she said with a whole lot of bravado. "Vanessa must have more hair spray in that head of hair of hers than Miss Texas."
He scowled. "There's nothing wrong with her hairdo. She's got pretty hair." She knew that. That was the problem. "And, she's got a good brain and a good heart, too. She's a nurse, Dinah. And she's married!"
"She's a real pretty nurse. So, did she check you out?"
Stuffing the remainder of his sandwich in his plastic grocery sack, he glared hard at her. "Jeez, Dinah. I never thought you were the type of person who went around stereotyping others. Especially not other women, and especially not on a whim, just to be mean."
Did Austin Wright just say WHIM? "I don't stereotype."
He got to his feet. "I think you must. You're talking about Van like she's got nothing for nothing just because she's a beautiful woman who's embraced her share of the Walmart beauty aisle."
"I saw you hugging her." - 21%
You can see here why I admire Austin and why sometimes I didn't like Dinah. TO BE FAIR, she apologizes for her behavior later and admits Vanessa is a kind and lovely woman, and she really means it. So it's not like she doesn't grow and change.
Here's another cute scene, when Austin comes over to her house for the first time.
"I guess all this girly stuff is kind of unexpected, huh?"
Feeling his way, he shook his head. "No. I think it's real nice, Dinah."
"Between the rodeos and the ranch and the sheriff's office... I get tired of being in a man's world."
"I could imagine that. There's nothing wrong with you being a girl, Dinah."
"Hey, now."
"Oh, I know. I'm supposed to call you 'woman' or 'sheriff,' or who knows what. But I like seeing you in a dress, and I like the idea of you going to sleep in a place that reminds me of a cloud bank."
Her mouth opened then shut. Kind of like a guppy.
He saved her. "Ready? For dinner?"
"Oh. Yeah."
"Let's go, then." After she locked her door, he held out his arm for her to take. And wonder of wonders, she took his elbow even though she didn't need to. He escorted her down the back steps and to her side of his truck.
For the first time in a long while, he felt he was worth something.
All because a woman like her was choosing to spend some of her precious free time going out with a man like him. - 55%
And I want to note that he never tries to protect her, step on her sheriff's duties, or do any macho crap. He stays out of the way and lets her do her job.
This book could be so cute and 'awwwww' inducing. :D
"Now, this I can help you with," he teased.
And then proceeded to make love to her again.
Thirty minutes later, when she was running out the door, cell phone on her ear and cheeks slightly pink from his morning beard, Austin realized he could get used to this. He could get used to her. To a life with her.
Maybe he already had. - 77%
Look at this amazing part, where Austin is - through lots of coaching and support from his friends and family - finally open and okay with going to AA.
"Okay. Well, I've got my AA meeting tonight, but you can call me later." He couldn't believe it - he was finally starting to talk about his Alcoholics Anonymous meetings like they were part of his life, not a dirty secret.
She paused. "Have I told you how proud I am of you?"
That embarrassed him. "A better man wouldn't have had to go in the first place."
"That's where you're wrong. A good man deals with his faults and doesn't hide them." - 79%
This is SO TRUE to life, when you have a part of your life that you feel everyone will shame or hate you for, and you debate on keeping it a deep dark secret, and you're trained by society to think everyone will lecture and scold you for it, but then you decide to tell everyone about it and be open and damn the consequences. This could be mental illness, alcoholism, being a type-2 diabetic, being addicted to drugs, having an eating disorder etc. It's so freeing and powerful to take hold of a part of yourself like this, and not scuttle around in the dark, cowering, like you are used to. I really admire Galloway's entire handling of Austin, his alcoholism, his shame about it, and how he finally comes to grips with it in this book. Well done. Most romance novelists can't handle this well, if they even attempt at all. Props.
Sometimes this book was unbearably cute. I'm saying that in a good way.
Every week in church, he'd prayed for strength. Prayed to be a better person. Prayed to be the man that he'd used to dream about becoming.
Now here he was being given the opportunity to be that man and so much more. If he didn't mess it up. - 92%
I was ooohing and ahing over the extreme cuteness between these two.
