Broncos and Ballads: A Sweet Contemporary Romance

Healing Springs Ranch #2

by Jody Hedlund

The bad boy feels the McQuaid legacy of love is out of his reach. Maybe it’s closer than he realizes.

After a bad breakup, country music star Brock McQuaid finds his ratings tanking as fans begin to question whether he’s really experienced the love he sings about so passionately. To salvage his reputation, he agrees to pretend to fall in love with supermodel Venus Vargas, because she needs his help too.

Venus always thought she would marry her best friend Reed. But when he throws a surprise party celebrating his engagement to another woman, Venus finds herself scrambling to make sense of her relationship with him. To keep from being humiliated, she agrees to fake date Brock McQuaid.

The power couple makes headlines, but how long can they keep up their charade? Or is it a charade? The more time they spend together, the more real the relationship begins to feel. Will they be able to overcome the obstacles holding them back from love before their sham comes crashing down and crushes them both?

Fake relationship Hot country music star Bad boy reputation Forced proximity Matchmaking family Swoony kisses * The inspirational themes in this book are light, and the romance is the primary focus. While the romance is sizzling and the kisses swoony, both the language and physical attraction are clean and wholesome.

Genres: Romance, Christian Fiction, Contemporary, Fiction, Westerns, Clean Romance

310 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2025

About the author

Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over fifty books and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle. Find out more at jodyhedlund.com.

Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m officially a Brock McQuaid groupie! 🤩

I never, ever, ever, in a million years would have seen myself reading a cowboy romance nor one with a supermodel or even featuring a fake-dating trope, yet here we are … AND I LOVED IT! This will be ranked in my top romance genre reads for 2025.

📢I need to get this off my chest: the world could do with taking a few tips from Brock McQuaid.

This novel is about appreciation and kindness. Brock shows us that appreciating women in all their capacities is important. Whether they are friends, colleagues, or girlfriends, expressing gratitude and valuing their contributions strengthens and empowers. Supermodel Venus Vargas finds herself pulled in various directions and dealing with loved ones who can’t set aside their jealousy to appreciate her for the role she plays in the lives of each. Venus reminds us all that there’s more to women than their beauty and that there’s more than enough love to go around for everyone.

The tension of living a lie is forefront, but the hunky cowboy steals the show. Hedlund has crafted Brock with an overabundance of integrity and honesty, courage and grit, and loyalty and protectiveness. This, in addition to his cowboy creed of refusing to give up, make him a swoonworthy hero…he’s got the rein on ‘gentleman cowboy.’

I need more Brock McQuaid, but I’m looking forward to his sister’s story. Emberly, being the only girl in this family, will definitely shed some light on the family dynamics.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful celebrity romance this was! And both of the main characters are celebrities, which was just so fun!

These two friends, who are really more like acquaintances, find themselves in need of a fake romance for very different reasons.

I loved the progression of the relationship between Brock and Venus, seeing them move from hardly knowing each other to enjoying spending time together, to Brock realizing that his feelings were quickly moving into feelings of love. But there is a complication. Venus believes herself to be in love with her longtime friend, who just happens to be getting married soon.

Both of these characters really struggled to recognize their feelings at first. Brock did realize earlier than Venus did, but even he struggled with the reality right away. And poor Venus. She had an awful example growing up and didn’t recognize what real love was. These two had some heartache to work through, but it was wonderful to see things fall in place for them eventually.

This is book two in the series but can easily be read on its own, as well.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers will absolutely adore "bad boy" music star Brock McQuaid. He's not as much a bad boy as people think. And he fake dates super model Venus Vargas to prove it. But the playful teasing becomes all too real as readers watch them fall fast and hard. A swoon, sweet, romantic story that readers will be enthralled with.

