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Sometimes you have to die to be born.

One minute Katie is eating lunch with her sister, the next she barely escapes a car bomb meant to kill her. If that wasn’t enough, someone sets fire to her home and burns it to the ground. Luckily, Federal agents are going to give her a new identity until she can testify against the man who wants her dead. They change her name to Presley, her hair color to brown, and her shorts and sandals to jeans and cowboy boots. She’s not thrilled about being sent to a small town in Montana to hide, but she wants to stay alive.

Sheriff Seth Reilly is doing a favor for an old Army buddy. He’s promised to watch over a woman whose life is in danger, but he didn’t plan on her being so young and beautiful. He’s tempted, but she’s a bundle of trouble. Seth likes his women calm and sedate. Presley is the kind of woman who would keep him up at night and make him crazy. Too bad he’s starting to enjoy it.

Passion flares between Seth and Presley, heating up the cold Montana nights. Knowing they only have a short time together, they vow not to fall in love. But when danger finds Presley, Seth will risk everything to keep her safe until she can testify. Will Presley get her old life back or start a new life with Seth instead?

Publisher’s warning: This book contains graphic sex scenes including an alpha male cowboy sheriff using Christmas lights to tie up his woman, a sexy strip tease, and steamy action in the cab of a truck.

286 pages, ebook

First published September 29, 2013

3700 people are currently reading
2912 people want to read

About the author

Olivia Jaymes

202 books365 followers
Olivia Jaymes is a wife, mother, lover of sexy romance, and caffeine addict. She lives with her husband and son in central Florida and spends her days with handsome alpha males and spunky heroines.
She currently has five series: Cowboy Justice Association, Danger Incorporated, and Military Moguls, Midnight Blue Beach Trilogy, and her brand new contemporary romance series The Hollywood Showmance Chronicles.

To hear about upcoming releases sign up for Olivia's monthly newsletter:

http://eepurl.com/Y6aof

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5 stars
2,429 (41%)
4 stars
1,937 (32%)
3 stars
1,134 (19%)
2 stars
306 (5%)
1 star
93 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 333 reviews
Profile Image for book_luv_r.
1,462 reviews
March 30, 2015
Why do I keep falling for the reviews that make me think I'm going to find my next "it" book? This book started out pretty good, but once Presley is taken to Montana to hide out, things get boring. Fast. Seth is the sheriff in a small Montana town. This book has all the makings of a steamy, well developed love story. Not!. Up until the 50% mark I thought the book would have been better suited to have the title be Vanilla Cowboy. They drink root beer, soda, and lots of coffee. Seth tells her he would like to sleep with her and is it okay. Boring. The strange sex scenes felt very robotic with quite a lot of talking to each other about their families and how they grew up while they are naked, supposedly in the throws of passion. The author throws in words like the c word, which seemed so out of place. Weird book.
Profile Image for Maida (Medley of Books).
1,927 reviews517 followers
May 25, 2014

RATING: 1.5 HEARTS

Much to my dismay, I too often fall for the allures of beautiful book covers (most specifically to those that feature gorgeous men!), and while there have been numerous times where the intended book has been amazing outside and in, there have been just as many – if not more – times where I have been majorly disappointed. Olivia Jaymes’ Cowboy Command, unfortunately, falls in the latter category.

The one thing I try very hard to not do while reading any book, is skip pages. It’s something I do to keep an open mind no matter how distressing the read. With this book, I had no choice. We are given a promising enough blurb; with a not so overly complicated plot, two very different but interesting characters, and the hint of a hot romance. What should have made this a memorable read when combining these three elements, instead, proved to be a hinderance to the storyline. The beginning-to-end flow of narrative is present, but with no depth. Every action scene, character development (mostly on Presley’s side), and even sex scene felt empty, making for a very dull read and the main reason for my constant page-skipping.

