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Midnight Cowboys #2
Midnight Wrangler
One Lonely Widower…Rohn Lerner is a successful Oklahoma rancher. He’s old enough to know what he likes, and still young enough to enjoy it. But losing his wife five years ago wore him thin. He’s not ready to date, but he needs someone to share a meal with as badly as someone to warm his bed.One Woman with a Secret…Bonnie Martin fled her Oklahoma home years ago, leaving behind her abusive father, and Rohn, the lost love she never forgot. Now she’s back to settle her father’s estate, but she has no idea that she’s about to bump into Rohn or that they’ll fall for each other all over again.One Night That Changes Everything…
317 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 24, 2015
138 people are currently reading
572 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 146 reviews
June 9, 2016
4.5 - "I remember a day when..." Stars!
The Midnight Cowboys series is turning out to be an absolute treat to read. I think what has made both books so far outstanding is that the author has taken underused tropes in both of them and given us absolutely stellar reads.
In the first book Midnight Ride we had the older woman/younger man theme used to great effect, and Cat Johnson has absolutely excelled with Rohn and Bonnie’s story in that we are looking at a couple in their forties this time, a couple who have loved, lived and lost.
The teenage girl who’d had a crush on him twenty-five years ago was alive and well inside her.
I loved that the author gave you the present in their story, but also took us back to the summer of 1990, and gave us the beginnings of their relationship, as well as insight into the reasons that caused Bonnie to up and leave Rohn at that time.
”There’s no one but you… Now when I was eighteen. Not now.”
Flashbacks can become overdone in a story if not interspersed at relevant points, but Cat added them well and included relevant information in them, this couple at eighteen were cute, in their mid-forties the depth of feelings between them and the personal growth they have been through in the intervening years was just highlighted more because of it.
”You can make excuses all day long, it’s not going to change the fact that there’s something between us. Whether we choose to ignore it or enjoy it is up to you. I know what I wanna do…”
But their age wasn’t treated as something special, it was just a book about a couple, who after spending twenty-five years apart, coming back together and discovering that the intervening years have made absolutely no difference to the depth of feelings they had then, and still have now for each other. There is just a little more mileage under the bonnet and a lot more wear to the tires!
”It’s about time you came home to me.”
I could go on, I really did love this book, the story was well crafted, paced and moved along really steadily, the emotional build up between them and the fall-out when secrets are exposed was not rushed, and I just found the whole book an absolute delight to read.
”Be careful what you offer a desperate man… What I want might not be what you want.
“I think it is.”
Midnight Heat is due in February 2016, this is Justin’s book, and I am interested in seeing what story the author gives him.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was a pleasure to provide the above honest review.
The Midnight Cowboys series is turning out to be an absolute treat to read. I think what has made both books so far outstanding is that the author has taken underused tropes in both of them and given us absolutely stellar reads.
In the first book Midnight Ride we had the older woman/younger man theme used to great effect, and Cat Johnson has absolutely excelled with Rohn and Bonnie’s story in that we are looking at a couple in their forties this time, a couple who have loved, lived and lost.
The teenage girl who’d had a crush on him twenty-five years ago was alive and well inside her.
I loved that the author gave you the present in their story, but also took us back to the summer of 1990, and gave us the beginnings of their relationship, as well as insight into the reasons that caused Bonnie to up and leave Rohn at that time.
”There’s no one but you… Now when I was eighteen. Not now.”
Flashbacks can become overdone in a story if not interspersed at relevant points, but Cat added them well and included relevant information in them, this couple at eighteen were cute, in their mid-forties the depth of feelings between them and the personal growth they have been through in the intervening years was just highlighted more because of it.
”You can make excuses all day long, it’s not going to change the fact that there’s something between us. Whether we choose to ignore it or enjoy it is up to you. I know what I wanna do…”
But their age wasn’t treated as something special, it was just a book about a couple, who after spending twenty-five years apart, coming back together and discovering that the intervening years have made absolutely no difference to the depth of feelings they had then, and still have now for each other. There is just a little more mileage under the bonnet and a lot more wear to the tires!
”It’s about time you came home to me.”
I could go on, I really did love this book, the story was well crafted, paced and moved along really steadily, the emotional build up between them and the fall-out when secrets are exposed was not rushed, and I just found the whole book an absolute delight to read.
”Be careful what you offer a desperate man… What I want might not be what you want.
“I think it is.”
Midnight Heat is due in February 2016, this is Justin’s book, and I am interested in seeing what story the author gives him.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was a pleasure to provide the above honest review.
January 15, 2016
Rohn is in his early 40s and pretty much ok with his life as a widowed rancher.
But he's lonely. He wants someone to talk to other than his young employees. Someone to have dinner with and cuddle in bed with.
It's been five years since his wife died of cancer.
And it's been 25 years since his first love Bonnie left town without so much as a goodbye.
But now she's back, thank God, because Rohn is this close to joining an online matchmaking agency. That, or taking Tyler up on his offer to find him a girl for one night - a professional.
But Bonnie seems very shy and scared and sad - who knows what happened to her during all those years - or what happened that she had to leave like she did....
Time for Rohn to find out.
He's not letting her get away a second time!!!
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO BONNiE & ROHN???
WILL THEY USE THEiR SECOND CHANCE???
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 Wrangler did not disappoint one bit ☺
Rohn is sooo adorable!!!!
This gorgeous rancher - father figure for his three young cowboy helperlings. Soooo cute.
And once Bonnie is back in town, he feels just like a young kid again. He wants her back so bad.
But Bonnie of course has her secrets and her guilt and she just knows that things with Rohn will never be more than this short summer fling.
I really enjoyed this story.
It was a tiiiiny little bit too unsexy for me. The sexiness didn't start until the 70% mark, and I kinda expected a more erotic story, BUT I still really loved Rohn!!!!
Bonnie...hm - she was a bit of a runner. Why not stay and talk!!!! That's how you solve your problems... but well - it'll probably work out in the end ... maybe... I won't tell you ☺☺☺
Midnight Wrangler was a really adorable second chance Cowboy romance.
Gives us 'old' ladies some hope that we're not yet ready to be put out to pasture ☺ We might find us a hot rancher too!!!!
February 24, 2016
Rated 3.5 - Contemporary Western Romance fans will enjoy this couple pushing toward midlife who reunite after an unexplained separation twenty-five years ago.
Rohn Lerner, owner of the Double L Ranch, seems rather cranky to his ranch hands. Several years older than his young cow hands, Rohn can’t make them understand he doesn’t want to date. With some prodding by the guys, Rohn decides to end the five years of mourning his wife’s death by signing up for an online dating service. That is if he can get his computer to work. With an upcoming class reunion on the horizon, will he be brave enough to ask his high school sweetheart to be his date when she unexpectedly returns to town?
Estranged from her abusive father, Bonnie Martin is surprised to learn that he willed his ranch to her upon his passing. Living with her mom in Arizona, they’ve built a new life since those dark days of living with her dad. Forced to go back to Oklahoma to settle her dad’s estate, Bonnie hopes to avoid running into Rohn. She just can’t face him after what she did that summer before college. She’s afraid he’ll discover her secret.
The most interesting element in this contemporary western story is the way this couple’s history is revealed. Every chapter fluctuates between current day and 1990, slowly leading the reader through Rohn and Bonnie’s past and present. The reader knows that something terrible happened to separate them, but will your imagination be better, worse, or spot-on when guessing what really happened?
Rohn is blind to the reason Bonnie left and so is the reader. He’s hurt, but it doesn’t stop him from pursuing Bonnie again when they meet twenty-five years later. Gradually Bonnie hints at her secret until the day she has to tell the truth to Rohn. Even though I suspected what might have happened, the details were completely unexpected.
Bonnie had a legitimate reason for not becoming involved with Rohn again. I was surprised when Rohn so easily wore down her resolve and she forgot her determination to avoid him. She wasn’t about to tell him the truth and Rohn never asked. The reader knows crap will hit the fan when Bonnie finally comes clean, but we’re not sure why, which is what kept me reading.
I enjoyed this story even though there were a few things that bothered me. The speed in which Bonnie ignores her reason for not getting involved with Rohn again was a bit troubling. It was her reason for leaving her home town when they were sweethearts the first time, without any explanation or contact with Rohn afterward. It was one of the reasons she never came back to Oklahoma. I wanted to know why she was so easily swayed twenty-five years later, even though she kept insisting she couldn’t go there, and that wasn’t shown clearly.
Another one of my quibbles was the overabundance of telling without showing through the characters’ actions or dialogue. I like a lot of dialogue to move the story forward. There were conversations, but sometimes they were simply worded and overly sparse. It didn’t give me enough of the characters’ viewpoint to feel as if I knew them. Bonnie especially was consistently answering with just “okay” and it made her look passive and uncaring.