A complimentary copy of the book was provided. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

[Sylvia]

I’ve been so excited for Jody Hedlund’s first contemporary series, and I’ve definitely enjoyed the first two books. Broncos and Ballads reminded me of a certain other celebrity power couple, and I liked getting to know these characters. I’m excited for the next story! 3.5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm loving this new series by Jody Hedlund! A contemporary branch off from her Colorado Cowboys series! The McQuaid family legacy continues and if you've read the previous series, you're going to love seeing the town of Healing Springs and being back on the family ranch in this series! I devoured the first book as soon as I got it. And as soon as I finished it, I picked up my copy of this second book and dove right into it. I read them back to back and finished them both in one day! It was a fabulous reading day, if I do say so myself! Now I have to be patient for the next books in the series. I'm so excited that the author is writing books for all of the siblings. And I'm hoping that there'll be a story showing the parents' story! *Fingers crossed*

I loved the tropes in this one. Fake dating celebrities, forced proximity, he falls first, and many others! You're going to fall for Brock McQuaid and Venus Vargas's love story! I loved having the book from both of their perspectives and being able to see in their minds and understand their reasons for doing certain things, or holding back, or moving forward. As the reader and "seeing" and "knowing" what both characters are thinking, makes you want to jump into the story and sit them down and tell them to just take a chance and talk and trust themselves. But of course that's not how reading a book works! *Giggles* But don't you worry, these two are pretty great and figure it all out.

Get ready for a love story to swoon over! Can I just say, that photoshoot? Wowsers!!! I was swooning and sighing! You'll see why. I just love these two! Trust me when I say to clear your schedule for these books! You'll thank me for it! *Winks*

Content: Clean. Some kisses but nothing more than sweet and clean romance and kisses.

I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

[Taylor Veruchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like fake relationship tropes and romance that isn’t trashy, then this is the book for you! Will this fake relationship turn in to a real one? Will they be loved wanted and needed by each other? Brock and Venus find themselves in a sticky situation where they are required to start a fake relationship only for it to be fast and furious and strong and passionate from the start. As their time together goes on they find their passionate legacy of love that all the McQuaid’s have. This book is full of heart and soul! You will not want to put it down! You can’t go wrong with a rugged and handsome country music star and a beautiful model. Looking forward to continuing the McQuaid legacy!

[Connie Valkema · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another contemporary romance in this series. This time with a fake boyfriend/ girlfriend trope. I was a little annoyed by the FMC and her obsession with an engaged man. I wanted her to give up on him the whole time. This book also felt a bit flat to me so this might be where I leave this series. I’ll stick to this authors’ historical romances :)

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be fair I listened to this book instead of reading the physical copy. But it kinda was difficult for me to follow which characters were with whole and their families. I just felt it was poorly organized. But again it could’ve been because I listened to it rather than reading the physical book

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even cheesier than the first especially as an audiobook.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the ARC of Broncos and Ballads by Jody Hedlund. All opinions are my own.

This is book two in this new contemporary romance series. It takes place on the same ranch from Jody Hedlund’s Colorado Cowboys series, but you don’t need to read that series first in order to enjoy this book. This book can be read as a standalone, but there are some spoilers from book one if you haven’t read that one yet.

Broncos and Ballads is a mostly lighthearted story that follows two famous people that pretend to be in a relationship. One is trying to make her best friend jealous while the other is trying to improve his image.

I liked the friendship between these two characters and how they had each other’s backs from early on in the story. I also thought they had great chemistry.

The main male character was very romantic and fell for the female main character pretty quickly. It was understandable though because both characters were easy going and likable.

I did have a hard time understanding how the female main character could’ve ever been best friends with the guy she was trying to make jealous. The guy didn’t treat her well at all and kept big secrets from her.

I also liked the male main character’s family and how much they cared about his happiness. They were meddlesome but also loving.

Overall, I thought this was a fun and entertaining book. I’m excited for the next book in the series.

[Tava Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even know where to start with this book!! I loved it so much. I couldn’t put it down, if I wasn’t up for 24 hours already at the time of going to bed. I would have finished it in one sitting!!! Being able to read and follow along as they realize that they have both fallen in love was one of the favorite things. So many parts made me all giddy inside and break out in a full smile.