Seth’s character is probably the only compensatory (and my most favourite) part of this entire story. His character portrays the image of the bad boy mixed with the gentle and sometimes overprotective man – my kind of hero (and he’s a cowboy!!). That being said, we are introduced to Seth’s weakness in the story and while this is a large part of Seth’s character development, it is not referenced upon again after the initial mention nor is it resolved by the end. And yet, somehow, we end up with a HEA with both characters happy. Every aspect of this story is centered on Katie/Presley, and how she grows as a character and overcomes her weaknesses and insecurities. Seth’s character is eclipsed by Presley’s to the point of being quite annoying. I wanted more of Seth, more of his fun, quirky family, and even his circle of lawmen friends – heck, I wanted anything but more of Presley, which did not happen in this case.

Presley’s character is a source of frustration throughout the story. Perhaps, I would have invested more in her had the focus of the entire story not been solely on her, despite her being one of the protagonists. As for the romance, meh (not the best word, but it describes my feelings perfectly) comes to mind. There is a little bit of kink thrown into the smexy scenes, and emotional attachment is forenamed, yet the romance left a more “whatever” kind of feeling rather than in girly giddiness. In fact, most of the pages I skipped were the love scenes. As a romance junkie, this is perhaps why I couldn’t get much into the story as well.

Overall, where Cowboy Command might be the perfect read for many readers, regrettably, it was not for me. I haven’t dismissed the series altogether, but I am not jumping to get Justice Healed in my hands anytime soon. Maybe when I’m in one of my “I-want-to-read-a-cowboy-story-but-can’t-find-one-because-I’m-too-lazy-to-browse-Goodreads” moods.



No disrespect was intended towards the author or anyone who did enjoy this read. These are my honest opinions.


Updated: May 17, 2014
Profile Image for Teri.
1,801 reviews
June 16, 2019
1.5-2 stars
I don't know what to say, nothing about this really worked for me. I really liked the idea, and it started right away with action, but dear god this got just flat out bizarre to me. Strange conversations. I never really got the attraction between them, we just get strange scenes and odd conversations, then strange sex. It was too bad, too, because I think there was a ton of potential here. I started out liking Presley, but pretty much ended up hating her. I did like that Seth was kind of flawed, he wasn't just some hot, alpha, in charge sheriff--he was weird and had some issues, which I did appreciate. Overall, this just wasn't for me.
Profile Image for Sania.
940 reviews
July 5, 2016
Standalone/Cliffhanger: Standalone but part of a series
Ages of H and h: h is 26 and H is 36
Multi-Luv'n/Ménages:
Was There Descriptive Sex:
Descriptive Sex &/Or Drama Between H/h With OW/OM:
>>If So, Before or After H/h Hookup:
Contains Cheating:
Amount of Sex In The Book:
HEA/HFN/etc Ending:
Will This Meet My 'Safety Gang' Buddies' Approval:
Any Triggers/Warnings: Yz
>>Detail: Their first conversation is about losing their virginity, how old they were and who. I just found the conversation weird as that's not something I'd disclose to someone when I'd first meet them.
Do You Recommend This Book: Yes.
Will You Re-read This Book: Yes
Would You Read More Books By This Author: Yes

My Thoughts
I've been really lucky with the freebies I've got from Amazon. I really enjoyed this story. It was well paced and I truly felt the chemistry between themy. I love when I find books that don't use OW/OM as a dramatic plot device.
Profile Image for Ariel Marie.
Author 72 books1,545 followers
February 25, 2018
Nice read!

Read the book in one sitting! Great read. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Cowboys and law enforcement!
Profile Image for Karen Roma.
2,762 reviews33 followers
May 17, 2014
As a debut novel to a new series I found this book extremely entertaining.

Katie/Presley is a young woman totally convinced that she is unable to make good choices in not only her everyday life but in romance as well. But Katie has a heart of gold and is liked by everyone she comes in contact with, due to her genuine and caring personality.

Seth Reilly is a small town Sheriff who volunteers to protect Presley until the very real threat to her life is resolved. Seth is a brooding, control freak who demands order in all aspects of his life and is unprepared for the whirlwind impact Presley will have on his existence; and existing is exactly what Seth is has been doing.