Overall, the story was absorbing enough that I was able to set aside my preferences and questions, and just enjoy the book. The way that the history between Rohn and Bonnie played out in-between the present day story is captivating. I was tempted to skip ahead because I was so curious and frustrated with the pacing that was necessary, but the surprise made the “no peeking” worth it. There is a bit of emotional upheaval before the characters get their happy-ever-after. I wasn’t sure I liked Bonnie at one point due to her actions. But Rohn was so in love with her that he won me over through his understanding and persistence.
The ranch hands are fun-loving guys with huge hearts who love to test Rohn’s patience. If you read the previous book, MIDNIGHT RIDE, or want to read further to book three, MIDNIGHT HEAT, you’ll get to know them better. MIDNIGHT WRANGLER features reunited lovers with a secret that may break apart the love they’ve finally rediscovered. Following their journey between past and present is appealing. I especially enjoyed this story because it was about an older couple who have each made a life that is in flux when they meet again. Oklahoma ranching fans will enjoy these irresistible cowboys.
Review by Dorine, courtesy of Romance Junkies and The Zest Quest. Print copy provided by the publisher. ( #ContRom2016 )
Rohn Lerner, owner of the Double L Ranch, seems rather cranky to his ranch hands. Several years older than his young cow hands, Rohn can’t make them understand he doesn’t want to date. With some prodding by the guys, Rohn decides to end the five years of mourning his wife’s death by signing up for an online dating service. That is if he can get his computer to work. With an upcoming class reunion on the horizon, will he be brave enough to ask his high school sweetheart to be his date when she unexpectedly returns to town?
Estranged from her abusive father, Bonnie Martin is surprised to learn that he willed his ranch to her upon his passing. Living with her mom in Arizona, they’ve built a new life since those dark days of living with her dad. Forced to go back to Oklahoma to settle her dad’s estate, Bonnie hopes to avoid running into Rohn. She just can’t face him after what she did that summer before college. She’s afraid he’ll discover her secret.
The most interesting element in this contemporary western story is the way this couple’s history is revealed. Every chapter fluctuates between current day and 1990, slowly leading the reader through Rohn and Bonnie’s past and present. The reader knows that something terrible happened to separate them, but will your imagination be better, worse, or spot-on when guessing what really happened?
Rohn is blind to the reason Bonnie left and so is the reader. He’s hurt, but it doesn’t stop him from pursuing Bonnie again when they meet twenty-five years later. Gradually Bonnie hints at her secret until the day she has to tell the truth to Rohn. Even though I suspected what might have happened, the details were completely unexpected.
Bonnie had a legitimate reason for not becoming involved with Rohn again. I was surprised when Rohn so easily wore down her resolve and she forgot her determination to avoid him. She wasn’t about to tell him the truth and Rohn never asked. The reader knows crap will hit the fan when Bonnie finally comes clean, but we’re not sure why, which is what kept me reading.
I enjoyed this story even though there were a few things that bothered me. The speed in which Bonnie ignores her reason for not getting involved with Rohn again was a bit troubling. It was her reason for leaving her home town when they were sweethearts the first time, without any explanation or contact with Rohn afterward. It was one of the reasons she never came back to Oklahoma. I wanted to know why she was so easily swayed twenty-five years later, even though she kept insisting she couldn’t go there, and that wasn’t shown clearly.
Another one of my quibbles was the overabundance of telling without showing through the characters’ actions or dialogue. I like a lot of dialogue to move the story forward. There were conversations, but sometimes they were simply worded and overly sparse. It didn’t give me enough of the characters’ viewpoint to feel as if I knew them. Bonnie especially was consistently answering with just “okay” and it made her look passive and uncaring.
Overall, the story was absorbing enough that I was able to set aside my preferences and questions, and just enjoy the book. The way that the history between Rohn and Bonnie played out in-between the present day story is captivating. I was tempted to skip ahead because I was so curious and frustrated with the pacing that was necessary, but the surprise made the “no peeking” worth it. There is a bit of emotional upheaval before the characters get their happy-ever-after. I wasn’t sure I liked Bonnie at one point due to her actions. But Rohn was so in love with her that he won me over through his understanding and persistence.
The ranch hands are fun-loving guys with huge hearts who love to test Rohn’s patience. If you read the previous book, MIDNIGHT RIDE, or want to read further to book three, MIDNIGHT HEAT, you’ll get to know them better. MIDNIGHT WRANGLER features reunited lovers with a secret that may break apart the love they’ve finally rediscovered. Following their journey between past and present is appealing. I especially enjoyed this story because it was about an older couple who have each made a life that is in flux when they meet again. Oklahoma ranching fans will enjoy these irresistible cowboys.
Review by Dorine, courtesy of Romance Junkies and The Zest Quest. Print copy provided by the publisher. ( #ContRom2016 )
November 23, 2015
When someone asks me to recommend a good cowboy romance to them I immediately tell them about Cat Johnson. I love her books. She writes sexy cowboys with enormous hearts into her romances. There’s always an incredible love story in the mix. Her books simply work for me. Midnight Wrangler was different for me on a few too many different levels. All the great things I love her books for is there this one was simply a miss for me for several reasons that I’ll go into in a second.
Shortly after high school graduation Bonnie fled Oklahoma and never looked back. Hell she ran away so fast she didn’t tell anyone she was leaving. She took a secret with her and she’s been forced to deal with the guilt of that every day of her life since. One phone call about her father passing and she finds that she must return to the home she bolted from so many years ago. Settling things shouldn’t be a problem for her though. She’ll go in, sell off everything she can, find a real estate agent, and then run all the way back to Arizona.
Rohn considers himself lucky in that he’s had two amazingly loves in his life. Though he only had fourteen amazing years with his wife Lila before she passed away five years ago he knows many don’t even get that in life. He also counts that too brief summer after graduation that he had his Bonnie Blue as his other amazing love. Fate, serendipity, or just the perfect star alignment has put Bonnie back in his sights and he has no intention of letting her get away this time. He knows that what they had twenty-five years ago is still there and just needs a little spark to set ablaze now.
As you can tell everything is there for a great book. By all accounts it is a good book. One of the things that didn’t work for me will not bother many people. I don’t read young-adult or new-adult, ever. Most of Midnight Wrangler takes place in the present. There is a huge chuck that takes place during Rohn and Bonnie’s magical summer when they were eighteen. How hard they fell in love then definitely has its place in this book. It is what happened then that pushed what sent Bonnie away that I didn’t enjoy at all. It’s one of those ploys (even considering how plausible it is) in romance books that has never worked for me. Rohn gets over it with a speedy ease that didn’t feel realistic at all. The high school reunion and the teenage promise ring that goes for an engagement ring took the book into some eye-rolling territory at the end.
The second book in the Midnight Cowboys series easily works as a stand-alone.
Shortly after high school graduation Bonnie fled Oklahoma and never looked back. Hell she ran away so fast she didn’t tell anyone she was leaving. She took a secret with her and she’s been forced to deal with the guilt of that every day of her life since. One phone call about her father passing and she finds that she must return to the home she bolted from so many years ago. Settling things shouldn’t be a problem for her though. She’ll go in, sell off everything she can, find a real estate agent, and then run all the way back to Arizona.
Rohn considers himself lucky in that he’s had two amazingly loves in his life. Though he only had fourteen amazing years with his wife Lila before she passed away five years ago he knows many don’t even get that in life. He also counts that too brief summer after graduation that he had his Bonnie Blue as his other amazing love. Fate, serendipity, or just the perfect star alignment has put Bonnie back in his sights and he has no intention of letting her get away this time. He knows that what they had twenty-five years ago is still there and just needs a little spark to set ablaze now.
As you can tell everything is there for a great book. By all accounts it is a good book. One of the things that didn’t work for me will not bother many people. I don’t read young-adult or new-adult, ever. Most of Midnight Wrangler takes place in the present. There is a huge chuck that takes place during Rohn and Bonnie’s magical summer when they were eighteen. How hard they fell in love then definitely has its place in this book. It is what happened then that pushed what sent Bonnie away that I didn’t enjoy at all. It’s one of those ploys (even considering how plausible it is) in romance books that has never worked for me. Rohn gets over it with a speedy ease that didn’t feel realistic at all. The high school reunion and the teenage promise ring that goes for an engagement ring took the book into some eye-rolling territory at the end.
The second book in the Midnight Cowboys series easily works as a stand-alone.