Romance between and model and a country singer
- no spice (only kissing scenes)
- faking dating
- mmc falls first
- cowboy romance

I am so excited for the next book in the series!

[Melmo2610 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another sweet story in the contemporary McQuaid romances. While I didn’t like this one quite as much as book 1, this one was still fun. I loved Brock was a country singer and he was such a sweetheart! I struggled a bit with Venus but I liked her by the end of the story. The end was cute and I am loving this series overall and I am looking forward to the rest of this series.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so sweet & just as good as the first in the series! I loved the whole fake dating trope. 🤭 And the character development was so good! Can't wait for the next book in this series! ♥️

[Charley Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

**ARC Review**
This was such a cute book!!!! I definitely enjoyed it more than the previous book!!! While a heated attraction was still there, this book focuses on the main characters' relationship more than the previous book, which I really appreciated!!! I especially loved the aspects of travel, stardom, and songwriting. This was such a fun book, and I can't wait for the next in the series.
While this is a clean book, it is written for adults, so I wouldn't recommend it to younger readers.
(While I received a free copy of this book, all
thoughts and words are my own.)

[Jannie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was clean and has the fake fiancé trope. The FMC has been in love with her best friend for years but they have never actually dated. The best friend proposed to his girlfriend and that really shocked her. She decides to try to make him jealous by dating the MMC. The MMC was a known ladies man and his reputation benefited from the relationship.

The MMC fell first. This ended up being insta love and I didn’t believe the MC had any chemistry. The MMC father talked about their family always having epic love. It was weird. I didn’t like the FMC she was a big red flag. She was in love her best friend for years but she moved on really quickly. This wasn’t for me.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy famous people putting on a fake relationship and yet, falling fast and hard for each other, you should enjoy this book. As another dual-POV story following the Country music star Brock McQuaid, and the model love interest Venus Vargas.

The world feels much bigger then the first book since you experience different countries a bit due to the nature of both Brock's and Venus's careers. There is a short stent at the family's ranch, but it only takes up a few chapters in the book and is actually when one of the major plot developments happen. While it was nice to experience the beautiful Colorado ranch once again, I am glad it took a back seat in this book since we explored it pretty extensively with Tyler and Kinsey's love story.

I will say, I am not a big fan of having celebrities as the main characters since that lifestyle with all the assistants, managers, publicity stunts, etc., is really annoying and overwhelming to me. However, I thought it was handled rather nicely in this story. It was difficult to relate to Brock and Venus, but they genuinely were down to earth people, so it made it much easier to become invested in their stories.

Brock McQuaid has been struggling to find his true love and fulfill the McQuaid family's legacy of falling fast and hard with their soul mate. Being front and center in the public eye, all of his past relationships have been highly scrutinized, even going so far as effecting his career. After all, writing and singing songs preaching about love, while coming off as somebody who cannot commit, feels a bit disconnected. He is quick to agree to fake dating Venus for this very purpose. Throughout the book he struggles with his true feelings towards her and feeling the pressure from his father to get the girl. He remains an utmost gentleman and is honestly a very loveable and agreeable person.

Venus Vargas personifies the Covergirl top model that is celebrated in our own culture today. Honestly, I was afraid I was not going to be able to enjoy her character due to the assumption I made that she was going to be whiny, egotistical, and one dimensional. As it turns out, she retained her humility and professionalism, so she was rather an enjoyable character to delve into. Due to her own negative past with relationships, a lot of which stems from the fact her own mother has been on the lookout for her next serious relationship since Venus's dad walked out on them, she developed some feelings for her childhood friend who just so happens to be marrying someone else. She is quick to agree to the fake relationship as well with the idea of making her initial love interest jealous. She is a mature and realistic person who is scared to fall into love, so she tends to push and pull instead of accepting the love that is offered. She has the biggest character development in the book for me.

