The Cowboy Who Loved Texas

Three Rivers Romance™ #3

by Liz Isaacson

He’s got something to prove to his brother and father. She’s just trying to save the endangered owls that nest in the trees on his family’s ranch. Dawson Rhinehart doesn’t want to deal with the gorgeous Wildlife Conservation Officer, but Caroline Thompson isn’t going away. Will he burn all the bridges between them before he realizes just how sweet a relationship with her could be? Return to Three Rivers in this small-town saga romance where the legacy of the past meets the promise of the future. Revisit beloved characters and fall in love with a new generation in the Second Generation in Three Rivers Romance series!

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Christian Fiction

538 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 6, 2024

About the author

★ USA TODAY BESTSELLER, AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR, and KINDLE ALL STAR! ★

Liz Isaacson writes inspirational cowboy romances. Her Three Rivers Ranch Romance series has multiple #1 bestsellers in half a dozen categories. She loves all things to do with contemporary cowboys, and will write romance in Texas, Montana, Vermont, Wyoming, and anywhere else she can find horses and mountains. Find out more at lizisaacson.com. Join her fandom by texting COWBOY to 801-618-2114 for exclusive sales and freebies.

Reviews

[DayDreamer8912 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5
Genre: Clean Romance /Christian Romance
🚨TW: mentions of grieving, painful memories, mental health

Read it if you like:
🦉 Cowboys forever!!
🦉 Enemies to lovers
🦉Grumpy X Sunshine
🦉 Pet Crows
🦉He Falls First
🦉 Tortured hero
🦉Healing heroine
🦉Closed door.
🦉 Faith filled

Favourite Moments
🦉 When they first meet.
🦉 The breakfast at his place
🦉 Their dates
🦉 Them with the children
🦉 Him with his niece & Her with her niece
🦉 Family gathering
🦉 Friends gathering
🦉 Them opening up to each other.

Swoony Moments
🦉 He is always there for her when she needs him
🦉 Him praying to God to be patient.
🦉 He respected her and love her
🦉 He loves his family very much
🦉 He is a hopeless romantic
🦉 He tries his best to follow her rules.

Synopsis
Dawson
A grumpy cowboy who has OCD. He has 2 pet crows. One sings, talk and imitates other animals and one picks rocks or anything shiny.
Caroline
A Wildlife Conservation Officer who is living with her sister and niece. And swore that she will never date or married again.
Caroline went to meet him in his office to stop them from burrowing the habitat of the owls which actually, she was contacting his brother and not him. They don't see eye to eye and he didn't believe that there are owls until one day, when he invited her to have breakfast with perfectly cooked hashbrowns, his brother called and turns out she was right there were owls. Things get interesting as they gradually got to know each other. What? A 12 month rule? Read The Cowboy Who Loved Texas to find out!



Review:
This story is just so sweet and love them so much. Love that Dawson is very patient with Caroline because of her insecurities and also, he is honest about him being OCD to her. And also, they are both great with children and I feel that they are going to be great parents in future. And love that he respected her with her rules that she had put up because of her insecurities of having a relationship with someone again. And love their relationships with their own families and also the welcoming of both families as well. Her sister encourage her to go and date and not to mind her. Love that Caroline shows cares for her sister very much and afraid that she will hurt her sister. Both of them rely on God most of the time before they do things which is just so beautiful. Their families, friends and also pet crows are there for them every step of the way. Haha… love his friends and his niece told him how to court Caroline. Haha.. so cuteee… This story made me smile, laugh, swoon and also seeing the characters grow in the Lord.

P.S The crows are just adorable hehe… and also love their group meetup playing games and getting to know each other.

What I’ve Learnt?
Leave everything to God. Wait patiently for God’s answer and also have faith in Him. Whatever happens he is always there to guide us every step of the way.
This is written by Elana Johnson but under the name of Liz Isaacson. And this is the 3rd book of the Second Generation of Three Rivers romance series.

Thank you, Elana Johnson for the ARC!