Not giving either of them another two seconds to think, he reached for her chin, turned her to face him and kissed her breathless. In his arms, Dinah didn't even hesitate. She melded her body to his, curving her arms around his neck. Feeling so sweet. So perfect.
When he lifted his head to draw a breath, she tried to argue. So he did the only thing he could. He kissed her again. And yet again, she followed his lead.
He couldn't resist the pull of satisfaction he felt. Dinah Hart didn't bend her will to anyone - except him, it seemed. Just like he wanted to bend for her. Gently rubbing his thumb along the fine lines of her cheekbones, he gazed into her lovely hazel eyes. "Better?"
"Um... no."
"No?"
"Austin, you didn't answer my question."
"I thought I did. If you're pregnant, I'm going to kiss you senseless. And if you're not, I'm going to kiss you senseless, too." He waggled his brows. "But then I might pull you to my bed and make everything last a little longer."
"But what about marriage?"
She looked so miserable, so torn, he almost laughed. "Dinah Hart, I love you. I want you to be happy. We'll figure it out."
"You think it's that easy?"
"I do," he said... - 93%
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
Zero to one hundred in point six seconds. They go from not having kissed in 13 years to fucking on the living room floor.
"This kind of took me off guard. And we can't even blame it on alcohol."
"No, ma'am, we cannot." He smiled, looking extremely pleased about that. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I do believe this is the first time in a long while I've woken up with a woman when I've remembered every single second of the evening before."
Every second? That kind of made her nervous. "Hmm."
He continued talking, because, well, he was Austin. "Dinah, shoot, you were something else."
Something else? "I don't know how to reply to that."
"You don't need to, sugar."
That sounded like a good thing, but it was also kind of worrisome. - 60%
So cute. :)
Also, both of these idiots not only do not think about birth control of any kind, but it doesn't even occur to them that they DIDN'T use condoms or birth control until midday next day. Inconceivable.
The sex is not described.
I do have to give Galloway major points for having the MCs tackle pregnancy and STDs like grown adults. They discuss if she was on the Pill. She wasn't. They discuss her pregnancy scare at age 17. Then they discuss STDs, a HUGE deal for a romance novel, where this matter is skirted 99% of the time.
Even though it embarrassed the heck out of her, she had to ask, "Have you been checked out lately?"
Every muscle in his face seemed to turn to stone. "What?"
"You know. For any disease?" When he still stared, she sputtered. "Like herpes?" His blue eyes narrowed. "And since, you know, we didn't use any protection..."
"I don't have herpes. Do you?"
She winced. "No."
"Syphilis?"
"There's no need to get nasty, Austin."
Slowly, he took his hand off the door handle as the steam left him. "You're right. I'm sorry. Of course, we should have acted our ages. We should've thought about a whole lot of things. I'll go get tested."
"I will, too," she said. Though it would only be for what had just happened between them. She hadn't been in a physical relationship for years.
The muscle in his cheek jumped. "Fair enough."
Well, this was awkward. "Do you still want to go look at puppies?"
He blinked at her, and she realized that he'd assumed she didn't want another thing to do with him.
And while that might have been the smartest decision, it wasn't the truth.
"Yeah. Heck, why not?" He got out and stepped away, then turned and waited for her. "Come on, Dinah. Let's see if we can find you something cute to hold on to." - 67%
Major points to Galloway for this excellent scene. Another big plus in the book is they continue having sex. So many times in American Romance the hero and heroine just have sex once and then never again. Galloway takes the more realistic route and realizes couples keep on having sex. So that was great.
"Come spend the night with me, Dinah."
"You sure about that?"
"I don't think I've ever been more sure. Come on, D. I'll be home in ten minutes, tops."
"Well..."
He could tell she was carefully weighing the pros and cons of this. And there were a whole lot of cons and probably not too many pros. But that's what happened when a person overthought things too much. "Just come on, Dinah. I'm the best offer you're going to receive tonight. I promise. Come over and I'll heat you up some soup and tell you how impressed I am that you solved your case." - 76%
TL; DR - Cute, sweet, with fully fleshed out characters. Even though it wasn't perfect (no detailed sex, Austin trying to control Dinah's food intake, obsession with diet and weight, Dinah being a little too neurotic for my tastes) it was head and shoulders above most American Romances. Fun and engaging. 3D characters. Good storyline.