The relationship between Brock and Venus is deliciously slow burn. It begins with some superficial flirting and physical contact for the cameras and evolves into some deeper attractions and emotions. The kissing scenes were electrifying and you could feel the tension and sparks of these two. Brock's singing career came in clutch with the romance since he began using her as inspiration for his music, leading to a very romantic moment at the very end of the book. The 'chasing' segment of their story felt more dramatic than the previous book which I enjoyed a lot. The added distance between them made the tension feel so much thicker and genuine for me.

All in all, I thought this was a nice continuation of the 'Healing Springs Ranch' series. The next book seems to follow the only daughter in the family and the supposed romance with a fake prince, so that sounds interesting to me. This was a nice book for me to jump back into reading and reviewing a lot more regularly once again.

[Melissa’s Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sign me up for the Brock McQuaid fan club! Though I’m not a huge country music fan, this book definitely persuaded me. If Jody Hedlund ever decides to write country western songs, it’s safe to say they’d be a hit. I loved this second book in the Healing Springs Ranch series. Once those McQuaid family members fall in love, they fall hard & deep, & Brock’s no different.

With his music career in jeopardy, Brock McQuaid needs to revamp his image. He’s written songs about love, but has never been in love, according to his last girlfriend. When he rescues a gorgeous model at his friend Reed’s engagement party, he’s suddenly roped into a fake relationship. Brock’s always admired Venus Vargus from afar, but now he has the opportunity to find out what a relationship with her would be like even if they are fake dating. Unfortunately, despite the chemistry between them, Venus is out to show her best friend Reed, she’s the better choice.

Venus Vargus always thought she’d marry Reed. When he becomes engaged to someone else, Venus tries to think of a way to win him back. When she finds herself literally falling into Brock’s arms, she hints that they’re dating, but before they can get a handle on anything, their photo goes viral on social media. Brock definitely doesn’t need more bad publicity, so he & Venus agree to a fake relationship. But, the more time Venus spends around Brock, the more she questions if Reed is really who she wants.

I love celebrity romances & this one took that trope to a whole new level. Both Brock & Venus are afraid to fall into love. Brock’s got his family’s matchmaking & legacy of finding the perfect love to contend with & Venus only has her mother’s string of broken relationships as an example.

Brock truly appreciates Venus for more than her beauty & I enjoyed how supportive he was of her & all the special things he does to make her happy. He always puts her feelings ahead of his own. Add in the gorgeous songs Venus inspires & I found myself swooning the whole time. Their chemistry was off the charts & that photo shoot! Wow! I was definitely cheering for Brock the whole time & hoping Venus would see how he treated her vs Reed.

Definitely add this to your must read list! Can’t wait for Emberly’s story! I received an advanced copy from the author, but also purchased a copy through Kindle Unlimited. All opinions are my own & provided voluntarily.

[Gena Bessire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soulful country singer meets beautiful model! Broncos and Ballads is a heartwarming story about two people finding something real in the middle of the spotlight.

Brock McQuaid is a hit-making country singer fresh off a world tour and a messy breakup. When the tabloids start questioning whether he even understands the love he sings about, his ratings take a hit. Venus Vargas—a sought-after model and acquaintance of Brock’s—has secretly been in love with her best friend, Reed, one of Brock’s friends and a fellow country singer, since high school. But when she accidentally ends up in Brock’s arms while eavesdropping on a private moment between Reed and his girlfriend, Lexi, she impulsively blurts out that she’s dating Brock—partly to cover her heartbreak and partly to make Reed a little jealous too.

To protect their images and quell the gossip, Brock and Venus’s PR teams devise a plan: fake a relationship for a few months, distract the media, and boost both of their public profiles.

Broncos and Ballads is full of all the good feels—watching two people strip away the bright lights and discover who they really are. Brock and Venus’s friendship deepens as they spend time together. Venus becomes Brock’s muse, inspiring songs straight from the heart. In turn, Brock sees Venus as so much more than a pretty face—he sees the woman behind the glamour.