June 15, 2016
Hotness Rating 3 out of 5
I am a huge fan of Cat Johnson and her sexy as all get out cowboys. Unfortunately, the Midnight Cowboys series falls just a little bit short of what I've come to expect from her. That being said Midnight Wrangler, the 2nd book of the series was an enjoyable read that just kind of ambled along like our hero cowboy if you will. Midnight Cowboy had depth and so much emotion you couldn't help but shed more than a few tears. The romance was sweet between the Rohn and Bonnie. You just don't get the lustful punch in the gut that you come to expect from Ms. Johnson.
Bonnie and Rohn were highschool sweethearts that went their separate ways when Bonnie went off to college. He never really understood why she just cut all ties, but he never went after her either. Rohn moved on, fell in love, married and later lost his beloved wife to cancer. Since his wife's passing Rohn just existed. Dating wasn't anything he even considered until his ranch hands started teasing him. My issue with Roan was he really wasn't all that old. Yet, had I not known his age I would have expected him to be in his 50's, at least. He just had this grumpy old man air about him. The losses that both of these characters went through were heart wrenching and could definitely contribute to Rohn's overall outlook on life.
Thank goodness Bonnie came back to town. Rohn desperately needed some lightening up. She was a lot less uptight about life in general, but I still felt like the romance between her and Rohn was more formal than a real "you were my first love" romance should have been.
Bottom line: if you are looking for a slow, sweet read that will pull at your heartstrings and not work you up too much this is the book for you.
You can find this review and others at Books, Chocolate and Lipgloss
I am a huge fan of Cat Johnson and her sexy as all get out cowboys. Unfortunately, the Midnight Cowboys series falls just a little bit short of what I've come to expect from her. That being said Midnight Wrangler, the 2nd book of the series was an enjoyable read that just kind of ambled along like our hero cowboy if you will. Midnight Cowboy had depth and so much emotion you couldn't help but shed more than a few tears. The romance was sweet between the Rohn and Bonnie. You just don't get the lustful punch in the gut that you come to expect from Ms. Johnson.
Bonnie and Rohn were highschool sweethearts that went their separate ways when Bonnie went off to college. He never really understood why she just cut all ties, but he never went after her either. Rohn moved on, fell in love, married and later lost his beloved wife to cancer. Since his wife's passing Rohn just existed. Dating wasn't anything he even considered until his ranch hands started teasing him. My issue with Roan was he really wasn't all that old. Yet, had I not known his age I would have expected him to be in his 50's, at least. He just had this grumpy old man air about him. The losses that both of these characters went through were heart wrenching and could definitely contribute to Rohn's overall outlook on life.
Thank goodness Bonnie came back to town. Rohn desperately needed some lightening up. She was a lot less uptight about life in general, but I still felt like the romance between her and Rohn was more formal than a real "you were my first love" romance should have been.
Bottom line: if you are looking for a slow, sweet read that will pull at your heartstrings and not work you up too much this is the book for you.
You can find this review and others at Books, Chocolate and Lipgloss
November 24, 2015
I really enjoyed this second chance at love romance. Both of the main characters are in their forties and have lived separate lives in different states for over twenty years before crossing paths again. With the death of her estranged father, Bonnie has to go back to a home that holds bad memories in order to literally get rid of her past. The last thing Bonnie was expecting to find when faced with severing the last ties to her father is being able to reconcile with a past love.
The fact that Rohn had gone on to truly fall in love and cherish another woman in their time apart was a realistic touch to the story that I appreciated. Rohn's and Bonnie's lost chance at love was traumatic for them both but their lives didn't end and they both moved on with their lives. Rohn is the kind of man that you would want for yourself and your best friends and was a perfect fit for Bonnie. Bonnie is strong and capable, and although she carries the scars from her relationship with her father and her guilt over her loss of Rohn; she didn't let it stop her from leading a life that she was enjoying. Bonnie wasn't looking to be saved and didn't really need to be, but reconnecting with Rohn despite the reason for their separation was a nice turn to her life. Bonnie doesn't really think that she deserves a second chance with Rohn, but it just goes to show that you can't presume what is best for other people.
MIDNIGHT WRANGLER is an enjoyable read with a touch of humor mixed in. If you enjoy sweeter romances with a small town setting and the added bonus of the characters being real grown ups this is a great one to pick up!
**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
You can find more from me at
•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•
http://www.monlatablereviews.com/
The fact that Rohn had gone on to truly fall in love and cherish another woman in their time apart was a realistic touch to the story that I appreciated. Rohn's and Bonnie's lost chance at love was traumatic for them both but their lives didn't end and they both moved on with their lives. Rohn is the kind of man that you would want for yourself and your best friends and was a perfect fit for Bonnie. Bonnie is strong and capable, and although she carries the scars from her relationship with her father and her guilt over her loss of Rohn; she didn't let it stop her from leading a life that she was enjoying. Bonnie wasn't looking to be saved and didn't really need to be, but reconnecting with Rohn despite the reason for their separation was a nice turn to her life. Bonnie doesn't really think that she deserves a second chance with Rohn, but it just goes to show that you can't presume what is best for other people.
MIDNIGHT WRANGLER is an enjoyable read with a touch of humor mixed in. If you enjoy sweeter romances with a small town setting and the added bonus of the characters being real grown ups this is a great one to pick up!
**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
You can find more from me at
•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•
http://www.monlatablereviews.com/
December 29, 2015
Great second chance romance, I truly enjoyed this one! Why, well maybe because it was not twenty something's falling in love again with their teenage romance again; but forty something's getting. A second chance.Maybe because one forty something , Rohn, was a hot Oklahoma rancher. Maybe because Bonnie Martin secret keeps me hooked for a little while. Maybe because all of it just plain kept me on the hook!
Rohn Lerner, is a widowed Oklahoma ranch owner, widowed for the past five years and starting to feel lonely to spite having three young ranch hands to keep him on his toes and some company , it is nothing like having a women to share a meal with and a bed, he knows it is time to start dating again and move on when those ranch hands start trying to fix him up, stooping to the point of encouraging him to date on line; worse yet he is considering it!
Bonnie Martin, fled in the middle of the night from Oklahoma without telling the young man she loved; Rohn. Bonnie fled for her safety and the desire to keep Rohn safe from her angry abusive farther. Sent to her grandmothers and followed by her mother shortly after leaving behind her bitter father and Oklahoma; not only breaking her heart but that of Rohn's too. Twenty five years later she is forced to return , her father having passed away and leaving the farm to her, expecting to run into a few people while cleaning out and selling the farm he's, but running into Rohn was not on the agenda. Nor was allowing herself to start falling for him all over again.
Though Rohn seems to be able to forgive her for leaving , will he forgive her for why she left?
Will they get an Hea? Will Rohn resort to online dating? Will Bonnie Run away again?
I am not going to tell you, pick this well written book up and discover for yourself!
Arc provided by Zebra publishing via Netgalley for honest review.
Rohn Lerner, is a widowed Oklahoma ranch owner, widowed for the past five years and starting to feel lonely to spite having three young ranch hands to keep him on his toes and some company , it is nothing like having a women to share a meal with and a bed, he knows it is time to start dating again and move on when those ranch hands start trying to fix him up, stooping to the point of encouraging him to date on line; worse yet he is considering it!
Bonnie Martin, fled in the middle of the night from Oklahoma without telling the young man she loved; Rohn. Bonnie fled for her safety and the desire to keep Rohn safe from her angry abusive farther. Sent to her grandmothers and followed by her mother shortly after leaving behind her bitter father and Oklahoma; not only breaking her heart but that of Rohn's too. Twenty five years later she is forced to return , her father having passed away and leaving the farm to her, expecting to run into a few people while cleaning out and selling the farm he's, but running into Rohn was not on the agenda. Nor was allowing herself to start falling for him all over again.
Though Rohn seems to be able to forgive her for leaving , will he forgive her for why she left?
Will they get an Hea? Will Rohn resort to online dating? Will Bonnie Run away again?
I am not going to tell you, pick this well written book up and discover for yourself!
Arc provided by Zebra publishing via Netgalley for honest review.
October 1, 2025
OMG Rohn! Thanks to the author for letting us take a deep dive into this gorgeous hunk of rancher. He’s not just a hot, mature man, Rohn is also a mentor/father figure to his young ranch hands, a kind neighbor to the widow next door, and a genuinely good person. Why is this man spending lonely nights watching TV?
There’s hope when his high school lover Bonnie returns to town to settle her father’s estate. Through flashbacks we’re slowly given insight to the events that led to her leaving town without a word and ghosting Rohn. I found her continued avoidance of discussing anything about her flight to Arizona childish and annoying. Rohn certainly deserved an explanation, especially as she allows him to once again fall for her with no intention of staying around this time either. Pretty shitty, Bonnie.
I was disappointed by the painfully slow romance. These are forty-plus year old people, for Pete’s sake. Get it together please. It was adorable when the young ranch hands stepped in to help Rohn court his lady. Unfortunately, their efforts just added to the awkwardness between the lovers but it was amusing to watch them circle each other.
This is a fine addition to this series and I can’t wait to get into Justin’s story.
There’s hope when his high school lover Bonnie returns to town to settle her father’s estate. Through flashbacks we’re slowly given insight to the events that led to her leaving town without a word and ghosting Rohn. I found her continued avoidance of discussing anything about her flight to Arizona childish and annoying. Rohn certainly deserved an explanation, especially as she allows him to once again fall for her with no intention of staying around this time either. Pretty shitty, Bonnie.
I was disappointed by the painfully slow romance. These are forty-plus year old people, for Pete’s sake. Get it together please. It was adorable when the young ranch hands stepped in to help Rohn court his lady. Unfortunately, their efforts just added to the awkwardness between the lovers but it was amusing to watch them circle each other.
This is a fine addition to this series and I can’t wait to get into Justin’s story.
January 25, 2021
Tags: second-chance, time-skip, widower
This fits under the Mundane Lifetime movie genre of novels. There is an overarching secret that anyone with a brain can figure out but the author strings us along so we can learn to care about these characters first.
The novel is kind of quaint with prom, football, and high school reunions being Big Things in a small town. I’m definitely either a generation or culturally removed from understanding why these things have such importance but the author made them endearing anyway.
Though I love older romances, I’m wary of widow/er characters simply because the deceased spouse tends to take up a lot of room. I think Cat Johnson handled it in a rather sweet way: the hero’s wife was his best friend but he’s ready to move on. The childhood connection between the lead characters was definitely overstated for convenience imo, but idk... I guess its natural that people reminisce about their firsts enough to wonder “What if?”
Minus a star for the frustrating heroine but the way the author handled the overall themes of loss and reconciliation was lovely.
This fits under the Mundane Lifetime movie genre of novels. There is an overarching secret that anyone with a brain can figure out but the author strings us along so we can learn to care about these characters first.
The novel is kind of quaint with prom, football, and high school reunions being Big Things in a small town. I’m definitely either a generation or culturally removed from understanding why these things have such importance but the author made them endearing anyway.
Though I love older romances, I’m wary of widow/er characters simply because the deceased spouse tends to take up a lot of room. I think Cat Johnson handled it in a rather sweet way: the hero’s wife was his best friend but he’s ready to move on. The childhood connection between the lead characters was definitely overstated for convenience imo, but idk... I guess its natural that people reminisce about their firsts enough to wonder “What if?”
Minus a star for the frustrating heroine but the way the author handled the overall themes of loss and reconciliation was lovely.
October 7, 2015
This is the second book in the midnight Cowboys series and I have to say I am loving this series. In the first book we got to see Tyler fall in love with an older woman and now finally we get to see his boss Rohn fall in love again after loosing his wife 5 years ago.
I liked how Johnson set this book up. It went from present to past tense pretty much throughout the entire book. I liked getting into why Bonnie moved away and how Rohn was when he met her for the first time.
Of course the storyline was a little different and unique. Bonnie returns after her fathers death and starts to see that her father really did love her from the things she finds while cleaning out the house she grew up in.
Bonnie and Rohn don't rush into a relationship but they start out as old friends and maybe seeing if they had once a long time ago could still be something.
I enjoyed the banter with the guys and nothing treating Rohn as just the boss but as a friend. The four of them just work well together.
In this book we learn that Rohn never had kids but wanted them. Then Bonnie surprises him with what happened the night she just left without a word. It was a emotional but the way Rohn handled it was just amazing. After that I was kind of wondering if this topic will be brought up again in future books and I hope it does. Once you read the story you will understand completely.
I haven't been into cowboy books for a long time but one thing I love about Johnsons writing is that her cowboy books are a little different. They are filled with humor, heartache and wonderful HEA.
I know Justin's book will be next and I can't wait!! You know he is still hurting from his brothers passing but I am excited to see what Johnson has in store for this cowboy.
I highly recommend this book and this series!
I liked how Johnson set this book up. It went from present to past tense pretty much throughout the entire book. I liked getting into why Bonnie moved away and how Rohn was when he met her for the first time.
Of course the storyline was a little different and unique. Bonnie returns after her fathers death and starts to see that her father really did love her from the things she finds while cleaning out the house she grew up in.
Bonnie and Rohn don't rush into a relationship but they start out as old friends and maybe seeing if they had once a long time ago could still be something.
I enjoyed the banter with the guys and nothing treating Rohn as just the boss but as a friend. The four of them just work well together.
In this book we learn that Rohn never had kids but wanted them. Then Bonnie surprises him with what happened the night she just left without a word. It was a emotional but the way Rohn handled it was just amazing. After that I was kind of wondering if this topic will be brought up again in future books and I hope it does. Once you read the story you will understand completely.
I haven't been into cowboy books for a long time but one thing I love about Johnsons writing is that her cowboy books are a little different. They are filled with humor, heartache and wonderful HEA.
I know Justin's book will be next and I can't wait!! You know he is still hurting from his brothers passing but I am excited to see what Johnson has in store for this cowboy.
I highly recommend this book and this series!
November 24, 2015
Karia’s Rant…
I loved Cat’s other series and I enjoyed book one of this series…but uggg, ackkk, frustrated noise! TALK TO EACH OTHER!!!!
I feel like I can’t really review this one a fully as I would like since to discuss all the major elements and issues would be a huge spoiler for the whole book.
I was so mad at Bonnie (whose name was not sexy to me…weird how that changes a story for me). She left Oklahoma, her home, her true love and never looked back. I cannot believe how immature and selfish she still was some 20 years later. Her worst personality trait was that she was pious and self-righteous in her opinions about everything…even when her mother tried to explain things or tried to shift her thinking. Bonnie truly missed out on life because she’d rather live with her head in the sand.
Rohn is awesome, but we knew that from book 1…and he is still awesome, sexy and confident in his own skin. I wanted someone just as confident and assured and well-adjusted for him to fall in love with and find his HEA. Unfortunately, he gave his heart away to Bonnie once and when she returns to their home town all of his old feelings resurface. Bonnie, she gave her heart to Rohn and has never loved again. Sadly, she seemed stuck in her development and her life since the age of 18. While she went on to graduate university and become a teacher, she never really dated and certainly never loved again. So why did she fight Rohn so hard? Then on top of her battling her inner shields, I just didn’t like her.
As the book went on, I started to say, “Talk to each other.” And then I started to say, “TALK TO EACH OTHER” and then I was shouting, ” TALK TO EACH OTHER, DAMMIT!!!!” Biggest pet peeve in a book ever!
I loved Cat’s other series and I enjoyed book one of this series…but uggg, ackkk, frustrated noise! TALK TO EACH OTHER!!!!
I feel like I can’t really review this one a fully as I would like since to discuss all the major elements and issues would be a huge spoiler for the whole book.
I was so mad at Bonnie (whose name was not sexy to me…weird how that changes a story for me). She left Oklahoma, her home, her true love and never looked back. I cannot believe how immature and selfish she still was some 20 years later. Her worst personality trait was that she was pious and self-righteous in her opinions about everything…even when her mother tried to explain things or tried to shift her thinking. Bonnie truly missed out on life because she’d rather live with her head in the sand.
Rohn is awesome, but we knew that from book 1…and he is still awesome, sexy and confident in his own skin. I wanted someone just as confident and assured and well-adjusted for him to fall in love with and find his HEA. Unfortunately, he gave his heart away to Bonnie once and when she returns to their home town all of his old feelings resurface. Bonnie, she gave her heart to Rohn and has never loved again. Sadly, she seemed stuck in her development and her life since the age of 18. While she went on to graduate university and become a teacher, she never really dated and certainly never loved again. So why did she fight Rohn so hard? Then on top of her battling her inner shields, I just didn’t like her.
As the book went on, I started to say, “Talk to each other.” And then I started to say, “TALK TO EACH OTHER” and then I was shouting, ” TALK TO EACH OTHER, DAMMIT!!!!” Biggest pet peeve in a book ever!
November 24, 2015
4 stars
Midnight Wrangler was a really good read.
I enjoyed this second chance love story, Rohn and Bonnie find love again after 25yrs apart.
This was a lovely heartfelt read, I connected with both leads and enjoyed the role the secondary characters played in this story.
A beautifully written romance, I highly recommend this book.
Looking forward to reading the next installment Midnight Heat in the Midnight Cowboys series.
Thank you to Kensington Books - Zebra via Netgalley for the advance copy.