ROMANCE CATEGORIES:
Contemporary Romance
Cowboy/Western Romance
Second Chance Romance
Non-Virgin Heroine
Police Romance
He's a Rodeo Rider and Store Owner, She is Sheriff
When Austin turned and took that lonely walk back to his own truck, he realized all of a sudden that he wasn't all that lonely after all. He had a woman who was expecting him to call... and a father he felt he could finally have a relationship with again. Life had never felt so sweet. - 88%
October 3, 2012
From the start this had me hooked, and surprised at the depth of the subject matter.
This book deals with the difficult subject of alcoholism and I think the author does a good job of not making excuses for her hero’s problems and actually having him face up to them throughout the course of the book. So often, especially in my experience of Category Romance, when a character has/had addiction problems it has always been a past event, but this book actually goes through the sobering up process, the meetings, the withdrawal, etc. A nice change, and quite well done.
The heroine is difficult to like; she’s prickly and a little uptight but it does work with her character. Her past or specifically what triggered her change from teenage wild child to respected small town sheriff felt a bit of a let down when it was finally ‘revealed’. I think more could have been made of it to make it more shocking. My opinion obviously, I read so many Presents I'm used to more drama!
At the heart of this story is two flawed characters finding peace with each other and accepting themselves, and the romance is very satisfying to read.
The ongoing plot of the thefts and missing horse from the previous books in this mini-series is resolved but I feel it was done a little too easily; I had though this plot would have carried on into the coming books. But I am eager to see what comes next for this family.
A very enjoyable read.
Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....
This book deals with the difficult subject of alcoholism and I think the author does a good job of not making excuses for her hero’s problems and actually having him face up to them throughout the course of the book. So often, especially in my experience of Category Romance, when a character has/had addiction problems it has always been a past event, but this book actually goes through the sobering up process, the meetings, the withdrawal, etc. A nice change, and quite well done.
The heroine is difficult to like; she’s prickly and a little uptight but it does work with her character. Her past or specifically what triggered her change from teenage wild child to respected small town sheriff felt a bit of a let down when it was finally ‘revealed’. I think more could have been made of it to make it more shocking. My opinion obviously, I read so many Presents I'm used to more drama!
At the heart of this story is two flawed characters finding peace with each other and accepting themselves, and the romance is very satisfying to read.
The ongoing plot of the thefts and missing horse from the previous books in this mini-series is resolved but I feel it was done a little too easily; I had though this plot would have carried on into the coming books. But I am eager to see what comes next for this family.
A very enjoyable read.
Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....
November 1, 2012
Cover & Title - 3.5 out of 5
Favorite Line - "I go commando, Dinah. Unless I'm on the back of a horse, I'm practically free as a bird."
She was shocked. "Really?" And yes, that was her gaze sliding down to his hip area.
His smile widened. "Nothing comes between me and my Wranglers. So... want to check? Just to be sure you didn't miss a thing?"
Favorite Character - Austin
I liked that this book was about Austin turning his life around, working to become sober & a better person. It is a really serious issue so i think it was great it was covered in a romance book. My favorite thing about the book was Austin & him overcoming the alcoholism.
The rest of the book *shrug* I enjoyed some of it but some things really annoyed me for instance, Dinah the sheriff dating a suspect, Dinah not questioning Austin in regards to why he has stolen saddles in his possession & what happened to Dinah's baby that she got pregnant with when she was a teenager?
I also thought the book wrapped up too fast, i was not really that satisfied with the conclusion of the crimes. I was happy with the ending in regards to Dinah & Austin as i love a HEA.
Favorite Line - "I go commando, Dinah. Unless I'm on the back of a horse, I'm practically free as a bird."
She was shocked. "Really?" And yes, that was her gaze sliding down to his hip area.
His smile widened. "Nothing comes between me and my Wranglers. So... want to check? Just to be sure you didn't miss a thing?"