Seth has taken soul responsibility for a tragedy that happened in his teens, and closed himself off from any form of emotional commitment. But Presley sees through Seth’s tough and commanding persona to the passionate and protective soul beneath, and is determined to show Seth the fun side of life.

While I rarely read other reviews, I found it interesting that Seth was described as NOT being a hero, simply because he didn’t directly save Presley’s life. I would reason that there are more forms of rescue than merely the physical, and that exposing someone’s ability to love and be loved unconditionally, is every bit as heroic as taking a bullet.

I look forward to Ms Jaymes`next book in this series.
Profile Image for Deanie Nelder.
1,131 reviews24 followers
May 8, 2021
Katie is stunned when her car explodes and she's whisked away by U.S. Marshalls, who tell her her boss is involved in arms smuggling. She's put into Witness Protection, and ends up in Montana under the care of Sheriff Seth Reilly.

Katie/Presley is a great, spunky, fun character, and I like the interaction between her and Seth. They're the perfect case of opposites attract. The mystery part of the story is intriguing, and has enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing. Otherwise, the writing is clunky in places, and the world building for the Cowboy Justice Association doesn't always seamlessly fit into the rest of the story line, but it's still a great start to an interesting series.
Profile Image for QuinnReads.
3,835 reviews221 followers
March 31, 2026
Olivia Jaymes Cowboy Justice Association bk 01 Cow

Walking Trouble

Her woes start almost immediately. Katie Johnson, later known as Presley Abigail Lawson, needs hiding, and Sheriff Seth Reilly is just the person to keep her safe. The mix of animosity and chemistry is entertaining. Even better are his Dominant ways.

“You displeased me. You asked me to take control then tried to take it back. What should happen, Presley?”

“Punishment. A spanking.”

-- Seth Reilly & Presley Lawson

Presley is extremely naïve. It didn't take me much to figure out the bad guy in all this, but her rose colored glasses are HEAVILY tinted. There are times that it's endearing, but there are also moments when it is quite the opposite. She makes up for it with her playful submission in the bedroom and anywhere else they can muster some semblance of privacy. 🌶😂🔥

I read along with the audio book. The narrators, Duncan Prescott and Phillipa Miller, are a good combination. The one thing that bothers me is when Phillipa often goes to a higher pitch for Presley's conversational voice. It's too much for my liking. 🎧🩵🎧

Story: 4 stars
Narration: 3.5 stars
Listening Speed: 1.8x

H = 35; h = 26
Profile Image for Bookgyrl.
1,352 reviews23 followers
August 5, 2017
Katie becomes Presley after her car explodes and she is whisked away by the FBI. She is brought to Montana and in the protection of the Sheriff, Seth. As his secretary he can keep an eye on her.

Fast and sexy story but nothing really special or original. I found out who the culprit was early on so that was no surprise. Written well and with steamy scenes.
Profile Image for Vivien R.
2,283 reviews26 followers
March 7, 2026
This very entertaining audiobook is narrated by the voice talents of Phillipa Miller and Duncan Prescott . This story is an exciting romantic suspense with some humor. Katie/Presley is in witness protection and is sent to live in a small Montana town. Sheriff Seth is assigned to watch over and protect her. The narrators did a wonderful job portraying the feelings and emotions of Seth and Katie's characters. I can't wait to hear more of their works and read more of this author's stories.
Profile Image for Kelly.
422 reviews5 followers
March 29, 2025
This was a good read. Good characters and good storyline.
Profile Image for TheGood ByeGirl.
561 reviews4 followers
April 28, 2026
Well it may have taken me 10 years to get around to reading this after purchase but now I'm hooked, I really enjoyed this.