Midnight Wrangler was a really good read.
I enjoyed this second chance love story, Rohn and Bonnie find love again after 25yrs apart.
This was a lovely heartfelt read, I connected with both leads and enjoyed the role the secondary characters played in this story.
A beautifully written romance, I highly recommend this book.
Looking forward to reading the next installment Midnight Heat in the Midnight Cowboys series.
Thank you to Kensington Books - Zebra via Netgalley for the advance copy.
December 13, 2015
Loved this! I'm not sure if it was my mood, or the fact that these are older characters and a trope that I enjoy (second chance love) or any combination of things...but this one really struck home for me. I enjoyed the first in this series as well, and am looking forward to the next one!
5 ★
5 ★
May 10, 2019
This was a pretty good read, although I wasn't a big fan of the format on this one. I mean if I want to read a YA novel, I'd have picked a YA novel. This one was a combo of YA/Contemporary, simply because the author chose to have a flashback to 25 years ago in nearly every chapter. The characters were high school seniors at the time of those flashbacks, and even though they were 18, I don't want to read about them having sex when I'm old enough to be their mom. I know it was done this way to draw out the whole reason why Bonnie left Rohn without word that summer after high school. But when most of your audience reading this is probably old enough to be their parents, perhaps it's best to not format the book this way - make it a prologue or at least leave out the sex details. It just deviated from the previous books/series and I guess that's what threw me off. I did like the first part of the flashbacks though that showed how they met and what they thought of each other, it was kind of cute.
I was happy to read a book about an older couple though (although I'm still 6 years younger than them), especially for Rohn who lost his wife to cancer 5 years ago and had been living a pretty lonely life since then. He deserved to find his happy again since he was such a good life. He seemed pretty subdued in previous books, so I really wasn't expecting that take charge sexy man to appear in this one, but it was a nice surprise.
Bonnie wasn't my favorite character, especially when I learned what really happened all those years ago. I mean I got why she did it, but the fact that she left Rohn out of it wasn't cool, in my opinion. She seemed to run hot and cool a lot in this book and it just because old and annoying after a while. I think Bonnie is the real reason why I couldn't rate this one higher. I really had no issues with Rohn at all.
I loved how the 'boys' on the ranch kind of worked to push Rohn and Bonnie together when they were being stubborn (well, mostly Bonnie). It was kind of cute.
I'm on to the last book in the series now, so I surely hope Justin's story is better than this one.
I was happy to read a book about an older couple though (although I'm still 6 years younger than them), especially for Rohn who lost his wife to cancer 5 years ago and had been living a pretty lonely life since then. He deserved to find his happy again since he was such a good life. He seemed pretty subdued in previous books, so I really wasn't expecting that take charge sexy man to appear in this one, but it was a nice surprise.
Bonnie wasn't my favorite character, especially when I learned what really happened all those years ago. I mean I got why she did it, but the fact that she left Rohn out of it wasn't cool, in my opinion. She seemed to run hot and cool a lot in this book and it just because old and annoying after a while. I think Bonnie is the real reason why I couldn't rate this one higher. I really had no issues with Rohn at all.
I loved how the 'boys' on the ranch kind of worked to push Rohn and Bonnie together when they were being stubborn (well, mostly Bonnie). It was kind of cute.
I'm on to the last book in the series now, so I surely hope Justin's story is better than this one.
March 15, 2023
In the first half of the book the author had it sound like Rohn was much older than in his 40s constantly but after that it turned out to be a good read
March 27, 2016
I liked the first book in series, but was disappointed in this one. For me the best thing about this book was the cover, however even that was a let down since the picture of hero is misleading.
On the cover the hero appears to be mature, confident, easy going, and amiable. However he is nothing like that in the book - he is cranky and short tempered and spends a lot of the first part of the book whinging and worried about feeling 'over the hill' and at one point ponders whether he is getting out of shape. He feels he needs to get dating again because he is soooo lonely and needs to get laid.
The cover had me expecting one kind of hero, so maybe I was more disappointed that he ended up being very different than I anticipated. I could not reconcile his character with the person portrayed on the cover (there is nothing wrong with his shape!) Variations on the same inner dialogue re: his age and his anxiety was repeated over and over - at times you would think he was a pensioner, but he was only 43 years old!
The Heroine was chippy and negative and angsty through most of the book - and yes bad things happened in her past that we eventually hear about, but it is like she never got past this trauma and it's 25 years later and her life and attitude is nothing but bitterness - helluva long time not to have moved on even a little bit. This theme was harped on for a chunk of the book and it was not believable how quickly her ingrained negative attitude flipped to instalust to insta-rekindled love.
It was also exasperating that the story's big climax came from the 'running away' cliche. They were finally starting a relationship and then after her big secret/reveal, (because he did not instantly respond the way she might want), she did not give him time to process the information - instead she had a knee jerk reaction to flee and ran back home (driving for 12 hours)...then the big test for him was to follow her, etc. etc. to the big resolution. It felt so High School dramatic and I guess that was the core of this book - they got stuck in the High School trauma and did not mature in some ways over 25 years..sigh..
I also found it jarring all the jumping from present to past to tell their current story interspersed with snippets of their falling in love High School story - although I understand why the author did this, so as not to reveal the big trauma and secret until nearly the end of the story. There was a lot of jumping back and forth that became tedious for me, as it broke the flow.
There was also a weird relationship between the Hero and his employees - he is often the exasperated crotchety old man barking orders while they acted like high school slackers at some points, but at others were helpful and perceptive. The hero from book one Tyler is perceived by the Rohn as quite juvenile and even irresponsible at times, and I kept wondering if I had missed something about his character in reading Midnight Ride. I had finished Book 1 with the impression that Tyler was charming and had matured and his relationship with Janie might go the distance, but in this book it almost felt like Tyler had regressed in maturity and it left me wondering about the long term potential for his HEA with an older woman.
Disappointing 1.5 stars - will not keep as I will not want to re-read. I will also need to go back and re-read Midnight Ride to see which impression of Tyler sticks for me - if he is this immature on a second reading, I will probably toast both books from my Ebook Library.
On the cover the hero appears to be mature, confident, easy going, and amiable. However he is nothing like that in the book - he is cranky and short tempered and spends a lot of the first part of the book whinging and worried about feeling 'over the hill' and at one point ponders whether he is getting out of shape. He feels he needs to get dating again because he is soooo lonely and needs to get laid.
The cover had me expecting one kind of hero, so maybe I was more disappointed that he ended up being very different than I anticipated. I could not reconcile his character with the person portrayed on the cover (there is nothing wrong with his shape!) Variations on the same inner dialogue re: his age and his anxiety was repeated over and over - at times you would think he was a pensioner, but he was only 43 years old!
The Heroine was chippy and negative and angsty through most of the book - and yes bad things happened in her past that we eventually hear about, but it is like she never got past this trauma and it's 25 years later and her life and attitude is nothing but bitterness - helluva long time not to have moved on even a little bit. This theme was harped on for a chunk of the book and it was not believable how quickly her ingrained negative attitude flipped to instalust to insta-rekindled love.
It was also exasperating that the story's big climax came from the 'running away' cliche. They were finally starting a relationship and then after her big secret/reveal, (because he did not instantly respond the way she might want), she did not give him time to process the information - instead she had a knee jerk reaction to flee and ran back home (driving for 12 hours)...then the big test for him was to follow her, etc. etc. to the big resolution. It felt so High School dramatic and I guess that was the core of this book - they got stuck in the High School trauma and did not mature in some ways over 25 years..sigh..
I also found it jarring all the jumping from present to past to tell their current story interspersed with snippets of their falling in love High School story - although I understand why the author did this, so as not to reveal the big trauma and secret until nearly the end of the story. There was a lot of jumping back and forth that became tedious for me, as it broke the flow.
There was also a weird relationship between the Hero and his employees - he is often the exasperated crotchety old man barking orders while they acted like high school slackers at some points, but at others were helpful and perceptive. The hero from book one Tyler is perceived by the Rohn as quite juvenile and even irresponsible at times, and I kept wondering if I had missed something about his character in reading Midnight Ride. I had finished Book 1 with the impression that Tyler was charming and had matured and his relationship with Janie might go the distance, but in this book it almost felt like Tyler had regressed in maturity and it left me wondering about the long term potential for his HEA with an older woman.
Disappointing 1.5 stars - will not keep as I will not want to re-read. I will also need to go back and re-read Midnight Ride to see which impression of Tyler sticks for me - if he is this immature on a second reading, I will probably toast both books from my Ebook Library.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2016
The perfect blend of sweet and hot western romance, mystery and heartbreak...