Favorite Character - Austin
I liked that this book was about Austin turning his life around, working to become sober & a better person. It is a really serious issue so i think it was great it was covered in a romance book. My favorite thing about the book was Austin & him overcoming the alcoholism.
The rest of the book *shrug* I enjoyed some of it but some things really annoyed me for instance, Dinah the sheriff dating a suspect, Dinah not questioning Austin in regards to why he has stolen saddles in his possession & what happened to Dinah's baby that she got pregnant with when she was a teenager?
I also thought the book wrapped up too fast, i was not really that satisfied with the conclusion of the crimes. I was happy with the ending in regards to Dinah & Austin as i love a HEA.
September 2, 2012
Very good book. Austin has woken up once too often not remembering what he did the night before. He is intent on making some changes in his life. Dinah is run off her feet trying to solve the crimes of the thieves and the missing horse. She and Austin had been good friends during their wild high school days. Dinah is attracted to Austin, but she doesn't want to jeopardize her career by having a fling with him, especially once he becomes a suspect in the robberies. But Dinah can't help being drawn to him and soon their attraction becomes physical. I really liked both Dinah and Austin. I loved the way that he realized that he needed to make some changes in his life, and then that he needed help to make those changes, He is a very independent guy and doesn't want to admit that he can't do it on his own. I liked the fact that once he made up his mind he stuck to it. I enjoyed the way that he would give Dinah a hard time and flirt with her. When he realized it was more than just flirting he wanted he was pretty surprised. He was ticked off when Dinah suspected him about being in with the thieves, but did admit that she was just doing her job. I liked the way he was able to move past that and continue his pursuit of her. I also liked the way that he looked out for her. He could see that when she got involved in her work she completely forgot about doing things like eating. I liked being able to see him as he worked through his problems and how hard it was. I also liked seeing his relationships with his sister and father improve. I really liked seeing Dinah in her job as sheriff. She obviously took it seriously, but had some feelings of inadequacy as the thieves continued to elude her. I also enjoyed seeing the contrast between her tough girl sheriff attitude and the softer side shown in her home and with her family. She hated suspecting Austin in the robberies, but knew she had to investigate anyway. I could also see the way that the sparks shot off the two of them whenever they were together. I loved the ending and the way things worked out for them. Seeing the other family members is always a plus.
October 13, 2012
I found myself enjoying this book when I wasn't sure going in I would.
Austin has an epiphany when he wakes up the morning after a really big bender. He isn't sure if he took a woman home or what happened… Thankfully this made him wake up and decide to go cold turkey. He owns a shop in town but has been fighting his whole life against what people think of his family. I felt for him but he is something else. Such a wonderfully complex individual comes to light as we watch him struggle against alcohol and against his feelings for Dinah. He's wounded but man oh man does he enjoy getting under her own walls to get what he wants. It was nice to see a man who has such hurt and pain in him not drop down to cruelty when things make him appear to be the bad guy. His talk with his father was wonderful to see as it shows that this family has a lot of issues to work thru but that redemption and healing are possible no matter how bad it gets.
Dinah… she's a piece of work. I liked how much she was willing to give up to get the dream of being something in a man's profession (at least in this town) but was even happier that she let Austin in. She's got this whole in public I'm not female thing going and it makes most men look the other way. In reality she wants to find someone and have a family but has resigned herself to not having it all. She's put in some bad spots in this with having to arrest Austin for theft but in the grand scheme of things Austin knows she's just doing her job even if it kills her inside. Of course him being a bit stubborn makes them fight a bit but when she gives in to her feelings with him it was sweet to see. This strong woman melting in a strong but broken cowboy's arms was just awwww..
So if you want a nice story about to people who have issues finding one another this would be a nice one to pick up. Thanks to NetGalley.com and Harlequin for giving me the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.