Even though the relationship starts out fake, their feelings soon become very real. It’s sweet, fun, and full of tender moments that made me smile from beginning to end.

While you can read this book as a stand-alone book, it is most rewarding to read it after reading Spurs and Sparks.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Jody Hedlund. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Hannah Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I don’t know that I would like any other love triangles or anything adjacent to that unless Jodi writes them. Usually I stay away from them just because I don’t prefer them but Jodi writes them very well especially considering it’s harder when both MMC are good guys. And again the second book in the Healing Springs Ranch series isn’t exactly a full on love triangle but Venus does have feelings for her famous best friend and tries to get him to notice her by fake dating heartthrob Brock McQuaid to help him out with his bad press. And when you read this beauty you’ll see the threads of the love triangle that I won’t spoil for you.

Just know that you’ll definitely feel for Brock as he tries to resist his feelings for Venus because of the reasons for their fake dating. And his feelings of not being good enough and the so called “black sheep” of his family. He’s definitely more than what his persona has portrayed and you’ll definitely fall in love with him and his care for Venus. Through letting his hidden feelings for Venus to the surface and things they do he begins to hope he has a chance at the McQuaid legacy of love.

Venus is running out of time to tell her best friend about her feelings she’s hidden from him but when certain circumstances have her fake dating Brock McQuaid whose totally different than Reed she begins to realize things may be changing for her. Through all the fake dates and press and tense conversations with Reed she begins to see what her life could be like with a man who truly values her in every part of her life.

[LisLovesReading E.Espinoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broncos and Ballads, by Jody Hedlund, is the second book in the Healing Springs Ranch series. Set in a variety of appealing locations around the world, including an exclusive mountain resort in Colorado, this novel features a captivating friends-to-lovers, fake-relationship storyline. With compelling characters, simmering attraction, and complicated emotional conflict, this book is touching as well as entertaining. Scenes filled with friends, family, drama, and love, make this western, contemporary romance exceedingly enjoyable and special.

Filled with plenty of surprising twists and touching moments, this love story is unique and very engaging. Creative details and a bit of humor enhance the excellent pacing and thoughtful writing. But this novel truly shines because of its characters. They are vibrant, compelling, and vulnerable. The choices they make are often unexpected and quite moving. Even though they struggle with real insecurities, hurt, and fears, they remain open to the possibility of finding healing and wholeness. Furthermore, hope, trust, honesty, and faith are important themes that are sprinkled throughout the story, helping to make this romance novel both heartwarming and uplifting.

Ms. Hedlund always succeeds in crafting novels that are a true pleasure to read, and Broncos and Ballads is no exception. From beginning to end, it is a very memorable novel that is detailed, immersive, and worthy of attention. An impressive addition to a special series, I eagerly recommend it.

*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher/author. A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.

[Angeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Ahhh! This was just so cute. I loved Brock, he was just the sweetest. Broncos and Ballads is the second book in Jody Hedlund’s Healing Springs Ranch series. Brock is the second oldest and he totally needed his own story.
I adored Brock from the start. He was a country star and had a bit of playboy vibe going but he was really just searching for love. He wanted the kind of love that his parents had but he couldn’t seem to find it with the people that he had dated in the past. I loved getting to know him and seeing more behind his country star persona.
I had mixed feelings about Venus. I liked her but she also felt wishy washy at times. She was in love with her best friend, Reed, but now that he was engaged to someone else she found herself fake dating Brock. Venus was scared of letting others in and I felt for her. She didn’t know what love really was. I liked reading about her seeing that Brock was different and kind.
Both Brock and Venus fell quickly for each other, but they tried to ignore their feelings. Brock fell hard and fast for Venus. Venus fell for Brock’s kindness but she felt as if she was in love with Reed. The story was interesting but I did have some trouble with Venus because of her relationship with Reed. However I know that Venus’ feelings are valid and can happen in real life.
I still adored this book and I would totally recommend it! I love Brock’s family and I am so excited for the next book. Broncos and Ballads is a closed door contemporary romance.

I received a complimentary copy

[Alyssa Amey Madjeski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is just so cute. Jody Hedlund’s first contemporary romance series has been so enjoyable and I just love the McQuaids (especially papa TW and his obvious matchmaking!)

Brock and Venus won me over quickly when I wasn’t sure what to think of either of them at first.. it became so obvious that they needed one another and were unknowingly a perfect fit. It was fun that they were both celebrities and could understand each other’s worlds. I enjoyed watching Brock fall hard and fast despite never believing he would. Venus’ story is so full of growth- from having such a poor example of love growing up, thinking her relationship with Reed was destined to become more to realizing that opening her heart to Brock could offer her everything she never even knew she wanted and seeing the love in his family making her realize what was possible. Oohh that Reed, making me so mad the whole time too!

I really enjoyed the ride of this relationship and it gave me all the happy feels. This book is sweet and clean but with lots of sizzle. I really liked the respect Brock had for Venus despite how beautiful she was and always looking to appreciate things about her besides her beauty. I loved how he strove to give her memorable experiences away from the spotlight.

Really looking forward to the rest of the siblings’ stories!

I received a complementary copy of this book from the author. I was not asked to leave a positive review and my opinions are my own.

[Margaret Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in Jody Hedlund’s new Healing Springs Ranch series. It’s a contemporary romance series, but the historical background comes from Hedlund’s Colorado Cowboys series that introduced the original McQuaid brothers. The historical Wyatt is great-great-great-grandfather of the McQuaid siblings in this new series. You do not have to have read the Colorado Cowboys series to enjoy this one.

This book is about Brock, the McQuaid brother who is a country music singer. Almost all of the book takes place among the rich and the famous in Los Angeles, Paris and other points around the world, as Brock’s world collides with that of supermodel Venus Vargas. Reading about the lives of the rich and famous and their love lives is not my favorite thing to do. I prefer stories of people more like me, and how they handle life. Hedlund writes a good story, but I’m hoping the rest of the series is a bit more down in the areas of life I inhabit.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. #BroncosandBallads

[Life of Literature · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having loved the first novel in this new series, I was excited to jump into this installment. Brock was an easy person to like immediately; he may be a popular singer, but his genuine kindness and caring personality shine through. He is so respectful and sweet to Venus and I really liked how their fake relationship developed into a very real friendship. There were realistic hurdles for them to overcome as they are forced to face struggles from their past that make their romance more believable. I also loved the cameos from characters we met in the first novel, although I must admit I was hoping for a bit more of the story to take place on the beautiful Colorado ranch! The romance is clean but still full of romantic tension and the ending is so cute. I can’t say that I was a country music lover prior to this book, but if Brock McQuaid was a real person, I would be one of his groupies! This novel was a joy to read. I cannot wait for book three! Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Leann Arave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story from Healing Springs Ranch. Jody Hedlund is knocking it out of the park with this new contemporary series. Brock McQuaid was recruited into the country music scene during college and has made a big name for himself. When one of his best friends, Reed, invites him to a party, he gets swept into an awkward situation with Venus, Reed’s best friend. What unfolds is a very public engagement, fake date, and publicity stunts. I thought the story was very sweet and charming. Brock is known to be a ladies man, a player, love’em and leave’em, but he really is just a good, honest, caring guy. My favorite part about the story was when rock and Venus were actually at Healing Springs Ranch. I really enjoyed all their all night dates (all clean and wholesome activities except maybe a little kiss) and how they bonded with each other. This was just a real feel good story. And I can’t wait for the next book of the series. Each can be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading both books.

[Connie Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

It began with Wyatt McQuaid, in 1862, but the powerful legacy of the McQuaid family remains! Those Colorado cowboys have always known how to sweep women off their feet and offer them everlasting love. but there may be complications with the newest McQuaid love match. Or should I say, fake love match?

I loved witnessing this pretend romance through both Brock and Venus's points of view. I saw the hopes, doubts, and budding friendship that hinted at becoming more. Brock McQuaid was the ultimate dream cowboy, and Venus Vargus proved that her beauty was more than skin-deep! Powerful romantic chemistry. strong family ties, and a tantalizing glimpse of the country music scene made this a captivating summer read! I've always loved her historical romance novels. but Broncos and Ballads is a swoon-worthy contemporary romance! Now I wait, somewhat impatiently, for the next book in the Healing Springs Ranch series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review. All thoughts are my own.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a legacy of love generations old, how do you find that person who is your perfect soul mate? Country music sensation Brock McQuaid has struck out again in the relationship department. However, that just right beauty may have just fallen into his arms- literally!

Supermodel Venus always pictured herself with her best friend Reed, but neither ever admitted to having feelings of “more.” When he proposes to another woman, she finds herself in a tail spin.

As Brock and Venus navigate their new “fake” relationship to entice Reed to admit his feelings, spending time together comes easily and the hours melt away. One can wonder if anyone in this love triangle is ready to confess what they really feel.

Broncos and Ballads is an easy read by Jody Hedlund. She has a way to make you root for the characters and keep you glued to the pages. While this was not my favorite Jody Hedlund book, It was still a pleasure to read.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of Broncos and Ballads, which I received from the author. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

[Purple Turtle Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable read by Jody Hedlund! Broncos and Ballads, a modern-day romance novel, details a fake relationship turned real between soon-to-be-lovers Brock and Venus. To restore their professional careers, renowned country singer Brock and popular model Venus experiment with a fake relationship, finding love on the way. This light-hearted romance with sizzling kisses is sure to leave you wanting more! ❤️ Again, I love how this new series follows the modern-day McQuaid family! The original McQuaid family in the series, Colorado Cowboys, is also a must-read!

If you like:
✨ Fake relationship
✨ Hot country music star
✨ Bad boy reputation
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Matchmaking family
✨ Swoony kisses
✨ Clean and wholesome language and physical attraction
You'll love this novel!

✨ Broncos and Ballads is the second book in Jody Hedlund's brand new contemporary romance series, Healing Springs Ranch! Officially releasing on July 29! Suitable for young adult readers and older. ✨

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broncos and Ballads by Jody Hedlund is the second in the Healing Springs series. Just when you thought the McQuaid family couldn’t get more endearing, enter Brock! Known for his ballads and signature crooked smile, the way he says darlin’ is just part of his country charm. Facing a bad rap as a playboy since his latest breakup, his people think damage control is needed and pair him off with Venus, a beautiful and popular model at the top of her game. They’ve had some interactions in their life circles, but when paired together, the sparks fly. Brock’s genuine interest and care for Venus (along with some well-placed darlin’s) is just the fire needed to break through her ice wall. As the ruse becomes more, these two start to create the magic that is the inspiration to untold country ballads. The chemistry is real, the kisses are swoony, and the romance is clean. I love the time spent with the McQuaid family and the way they play matchmaker while encouraging both to grow up and realize some risks are worth taking. Brock upholds the McQuaid male tradition of falling fast and forever and his charm makes it so smooth and irresistible. I adored this story and am happy to recommend it to others. I received a complimentary copy from the author and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the 2nd book of Jody's new series Healing Springs Ranch. This book follows the "black sheep" brother Brock McQuaid, who is a famous country music star. His journey to find real love has him land in a fake relationship that is all over the media. His intention was to just help Venus win the heart of the man she loves (who just got engaged). It's great how every encounter with Brock proves to Venus that he cares much more about her than her dream love Reed ever did. Brock's and Venus' story fits in so well with the McQuaid legacy of men falling fast, furious and forever. It turns out that Brock really isn't as much of a black sheep as he thought! I highly recommend this book if you like sweet and clean romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. I'm looking forward to the rest of the family's stories.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.