"I told you I don't want to meet 'girls' and I'm not going to find a woman of any substance at the bars where you yahoos hang out."
"Then set up one of those online dating accounts. They have them for older folks now."
"Older folks?" Rohn let out a snort as that hit him hard, like a punch to the gut.
"Great. Thanks a lot." How the hell old did these kids think he was, anyway? Rohn had quite a few years left before he turned fifty....
MIKDNIGHT WRANGLER by Cat Johnson drew me in from the very beginning with a hero and heroine who were not spring chickens although you'd not discern that from the cover's model. I recently attended the Coastal Magical Convention in Daytona Beach and was fortunate to catch this author in a few panels. In one of the panels, another attendee made a request that authors write more books featuring mature characters. Cat spoke up that she had a book that featured older characters. I'm glad I was in attendance at that panel and that I did indeed check out the book she referred to. MIDNIGHT WRANGLER is the first book I've ever read by Cat Johnson, but it is not the last; As soon as I finished this one, I started reading MIDNIGHT HEAT as I didn't want to leave Cat's Midnight Cowboys.
This book was the second-chance-at-love story of widowed rancher Rohn Lerner and school teacher Bonnie 'Blue' Martin. They were both realistically genuine characters that you will want to root for. The author tells their stories alternating between present-day and flashbacks. They had fallen in love one summer when they were both in high school and circumstances tore them apart. Will their past keep them from finding happiness together now?
Even though there are interconnected characters, MIDNIGHT WRANGLER works well as a standalone with the author filling in any needed information from the first book to fully enjoy this story. That said, I do want to go back and read the first book in this series now; I've already put it on queue from my library, which has it in their collection.
This story was the perfect blend of sweet and hot western romance, mystery and heartbreak. I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys steamy contemporary romances with sexy cowboys.
My full review is published at Reading Between The Wines Book Club. Please check it out here: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...
4 Wine Glasses!
"I told you I don't want to meet 'girls' and I'm not going to find a woman of any substance at the bars where you yahoos hang out."
"Then set up one of those online dating accounts. They have them for older folks now."
"Older folks?" Rohn let out a snort as that hit him hard, like a punch to the gut.
"Great. Thanks a lot." How the hell old did these kids think he was, anyway? Rohn had quite a few years left before he turned fifty....
MIKDNIGHT WRANGLER by Cat Johnson drew me in from the very beginning with a hero and heroine who were not spring chickens although you'd not discern that from the cover's model. I recently attended the Coastal Magical Convention in Daytona Beach and was fortunate to catch this author in a few panels. In one of the panels, another attendee made a request that authors write more books featuring mature characters. Cat spoke up that she had a book that featured older characters. I'm glad I was in attendance at that panel and that I did indeed check out the book she referred to. MIDNIGHT WRANGLER is the first book I've ever read by Cat Johnson, but it is not the last; As soon as I finished this one, I started reading MIDNIGHT HEAT as I didn't want to leave Cat's Midnight Cowboys.
This book was the second-chance-at-love story of widowed rancher Rohn Lerner and school teacher Bonnie 'Blue' Martin. They were both realistically genuine characters that you will want to root for. The author tells their stories alternating between present-day and flashbacks. They had fallen in love one summer when they were both in high school and circumstances tore them apart. Will their past keep them from finding happiness together now?
Even though there are interconnected characters, MIDNIGHT WRANGLER works well as a standalone with the author filling in any needed information from the first book to fully enjoy this story. That said, I do want to go back and read the first book in this series now; I've already put it on queue from my library, which has it in their collection.
This story was the perfect blend of sweet and hot western romance, mystery and heartbreak. I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys steamy contemporary romances with sexy cowboys.
My full review is published at Reading Between The Wines Book Club. Please check it out here: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...
4 Wine Glasses!
June 22, 2016
This is the second books of the trilogy and is Rhon’s story. Before I go any further I have to say, what the hell is that ‘H’ doing there? It’s stupid and too reminiscent of JR Ward’s ‘H’s. No more unneeded ‘H’s!! Since I can’t type it without rolling my eyes, I will sound more Cockney and drop my ‘H’s.
Ron is a widower and has been for the past four or five years. Though he dearly loved his wife, he’s very lonely and wants what he had before, someone to come home to, companionship, regular sex, all that. And he’s becoming quite cranky do to the lack of. It’s really cute now that Tyler is settled with Janie, how he tries to ‘help’ from suggesting on-line dating to setting Ron up to giving him phone numbers of ‘escorts’. But none of those are what Ron wants.
But when he meets up with old flame Bonnie, things start to look up. He and Bonnie were high school sweethearts but then she up and left for Phoenix without a word to Ron and it broke his young heart.
It isn’t long before his old feelings for Bonnie begin to resurface. But she’s only in town for a short time before she heads back to Phoenix. Ron wants to establish a relationship even though he accepts it may be long distance but Bonnie is very reluctant.
She is still very much in love with Ron but she’s keeping a secret as to why she left all those years ago and it would break his heart if he found out. She still feels a great deal of guilt for what she did to him before and she doesn’t want to hurt him again.
The book goes back and forth between present time and the past detailing their relationship back then.
I liked this one slightly better than the first book. As they are both in their 40’s I could relate to them more easily. And I did find Ron and his ‘dating’ issues a real hoot. In one scene Ron meets an online date he thinks he might be compatible with and I found it hilarious how not compatible they were.
When I finished reading this one, I was quite ready to continue with book 3.
Ron is a widower and has been for the past four or five years. Though he dearly loved his wife, he’s very lonely and wants what he had before, someone to come home to, companionship, regular sex, all that. And he’s becoming quite cranky do to the lack of. It’s really cute now that Tyler is settled with Janie, how he tries to ‘help’ from suggesting on-line dating to setting Ron up to giving him phone numbers of ‘escorts’. But none of those are what Ron wants.
But when he meets up with old flame Bonnie, things start to look up. He and Bonnie were high school sweethearts but then she up and left for Phoenix without a word to Ron and it broke his young heart.
It isn’t long before his old feelings for Bonnie begin to resurface. But she’s only in town for a short time before she heads back to Phoenix. Ron wants to establish a relationship even though he accepts it may be long distance but Bonnie is very reluctant.
She is still very much in love with Ron but she’s keeping a secret as to why she left all those years ago and it would break his heart if he found out. She still feels a great deal of guilt for what she did to him before and she doesn’t want to hurt him again.
The book goes back and forth between present time and the past detailing their relationship back then.
I liked this one slightly better than the first book. As they are both in their 40’s I could relate to them more easily. And I did find Ron and his ‘dating’ issues a real hoot. In one scene Ron meets an online date he thinks he might be compatible with and I found it hilarious how not compatible they were.
When I finished reading this one, I was quite ready to continue with book 3.
February 1, 2016
An older hero and heroine prove that sparks can fly at any age!
Midnight Wrangler is the second in the Midnight Cowboys series but it can be read as a standalone; I liked this book a lot more than the first one. We were introduced to the hero, Rohn, in the first book but you won’t be missing anything important if you start with this one.
Rohn’s wife died 5 years ago and lately he has been feeling lonely. His young ranch hands have been trying to convince him that he should get back in the ball game and begin dating.
Bonnie and Rohn knew each other in high school and had one wonderful summer together before she left town. Her father’s death brings her back to the town where she grew up and where Ron still lives. They haven’t seen each other in 25 years.
I loved how this book told the story alternating between present day and 1990 and also alternating between Rohn and Bonnie yet not being told in first person. In short bits and pieces we learn why Bonnie left town (and Rohn) abruptly and other details of their summer together. While it was pretty easy to guess the reason there was just enough suspense to the story to keep me from being certain about it.
Bonnie was Rohn’s first love. He loved his wife very much but she’s been gone 5 years and he’s finally ready to move on. Seeing Bonnie again has reawakened the feelings he had for her years ago. Bonnie is having trouble facing what she did to Rohn and doesn’t feel like she has the right to a second chance with him.
Second chance stories are one of my favorites. Throw in the fact that Bonnie and Rohn are in their 40’s and that’s just a bonus for me. Cat Johnson’s writing style in this book is captivating; once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down until I was done. I can’t wait to read the next story in this series!
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Midnight Wrangler is the second in the Midnight Cowboys series but it can be read as a standalone; I liked this book a lot more than the first one. We were introduced to the hero, Rohn, in the first book but you won’t be missing anything important if you start with this one.
Rohn’s wife died 5 years ago and lately he has been feeling lonely. His young ranch hands have been trying to convince him that he should get back in the ball game and begin dating.
Bonnie and Rohn knew each other in high school and had one wonderful summer together before she left town. Her father’s death brings her back to the town where she grew up and where Ron still lives. They haven’t seen each other in 25 years.
I loved how this book told the story alternating between present day and 1990 and also alternating between Rohn and Bonnie yet not being told in first person. In short bits and pieces we learn why Bonnie left town (and Rohn) abruptly and other details of their summer together. While it was pretty easy to guess the reason there was just enough suspense to the story to keep me from being certain about it.
Bonnie was Rohn’s first love. He loved his wife very much but she’s been gone 5 years and he’s finally ready to move on. Seeing Bonnie again has reawakened the feelings he had for her years ago. Bonnie is having trouble facing what she did to Rohn and doesn’t feel like she has the right to a second chance with him.
Second chance stories are one of my favorites. Throw in the fact that Bonnie and Rohn are in their 40’s and that’s just a bonus for me. Cat Johnson’s writing style in this book is captivating; once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down until I was done. I can’t wait to read the next story in this series!
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 19, 2016
Second in a series. Follows my observation that Romance Novel Covers provide modelling opportunities for body-builders. Somehow I doubt a largely sedentary 44-year-old rancher looks like the cover model on this book. We rejoin the widowed rancher from book one and are introduced to Bonnie Martin, an old flame from his past who has returned to settle her deceased Father's estate. At least in the opening chapters we are left guessing as to what happened to cause his daughter to leave home after graduation never to return. His curmudgeonly behaviour caused his wife to leave and divorce him. The side of him his neighbours reflect is at odds with this insider's view.
So the plot is fully telegraphed from the opening pages. If the characters were not fully developed and the background filled in this book would not be worth reading. As the story continues we bounce back and forth between the present and the summer of 1990 twenty-five years past while Bonnie sorts through the ghosts of her past in her Father's home.
Guilt weighs heavily on someone who feels their sins cannot be forgiven and forgiveness can only come with confession. Even with this hanging between them chapter 18 is devoted to a lengthy description of their love-making. It didn't seem to hinder the Biblical David and Bathsheba either. Even at this point the reader hasn't become privy to the true nature of Bonnie's guilt though by now we have our suspicions.
The climax, pun intended, doesn't come until the closing chapters when all is revealed.
So the plot is fully telegraphed from the opening pages. If the characters were not fully developed and the background filled in this book would not be worth reading. As the story continues we bounce back and forth between the present and the summer of 1990 twenty-five years past while Bonnie sorts through the ghosts of her past in her Father's home.
Guilt weighs heavily on someone who feels their sins cannot be forgiven and forgiveness can only come with confession. Even with this hanging between them chapter 18 is devoted to a lengthy description of their love-making. It didn't seem to hinder the Biblical David and Bathsheba either. Even at this point the reader hasn't become privy to the true nature of Bonnie's guilt though by now we have our suspicions.
The climax, pun intended, doesn't come until the closing chapters when all is revealed.
June 2, 2016
I always have a little trepidation when reading second chance stories, because most times the split is handled badly, or for a really stupid reason. Then I am all depressed because of all the time wasted in between and have trouble focusing on the now. This book, this story, handled it beautifully and I never had those worries. While there was a layer of melancholy in the story, it wasn't overwhelming and fit perfectly
How is that accomplished? Well, the story does include of heavy dose of the 'then', switching us from now to then rather seamlessly. Then, our characters actually focus in on then, and how things played out, and how, and if, things should have been different. Would they be where they are, who they are, if things were different in the 'then'? While they can't answer that, they both know where they are now, is where they want to be, so the what-if's can't be always tossed around
The other way, this story has a lot of fun in it as well. It has extremely likable characters interacting with each other, not just our couple. It also has some pretty positive leads, in that they want their lives to be happy, to be full, and aren't afraid to take some chances to accomplish that
I have always loved the cowboy stories that are weaved by this authour, and this was no exception, Rohn and Bonnie were perfect together, both then, and now
How is that accomplished? Well, the story does include of heavy dose of the 'then', switching us from now to then rather seamlessly. Then, our characters actually focus in on then, and how things played out, and how, and if, things should have been different. Would they be where they are, who they are, if things were different in the 'then'? While they can't answer that, they both know where they are now, is where they want to be, so the what-if's can't be always tossed around
The other way, this story has a lot of fun in it as well. It has extremely likable characters interacting with each other, not just our couple. It also has some pretty positive leads, in that they want their lives to be happy, to be full, and aren't afraid to take some chances to accomplish that
I have always loved the cowboy stories that are weaved by this authour, and this was no exception, Rohn and Bonnie were perfect together, both then, and now
January 6, 2016
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
Having read the first in the series, I was interested to see how Rohn's story would develop.
Overall I enjoyed this book, although I did find it a slow read. It flits from past to present, not giving a good explanation of what happened to change things until very late on, making Bonnie a mixture of independent woman and weakling at the same time. Other than the fact that she is now a teacher, we get very little about her life in the last 25 years, which to me was a shame. Rohn is a much fuller person, and the more interesting of the two - his musings about why things happen, and his way with his three ranch hands are well worth reading. We didn't see anything much of Janie, except that she tried to set Rohn up, which seemed slightly out of character, and I would have liked an update from her, not just Tyler. As I say, it was an enjoyable read, maybe best suited to hot lazy days with no other calls on your time.
I look forward to reading the next in the series.
(ps I did not understand the significance of the title)
Having read the first in the series, I was interested to see how Rohn's story would develop.
Overall I enjoyed this book, although I did find it a slow read. It flits from past to present, not giving a good explanation of what happened to change things until very late on, making Bonnie a mixture of independent woman and weakling at the same time. Other than the fact that she is now a teacher, we get very little about her life in the last 25 years, which to me was a shame. Rohn is a much fuller person, and the more interesting of the two - his musings about why things happen, and his way with his three ranch hands are well worth reading. We didn't see anything much of Janie, except that she tried to set Rohn up, which seemed slightly out of character, and I would have liked an update from her, not just Tyler. As I say, it was an enjoyable read, maybe best suited to hot lazy days with no other calls on your time.
I look forward to reading the next in the series.
(ps I did not understand the significance of the title)
October 16, 2015
Rohn and Bonnie were high school sweethearts who never got the chance to fulfill their teenage dream of having their happy ever after. Tragic circumstances separate them and both move on with their life. Twenty five years later they’re thrown back together. Rohn is now a widower and Bonnie never married. They both realize their love never died. Bonnie carries a deep secret that she fears will not allow them to again live their happy ever after. This is a sweet, poignant romance of two people who get a second chance at love. There’s very little angst in the book and the only frustrating point is the fact that Bonnie has a weakness for running and not facing her problems as well as not communicating with Rohn. I highly recommend this book if you like a sweet romance with subtle sex scenes, no cheating and a HEA. I loved the relationship between Rohn and his younger ranch hands. There is definitely a plethora of hot alpha cowboys who are sweet and thoughtful. I would have liked to have had an epilogue for Rohn and Bonnie, projecting into the future after they are married.
I was given a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.
I was given a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.
January 5, 2016
4.5 star
I was pulled right into this story. The story has laughs, tears, compassion, secrets, betrayal, and heartbreak.
If you have not already read the below I recommend reading them first:
Midnight Ride (Midnight Cowboys #1)
This is Bonnie and Rohn’s story. Years ago Bonnie and Rohn were in love. But Bonnie left town and didn’t return. Rohn eventually moved on and married. Now widowed he often thinks of Bonnie. When Bonnie’s father passes away she goes back to her hometown to settle his estate. When she runs into Rohn she realizes that she still loves him but she has secrets. After spending time together they fall back into a relationship but Rohn knows Bonnie is keeping things from him. When the secrets of the past comes out will Rohn be able to forgive Bonnie what she did? Or will one misunderstand have her running from him? If she runs will he chase her or just let her go?
I loved these characters and also the side characters. I felt I was able to connect with the characters and the story was a great read.
I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next story from this author.
I was pulled right into this story. The story has laughs, tears, compassion, secrets, betrayal, and heartbreak.
If you have not already read the below I recommend reading them first:
Midnight Ride (Midnight Cowboys #1)
This is Bonnie and Rohn’s story. Years ago Bonnie and Rohn were in love. But Bonnie left town and didn’t return. Rohn eventually moved on and married. Now widowed he often thinks of Bonnie. When Bonnie’s father passes away she goes back to her hometown to settle his estate. When she runs into Rohn she realizes that she still loves him but she has secrets. After spending time together they fall back into a relationship but Rohn knows Bonnie is keeping things from him. When the secrets of the past comes out will Rohn be able to forgive Bonnie what she did? Or will one misunderstand have her running from him? If she runs will he chase her or just let her go?
I loved these characters and also the side characters. I felt I was able to connect with the characters and the story was a great read.