Austin has an epiphany when he wakes up the morning after a really big bender. He isn't sure if he took a woman home or what happened… Thankfully this made him wake up and decide to go cold turkey. He owns a shop in town but has been fighting his whole life against what people think of his family. I felt for him but he is something else. Such a wonderfully complex individual comes to light as we watch him struggle against alcohol and against his feelings for Dinah. He's wounded but man oh man does he enjoy getting under her own walls to get what he wants. It was nice to see a man who has such hurt and pain in him not drop down to cruelty when things make him appear to be the bad guy. His talk with his father was wonderful to see as it shows that this family has a lot of issues to work thru but that redemption and healing are possible no matter how bad it gets.
Dinah… she's a piece of work. I liked how much she was willing to give up to get the dream of being something in a man's profession (at least in this town) but was even happier that she let Austin in. She's got this whole in public I'm not female thing going and it makes most men look the other way. In reality she wants to find someone and have a family but has resigned herself to not having it all. She's put in some bad spots in this with having to arrest Austin for theft but in the grand scheme of things Austin knows she's just doing her job even if it kills her inside. Of course him being a bit stubborn makes them fight a bit but when she gives in to her feelings with him it was sweet to see. This strong woman melting in a strong but broken cowboy's arms was just awwww..
So if you want a nice story about to people who have issues finding one another this would be a nice one to pick up. Thanks to NetGalley.com and Harlequin for giving me the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.
November 2, 2012
Austin:Second Chance Cowboy by Shelley Galloway
4 STARS
Austin: Second Chance Cowboy is a Hart of the Rodeo series. I personally have read them out of order and would recommend reading them in order. It keeps the book from spoilers. I think I would have enjoyed more if I did not know already the key points of this book before I had started it.
Austin Wright wakes up and doesn't remember somethings from the night before and realizes how many nights he can't remember. He realizes he has a problem with drinking too much. Austin has had to fight for everything he has. His dad was a drunk and a thief. People don't trust him. Austin does not trust his dad either.
Austin has a store that sells some clothes and rodeo tack some of it second hand.
When someone is stealing expensive saddles and tack he comes under suspicion. Especially when he does not give the sheriff his where he was durning the one theft.
Sheriff Dinah Hart is tired of all the thefts in her area. Even her family has had expensive saddle stolen and their stallion was taken too at the sametime. Dinah hears a lot of talk about how women are not good sheriffs.
Dinah in the past has dated Austin when they were younger. Austin still flirts with her and asks her out every once in awhile. When she is in his shop asking about his trouble in a bar she notices a used saddle thier. She keeps her eyes open for the stollen merchandise.
Austin decides to try AA meeting and is surprised with what he finds thier. Austin does not want to tell anyone that he has stopped drinking and going to meetings. His secrecy about it causes him lots of problems.
I like the Harts of Rodeo series. I also like that Dinah is a sheriff and works hard at her job. Even though she is a sheriff her family still teases her and act like big brothers do.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.
10/01/2012 PUB Harlequin Imprint Harlequin American Romance 224 pages
4 STARS
Austin: Second Chance Cowboy is a Hart of the Rodeo series. I personally have read them out of order and would recommend reading them in order. It keeps the book from spoilers. I think I would have enjoyed more if I did not know already the key points of this book before I had started it.
Austin Wright wakes up and doesn't remember somethings from the night before and realizes how many nights he can't remember. He realizes he has a problem with drinking too much. Austin has had to fight for everything he has. His dad was a drunk and a thief. People don't trust him. Austin does not trust his dad either.
Austin has a store that sells some clothes and rodeo tack some of it second hand.
When someone is stealing expensive saddles and tack he comes under suspicion. Especially when he does not give the sheriff his where he was durning the one theft.
Sheriff Dinah Hart is tired of all the thefts in her area. Even her family has had expensive saddle stolen and their stallion was taken too at the sametime. Dinah hears a lot of talk about how women are not good sheriffs.
Dinah in the past has dated Austin when they were younger. Austin still flirts with her and asks her out every once in awhile. When she is in his shop asking about his trouble in a bar she notices a used saddle thier. She keeps her eyes open for the stollen merchandise.
Austin decides to try AA meeting and is surprised with what he finds thier. Austin does not want to tell anyone that he has stopped drinking and going to meetings. His secrecy about it causes him lots of problems.