Can’t wait for the 4th book it will be Henry and Angel’s story. It will be a fun read.

And if you haven't read the 1st generation of the Three Rivers series. Please do check it out. And her other series too.

You can purchase her books on Amazon and it is available on KU.

[Ally | SkipTheSpice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cowboy Who Loved Texas is the third book in the Three Rivers Romance series, following Dawson Rhinehart and Caroline Thompson’s enemies-to-lovers story. This can be read as a standalone, but I really love how each book introduces the characters that we’ll see in the subsequent books, so I’d definitely recommend starting with the first book in the series if you can take the time to do so. There is a fair amount of “world building,” if you will, and while you absolutely can read it without the context of the first two books, you’re going to have a much richer understanding of all the characters, their dynamics and connections, and the small town setting they all live in if you start with book one.

I really enjoyed Caroline and Dawson’s story. Their meeting in the previous book was so fiery, that I knew I was going to want to find out how their story played out. I was not disappointed! When I pick up a Liz Isaacson cowboy romance, I know what I’m getting – sweet, clean, low angst romance with relatable characters, swoony MMCs with integrity, and faith elements that hit my heart dead on. That being said, her books aren’t formulaic, and she continues to surprise me with unexpected storylines and character traits. The wildlife conservation plotline in this book was new and fresh for me as a reader, and I also really loved seeing a MMC dealing with anxiety and OCD. Caroline’s previous experience in an abusive marriage brought depth to her character and made her so relatable as she learned to set up boundaries and stick to them. I definitely recommend reading The Cowboy Who Loved Texas if you love sweet, clean cowboy romance with faith elements. It’s available now!

Intimacy: Sweet kisses only
Content Considerations: Abusive relationship (past), Neurodivergent Rep

Thank you to the author for this advanced reader copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cowboy Who Loved Texas is a return visit to Three Rivers, TX. We get to watch Dawson fall in love with Caroline. We see Caroline see what a good man can be like to be with as her first marriage she was constantly controlled as what she could or couldn't do. Dawson wanted to remove all the fears and show her how everything important to her was his mission. You could sum up how Dawson felt about Caroline with the song by Scotty McCreery "It Matters to Her". He also was having to deal with the burrowing owls on his property that originally brought Dawson and Caroline together.

We also see Finn and Edith have their first baby boy, Misty and Link get married, and Henry gets his internship at Lone Star Ranch where Angel is having as much trouble holding her feelings in as is Henry. We also see the older ranch owners hold back for the first time and let the younger cowboy's running the ranches do the roundup. They are stepping up proving to their father's that they are capable of taking over running the ranches. Dawson, Link, Finn, Alex, Paul, and Brandon had all become friends as all are in the same situation of working the ranches and married, engaged, or dating. These will one day be the ranch owners of Three Rivers, TX as that is the place they love.

[Charlotte Runnels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the three rivers ranches and their stories

If you read the Three Rivers Ranch, the seven sons ranch and the Shiloh ridge ranch, you will understand when I say this is a vacation where you are involved with love, kindness, big families but they are really all combined as one big family. Also some of the best well behaved cowboys that had learnt from their family hard work, well manners, how to treat a lady, and as for the cowgirls how to become the perfect wife and still work the ranch and raise children.
As for book #3 it did take me a while to really get into this book, but I knew from the other books Liz Isaacson has wrote it would be good. It was between enemies to lovers, and Dawson was more of a loner but when he met the lady that walked in his office and started yelling at him all he could see was how beautiful she was. Even with her rules on dating ( because she was in an abusing relationship) Dawson knew he wanted her in his life. So enjoy the day with Caroline and Dawson enemies to I love you romance, along with Link and Misty wedding, and get to know Henry as his new job has a totally situation that can cause him to loose the one job he has always wanted.
It is wonderful from watching the kids grown up and how their lives turns.

[Wren Woodland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I live in Three Rivers with these as my friends and neighbors

Dawson and Caroline are perfect together, and who knew spotted owls and crows could be so much fun. They both come with baggage that they had to learn to let go of. She has some real triggers from her first marriage and he was a diagnosed OCD that he knew how to manage. Like all of Liz’ cowboy stories this has threads from previous books (Link and Misty’s wedding) and sneak peeks into what’s coming up. We get these with chapters devoted specifically to them. I really like this group of friends all at the point of running their own ranches or taking over from the previous generation, now finding the one who makes it all worthwhile. Yes this is an amazing love story, but it’s not all rainbows and flowers as there is a lot of hard reality intermixed- Caroline’s need for control and her sister living with her recovering from her own divorce, and the backbreaking, never-ending work on a ranch. This is very clean with Christian themes and a dependence on God’s guidance in their lives.

[Tabitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving this series of second generation cowboys from Liz Isaacson's books. While I may mix up the different families from her previous books, there's always an explanation and the book can be enjoyed without knowing who's who.
Dawson and Caroline make a great couple because they choose each other. With his OCD and anxiety and her experience with an abusive spouse, the odds are stacked against them but they make it work because they choose to.
I love the crows. The family interactions make it real, including the lost tooth and the disagreements with family members classmates and the birthday of a baby during game night.
One of my favorite moments is a sermon at church, where life is compared to running with books in your backpack, and how we can fly if we let those books go. (Yes, book is definitely a Christian romance). Don't skip that part, it's beautiful.
Clean, fun, and a good read. Definitely recommend.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Series!!!! This is a great enemies to lovers story. Caroline, the Wildlife Conservation Officer, wants the paperwork completed and filed! Dawson, the cowboy with OCD, knows the rules and will not do the paperwork until it is required! Caroline’s attitude stems from a bad marriage and divorce. Dawson’s OCD means he has to have everything organized and his lists (color coded post-it-notes) all in order. When they finally slow down to really see each other the sparks fly but they know that they will have to work together and compromise to make things last. Both of them realize that they can only make this work with a lot of prayer and God’s help! I love all the family interactions and especially how sweet Dawson is with the next generation. So, if you like sweet, clean, inspirational cowboy romance with little kids, animals (I would never have thought of crows!) and great family interactions don’t miss it!

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I received an ARC of this book. I love this book! This is book 3 in the series Second Generation in Three Rivers. I have read every book in this series and have loved them. This book is about Dawson and Caroline. They are so cute together. I loved seeing them grow together. I loved how they grew to love and trust each other. They both had problems but together they were able to overcome them. I love seeing characters from past books in this book but there were also new characters which I love. I went through almost every emotion reading this book. Every book in this series gets even better. I can’t wait to read the next book. I will say another thing I love about her books is the family tree in the beginning which helps a lot if you haven’t read her other series. If you haven’t read any books in this series I recommend them especially if you love books with cowboys.

[The Flipped Page (Susan K) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, contemporary, cowboy romance

Romance, sweet, contemporary, western, ranch; series bit stand alone read
Dawson and Caroline’s story was a lovely sweet, fall after a stilted start.
Caroline, a government land agent, has been requesting documentation on an endangered species, and Dawson hasn’t submitted it as they hadn’t seen any.
As they meet, that, Caroline’s past, her present seem to be in the way of a future. Their mutual interest and attraction, gradually leads to a lovely start of a relationship. They both work in who they are with each other, and realize there is a beautiful them. Dawson’s character, ethics, devotion to her show in so many large and small ways, and Caroline realizes she truly has a safe space, and can freely give her heart and devotion to this good man.
Lovely sweet read as always, cameo segments from other characters from other books in this series, but very easy to read them and always love to see them.

[Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dawson and Caroline have CHEMISTRY. And let me tell you that with their strong willed characters builds tension and also a beautiful romance.

Each has their struggles, and I really appreciated how realistic that made the story. Their struggles are REAL struggles for readers and they balance the romance very of the story as they would in real life.

Loved being back in Three rivers with some families that I have come to love in this series. I do suggest reading books one and two for a better understanding. There are just sooo many characters linked together in this series. While I think you could enjoy it as a standalone I think the experience would be even richer if read in order.

A lovely story of life struggles after divorce, OCD tendencies, love and faith.

*I received an advanced ecopy from the publisher/author and all opinions are my own.

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this is the third book in a series, it was quite easy to follow as the author introduces all of the characters before the book begins. This is an enemies to lovers trope that is very enjoyable. Set in Texas in a small town that is made up of various cattle ranches , it focuses on the Rhinehart family and their many connections within their family along with their close friends. Caroline Thompson is new to town and is a Wildlife Protection Agent. She and Dawson, the ranch manager, begin with a bang and nothing in common as she comes to his parents' ranch to fence in an area that is being used by a protected owls. Will Dawson and Caroline be able to work together or will their different temperaments send them racing off in different directions?

Well written novel with a strong Christian thread woven throughout.

[wendy crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love cowboys and I love clean romances, but I adore the second generation of Three Rivers!
Liz has hit another home-run with this book. The characters are so well-written, with all their goodness and flaws blended seamlessly. I absolutely loved seeing how Dawson was able to work through his OCD, and Caroline was able to move pst the hurt of her first broken marriage to find love again. There are hints to several other relationships, and we got to see the marriage of Link and Misty from the last book in the series. As usual, while it’s definitely great to read this as part of a series (you really feel like you’ve become part of the family), this could also be read as a stand-alone.
Once again, I can’t wait for the next book!

[Tracey Wert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caroline and Dawson have a terribly rocky start. She has been burned before, and he is awfully gruff. They end up, spending a lot more time together because of the owls that she is trying to protect who are nesting on his ranch.

My two favorite scenes take place back to back in chapters 12 and 13. Dawson has a poignant conversation with Caroline in chapter 12 and another conversation in 13 with his niece, April. These conversations really showed a window to Dawson‘s soul for me. They showed how thoughtful, caring and genuine he could be.

In keeping with one of Caroline’s and Dawson‘s newfound traditions: I love the characters, I love Three Rivers and I adore this amazing family!

[Denice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story, I am loving this series of the 2nd generation of the families in Three Rivers. Caroline and Dawson have a rough start to their relationship, she was suffering from an abusive ex-husband, and he suffers with anxiety and OCD. But seeing them come together was beautiful. I love the family and friends’ interaction in the story. The crows make for a bit of humor and fun. And I loved Willa’s sermon at church, about life and running with books in your backpack but when you let them go, it is like flying, so relying on God will make our lives so much better. Beautiful story, highly recommend.

[Michaela | Reading in the Heartland · Rating 5 out of 5]

“So tell me, Miss Thompson. What other rules of yours do I need to start thinking about breaking?”

This was a sweet romance that started off as enemies in prior interactions but spent a lot of time now as sweethearts. I liked the wildlife in this book: crows, owls, and more. We had a steady hero with a nuerodivergent diagnosis and a heroine who was overcoming some scars of the past. It was a sweet Christian romance to curl up with. I loved seeing all of the second generation characters and their get together and interactions. I’m looking forward to more in this series.

I received an ARC of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Kylene · Rating 5 out of 5]

you did it again

Dawson and Caroline seemed to be the total opposite of what each one was looking for, but the plans of mice and men rarely work out. You will find that in this story, especially when God is involved. Some times I wonder where this author gets her ideas for her books. This one had things I never expected and was totally surprised. As always I love the family and friendships in her stories. Always give you a warm cozy feeling. I throughly enjoyed this book and all the defining moments. I look forward to Henry’s story and any others this author writes, no matter what name she writes under. Highly recommend reading this book

[Sandra Hartzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had an ARC for this book, but this is my voluntary and honest opinion. Dawson Rhinehart’s ranch is about to be invaded by protected owls. Officer Caroline Thompson wants him to file the proper paperwork, but he resists until the owls actually arrive. Once they work together, and go on a few dates, the two find there is chemistry between them even though he has little experience with women, and after a bad marriage, she is leery of relationships. Another inspiring book by Liz Isaacson, and a great addition to this second generation series.

[Shelley Wahls · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a second generation book, but I think you could enjoy it even if it was your first visit to Three Rivers. If you’ve read the other series, it’s so fun to revisit beloved characters and catch up. If not, you’ll be snagged immediately. This book has awesome pets and a fantastic story line . Caroline has so much to get past between her own abuse and her sister and niece. Dawson is kind and patient and I love how we see him dealing with his OCD. There is sooo much here and it’s done so well. A must read. I think the books just get better and better!

[Paula Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

What’s not to love about this book? Liz Isaacson takes us back to Three Rivers Texas in this second generation story, and it’s got all the things we’ve come to love about Isaacson’s books: cowboys, close-knit families and just the right amount of sweet and swoony romance. Liz Isaacson weaves a masterful story in ways that allow you to feel the emotions of each character. If you’re looking for a great read, you won’t go wrong with this one! I’m an ARC reader and am honored to leave my voluntary, honest review.

[Abby Huffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this one! I have loved all of Liz’s Three River books but there is something special about these second generation ones. They’re finding their places after the legacy of their fathers & forming those friendships and support groups with each other. Loved Dawson & Caroline together. They’re opposites and their jobs are clashing with each other, but they sure are great for each other! He loves her in such a sweet way🤎.

[Mary Jane McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so enjoying this series by one of my favorite authors. Caroline and Dawson don't have a great beginning but have an instant attraction and with time things change. I enjoyed watching God work in their lives as they fell in love. It was really good to catch up with characters from previous books. This author has a way of writing of family and friendships that make you want to become a part of the story. It's always great to visit Three Rivers and I'm anxiously awaiting the next book.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Three Rivers and the families who ranch there. Dawson is a very special man who loves his family, his ranch and Texas. Caroline is relatively new to town and has a job to do. These two but heads at first but they share a love. This is a really great read and the characters are believable. I love seeing the characters from previous books and the whole family dynamics. Wonderful book, loved it!

[Judy Crewdson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner! As in the last book from this author, I highlighted places in the book that spoke to me on a personal level, and it's a rarity when I do that, but her stories are better and better in this series. I liked the way there were different stories weaved into the story of Dawson and Caroline. A very good read!

[Trisha B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dawson doesn't like how pushy Caroline is about her burrowing owl protection. That all changes after an escape from a gross breakfast and finding owls on his property! They have much to overcome as they work through their individual baggage from life. The reality is my favorite... life isn't actually a breeze.

[Kitty Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enemies to lovers

Dawson and Caroline feel like friends you can't wait to get to their happily ever after. A year in the making, each step is real and raw for these characters. The author does a great job as always of weaving additional story lines into this book. Was see new romance and old.

[Linda Lavoie · Rating 5 out of 5]

heartwarming story

We follow Dawson’s story and through it all, we encounters lots of characters, family, friends with their up and downs, their faith that keeps them going. It is filled with lots of love and friendship, I really enjoy this book and will go read the first 2 books for sure.

[Dale Lussier · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cowboy who loved Texas

Caroline and Dawson had a rocky start to their relationship and borrowing owls didn't help at first. He was slow to get his paperwork done. Caroline could be quite bossy and set in her ways. They slowly started to get to know each other and make room for each other as a couple.

[Kathy Brickert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story! Love this author and her town of Three Rivers, and the families who live there! I especially like how there is something about so many different families all you g on at the same time. That's how real lives are. And seeing how important God is in their lives is inspirational! Great series! Great read!

[Pamela Rice-Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

So fun to be back home in Three Rivers

Dawson and Caroline had a rough start but with God’s help, love prevails.
It was great to read about so many friends and family members together.
Liz’s books are always a great escape that I anticipate spending time with.

[Deb Traxinger]

Loved loved loved their story. Caroline and Dawson such good real characters. I love that Liz does not shy away from the mess of life. Her book aren’t real but at times I wish they were. They grow my faith make me think about so many things. Can’t wait to read Harry’s story!