I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next story from this author.
June 14, 2022
To be fair to this book, I'm reading out of my desired genre. Picking this up for some mind numbing reading and it's as bad as you can expect from what I call, "trash mass paperback mommy novels." It's full of clichés and has little to no character development. The plot a backdrop, per usual, and the romance isn't all that romantic. This is just smut for the sake of smut and it's whatever.
It felt like the more I read on the more I disliked the story because the narration just tells you how you should feel, very armature writing/story-telling. Wasn't even surprised the editor missed a typo; oh wells. These novels shouldn't be taken seriously, so I'm not going to hate on it too much, that's not why I read it. I picked these up out of curiosity. Do these type of books live up to their reputation? How well do you know yourself as a reader if you don't broaden your horizons.
Apparently these romances always revolve around a widow/widower and their partner always dies from cancer, there's never a mutual divorce/break up, the hero/heroine needs the validation of having no competition for their 2nd chance romance. Then there's the fact that it ALWAYS goes back to high school. 25 years later and we're still talking and thinking about high school. I feel like the high school summer romance flash back could of been brought up more elegantly with the reunion invite in the mail as a catalyst for the flashback. But nah, it's brought up because the love interest is cranky that the youth helping out on the farm are living their best life while he's sexually frustrated about his celebacy since his wife died because he has only LOVED two women his entire life so he is only going to tango for love; our love interest has standards.
He's in his 40s and his standards include judging women for wearing makeup.
There's a lot of commentary/judgement from his perspective about women in his age bracket on an expiration date.
He's a cultured simple kind of man who is into natural, not like other girls, type of women, like his high school summer fling, Bonnie Blue Martin. Bonnie is not like other girls, she's not a cheerleader with a butt bow on her prom dress. Bonnie has aged gracefully and is smooth and not leathery like those other women her age. She's "not that old," because Rohn doesn't feel like he's "that old." The author has to make it very obvious that these are the only two good looking people other than the youth in Oklahoma.
I wasn't even born in 1990 so maybe I can't relate to his perspective, he's very traditional in the sense that he wont even ask for Bonnie's cell number and relies on a landline to contact her, with the phone number provided in the phone book under her father's name who thank goodness paid the phone bill before he passed on. The only decency he had left behind. I will admit, that the scene with her father finding her rummaging around the garbage. That was pretty well written in terms of conveying emotion. She hates her old man, and is terrified by him, I can see why.
Not much of spoilers but once her big secret is revealed which happens late into the book, meaning its going to be resolved quickly. She runs away!
TBH who cares at this point, y'all old and about to die, just get together.
This book is so cringe. After all the female hate going on with the "popular" girls from high school, and women who wear make up. It tries to be an empowering feminist piece.
This was so cringy. Not gonna remember it in T-1hr.
It felt like the more I read on the more I disliked the story because the narration just tells you how you should feel, very armature writing/story-telling. Wasn't even surprised the editor missed a typo; oh wells. These novels shouldn't be taken seriously, so I'm not going to hate on it too much, that's not why I read it. I picked these up out of curiosity. Do these type of books live up to their reputation? How well do you know yourself as a reader if you don't broaden your horizons.
Apparently these romances always revolve around a widow/widower and their partner always dies from cancer, there's never a mutual divorce/break up, the hero/heroine needs the validation of having no competition for their 2nd chance romance. Then there's the fact that it ALWAYS goes back to high school. 25 years later and we're still talking and thinking about high school. I feel like the high school summer romance flash back could of been brought up more elegantly with the reunion invite in the mail as a catalyst for the flashback. But nah, it's brought up because the love interest is cranky that the youth helping out on the farm are living their best life while he's sexually frustrated about his celebacy since his wife died because he has only LOVED two women his entire life so he is only going to tango for love; our love interest has standards.
He's in his 40s and his standards include judging women for wearing makeup.
She smiled, her bright red lipstick drawing his attention to her mouth, but not because he longed to kiss her. More because he was wondering what he'd look like if he did and all that red crap ended up smeared all over him.
Probably like a clown. P105
There's a lot of commentary/judgement from his perspective about women in his age bracket on an expiration date.
He forced his attention back to Margaret. She was pretty, in an odd kind of way. She looked like she'd spent too much time in the sun and had paid the price. Her skin had that deep, dark, leathery look to it.
Not that he could talk about skin or sun damage. He'd done the same thing to himself by running around outside twelve or more hours a day back before sunscreen was popular.
But he'd had his cowboy hat or a baseball hat on most times so he'd had some protection. And sad but true, he was a man and could get away with a bit more in the aging gracefully department than woman could. P206
Tyler's dating an older woman? Why am I not surprised?" She laughed.
"Yup. I guess I shouldn't call her a girlfriend then, should I? Lady friend? Woman friend?" He wrinkled his nose. "I'm not loving any of those."
"Society hasn't really come up with a good alternative for people our age, has it?"
"Not really. NO. Wonder what that says?" Rohn though the message was pretty clear. That single women in their thirties and forties should just give up and be old and lonely. P180
He's a cultured simple kind of man who is into natural, not like other girls, type of women, like his high school summer fling, Bonnie Blue Martin. Bonnie is not like other girls, she's not a cheerleader with a butt bow on her prom dress. Bonnie has aged gracefully and is smooth and not leathery like those other women her age. She's "not that old," because Rohn doesn't feel like he's "that old." The author has to make it very obvious that these are the only two good looking people other than the youth in Oklahoma.
I wasn't even born in 1990 so maybe I can't relate to his perspective, he's very traditional in the sense that he wont even ask for Bonnie's cell number and relies on a landline to contact her, with the phone number provided in the phone book under her father's name who thank goodness paid the phone bill before he passed on. The only decency he had left behind. I will admit, that the scene with her father finding her rummaging around the garbage. That was pretty well written in terms of conveying emotion. She hates her old man, and is terrified by him, I can see why.
Not much of spoilers but once her big secret is revealed which happens late into the book, meaning its going to be resolved quickly. She runs away!
Nothing had come up with her job. She was running away from him. Again. Twenty-five years later and nothing had changed. She would still rather run from a conflict than try to work things out.
Could he be with a woman who didn't trust him enough to even talk about things?
A woman in love should choose to turn toward the man in her life when times got tough, not away from him. Bonnie had made the opposite choice twice now.
Two times should be enough to prove to him that she'd never change.
He knew to his very soul if he let her go, she'd stay gone. Maybe that would be the best thing for both of them. P296-297
TBH who cares at this point, y'all old and about to die, just get together.
This book is so cringe. After all the female hate going on with the "popular" girls from high school, and women who wear make up. It tries to be an empowering feminist piece.
Things were better after Bonnie arrived in Phoenix... Then, amazingly, her mother had gotten herself out, legally. She joined them in Arizona and they lived together, three generation of women. Independent, with no need for a man in their life. P307
This was so cringy. Not gonna remember it in T-1hr.
October 15, 2015
This is the second in the Midnight Cowboys series. It can be read as a stand-alone but honestly I think it is better to read the first one. In the first one, Rohn is the one to convince Tyler to take a chance on love. So it is amusing to see Tyler return the favor to his boss when an old girlfriend returns to town. Bonnie as returned to town only long enough to settle her father's estate. But seeing Rohn again makes her wish that things could be different, but Rohn doesn't know any of the secrets that Bonnie is keeping. This was a great second chance romance featuring a slightly older couple than usual (early forties) and I look forward to reading more in the series.
ARC received in exchange for an hones review.
ARC received in exchange for an hones review.
November 22, 2015
Loved this one. Great characters make this a very enjoyable read. You don't want to miss it!
After losing his wife five years ago, ranch owner Rohn Lerner is lonely and ready to make some changes in his life. When the one girl that ever turned his head as a teenager comes back to town, it's possible this is the one chance he has to find out what happened all those years ago. Perhaps it might be the answer to is future as well!
Definitely one I recommend.
After losing his wife five years ago, ranch owner Rohn Lerner is lonely and ready to make some changes in his life. When the one girl that ever turned his head as a teenager comes back to town, it's possible this is the one chance he has to find out what happened all those years ago. Perhaps it might be the answer to is future as well!
Definitely one I recommend.
November 24, 2015
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Cat Johnson has written an emotional, second chance love story that grabs you from the first page and holds onto you until the very last page. If you're a fan of cowboy romance, Midnight Wrangler is just what you're looking for.
Cat Johnson has written an emotional, second chance love story that grabs you from the first page and holds onto you until the very last page. If you're a fan of cowboy romance, Midnight Wrangler is just what you're looking for.
October 13, 2015
Not as good as the first book...but okay....and as I always say...TALK TO EACH OTHER!
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