I like the Harts of Rodeo series. I also like that Dinah is a sheriff and works hard at her job. Even though she is a sheriff her family still teases her and act like big brothers do.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.
10/01/2012 PUB Harlequin Imprint Harlequin American Romance 224 pages
August 15, 2012
Reviewd: HarlequinJunkie Romance Reviews
In book four of the Harts of Rodeo Series we come face to face with drop dead gorgeous bad boy Austin.
He is the always getting drunk and sleeping with a string of woman,waking up the next morning and not being able to recall so much as the woman in his bed's name. He does however come to the point in his life where he wants to change but doing just that proves much harder as how does one change and at the same time keep your dirty little secret under wraps.
Dinah who is sister to brothers Aiden and Colton (from books one and two) has worked hard to prove her worth in this small town ,being a female Sheriff and a woman with needs at the same time is a tough job.
And when she encounters the man that is able to for-full those needs she is more than a little torn between falling into bed for the best lovemaking ever and upholding the law. I really liked the book,reading about the amount of effort it takes to overcome one's demons and the choices that some need to make in order to bring balance to their lives was beautifully captured by the author.
The author very nicely incorporated the characters from the previous books and also made my curiosity take off as to what lies ahead in the next book. The book also had some very delicious,funny and witty comments flying between Dinah and Austin that was simply delightful!
Favorite Quote :
"He couldn't resist the pull of satisfaction he felt. Dinah Hart didn't bed her will to anyone ......"
In book four of the Harts of Rodeo Series we come face to face with drop dead gorgeous bad boy Austin.
He is the always getting drunk and sleeping with a string of woman,waking up the next morning and not being able to recall so much as the woman in his bed's name. He does however come to the point in his life where he wants to change but doing just that proves much harder as how does one change and at the same time keep your dirty little secret under wraps.
Dinah who is sister to brothers Aiden and Colton (from books one and two) has worked hard to prove her worth in this small town ,being a female Sheriff and a woman with needs at the same time is a tough job.
And when she encounters the man that is able to for-full those needs she is more than a little torn between falling into bed for the best lovemaking ever and upholding the law. I really liked the book,reading about the amount of effort it takes to overcome one's demons and the choices that some need to make in order to bring balance to their lives was beautifully captured by the author.
The author very nicely incorporated the characters from the previous books and also made my curiosity take off as to what lies ahead in the next book. The book also had some very delicious,funny and witty comments flying between Dinah and Austin that was simply delightful!
Favorite Quote :
"He couldn't resist the pull of satisfaction he felt. Dinah Hart didn't bed her will to anyone ......"
October 12, 2012
This book emphasise very much on second chance; be it for Austin, Dinah and Buddy (Austin's Dad). Austin, due to his past history and his dad's, Austin is a loner while Dinah strived to a strong for others to see what more given her position as the town sheriff. When a string of robberies occurs, Dinah suspected Austin to be involved in it. Austin on the other hand, is dealing with some long outstanding issues and does not welcome Dinah's attention into his welfare at all. However, what started off in the wrong foot, they become fast friend again and it developed into something deeper. Overall, this book is an easy read and i did enjoyed reading it!
May 29, 2013
Hott Review:
What I liked: Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was just a good book. As long as you can take a book at face value and just read to enjoy this is absolutely a fantastic book!
What I didn’t like: I really didn’t think it was very realistic – things were entirely too easy!
More…
Author: Shelley Galloway
Source: Harlequin via Netgalley
Grade: A
Steam: Adult
Series: Harts of the Rodeo
What I liked: Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was just a good book. As long as you can take a book at face value and just read to enjoy this is absolutely a fantastic book!
What I didn’t like: I really didn’t think it was very realistic – things were entirely too easy!
More…
Author: Shelley Galloway
Source: Harlequin via Netgalley
Grade: A
Steam: Adult
Series: Harts of the Rodeo
April 29, 2013
Another great book in the Harts of the Rodeo series - and this one takes on a sensitive subject. The author does a great job with it.
Read
June 30, 2016Miniseries: Harts of the Rodeo
Category: Heart & Home
Category: Heart & Home
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews