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Midnight Cowboys #1
Midnight Ride
One bucking bronco…
Oklahoma ranch hand Tyler Jenkins is too young, too sexy, and too damn wild to be tied down by any single woman—for more than a few steamy hours…
One hard-working widow…
Widowed rancher Janie Smithwick is too busy paying off her debts to play rodeo with a reckless young cowboy like Tyler—no matter how hot he gets her…
One midnight ride they’ll never forget…
As a rule, Janie should be dating a man her own age, like her handsome neighbor Rohn—not the twenty-four-year old ranch hand he employs. But once Tyler gets Janie alone—held tight in his arms, pressed against his hard muscled body, burning with desire—the widow realizes that some rules, like broncos, are meant to be broken…
Oklahoma ranch hand Tyler Jenkins is too young, too sexy, and too damn wild to be tied down by any single woman—for more than a few steamy hours…
One hard-working widow…
Widowed rancher Janie Smithwick is too busy paying off her debts to play rodeo with a reckless young cowboy like Tyler—no matter how hot he gets her…
One midnight ride they’ll never forget…
As a rule, Janie should be dating a man her own age, like her handsome neighbor Rohn—not the twenty-four-year old ranch hand he employs. But once Tyler gets Janie alone—held tight in his arms, pressed against his hard muscled body, burning with desire—the widow realizes that some rules, like broncos, are meant to be broken…
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 28, 2015
94 people are currently reading
1213 people want to read
About the author
Cat Johnson
371 books1,765 followers📚Find Series Reading Order and Book Lists at Cat's site CatJohnson.net
🎥 For Film/TV Inquiries Email Cat@Catjohnson.net
It all started in first grade when Cat Johnson won the essay contest at Hawthorne Elementary School and got to ride in the Chief of Police's car in the Memorial Day Parade...and the rest, as they say, is history. As an adult, Cat generally tries to stay out of police cars and is thrilled to be writing for a living. She has been published under a different name in the Young Adult genre, but released her first romance in 2006.
Today, she is a NY Times & USA Today best-selling, award-winning author of contemporary romance. A promo ho, she's sponsored real live bull riding cowboys and promoted romance using bologna.
--from the author's website
🎥 For Film/TV Inquiries Email Cat@Catjohnson.net
It all started in first grade when Cat Johnson won the essay contest at Hawthorne Elementary School and got to ride in the Chief of Police's car in the Memorial Day Parade...and the rest, as they say, is history. As an adult, Cat generally tries to stay out of police cars and is thrilled to be writing for a living. She has been published under a different name in the Young Adult genre, but released her first romance in 2006.
Today, she is a NY Times & USA Today best-selling, award-winning author of contemporary romance. A promo ho, she's sponsored real live bull riding cowboys and promoted romance using bologna.
--from the author's website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
September 12, 2017
Tyler Jenkins is a 25-year old hard-working cowboy with a bit of a reputation for playing hard as well. Janie Smithwick is 36-year old widow struggling to keep her family ranch afloat since her husband's death a year ago. Their paths cross in a hilarious way but Tyler is drawn to this lonesome and attractive woman who is equally attracted to him but she's the one bugged by their age difference.
I enjoyed this May-December romance with a gender role switch. I liked that though Tyler had many admirable qualities he still was a work in progress and wasn't made to appear older or more mature. While Janie's foot dragging could be frustrating, her fears and concerns were realistic and it was interesting to see how she worked through them. And, Tyler's a foodie so the way to his heart was definitely through his belly and Janie certainly was adept at getting there!
I liked this story and am looking forward to continuing the series.
I enjoyed this May-December romance with a gender role switch. I liked that though Tyler had many admirable qualities he still was a work in progress and wasn't made to appear older or more mature. While Janie's foot dragging could be frustrating, her fears and concerns were realistic and it was interesting to see how she worked through them. And, Tyler's a foodie so the way to his heart was definitely through his belly and Janie certainly was adept at getting there!
I liked this story and am looking forward to continuing the series.
June 9, 2016
4 - "I'll tune up your equipment." Stars!
I absolutely adored this book. Midnight Ride offers everything up that an avid romance reader is going to love. What with a plethora of hot cowboys, and an older woman/younger man love story that is written just beautifully I just got lost in Tyler and Janie’s story for a few happy hours.
Janie being a widow struggling to run a farm on her own, and ranch hand Tyler being the carefree, younger ‘cowboy about the Rodeo’ and their coming together really did just tick all of this readers boxes.
There was a little drama, a little reluctance, and a few giggles to ease this couple’s journey along, and I liked the Cat Johnson didn’t have them jumping into bed together within the first few pages. Their initial meeting is pretty funny, and although an error in judgment on Tyler’s part, it means he has to work hard to change Janie’s initial perceptions of him. With her he see’s a future and not a meaningless hook-up, he just needs to convince her of that, and the fact that their 11 year age difference means absolutely nothing to him.
”The only person I was looking at today was you.”
Sweet, sexy, thoughtful, I really did just fall in love with the whole story. This is my first book by the author as well, so that makes me a little happy too, as I have an absolute wealth of other books and series that I can now immerse myself in. Midnight Wrangler is due towards the end of 2015, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in the Midnight Cowboys Series.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review in exchange.
I absolutely adored this book. Midnight Ride offers everything up that an avid romance reader is going to love. What with a plethora of hot cowboys, and an older woman/younger man love story that is written just beautifully I just got lost in Tyler and Janie’s story for a few happy hours.
Janie being a widow struggling to run a farm on her own, and ranch hand Tyler being the carefree, younger ‘cowboy about the Rodeo’ and their coming together really did just tick all of this readers boxes.
There was a little drama, a little reluctance, and a few giggles to ease this couple’s journey along, and I liked the Cat Johnson didn’t have them jumping into bed together within the first few pages. Their initial meeting is pretty funny, and although an error in judgment on Tyler’s part, it means he has to work hard to change Janie’s initial perceptions of him. With her he see’s a future and not a meaningless hook-up, he just needs to convince her of that, and the fact that their 11 year age difference means absolutely nothing to him.
”The only person I was looking at today was you.”
Sweet, sexy, thoughtful, I really did just fall in love with the whole story. This is my first book by the author as well, so that makes me a little happy too, as I have an absolute wealth of other books and series that I can now immerse myself in. Midnight Wrangler is due towards the end of 2015, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in the Midnight Cowboys Series.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review in exchange.
March 26, 2015
My review has been listed as a feature review on NetGalley for this book...wanna check out the review??? Head over to the blog and have a read!
I love Cat Johnson!!!
I loved the previous series and reviewed all of them and loved them!
Full review to come on www.talkbookstomeblog.com!
I love Cat Johnson!!!
I loved the previous series and reviewed all of them and loved them!
Full review to come on www.talkbookstomeblog.com!
Read
April 1, 2014IN EBOOK & MASS MARKET PAPER IN 2015
FROM THE AUTHOR: PLEASE ENJOY THIS UNEDITED SNEAK PEEK
There were times when a man should stay and fight, and there were times when it was wiser to cut and run. It was clear to Tyler this was the latter.
Shoving the woman he’d been kissing just moments before out of the way, he clamped his hat lower on his head, and took off at a sprint as her bruiser of a fiancé followed him.
Cowboy boots weren’t meant for running, but Tyler managed it. He sure had incentive. Avoiding being pummeled into the ground by a jealous fiancé served as fine inspiration. He knew the truck was unlocked, but he didn’t have the keys to start the engine. Colton had those with him inside the bar. Tyler wasn’t about to lock himself inside a truck he couldn’t flee in. Not with an angry lunatic hot on his tail, so he kept running.
The terrain worked in his favor, as did the darkness as Tyler crashed into the woods off the side of the parking lot. Branches whacked into him as he dodged between them. He twisted an ankle when one foot landed on a rock, but he kept going, limping in a half run. A pine bough caught him across the face, blinding him as he squeezed the injured eye tight and the tears began to flow. Still, he forged ahead. His life depended on it.
The woods broke into a clearing and Tyler realized he was behind the lumberyard right off the main road in town. He slowed to a fast walk when he hit the concrete and glanced around him.
He needed to get somewhere safe and tend to the eye that hurt like hell and was still tearing up. And he needed to zip his jeans and refasten the belt buckle the girl had undone, all while she’d kept to herself that one important detail—that the fiancé she was mad at was working the door of the bar. That would have been good information for Tyler to have. He also needed to make sure his cell phone hadn’t fallen out of the back pocket of his jeans so he could call Colton to come and rescue him. But before any of that, he had to make sure the man in hot pursuit hadn’t followed this far.
A crash in the woods behind him, followed by a loud cuss, told him the lunatic hadn’t given up yet. Damn, but this guy was persistent.
Tyler took off running again, though at this point it was more of a fast hobble. He had to hide. A pick-up truck parked in the lot in front of him provided his only hope. He should just take the truck and drive away. It wouldn’t be stealing. He’d only be borrowing it. He could bring it back as soon as life and limb were no longer in jeopardy, but he didn’t know if the owner had left the key inside and he couldn’t waste precious seconds checking.
Maybe it was dark enough that if he laid flat and still in the back, he might not be seen. But if the guy looked closely and saw him hiding, he’d be a sitting duck.
It was a chance he was going to have to take.
Running out of time, he sprinted to the back of the truck, planted both hands on the tailgate and vaulted into the bed. When he landed inside, he knew his luck was holding. There was a big green tarp in the bottom of the truck bed. He flipped it over him and held his breath, trying to move as little as possible to not rustle the thick plastic covering him.
While he waited to be discovered, or not, he figured praying couldn’t hurt. Silently, he vowed that if he got out of this night unscathed, he’d never make out with a stranger in a bar again.
As his heart pounded, he heard heavy footsteps in the lot, and then a few more loud cusses and what sounded like a bear—or a really big man—crashing back through the trees.
Long minutes ticked by in silence, and the crazed fiancé didn’t come back to whip the tarp off him and beat him to a pulp. Against all odds, he might just be safe. Out of the woods, literally.
In light of that, Tyler decided to add a small amendment to the deal he’d made with God. It would probably be all right to hook up with girls he met in a bar. However, he would be sure to ask them if they had a boyfriend, or any kind of significant other before he kissed them and let them unbuckle his pants.
Satisfied that was a promise he could live with, and hopeful that the guy had given up the chase, he was about to take a peek to see if the coast really was clear when he heard footsteps heading toward the truck.
It sounded like two people walking. They hadn’t come from the direction of the woods, but rather from the building. He was most likely safe from being maimed by his pursuer, but he definitely was not in any position to be socializing with anyone. His jeans still hung wide open, his eye remained squeezed shut, and he was hiding under a tarp in a stranger’s truck.
It wasn’t as if he could pop up and say hey, but he also couldn’t stay hidden. If the owner of the truck drove away, who knew where he could end up.
Tyler was weighing his limited options when he heard a female voice say, “Hang on. Let me move this and then you can slide it right inside.”
He lay helpless as she whipped the tarp to the side and exposed him to the beam of the parking lot light. At the sight of him, she screamed and jumped back.
Truth be told, he nearly screamed too. He scrambled to sit up, before he realized he might not want to be sitting up. He still wasn’t convinced the scorned fiancé had really gone.
“Hey, Tyler.” There was amusement in the male voice that came from his left.
Still partially blinded, Tyler turned his head to the side to see a guy he’d gone to high school with standing next to the truck and grinning as he balanced a fence post on his shoulder.
Hell of a time for a high school reunion. Not having much choice, Tyler tipped his head in greeting. “Hey, Jed.”
“You know him?” the woman asked.
“I do.” Jed grinned wider. “Don’t worry. He might not look it right now, but he’s harmless.”
She let out a breath and held her hand to her chest. A fall of dark hair brushed her shoulders as her gaze swung from Jed to Tyler. “You scared the hell out of me. What are you doing under there?”
“Um, it’s a long story.” Sitting up, Tyler glanced at the woods and decided to take his chances with the crazed bouncer rather than look like more of a fool by continuing to lie in this woman’s truck bed. He pulled himself all the way upright and went to work fastening the open fly of his jeans.
“Oh, don’t worry, Ty. We have the time to hear your explanation, no matter how long it is. I’m sure it will be worth it.” Jed grinned.
Jed hadn’t missed the fact Tyler’s pants were hanging wide enough to expose his underwear. Neither had the woman. Tyler saw her bite her lip to control a smile as she averted her eyes.
FROM THE AUTHOR: PLEASE ENJOY THIS UNEDITED SNEAK PEEK
There were times when a man should stay and fight, and there were times when it was wiser to cut and run. It was clear to Tyler this was the latter.
Shoving the woman he’d been kissing just moments before out of the way, he clamped his hat lower on his head, and took off at a sprint as her bruiser of a fiancé followed him.
Cowboy boots weren’t meant for running, but Tyler managed it. He sure had incentive. Avoiding being pummeled into the ground by a jealous fiancé served as fine inspiration. He knew the truck was unlocked, but he didn’t have the keys to start the engine. Colton had those with him inside the bar. Tyler wasn’t about to lock himself inside a truck he couldn’t flee in. Not with an angry lunatic hot on his tail, so he kept running.
The terrain worked in his favor, as did the darkness as Tyler crashed into the woods off the side of the parking lot. Branches whacked into him as he dodged between them. He twisted an ankle when one foot landed on a rock, but he kept going, limping in a half run. A pine bough caught him across the face, blinding him as he squeezed the injured eye tight and the tears began to flow. Still, he forged ahead. His life depended on it.
The woods broke into a clearing and Tyler realized he was behind the lumberyard right off the main road in town. He slowed to a fast walk when he hit the concrete and glanced around him.
He needed to get somewhere safe and tend to the eye that hurt like hell and was still tearing up. And he needed to zip his jeans and refasten the belt buckle the girl had undone, all while she’d kept to herself that one important detail—that the fiancé she was mad at was working the door of the bar. That would have been good information for Tyler to have. He also needed to make sure his cell phone hadn’t fallen out of the back pocket of his jeans so he could call Colton to come and rescue him. But before any of that, he had to make sure the man in hot pursuit hadn’t followed this far.
A crash in the woods behind him, followed by a loud cuss, told him the lunatic hadn’t given up yet. Damn, but this guy was persistent.
Tyler took off running again, though at this point it was more of a fast hobble. He had to hide. A pick-up truck parked in the lot in front of him provided his only hope. He should just take the truck and drive away. It wouldn’t be stealing. He’d only be borrowing it. He could bring it back as soon as life and limb were no longer in jeopardy, but he didn’t know if the owner had left the key inside and he couldn’t waste precious seconds checking.
Maybe it was dark enough that if he laid flat and still in the back, he might not be seen. But if the guy looked closely and saw him hiding, he’d be a sitting duck.
It was a chance he was going to have to take.
Running out of time, he sprinted to the back of the truck, planted both hands on the tailgate and vaulted into the bed. When he landed inside, he knew his luck was holding. There was a big green tarp in the bottom of the truck bed. He flipped it over him and held his breath, trying to move as little as possible to not rustle the thick plastic covering him.
While he waited to be discovered, or not, he figured praying couldn’t hurt. Silently, he vowed that if he got out of this night unscathed, he’d never make out with a stranger in a bar again.
As his heart pounded, he heard heavy footsteps in the lot, and then a few more loud cusses and what sounded like a bear—or a really big man—crashing back through the trees.
Long minutes ticked by in silence, and the crazed fiancé didn’t come back to whip the tarp off him and beat him to a pulp. Against all odds, he might just be safe. Out of the woods, literally.
In light of that, Tyler decided to add a small amendment to the deal he’d made with God. It would probably be all right to hook up with girls he met in a bar. However, he would be sure to ask them if they had a boyfriend, or any kind of significant other before he kissed them and let them unbuckle his pants.
Satisfied that was a promise he could live with, and hopeful that the guy had given up the chase, he was about to take a peek to see if the coast really was clear when he heard footsteps heading toward the truck.
It sounded like two people walking. They hadn’t come from the direction of the woods, but rather from the building. He was most likely safe from being maimed by his pursuer, but he definitely was not in any position to be socializing with anyone. His jeans still hung wide open, his eye remained squeezed shut, and he was hiding under a tarp in a stranger’s truck.
It wasn’t as if he could pop up and say hey, but he also couldn’t stay hidden. If the owner of the truck drove away, who knew where he could end up.
Tyler was weighing his limited options when he heard a female voice say, “Hang on. Let me move this and then you can slide it right inside.”
He lay helpless as she whipped the tarp to the side and exposed him to the beam of the parking lot light. At the sight of him, she screamed and jumped back.
Truth be told, he nearly screamed too. He scrambled to sit up, before he realized he might not want to be sitting up. He still wasn’t convinced the scorned fiancé had really gone.
“Hey, Tyler.” There was amusement in the male voice that came from his left.
Still partially blinded, Tyler turned his head to the side to see a guy he’d gone to high school with standing next to the truck and grinning as he balanced a fence post on his shoulder.
Hell of a time for a high school reunion. Not having much choice, Tyler tipped his head in greeting. “Hey, Jed.”
“You know him?” the woman asked.
“I do.” Jed grinned wider. “Don’t worry. He might not look it right now, but he’s harmless.”
She let out a breath and held her hand to her chest. A fall of dark hair brushed her shoulders as her gaze swung from Jed to Tyler. “You scared the hell out of me. What are you doing under there?”
“Um, it’s a long story.” Sitting up, Tyler glanced at the woods and decided to take his chances with the crazed bouncer rather than look like more of a fool by continuing to lie in this woman’s truck bed. He pulled himself all the way upright and went to work fastening the open fly of his jeans.