I loved the strength of character shown by Katie, I really like the way the stepsister was handled too.
Profile Image for Donna.
127 reviews1 follower
November 10, 2025
I’ve gave this book 1 star because I just didn’t like the style of writing.
It was wrote in a 3rd person form
Someone telling the story and explaining what the characters were saying and feeling
I didn’t enjoy it at all
I won’t be reading the rest in the series
Profile Image for Debbie Maas Eppenstein .
23 reviews1 follower
April 1, 2018
Definitely great book for me

I love this series! Who wouldn’t like strong law men and a damsel in distress. Definitely a great read for me.
Profile Image for Kat.
128 reviews8 followers
June 15, 2018
Meh. Started off promising, then what was left was just meh. I don't know what it was, the characters were bleak, as if it was put together in a hurry and not a lot of love went into it. A pleasant enough read, however I will not be reading the next ones in the Cowboy Justice Association series.
Profile Image for Danielle  Gypsy Soul.
3,191 reviews83 followers
May 1, 2015
Cowboy Command is the first book in Olivia Jaymes Cowboy Justice Series. The book centers on Kate/Presley and Seth. Someone is trying to kill her, Kate/Presley so the FBI hid her in a small town in Montana. Where an old friend of the FBI agent and the sheriff has agreed to keep on eye on Presley and keep her safe until she can testify for the FBI.

This book has a pretty solid plot, nothing very complicated and two very different characters. Presley and Seth don't have much in common and completely different personalities. There are a few side characters such as Seth's family and his fellow sheriffs.

The reason this book was just okay for me was the depth of the book. This book centered a little too much on Presley and her growth as a character and not enough on Seth. Seth has the alpha male protective instincts, sense of right/wrong along with some gentleness but a past that has made him averse to taking risks and needing to be in control of things. Presley on the other hand is a carefree, sweet woman who doesn't seem to take much seriously and brings chaos with her whereever she goes. The book centers around Presley's growth and overcoming her insecurities. I wanted more Seth and I wanted to see how they were going to overcome their differences but this just didn't happen. We got the HEA without any type of resolution on how they were going to make things work (except by having a lot of sex and there was a lot of sex with a little kink thrown in.) I ended up skimming the sex scenes because there just didn't seem to be enough of a connection between Presley and Seth to engage me. I would have loved to read more about Seth's family and even his sheriff friends.

Overall, Cowboy Command was just okay. I put it down a couple times and wasn't in a hurry to get back to it. I haven't dismissed the series all together though and may try one more but again I'm not in any hurry to do so.
Profile Image for Jo-Anne.
1,769 reviews39 followers
July 25, 2015
Someone was trying to kill Katie so she had to go into witness protection. The FBI agent assigned to her case had a friend in a remote location in Montana who agreed to take her in. This brought lots of changes for Katie. First she became Presley. Second she moved in the winter to Montana from Florida where she had never seen snow.

The man protecting Presley was the town sheriff who not only gave her a place to live but a job as his secretary. The sheriff, Seth, is very controlling and grumpy which caused him to go through a lot of secretaries. He is surprised when Presley handles the job well and isn't intimidated by him.

Even though Seth doesn't know anything about Presley, he is strongly attracted to her. This is a very sexy story with both of them fighting their attraction knowing that Presley will be leaving once whoever is trying to kill her is caught and she testifies against them. In general I thought the sex scenes were too explicit. They didn't seem to suit the story and served no purpose. I didn't like the mild BDSM scenes. I understand the point of them was to show that Katie trusted Seth but to me it seemed out of place in the story.

I love stories with people who are in the WITSEC program, so that aspect was very interesting to me. As for the characters, I really liked Seth but Katie was weird so I couldn't connect with her.
Profile Image for Melvina.
177 reviews
August 10, 2014
This was a really enjoyable read. It was recommended to me by Bookbub so i thought I'd give it a go. I enjoyed the storyline of Katie (Presley) having to go into witness protection and being moved to a very remote location in Montana in the midst of winter, and for a girl that's used to the sunny climes of Tampa Florida, it's a bit of a culture shock. She is nothing like what Seth expects and within minutes of meeting they're having a discussion that would shock a nun, much to his surprise. He likes things organized and controlled and walks around with a broom up his ass, and she's a free spirited, go for it kind of girl. They're both a little wary but can't fight the attraction to each other, which is explosive, especially as she's not afraid to tell him what she wants in the bedroom. This book has warmth, humour and a couple that will have you willing them on. I'm looking forward to book 2.
Profile Image for Dar.
4,681 reviews96 followers
June 29, 2014
Men, it was okay but tried to hard to be too many things. Nice writing but kind of ho hum in the story department

I never really felt the sparks between the two characters and it went from to being a lovely quasi-romance, quasi-thriller to cliche sex scenes with really dirty words, and again, no spark. Maybe trying to be erotic?

It wasn't bad, it just wasn't good and that was problem
Profile Image for Margie Vickers.
100 reviews38 followers
August 13, 2015
Hiding from a killer.

Katie is almost blown up in her car, but having left her in the restaurant she is saved. To protect her is in witness protection program. She is sent to Montana and a sexy sheriff Seth who is her protector. Follow them as they evade gun traffickers to a grad jury trial and all their troubles, including a hateful stepsister. A great read.
Profile Image for REGINA L. MAYER.
13 reviews
February 9, 2017
Cowboy Command

I enjoyed the storyline. I'm not a total prude but the sexual dialog became almost redundant. The story had enough substance without trying to enhance it with repeatedly going into a detailed description of Seth and Presley's love making.
Profile Image for K.
167 reviews1 follower
April 7, 2015
Too hot!

Love finding new authors! I love a book that you can't put down! This book is full of suspense and hot sex with a cowboy sheriff!
Profile Image for Joanne.
141 reviews6 followers
December 12, 2015
Enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading the other books in this series!
Profile Image for TB Roxie.
319 reviews
July 20, 2016
Good enough for me to buy book 2 at an inflated price of 4.99. LOL
331 reviews2 followers
April 23, 2026
Protecting Presley

Kate was on her way to her car when she remembered she left her phone on the table. She turned around to get it when there was a huge explosion, and she was knocked to the ground. She looked back to see her car on fire. Someone had tried to kill her. She was taken to the hospital and from there into federal custody. Her boss was the target of an investigation of gun smuggling to terrorists and they were thinking he had tried to kill her to keep her from testifying. Evan, the marshall in charge of the arrangements, had a friend who was a sheriff in a small town in Montana. Seth Riley had agreed to give her a job as his secretary and an apartment above the sheriff's office to live in as long as needed. She was surprised to find she really enjoyed living there. It was a very friendly community, and she was welcomed into the sheriff's family as one of them. This was the family she had always wanted. And the sheriff was the man she thought she would never find. He was kind, supportive, and protective of her. She wanted more than friendship between them, but she would return to Florida after testifying, and it wouldn't be fair to start something now. Seth disagreed. He thought that they deserved as much happiness as they could find for the time she was here. After their first night together, they spent as many nights together as possible. He was falling hard for Presley. She was falling hard for Seth. Florida was losing its appeal quickly. Presley was really feeling at home here. The only family she had left in Florida was her step sister, and she hated Kate. So staying was much more appealing. There was a chance that after testifying, she would need to be moved again for her safety. Seth chose not to think about that until it was necessary. The trip to Florida to testify was tense. They finally got to Tampa, she was prepped for testifying and then they said that her boss was turning on the others and giving them the information on the gun smuggling group. It turned out that her stepsister was in business with him and she wanted to set Kate up to take the fall for everything. But the boss actually liked Kate and put her in charge of his house renovation instead, keeping her away from the criminal activity. He also denied trying to kill Kate. He said it was her stepsister who had tried to kill her with the car bomb. Presley went to her wearing a wire and got her to confess to all of it. This was a very interesting book with lots of action and great characters. Watching Kate evolve into Presley was really interesting. She finally found everything she wanted when she was "reborn". I really enjoyed this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 333 reviews