“Oh, don’t worry, Ty. We have the time to hear your explanation, no matter how long it is. I’m sure it will be worth it.” Jed grinned.
Jed hadn’t missed the fact Tyler’s pants were hanging wide enough to expose his underwear. Neither had the woman. Tyler saw her bite her lip to control a smile as she averted her eyes.
October 18, 2015
Blech. What started out as a super cute cowboy romance between a younger, hilarious and hot as hell lothario bull rider and an older ranch owner and horse trainer fizzled out when the h, instead of being the sassy, confident woman who could tame herself a wild cowboy, ended up being the most annoying, wishy washy, insecure and petty character. Why am I reading this if I cannot distinguish her from every other annoying YA and NA h? Ironic that she kept harping on their age difference when she was the one acting so immature. Too bad, because the male protag was just great, and the way the two of them meet in the beginning had me chuckling and really hoping for a good story.
November 23, 2015
Tyler is a 24 year old cowboy...living his dream life:
Working at Rohn's Ranch by day and enjoying the ladies and a cold beer and good steak at night.
That's the plan for the next few years, until he's ready to settle down with the perfect girl.
That is until he meets the widowed lady from next door to Rohn's farm.
She's twelve years older than Tyler - but he's so damn attracted to her, that he offers his help in fixing things on her ranch. Things that she just doesn't have the money or talent to fix.
And of course Janie is equally attracted to Tyler. But she's so sure that that has got to be wrong....not that she's old enough to be his mom, but still...12 years is a lot.
But he's just so hot .... especially when he's worked up a sweat and ditched his shirt ☺
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO JANIE & TYLER???
WILL THE AGE DIFFERENCE BE TOO MUCH??
WILL THE TWO OF THEM GET THEIR HEA???
WILL THERE BE A CLIFFHANGER??
I'm not telling you of course! ☺
_________________________________
I really enjoyed this book.
It wasn't my first Cat Johnson cowboy romance.... so I knew what to expect - and Midnight Ride did not disappoint one bit ☺
It was funny and sexy and moving and just adorable.
A really great Oklahoma Romance in a beautiful setting with a really great hero and heroine and great co-stars ☺
I'm normally not such a big fan of huge age differences between my book characters - Janie is 12 years older than Tyler - but it wasn't really that bad. I would've hated it if Janie would've been way over 40 ☺
But since I'm 37 myself ☺ I couldn't hate the fact that a hot cowboy is attracted to her ☺☺☺
Two little things I didn't like all that much: the sex doesn't happen until way after the middle of the book - I had expected a bit more sexiness - but it was still really romantic and sexy ☺
And - kind of a hard-limit for me in my romances: Church and religion :( I don't want that in my books.
It wasn't all that bad - they just went to church once and talked about it a bit - but it's just my personal hard-limit ☺
But all in all I really loved the story - especially Tyler ☺ ♥
Midnight Ride was a really adorable & sexy Cowboy romance. Gives us 'old' ladies some hope that we're not yet ready to be put out to pasture ☺
Okeydokey - ready for the next hot cowboy now ☺☺☺
October 25, 2020
This was the first book in the
"Midnight Cowboys"
series. This was a good read Tyler Jenkins is a hot young sexy cowboy who is a ranch hand at a neighboring ranch to Janie Smithwick whose husband died and she finds herself drowning in debt. These two had some hot chemistry. Janie who is older than Tyler by 11 years is still mourning the death of her husband Tom. When these two started hooking up it was hot but Janie felt like he would decide he wanted to be with someone younger eventually and her heart would be broken. Tyler doesn’t care about the age difference he wanted to go public with there relationships but Janie wasn't having it so she ask him to leave and goes out on a date with her neighbor Rohn breaking Tyler's heart. Tyler decides to leave her alone he wants her to be happy. This was a good read from an author that I have read before. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
April 28, 2015
Slick's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
A spin off of Cat Johnson’s wildly successful Oklahoma Nights series, her Midnight Cowboys series is proving once again why readers love this author’s work. Never one to shy away from any type of relationship possible in Midnight Ride Ms. Johnson offers up an older heroine with a much younger hero. While this book was flirty and sexy it packed an emotional punch with characters both trying to figure out where life will take them next and if they can make that journey together.
Meeting under comical and very unusual circumstances I was struck by the immediate attraction between 24 year old Tyler Jenkins and 36 year old widowed Janie Smithwick. What I absolutely loved was how quickly Tyler found himself not only attracted to Janie but enjoying her company before they even get physical and while I’ll admit at times I questioned what seemed like his crazy need to help her out but I finally realized that’s just the way Tyler lives his life even if most people don’t see him that way. I liked Tyler a lot and for his age he seemed to have a good head on his shoulders, he was responsible, loyal and very, very determined but I also saw vulnerability in him; the fact he never felt like he was quite good enough and that he may never live down some of his earlier transgressions. Janie had some issues; some due to being a widow for only a year at her age, some due to having no family left in her life, and a lot due to their age difference. There is no doubt she enjoyed the not so subtle flirting from Tyler or the fact that she very much liked the way he looked and his charming personality but the age thing really, really got to her and while I understood that it really was like a very heavy blanket over the whole story. I hated that she made Tyler think she didn’t want to be seen with him because of his reputation and that she really refused to talk to him about everything that was going on in her head. For his age he was pretty intuitive but her actions and words affected him way more than she seemed to be away of most of the time.
I liked these two together despite the age difference and I thought they both filled a need in each other that was missing in their lives. I would have loved to see them have a few more heart to heart talks about life, love, and the future because they never really seemed to discuss anything about them as a couple even though they did share things about their past. I wanted to know what their thoughts were on marriage and children, how she felt about his rodeo career, if he was going to keep his job or come to work at her place full time and more than that I really, really wanted to see his family’s reaction to him not only falling in love but falling for someone quite a bit older than him. (I know I’m a nosy demanding witch, I just can’t help it.) I can only dream that we’ll see these two again in the upcoming books in this series and perhaps some of my curiosity will be satisfied.
A hot younger man, an older woman, lots of scorching sex and a bit of conflict all added up to another wonderful love story from author Cat Johnson and the beginning of what looks to be a fine series!
Review copy provided for an honest review.
A spin off of Cat Johnson’s wildly successful Oklahoma Nights series, her Midnight Cowboys series is proving once again why readers love this author’s work. Never one to shy away from any type of relationship possible in Midnight Ride Ms. Johnson offers up an older heroine with a much younger hero. While this book was flirty and sexy it packed an emotional punch with characters both trying to figure out where life will take them next and if they can make that journey together.
Meeting under comical and very unusual circumstances I was struck by the immediate attraction between 24 year old Tyler Jenkins and 36 year old widowed Janie Smithwick. What I absolutely loved was how quickly Tyler found himself not only attracted to Janie but enjoying her company before they even get physical and while I’ll admit at times I questioned what seemed like his crazy need to help her out but I finally realized that’s just the way Tyler lives his life even if most people don’t see him that way. I liked Tyler a lot and for his age he seemed to have a good head on his shoulders, he was responsible, loyal and very, very determined but I also saw vulnerability in him; the fact he never felt like he was quite good enough and that he may never live down some of his earlier transgressions. Janie had some issues; some due to being a widow for only a year at her age, some due to having no family left in her life, and a lot due to their age difference. There is no doubt she enjoyed the not so subtle flirting from Tyler or the fact that she very much liked the way he looked and his charming personality but the age thing really, really got to her and while I understood that it really was like a very heavy blanket over the whole story. I hated that she made Tyler think she didn’t want to be seen with him because of his reputation and that she really refused to talk to him about everything that was going on in her head. For his age he was pretty intuitive but her actions and words affected him way more than she seemed to be away of most of the time.
I liked these two together despite the age difference and I thought they both filled a need in each other that was missing in their lives. I would have loved to see them have a few more heart to heart talks about life, love, and the future because they never really seemed to discuss anything about them as a couple even though they did share things about their past. I wanted to know what their thoughts were on marriage and children, how she felt about his rodeo career, if he was going to keep his job or come to work at her place full time and more than that I really, really wanted to see his family’s reaction to him not only falling in love but falling for someone quite a bit older than him. (I know I’m a nosy demanding witch, I just can’t help it.) I can only dream that we’ll see these two again in the upcoming books in this series and perhaps some of my curiosity will be satisfied.
A hot younger man, an older woman, lots of scorching sex and a bit of conflict all added up to another wonderful love story from author Cat Johnson and the beginning of what looks to be a fine series!
Review copy provided for an honest review.
November 9, 2015
Hotness Rating 3 out of 5
I can not say enough about this start of the Midnight Cowboys series. Midnight Ride by Cat Johnson is a sexy read that will appeal to you on so many levels. We have the super sexy young cowboy who falls for the beautiful widow trying to make it on her own. You have the beautiful widow who is trying to get over the death of her beloved husband and deal with the guilt she has for having feelings for the young cowboy.
Tyler Jenkins is a free spirited young cowboy that really has no intentions of settling down. That is until he gets himself in an awkward situation yet again thanks to a misunderstanding with a disgruntled boyfriend. Tyler is beginning to think that maybe it's time to start growing up.
Jani Smithwick is way too young to be a widow, but she is. Losing her husband was hard enough, but finding a way to make things work with little money on a ranch that has so many needs is insurmountable. When the sexy, young cowboy that works for her neighbor starts giving his free time to help Jani is left with so many mixed emotions. First she feels like she owes him so much more than she has to give. But, when he acts on the attraction that is clearly sizzling between them she is ready to run scared.
The age difference between Jani and Tyler is nowhere near a big enough gap to be creepy, but I get her fears. None of that took away from the sparks that flew between this couple anytime they got close. The secondary characters were likable and very sympathetic. I would love to read more about Rohn and see him get his story.
This book was provided to me by NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest review.
I can not say enough about this start of the Midnight Cowboys series. Midnight Ride by Cat Johnson is a sexy read that will appeal to you on so many levels. We have the super sexy young cowboy who falls for the beautiful widow trying to make it on her own. You have the beautiful widow who is trying to get over the death of her beloved husband and deal with the guilt she has for having feelings for the young cowboy.
Tyler Jenkins is a free spirited young cowboy that really has no intentions of settling down. That is until he gets himself in an awkward situation yet again thanks to a misunderstanding with a disgruntled boyfriend. Tyler is beginning to think that maybe it's time to start growing up.
Jani Smithwick is way too young to be a widow, but she is. Losing her husband was hard enough, but finding a way to make things work with little money on a ranch that has so many needs is insurmountable. When the sexy, young cowboy that works for her neighbor starts giving his free time to help Jani is left with so many mixed emotions. First she feels like she owes him so much more than she has to give. But, when he acts on the attraction that is clearly sizzling between them she is ready to run scared.
The age difference between Jani and Tyler is nowhere near a big enough gap to be creepy, but I get her fears. None of that took away from the sparks that flew between this couple anytime they got close. The secondary characters were likable and very sympathetic. I would love to read more about Rohn and see him get his story.
This book was provided to me by NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest review.
December 30, 2018
3.75 stars
September 23, 2025
What is it with these Oklahoma cowboys? Is it getting hot in here or is it just me?
Another smoking hot romance, this time with a gorgeous young rodeo rider and a good looking widow with a ranch but no one to help run it. I understood Janie’s reluctance to go all in with a young stud who could be just chasing a whim, but Tyler was bending over backwards to show her he was serious. It got a bit old to hear her complaining about their age difference when she was getting the best of the deal.
Rohn was a new character that I’d like to see more of, a kind and generous man who’d be a good boss, friend and neighbor. I also love that the cast of the Oklahoma Nights series were back in the saddle for this one.
Glad to see more of these stories on the horizon.
Another smoking hot romance, this time with a gorgeous young rodeo rider and a good looking widow with a ranch but no one to help run it. I understood Janie’s reluctance to go all in with a young stud who could be just chasing a whim, but Tyler was bending over backwards to show her he was serious. It got a bit old to hear her complaining about their age difference when she was getting the best of the deal.
Rohn was a new character that I’d like to see more of, a kind and generous man who’d be a good boss, friend and neighbor. I also love that the cast of the Oklahoma Nights series were back in the saddle for this one.
Glad to see more of these stories on the horizon.
May 21, 2015
Oh my gawd I love this book! Tyler is my favorite hero ever!!!!!
Happiness is, picking up this book and reading until the wee hours of the morning.
Twenty-four year old ranch hand, Tyler Jenkins was all about having a good time with the ladies. He never thought about settling down like his brother and sister were doing. He lived for the moment. While most of his friends and acquaintances thought he was just a playboy, the fact is, no one really ever caught his attention long enough for him to take notice. At least, not until the night he makes a wrong move at a bar with an attached young thing who ends up having the bouncer as her fiance.
Thirty-six year old widow, Janie Smithwick could never have imagined the tornado about to come through her life if she even could have dreamed about it. Hiding on the bed of her truck, the handsome, disheveled cowboy is a tall drink of cold water, but boy is he a young thing. Once Tyler sets his mind to something, he won't be swayed and Janie is the woman he has been waiting for. Convincing her that their age difference means nothing though is a tough road to take when Janie has excuse after excuse why she shouldn't open her heart and mind up to him.
When Tyler discovers Janie no longer has ranch hands and is doing it all on her own, he offers to help out with the ulterior motive of getting closer to the beauty widowed too soon. Tyler quickly gets under Janie's skin and soon he becomes the reason for her to wake up in the morning, but that niggling voice in the back of her mind keeps telling her that it will never work because as soon as he finds someone younger and prettier, Tyler will be gone. Convincing her otherwise is a job Tyler gladly takes on, and showing those around him as well as Janie that he is much more the the young player he's proven to be in the past is quite the journey.
Midnight Ride by Cat Johnson is brilliant! I took to this tale from the very first. Tyler Jenkins is so my kind of hero, honorable, persistent and easy to come to terms with his past. Yes, Janie deserved to be smacked in the head a few times, but it's only because she had never had anything such as this happen to her since she married the older man after college. Content in her married life better never knowledgeable of the passion she so easily shares with Tyler, it's easy to see why she would hesitate. Her hesitation only makes Tyler's determination more worthwhile. Midnight Ride is easily one of my top picks this year and Cat Johnson just needs to keep cranking them out so I can gobble them all up.
Happiness is, picking up this book and reading until the wee hours of the morning.
Twenty-four year old ranch hand, Tyler Jenkins was all about having a good time with the ladies. He never thought about settling down like his brother and sister were doing. He lived for the moment. While most of his friends and acquaintances thought he was just a playboy, the fact is, no one really ever caught his attention long enough for him to take notice. At least, not until the night he makes a wrong move at a bar with an attached young thing who ends up having the bouncer as her fiance.
Thirty-six year old widow, Janie Smithwick could never have imagined the tornado about to come through her life if she even could have dreamed about it. Hiding on the bed of her truck, the handsome, disheveled cowboy is a tall drink of cold water, but boy is he a young thing. Once Tyler sets his mind to something, he won't be swayed and Janie is the woman he has been waiting for. Convincing her that their age difference means nothing though is a tough road to take when Janie has excuse after excuse why she shouldn't open her heart and mind up to him.
When Tyler discovers Janie no longer has ranch hands and is doing it all on her own, he offers to help out with the ulterior motive of getting closer to the beauty widowed too soon. Tyler quickly gets under Janie's skin and soon he becomes the reason for her to wake up in the morning, but that niggling voice in the back of her mind keeps telling her that it will never work because as soon as he finds someone younger and prettier, Tyler will be gone. Convincing her otherwise is a job Tyler gladly takes on, and showing those around him as well as Janie that he is much more the the young player he's proven to be in the past is quite the journey.
Midnight Ride by Cat Johnson is brilliant! I took to this tale from the very first. Tyler Jenkins is so my kind of hero, honorable, persistent and easy to come to terms with his past. Yes, Janie deserved to be smacked in the head a few times, but it's only because she had never had anything such as this happen to her since she married the older man after college. Content in her married life better never knowledgeable of the passion she so easily shares with Tyler, it's easy to see why she would hesitate. Her hesitation only makes Tyler's determination more worthwhile. Midnight Ride is easily one of my top picks this year and Cat Johnson just needs to keep cranking them out so I can gobble them all up.
May 1, 2015
My Review:
I liked this book. The best thing about it for me was the big age difference between the hero and heroine. She's in her mid-thirties. He's 24. I love a good cougar story and this one was awesome. It hit all my happy places...because not only is he a young, sexy thing, but he's also a cowboy and a really nice guy. I loved that once Tyler saw Janie, he was all in, despite his traditionally womanizing ways. And I just have to comment for a moment about how they met. Classic...I was definitely laughing out loud while reading the scene.
Really this book is just all around good. Janie's husband, who was older than her has been dead for just at a year, but he was diagnosed even earlier than that, so she had a long time to accept her loss. She's now single-handedly running her ranch and for the most part, succeeding. But not everything is easy with only one person, who's female, doing it. That's how Tyler gets involved. He's young, hot, and strong.
I loved the scenes where he got to get physical and worked...while Janie enjoyed the view. Hot, sweaty, sexy...yeah, there were some FABULOUS visuals in this book and I definitely enjoyed that aspect of reading it. I enjoyed the friendships that both the main characters had and what those friends added to the story line. I also really LOVE that Tyler's boss, who just happens to be a widower, has the next story line in the series. I can't wait for that one.
If you like cowboy themed stories, I highly recommend this one. It's set in ranch-country of Oklahoma. Both the main characters work ranches for a living and are big rodeo proponents. This book was all things good. I liked and could empathize with the main characters. It was sexy and fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I definitely recommend this one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I liked this book. The best thing about it for me was the big age difference between the hero and heroine. She's in her mid-thirties. He's 24. I love a good cougar story and this one was awesome. It hit all my happy places...because not only is he a young, sexy thing, but he's also a cowboy and a really nice guy. I loved that once Tyler saw Janie, he was all in, despite his traditionally womanizing ways. And I just have to comment for a moment about how they met. Classic...I was definitely laughing out loud while reading the scene.
Really this book is just all around good. Janie's husband, who was older than her has been dead for just at a year, but he was diagnosed even earlier than that, so she had a long time to accept her loss. She's now single-handedly running her ranch and for the most part, succeeding. But not everything is easy with only one person, who's female, doing it. That's how Tyler gets involved. He's young, hot, and strong.
I loved the scenes where he got to get physical and worked...while Janie enjoyed the view. Hot, sweaty, sexy...yeah, there were some FABULOUS visuals in this book and I definitely enjoyed that aspect of reading it. I enjoyed the friendships that both the main characters had and what those friends added to the story line. I also really LOVE that Tyler's boss, who just happens to be a widower, has the next story line in the series. I can't wait for that one.
If you like cowboy themed stories, I highly recommend this one. It's set in ranch-country of Oklahoma. Both the main characters work ranches for a living and are big rodeo proponents. This book was all things good. I liked and could empathize with the main characters. It was sexy and fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I definitely recommend this one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
August 1, 2015
This was a very captivating novel. Johnson caught my attention with her fantastic cast of characters and held it with the unforgettable story. Love and loss vie with happily ever after to hold you. And you can’t miss the multiplicity of rodeo cowboys. Johnson makes the rodeo and ranching aspects of this novel so real. The in-depth accuracy isn’t a narrative that bogs the story down, but rather, is part of who the characters are. Her descriptions bring the entire world to life in a beautifully vivid way.
The main couple had my heart in their hands from the moment they met. I loved how they struggled with the contradiction between what they wanted and what they believed. The fact that they were just real, genuine, down to earth people made their struggle even more poignant. Tyler’s drawn really comes through in the dialogue. The good ol’ boy personality really stands out. Johnson does, however, pick up some of the secondary characters as if we already know them, even though this is the first book in the series. I assume that they played major roles in the series that this spun off from. It doesn’t detract from the story; I just did a bit of a double take the first time it happened.
Johnson held me captive throughout with her steamy cowboys and down to earth plot. I loved this story and can’t wait for more from this author.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
The main couple had my heart in their hands from the moment they met. I loved how they struggled with the contradiction between what they wanted and what they believed. The fact that they were just real, genuine, down to earth people made their struggle even more poignant. Tyler’s drawn really comes through in the dialogue. The good ol’ boy personality really stands out. Johnson does, however, pick up some of the secondary characters as if we already know them, even though this is the first book in the series. I assume that they played major roles in the series that this spun off from. It doesn’t detract from the story; I just did a bit of a double take the first time it happened.
Johnson held me captive throughout with her steamy cowboys and down to earth plot. I loved this story and can’t wait for more from this author.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
February 27, 2015
Love me some cowboys, especially ones like Tyler, "that the only reason you went over? To drop off a pie?" A sly smirk settled on his face and remained as he waited for her answer." Tyler he's quite the gentleman he's willing to go extra miles for his girl, "I know what you're getting at and no, I'm not talking about that. If a date in public is the problem, then we'll have our first one in private. Come on." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up and out of her chair." Sometimes he just doesn't want to let his girl go, "I'll go finish supper." She sat up as best she could with Tyler half on top of her. He groaned in protest and didn't move the leg thrown over hers, pinning her lower half in place. She laughed. "You're hungry. You'll have to let me up so I can cook." Talk about not having sex for awhile sets his girl off, "I don't know. A month." He shrugged. The furrow deepened in her brow and he laughed. "Okay, how about two weeks?" When she still didn't look happy, he added, "How about we discuss details later?" Yes he's whipped I liked this book I liked Tyler and his persistence.
January 7, 2016
The first book in Cat Johnson's Midnight Cowboys series. Tyler Jenkins is a hard-working and hard playing cowboy who steps outside the bar with the wrong woman. He ends up hiding in the back of Janie Smithwick's truck. Janie is a widow of one year and struggling with the ranch. When Tyler offers to help out she has mixed feelings.
This has the older woman and younger man theme. It's not one of my favorite themes but it worked out alright for me. If I had to describe it in one word I'd say "sexy". Tyler is one sexy cowboy! It was well written and ran at a nice comfortable pace without being too slow or too fast. I got to meet several characters that would make for a great story so I am looking forward to more from this series. I have read Cat Johnson is the past and I have been pleased with her talents. She has the ability to create some really sexy fellows.
I received this book via NetGalley for an honest review.
This has the older woman and younger man theme. It's not one of my favorite themes but it worked out alright for me. If I had to describe it in one word I'd say "sexy". Tyler is one sexy cowboy! It was well written and ran at a nice comfortable pace without being too slow or too fast. I got to meet several characters that would make for a great story so I am looking forward to more from this series. I have read Cat Johnson is the past and I have been pleased with her talents. She has the ability to create some really sexy fellows.
I received this book via NetGalley for an honest review.
May 18, 2015
Of course I love an older woman/younger man story line and this one was very well done. Tyler was a young man just sowing his wild oats until he meets Janie, a widowed rancher, and suddenly his wild days are behind him. His problem is convincing her to see him as a match for her. He is eleven years younger than her. He is all in though and works hard to convince her that he's put his wild ways behind him and that even though he is younger, she is what he really wants.
The relationship moved at a good steady pace so it was believable. The hero was pretty charming. The heroine was well written and her doubts were valid and I believe she took a reasonable amount of time to come around to his way of thinking. There was some well done bits of rodeo, no mistakes, totally believable and thank goodness without an info dump.
And let me just say the cover was perfect. Sign me up for the rest of the series.
The relationship moved at a good steady pace so it was believable. The hero was pretty charming. The heroine was well written and her doubts were valid and I believe she took a reasonable amount of time to come around to his way of thinking. There was some well done bits of rodeo, no mistakes, totally believable and thank goodness without an info dump.
And let me just say the cover was perfect. Sign me up for the rest of the series.
March 4, 2015
2 Stars
This is a little hard for me to rate. I am always after a good Cowboy read and just like a really good book they are VERY hard to find. I like a cowboy read for the cowboy HIMSELF not the doings of a cowboy and this book had more than enough true roping real cowboy for me. I was overly bored at this part and skimmed until I saw what interested me. Janie and Tyler!
When Tyler and Janie were together, those scenes were when I was most glued to the story. By no means were they perfect for me but I enjoyed the way Tyler seemed to pull Janie out of her funk.
Alone, widowed, and in debt up to her eyeballs on a ranch she couldn't maintain but couldn't bear to think about selling, all at thirty-six years of age.
What I didn't care for was their age difference. Other than them liking each other on the surface their 12 year age difference played a big role. Along with the fact that Janie is a widow (from a older man mind you) for a year, Janie had a big problem with Tyler being much younger than her. I am not oppose to varying age difference in reading or in real life but as much as Janie harped on it, it was always in the forefront.
I also didn't think Tyler showed his age either. He's 24 but acted much more mature than I believe he was suppose to be with some of the situations he was caught in. Why not make him 30 and keep his maturity. Even Janie's age didn't match her. When you first meet Janie you literally think old woman, but as you learn about her at age 36, she's not old but certainly taken on the old lady name for sure. It made their togetherness not at all believable.
Tyler says when it happens he'll know, and with Janie's pull to him he has his goal set. Their meeting was unique and memorable but not overly set up as love at first sight. Definitely not for Janie. His kindness towards her was very genuine and that I enjoyed very much. I like that he was cautious but persistent. I didn't care for Janie's big bag of mixed signals. In her head she was infatuated with Tyler but couldn't speak it unless it was the age or her being a widow....BUT that didn't stop her from going upstairs to her bedroom with Tyler did it? She wouldn't go out on a date with Tyler from his many many tries but kissing and having the big O is all okay.
"You should be dating girls your own age."
"I have. I've gone out with plenty of them, but not one of them was anything like you."
So, now you see why I had a difficult time here. I like the cuteness and the sweetness a cowboy had but turn the page to contradiction.
This is a little hard for me to rate. I am always after a good Cowboy read and just like a really good book they are VERY hard to find. I like a cowboy read for the cowboy HIMSELF not the doings of a cowboy and this book had more than enough true roping real cowboy for me. I was overly bored at this part and skimmed until I saw what interested me. Janie and Tyler!
When Tyler and Janie were together, those scenes were when I was most glued to the story. By no means were they perfect for me but I enjoyed the way Tyler seemed to pull Janie out of her funk.
Alone, widowed, and in debt up to her eyeballs on a ranch she couldn't maintain but couldn't bear to think about selling, all at thirty-six years of age.
What I didn't care for was their age difference. Other than them liking each other on the surface their 12 year age difference played a big role. Along with the fact that Janie is a widow (from a older man mind you) for a year, Janie had a big problem with Tyler being much younger than her. I am not oppose to varying age difference in reading or in real life but as much as Janie harped on it, it was always in the forefront.
I also didn't think Tyler showed his age either. He's 24 but acted much more mature than I believe he was suppose to be with some of the situations he was caught in. Why not make him 30 and keep his maturity. Even Janie's age didn't match her. When you first meet Janie you literally think old woman, but as you learn about her at age 36, she's not old but certainly taken on the old lady name for sure. It made their togetherness not at all believable.
Tyler says when it happens he'll know, and with Janie's pull to him he has his goal set. Their meeting was unique and memorable but not overly set up as love at first sight. Definitely not for Janie. His kindness towards her was very genuine and that I enjoyed very much. I like that he was cautious but persistent. I didn't care for Janie's big bag of mixed signals. In her head she was infatuated with Tyler but couldn't speak it unless it was the age or her being a widow....BUT that didn't stop her from going upstairs to her bedroom with Tyler did it? She wouldn't go out on a date with Tyler from his many many tries but kissing and having the big O is all okay.
"You should be dating girls your own age."
"I have. I've gone out with plenty of them, but not one of them was anything like you."
So, now you see why I had a difficult time here. I like the cuteness and the sweetness a cowboy had but turn the page to contradiction.
April 7, 2015
The first thing you need to know about Midnight Ride is that Cat Johnson writes amazing cowboy romances. Her cowboys are sexy and real. The gals she creates for them are sassy and fun and just the perfect women for the men she gives her readers. Tyler and Janie are prime examples of this. Some readers will remember Tyler from her Oklahoma Nights series. He is Tuck’s little brother.
Young and sexy and full of life Tyler enjoys all things. He’s a flirt and a charmer and the ladies love him. He knows that one day he will meet his one special lady, the one that he will settle down for but until then he knows how to have a good time and makes sure that whoever he spends that time with has one hell of a time too.
I’m sure Janie never expected the fence mender to be capable of being so much more, something she never expected after having lost so much. Janie is a widow at just thirty-six. She was supposed to grow old with her husband not bury him. Starting over with dating again is something she is not sure about. Dating someone as young as Tyler is just unfathomable to her. It all becomes more than she believes she is ready to handle while hearts are on the line.
This first installment of the Midnight Cowboys series was perfect. Tyler makes for a fun read. He knows what he wants, Janie. He is persistent and will do anything to get her. Tyler is such an unexpected in Janie’s life she doesn’t know what to make of him. They both make the other take notice of things that they had been blind to. Tyler loves the settled down domesticity that he experiences while around Janie. Tyler is making Janie experience a time in her life that she initially missed and while it is enjoyable she can’t bring herself to see that it is permanent if she’ll allow it. Midnight Ride is sweet and sexy and a total page turner.
Young and sexy and full of life Tyler enjoys all things. He’s a flirt and a charmer and the ladies love him. He knows that one day he will meet his one special lady, the one that he will settle down for but until then he knows how to have a good time and makes sure that whoever he spends that time with has one hell of a time too.
I’m sure Janie never expected the fence mender to be capable of being so much more, something she never expected after having lost so much. Janie is a widow at just thirty-six. She was supposed to grow old with her husband not bury him. Starting over with dating again is something she is not sure about. Dating someone as young as Tyler is just unfathomable to her. It all becomes more than she believes she is ready to handle while hearts are on the line.
This first installment of the Midnight Cowboys series was perfect. Tyler makes for a fun read. He knows what he wants, Janie. He is persistent and will do anything to get her. Tyler is such an unexpected in Janie’s life she doesn’t know what to make of him. They both make the other take notice of things that they had been blind to. Tyler loves the settled down domesticity that he experiences while around Janie. Tyler is making Janie experience a time in her life that she initially missed and while it is enjoyable she can’t bring herself to see that it is permanent if she’ll allow it. Midnight Ride is sweet and sexy and a total page turner.
November 9, 2015
4 Stars, 3 Flames
A cowboy who is used to getting what he wants with nothing but a smile meets his match with a slightly older hard-working widow. Janie Smithwick has lost her husband about a year ago and is trying her hardest to keep herself and the ranch afloat. Tyler Jenkins knows what he enjoys- food, a sweet woman, and his rodeo riding. They meet in the most unexpected places and a slow seduction begins.
This is my first Cat Johnson book and I have to say I am happy that I stumbled upon her. I admit I have not read many cowboy romances and this one had caught my interest (especially the cover! Where can I find a cowboy who looks like that??). Books with age differences do not bother me much unless the younger character truly acts immature-Tyler was not.
Tyler may have been a lover of the ladies but he was never disrespectful to any of them; he just never found one he wanted to spend extra time with. I have met men twice his age who act the same or worse than he ever did. Janie, on the other hand, I feel was more immature and was afraid to live; she was merely getting by. I think that a woman her age, who wants casual, would not have acted the way she did when she went to the rodeo to watch Tyler.
There was definitely undeniable chemistry and attraction that may have took a little too long to complete. But I think was perfectly sweet because deep down Tyler is a hopeless romantic. I would recommend the author and the book to those who love this genre. It was a fun read and not too heavy on the romance-perfect for sneaking chapters at work or in the car.
A cowboy who is used to getting what he wants with nothing but a smile meets his match with a slightly older hard-working widow. Janie Smithwick has lost her husband about a year ago and is trying her hardest to keep herself and the ranch afloat. Tyler Jenkins knows what he enjoys- food, a sweet woman, and his rodeo riding. They meet in the most unexpected places and a slow seduction begins.
This is my first Cat Johnson book and I have to say I am happy that I stumbled upon her. I admit I have not read many cowboy romances and this one had caught my interest (especially the cover! Where can I find a cowboy who looks like that??). Books with age differences do not bother me much unless the younger character truly acts immature-Tyler was not.
Tyler may have been a lover of the ladies but he was never disrespectful to any of them; he just never found one he wanted to spend extra time with. I have met men twice his age who act the same or worse than he ever did. Janie, on the other hand, I feel was more immature and was afraid to live; she was merely getting by. I think that a woman her age, who wants casual, would not have acted the way she did when she went to the rodeo to watch Tyler.
There was definitely undeniable chemistry and attraction that may have took a little too long to complete. But I think was perfectly sweet because deep down Tyler is a hopeless romantic. I would recommend the author and the book to those who love this genre. It was a fun read and not too heavy on the romance-perfect for sneaking chapters at work or in the car.
August 28, 2015
This is a good book. I would give it 4.5 because the characters were so well drawn. I liked how the relationship builds and I understand why the heroine would be so hesitant to start a relationship with the hero.
April 28, 2019
This book started out really great...but then we got to see the heroine's true self and at that point I was just ready for the book to be over. Janie turned into a completely insecure, judgmental annoying and frustrating woman and it went on and on for half the book. It's pretty sad when the 24 year old hero is the more mature person in a relationship where the heroine is 11 years older. She was certainly not deserving of Tyler.
Now Tyler, he was amazing and a great male lead. Even though he was young, he was smart, hard working, had a big heart and didn't let age influence his attraction to Janie. He knew what he wanted and went after it, but he did so with caution and respect. He knew that Janie was a widow, so he did all he could to make her comfortable, even if it meant never going out on dates.
Janie was a widow, so I got that she was hesitant to start something up again, especially with a young man who seemed out of your league. But one would think that after losing someone you love and were married to that you'd learn to live life to the fullest and not take anything for granted because the next day isn't guaranteed. But instead she let fear control her and threw a really good man away just because of his past or rather his perceived past.
The ending was sweet, but it felt too open-ended. I mean it ended before they even went out on a date or she met his family. They just confessed their love, so it was more of a HFN. Very disappointing.
I listened to the audio book and although I've heard this narrator before, I have to say that this narrator isn't my favorite and makes the books seem like something geared towards something my mother would read instead of an under-40 crowd. So I'll probably read the rest of the series the old fashioned way instead of listening on audio.
Now Tyler, he was amazing and a great male lead. Even though he was young, he was smart, hard working, had a big heart and didn't let age influence his attraction to Janie. He knew what he wanted and went after it, but he did so with caution and respect. He knew that Janie was a widow, so he did all he could to make her comfortable, even if it meant never going out on dates.
Janie was a widow, so I got that she was hesitant to start something up again, especially with a young man who seemed out of your league. But one would think that after losing someone you love and were married to that you'd learn to live life to the fullest and not take anything for granted because the next day isn't guaranteed. But instead she let fear control her and threw a really good man away just because of his past or rather his perceived past.
The ending was sweet, but it felt too open-ended. I mean it ended before they even went out on a date or she met his family. They just confessed their love, so it was more of a HFN. Very disappointing.
I listened to the audio book and although I've heard this narrator before, I have to say that this narrator isn't my favorite and makes the books seem like something geared towards something my mother would read instead of an under-40 crowd. So I'll probably read the rest of the series the old fashioned way instead of listening on audio.
April 13, 2020
Tyler Jenkins is a ranch hand in Oklahoma but dreams of more. He is young, wild and to handsome for his own good. Tyler figures he will settle down when the right woman comes along, until then he sees no reason to change his ways.
Janie Smithwick was widowed about a year ago and is working hard to keep her ranch up. Janie gives riding lessons to help pay off her husbands medical debt and has no time to date nor the desire to do so. Until one night she gives a ride to a reckless cowboy...
That late night ride has Janie thinking she should be dating a man her own age, not a twenty-four-year old ranch hand that makes her hotter than she's ever been. She gives into the desire and thinks it's only a fling until he moves on. But Tyler decides that she is the one and is not willing to let her go and so he must convince her his heart is hers and some things are just meant to be...
Janie Smithwick was widowed about a year ago and is working hard to keep her ranch up. Janie gives riding lessons to help pay off her husbands medical debt and has no time to date nor the desire to do so. Until one night she gives a ride to a reckless cowboy...
That late night ride has Janie thinking she should be dating a man her own age, not a twenty-four-year old ranch hand that makes her hotter than she's ever been. She gives into the desire and thinks it's only a fling until he moves on. But Tyler decides that she is the one and is not willing to let her go and so he must convince her his heart is hers and some things are just meant to be...
January 22, 2023
Tyler Jenkins works as a ranch hand and competes in rodeos on the weekends. When a neighbor of the man he works for has fencing issues, Tyler offers to help her out. Janie Smithwick is a young widow who is struggling to keep things going on her ranch after the death of her husband. She welcomes the help from Tyler, and he isn't bad to look at, either. When Tyler gets to know Janie, he realizes he's tired of one night stands and wants to get to know Janie better, but she's resistant because she's older than he is. Great characters and fun, sexy story!
May 25, 2019
This was good but not great for me. I liked the characters, but wasn't sucked into their story. Maybe it was just a little simpler and a little 'cleaner' than I prefer. 🤷🏻♀️
I listened to the audio with Rebecca Estrella narrating and it was ok too.
I listened to the audio with Rebecca Estrella narrating and it was ok too.
April 23, 2015
4.5 stars.
Cat Johnson's Midnight Cowboys series is off to a MARVELOUS beginning with Midnight Ride. This younger man/older woman romance featuring Tyler Jenkins (from the Oklahoma Nights series) is a very sweet and deliciously sensual novel that old and new fans of Ms. Johnson are going to LOVE.
Twenty four year old Tyler Jenkins reminds me of a puppy: exuberant, energetic and eager to please. Tyler is a bit untamed and a little wild, but if you look beneath the playful and flirtatious exterior, you'll find a loyal, hardworking man with a heart of gold. He is confident, charming and good natured, but when Tyler wants something, he goes after it wholeheartedly. And when it comes to Janie Smithwick, Tyler refuses to let a little thing like a twelve year age difference come between him and the woman that he is ready to settle down with.
It is a good thing that Tyler is persistent, because getting past Janie's defenses is not for the faint of heart. She never expected to be a widow at such a young age, and she certainly never expected to be lusting after the hot, young cowboy from a neighboring ranch. Janie cannot understand why he would be interested in her but she soon discovers Tyler is pretty hard to resist when he wants something. She throws caution to the wind and begins what she thinks is a casual fling, but much to her shock, Tyler wants a real relationship with her.
Despite their mutual attraction, Tyler and Janie's relationship begins with an easygoing friendship. Tyler respects Janie's wishes to keep things platonic, but he slowly but surely works past her defenses. He is content with a slow but steady build to their relationship but when he realizes there is a very real possibility she will begin dating someone else, Tyler makes his move. This coincides with Janie's change of heart and the two are soon enjoying some very hot and steamy lovemaking. Tyler keeps trying to convince her to take their relationship public, but Janie's fears and insecurities quickly derail their burgeoning romance.
I have to confess that I do not typically read older woman/younger man romances but there was never any doubt that I was going to read Midnight Ride. First, I am a HUGE fan of Cat Johnson's cowboy novels and second, there was no way I was going to miss Tyler's story. I am so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone because Midnight Ride is an absolutely amazing novel. The romance between Tyler and Janie is incredibly heartwarming and I loved watching their characters grow over the course of the story. Tyler still retains all of the characteristics that make him so appealing but falling for Janie gives him some much needed focus. Janie needs a little playfulness to counter her über seriousness but most importantly, it is time for her to seize the opportunity for happiness despite the risks to her heart.
Midnight Ride is a sinfully sexy and exceptionally charming first installment in the Midnight Cowboys series. It is a fast paced and engaging love story that will delight readers and leave them impatiently awaiting the next book in this terrific series.
Cat Johnson's Midnight Cowboys series is off to a MARVELOUS beginning with Midnight Ride. This younger man/older woman romance featuring Tyler Jenkins (from the Oklahoma Nights series) is a very sweet and deliciously sensual novel that old and new fans of Ms. Johnson are going to LOVE.
Twenty four year old Tyler Jenkins reminds me of a puppy: exuberant, energetic and eager to please. Tyler is a bit untamed and a little wild, but if you look beneath the playful and flirtatious exterior, you'll find a loyal, hardworking man with a heart of gold. He is confident, charming and good natured, but when Tyler wants something, he goes after it wholeheartedly. And when it comes to Janie Smithwick, Tyler refuses to let a little thing like a twelve year age difference come between him and the woman that he is ready to settle down with.
It is a good thing that Tyler is persistent, because getting past Janie's defenses is not for the faint of heart. She never expected to be a widow at such a young age, and she certainly never expected to be lusting after the hot, young cowboy from a neighboring ranch. Janie cannot understand why he would be interested in her but she soon discovers Tyler is pretty hard to resist when he wants something. She throws caution to the wind and begins what she thinks is a casual fling, but much to her shock, Tyler wants a real relationship with her.
Despite their mutual attraction, Tyler and Janie's relationship begins with an easygoing friendship. Tyler respects Janie's wishes to keep things platonic, but he slowly but surely works past her defenses. He is content with a slow but steady build to their relationship but when he realizes there is a very real possibility she will begin dating someone else, Tyler makes his move. This coincides with Janie's change of heart and the two are soon enjoying some very hot and steamy lovemaking. Tyler keeps trying to convince her to take their relationship public, but Janie's fears and insecurities quickly derail their burgeoning romance.
I have to confess that I do not typically read older woman/younger man romances but there was never any doubt that I was going to read Midnight Ride. First, I am a HUGE fan of Cat Johnson's cowboy novels and second, there was no way I was going to miss Tyler's story. I am so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone because Midnight Ride is an absolutely amazing novel. The romance between Tyler and Janie is incredibly heartwarming and I loved watching their characters grow over the course of the story. Tyler still retains all of the characteristics that make him so appealing but falling for Janie gives him some much needed focus. Janie needs a little playfulness to counter her über seriousness but most importantly, it is time for her to seize the opportunity for happiness despite the risks to her heart.
Midnight Ride is a sinfully sexy and exceptionally charming first installment in the Midnight Cowboys series. It is a fast paced and engaging love story that will delight readers and leave them impatiently awaiting the next book in this terrific series.
August 11, 2015
I wasn't a big fan of Cat Johnson's Oklahoma Nights series so I was a little apprehensive about reading this book but I gave it a try anyways because I am a huge fan of cowboy romances (gawd, they are just so damn sexy lol). Well, I'm glad i did! This was an incredibly sweet and sexy story!
LOVED every page of it!
Tyler Jenkins is a 24 year-old living the cowboy dream ... working the ranch by day and loving the ladies by night. He's not ready to settle down just yet. He's young, wild and free and he likes it! Until Janie ...
Janie Smithwick is a 36 year-old widowed ranch owner doing the best she can to hold on to the ranch that has been in her family forever. Her financial situation leaves her no money to hire anyone to help, so it's all on her. Until Tyler ...
When these two meet it's funny and explosive. The sparks begin to fly from moment one. But this wasn't an insta-sex story. This was a true romance story that built itself to the sex. Their union doesn't actually happen for quite a while, which makes the build-up THAT much sexier. Tyler knows the minute he meets Janie that she's something special but Janie is very skeptical. Resisting Tyler's charm isn't easy but she has to, right? Because a relationship just wouldn't last. It would just be a play thing for him, right? He's just so young. He's going to find someone younger one day and then what?
Convincing Janie that all the imaginary roadblocks she kept putting up were never going to happen was a full time job for Tyler. Janie was persistent, but Tyler was relentless in his pursuit. He wanted to be with Janie something fierce and nothing was stopping him!
Like I said, sweet and sexy! You won't be able to stop reading! And now I'm a Cat Johnson fan once again! :)
ARC provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley for an honest review.
Tyler Jenkins is a 24 year-old living the cowboy dream ... working the ranch by day and loving the ladies by night. He's not ready to settle down just yet. He's young, wild and free and he likes it! Until Janie ...
Janie Smithwick is a 36 year-old widowed ranch owner doing the best she can to hold on to the ranch that has been in her family forever. Her financial situation leaves her no money to hire anyone to help, so it's all on her. Until Tyler ...
When these two meet it's funny and explosive. The sparks begin to fly from moment one. But this wasn't an insta-sex story. This was a true romance story that built itself to the sex. Their union doesn't actually happen for quite a while, which makes the build-up THAT much sexier. Tyler knows the minute he meets Janie that she's something special but Janie is very skeptical. Resisting Tyler's charm isn't easy but she has to, right? Because a relationship just wouldn't last. It would just be a play thing for him, right? He's just so young. He's going to find someone younger one day and then what?
Convincing Janie that all the imaginary roadblocks she kept putting up were never going to happen was a full time job for Tyler. Janie was persistent, but Tyler was relentless in his pursuit. He wanted to be with Janie something fierce and nothing was stopping him!
Like I said, sweet and sexy! You won't be able to stop reading! And now I'm a Cat Johnson fan once again! :)
ARC provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley for an honest review.
June 22, 2016
3.5 out of 5
I seem to have picked up a number of books by Cat Johnson without ever reading any. There has been some real good prices so I bought them over time. When I noticed this was an older woman/younger guy story I went for it since it appeals to the inner and completely asleep, never to waken, cougar in me.
Twenty-four year old Tyler Jenkins is living the good life. He has a job he enjoys working on a ranch for a man he respects. He does the rodeo circuits on the weekend and is fairly successful. He has no trouble finding women willing to spend time with a cowboy.
But that all flies out the window when he meets Janie Smithwick. She lives next door to his boss and is a young, though not a young as him, widow. Though Janie loved her older husband, he is gone now and she is contemplating dating – contemplating only. So she is truly thrown for a loop when her next door neighbours ranch hand offers to help her out with all kind of chores around her small ranch. And not just that but he wants to DATE her. And he’s much YOUNGER, younger by 12 years.
Eventually he charms her into a relationship but she doesn’t want anyone to know and while Kyle’s thinking longer term, for him Janie is it, she just considers it a fling. She’s really bothered by the age difference as well as the women in his past.
I liked this one, liked it well enough to make sure I had all three books in this series. The one thing I didn’t get and never really do in the older woman/ younger man trope is how opposed she is to the age difference. I don’t mind some angst about it, but if it were me, I’d get over it soon enough and be flattered. I’ve read book where the main conflict is with family objections to the relationship where it’s more of an us against them kind of thing. But other than that I like her character. And Kyle is cowboy yummy.
I seem to have picked up a number of books by Cat Johnson without ever reading any. There has been some real good prices so I bought them over time. When I noticed this was an older woman/younger guy story I went for it since it appeals to the inner and completely asleep, never to waken, cougar in me.
Twenty-four year old Tyler Jenkins is living the good life. He has a job he enjoys working on a ranch for a man he respects. He does the rodeo circuits on the weekend and is fairly successful. He has no trouble finding women willing to spend time with a cowboy.
But that all flies out the window when he meets Janie Smithwick. She lives next door to his boss and is a young, though not a young as him, widow. Though Janie loved her older husband, he is gone now and she is contemplating dating – contemplating only. So she is truly thrown for a loop when her next door neighbours ranch hand offers to help her out with all kind of chores around her small ranch. And not just that but he wants to DATE her. And he’s much YOUNGER, younger by 12 years.
Eventually he charms her into a relationship but she doesn’t want anyone to know and while Kyle’s thinking longer term, for him Janie is it, she just considers it a fling. She’s really bothered by the age difference as well as the women in his past.
I liked this one, liked it well enough to make sure I had all three books in this series. The one thing I didn’t get and never really do in the older woman/ younger man trope is how opposed she is to the age difference. I don’t mind some angst about it, but if it were me, I’d get over it soon enough and be flattered. I’ve read book where the main conflict is with family objections to the relationship where it’s more of an us against them kind of thing. But other than that I like her character. And Kyle is cowboy yummy.
April 23, 2015
featured Netgalley review*
What Karia says:
“I love Cat Johnson!!! I loved the previous series and reviewed all of them and loved them!” Karia at Talkbookstome
Seriously, I loved this story! The set up was too funny for the meet cute and from there it just got better and better. As you all should know by now, I love a cowboy (wearing my cowboy boots today even). Now, add to that a younger sexy cowboy, a lonely but by no means old widow and a couple wise cracking friends…bamm! Hot damn!
Tyler is reckless with his affections towards women, but by no means is he immature. He works hard, plays harder! Janie on the other hand never lived wild. She met her late husband at 18 while in college and he pursued her until she agreed to marry him. They had a nice life, he even sold his interests in his family ranch to be a full partner in her grandfather’s ranch. Sadly, cancer took him too soon and they never had children and this was not really discussed. That was one topic that I felt was unresolved…why didn’t they have children? Did he or she not want them? Don’t know…
The love story between Tyler and Janie is quite sweet. She is naïve, even though she is a widow in her thirties. Tyler, anything but innocent, wants her. Period. He doesn’t intend for it to be love, but I enjoyed being strung along on Tyler’s journey towards love and commitment. Sweet, sexy love story with some flirty cowboys! Cannot wait for Rohn to get his some some!!! Enjoy!
What Karia says:
“I love Cat Johnson!!! I loved the previous series and reviewed all of them and loved them!” Karia at Talkbookstome
Seriously, I loved this story! The set up was too funny for the meet cute and from there it just got better and better. As you all should know by now, I love a cowboy (wearing my cowboy boots today even). Now, add to that a younger sexy cowboy, a lonely but by no means old widow and a couple wise cracking friends…bamm! Hot damn!
Tyler is reckless with his affections towards women, but by no means is he immature. He works hard, plays harder! Janie on the other hand never lived wild. She met her late husband at 18 while in college and he pursued her until she agreed to marry him. They had a nice life, he even sold his interests in his family ranch to be a full partner in her grandfather’s ranch. Sadly, cancer took him too soon and they never had children and this was not really discussed. That was one topic that I felt was unresolved…why didn’t they have children? Did he or she not want them? Don’t know…
The love story between Tyler and Janie is quite sweet. She is naïve, even though she is a widow in her thirties. Tyler, anything but innocent, wants her. Period. He doesn’t intend for it to be love, but I enjoyed being strung along on Tyler’s journey towards love and commitment. Sweet, sexy love story with some flirty cowboys! Cannot wait for Rohn to get his some some!!! Enjoy!
April 24, 2015
MIDNIGHT RIDE is the first book in the Midnight Cowboys series which is a spin-off from the author’s Oklahoma Nights series. Tyler Jenkins is the younger brother of Tucker Jenkins (ONE NIGHT WITH A COWBOY) and Tara Jenkins (THREE WEEKS WITH A BULL RIDER).
Tyler is a young, cocky cowboy who works hard and plays harder. He is a total hound dog and I about stopped reading when he showed his true colors in the first chapter. Because it was a Cat Johnson book though, I hung in there and was rewarded handsomely.
I applaud the author for bucking the norm and writing a story with an older woman and a younger man. I thought it was a brilliant idea and I am so glad that Ms. Johnson thinks it’s okay for women past their twenties to be romanced, fall in love and have a happily ever after. I wish more authors would do the same.
I thought the delivery of the story was done well and although I wasn’t completely sold on Tyler in the beginning, he completely won me over in the end.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters and loved revisiting those from the Oklahoma Nights series. I’m looking forward to the next book and to Rohn finding his happy ending.
MIDNIGHT RIDE was an enjoyable read with sexy cowboys and a love that defies all odds.
***I was gifted an eBook copy from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions reached are my own***
Tyler is a young, cocky cowboy who works hard and plays harder. He is a total hound dog and I about stopped reading when he showed his true colors in the first chapter. Because it was a Cat Johnson book though, I hung in there and was rewarded handsomely.
I applaud the author for bucking the norm and writing a story with an older woman and a younger man. I thought it was a brilliant idea and I am so glad that Ms. Johnson thinks it’s okay for women past their twenties to be romanced, fall in love and have a happily ever after. I wish more authors would do the same.
I thought the delivery of the story was done well and although I wasn’t completely sold on Tyler in the beginning, he completely won me over in the end.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters and loved revisiting those from the Oklahoma Nights series. I’m looking forward to the next book and to Rohn finding his happy ending.
MIDNIGHT RIDE was an enjoyable read with sexy cowboys and a love that defies all odds.
***I was gifted an eBook copy from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions reached are my own***
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