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Blue Falls, Texas #6
The Heart of a Cowboy
WHAT IS SHE HIDING?
Of all the Brody boys, Garrett would have been voted most likely to settle down. But somehow, the right woman never came along. Until now. Veterinarian Natalie Todd left Blue Falls when she was a kid, but she seems to fit right in. Her old friends are there and she has a job with the local vet if she wants it. Every kiss tells Garrett she feels the same way he does. So what's holding her back?
Natalie can't say, and every kiss just makes it harder. She came back to fulfill her father's dying wish, and found a happiness even greater than she remembered. The secret she carries will destroy everything, plain and simple. That's why she can't tell him. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
Of all the Brody boys, Garrett would have been voted most likely to settle down. But somehow, the right woman never came along. Until now. Veterinarian Natalie Todd left Blue Falls when she was a kid, but she seems to fit right in. Her old friends are there and she has a job with the local vet if she wants it. Every kiss tells Garrett she feels the same way he does. So what's holding her back?
Natalie can't say, and every kiss just makes it harder. She came back to fulfill her father's dying wish, and found a happiness even greater than she remembered. The secret she carries will destroy everything, plain and simple. That's why she can't tell him. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2015
21 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Trish Milburn
111 books256 followersTrish Milburn is the author of more than 50 romance and young adult novels, a huge fan of Asian dramas and K-pop music, prefers Marvel over D.C. (except Wonder Woman is awesome), and loves road trips and visiting national and state parks, and of course is an avid reader with a never-ending to-be-read pile.
Learn more about Trish on her website, www.trishmilburn.com -- where you'll also find links to her social media. She's most active on Twitter @TrishMilburn. Also, her WordoftheK.com is dedicated to her books set in Korea as well as posts about various aspects of the Korean entertainment industry, Korean culture, etc.
Have a question? Be sure to check out the Goodreads option to ask about my books, K-pop, K-dramas, or writing.
Learn more about Trish on her website, www.trishmilburn.com -- where you'll also find links to her social media. She's most active on Twitter @TrishMilburn. Also, her WordoftheK.com is dedicated to her books set in Korea as well as posts about various aspects of the Korean entertainment industry, Korean culture, etc.
Have a question? Be sure to check out the Goodreads option to ask about my books, K-pop, K-dramas, or writing.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 17, 2020
This time Natalie hoped he was talking to her, because he had one of those voices that rumbled from deep within his chest and made a woman go all warm and puddly. Sure, it wouldn't make any difference in how long she planned to stay in town, but she wouldn't mind listening to it while she ate. Maybe he could read the menu to her or something. pg. 35
On his deathbed, Natalie's father confesses to her that he killed someone in a hit-and-run and that was the reason he left Texas and took his family with him. He knows whom he killed, too. It was the mom of Natalie's childhood best friend. He charges Natalie with traveling back to Texas and informing the Brody family that her father was responsible for Karen's death.
This is a horrible burden to lay on someone. Honestly, although the book tries to make the reader feel sympathy for Natalie's mother and father, they are huge assholes. Her father is a drunk who killed a woman, ran from the scene, fled Texas, was a coward, never stopped drinking. Her mother kept this secret with her husband, tore up the letters Natalie wrote Chloe without telling Natalie she was doing so. She allows her husband to burden Natalie with the responsibility of telling the Brody family what he had done, when really if he was too cowardly to do it, she is the person the responsibility should fall on. She was an adult when her husband killed that woman and she kept it a secret all these years. It's not Natalie, who was a child when Karen died, who should shoulder the burden of informing the Brodys what happened.
Natalie, who is understandably a ball of anxiety and nerves, drives to Texas to confess her father's secret. She runs into Garrett at a bar and - finding out that his newly married siblings are honeymooning in the Caribbean - decides to wait on telling the family. Meanwhile I guess we are supposed to believe Natalie and Garrett are falling in love, which I don't believe. I don't believe it and moreover I think it's beyond insane to ask me to believe Natalie had sex with him while carrying this burden with her. No way.
So, in short, this book was unconvincing. Natalie is a wreck - that's convincing. Anyone would be when tasked with this kind of chore. The idea that she would - while dealing with this crippling anxiety in which she is unable to eat and sleep - fall in love and also have sex with Garrett is unbelievable. Not only because the fact that having sex with Garrett while keeping this secret from him would make things SO MUCH WORSE, but her physical and emotional state during the book is not one that is conducive to falling in love and lovemaking.
She's also in physical distress a lot, which I see as a cop-out. "Oh, the hero is angry with the heroine. Let's injure her so his feelings towards her soften and he will begin to act caring and protective again." It's cheap, and an old ploy.
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
He doesn't engage in foreplay nor does he use a condom. Which earns him low marks in my book.
TL;DR - Disappointing. Not only focuses on a rather depressing subject matter, but I found the romance unconvincing. Who could think about love or engage in sex when this was going on?!?! Certainly not someone as caring and anxious as Natalie.
ROMANCE CATEGORIES
Animal Lovers' Romance - Natalie is a veterinarian and adopts a dog.
Contemporary Romance
Cowboy/Western Romance
STEM Heroine Romance - Natalie is a veterinarian
Non-Virgin Heroine
He's a Rancher; She's a Veterinarian
Takes Place in: Kansas (Wichita area) and Texas, U.S.A.
NAMES IN THIS BOOK
On his deathbed, Natalie's father confesses to her that he killed someone in a hit-and-run and that was the reason he left Texas and took his family with him. He knows whom he killed, too. It was the mom of Natalie's childhood best friend. He charges Natalie with traveling back to Texas and informing the Brody family that her father was responsible for Karen's death.
This is a horrible burden to lay on someone. Honestly, although the book tries to make the reader feel sympathy for Natalie's mother and father, they are huge assholes. Her father is a drunk who killed a woman, ran from the scene, fled Texas, was a coward, never stopped drinking. Her mother kept this secret with her husband, tore up the letters Natalie wrote Chloe without telling Natalie she was doing so. She allows her husband to burden Natalie with the responsibility of telling the Brody family what he had done, when really if he was too cowardly to do it, she is the person the responsibility should fall on. She was an adult when her husband killed that woman and she kept it a secret all these years. It's not Natalie, who was a child when Karen died, who should shoulder the burden of informing the Brodys what happened.
Natalie, who is understandably a ball of anxiety and nerves, drives to Texas to confess her father's secret. She runs into Garrett at a bar and - finding out that his newly married siblings are honeymooning in the Caribbean - decides to wait on telling the family. Meanwhile I guess we are supposed to believe Natalie and Garrett are falling in love, which I don't believe. I don't believe it and moreover I think it's beyond insane to ask me to believe Natalie had sex with him while carrying this burden with her. No way.
So, in short, this book was unconvincing. Natalie is a wreck - that's convincing. Anyone would be when tasked with this kind of chore. The idea that she would - while dealing with this crippling anxiety in which she is unable to eat and sleep - fall in love and also have sex with Garrett is unbelievable. Not only because the fact that having sex with Garrett while keeping this secret from him would make things SO MUCH WORSE, but her physical and emotional state during the book is not one that is conducive to falling in love and lovemaking.
She's also in physical distress a lot, which I see as a cop-out. "Oh, the hero is angry with the heroine. Let's injure her so his feelings towards her soften and he will begin to act caring and protective again." It's cheap, and an old ploy.
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
He doesn't engage in foreplay nor does he use a condom. Which earns him low marks in my book.
TL;DR - Disappointing. Not only focuses on a rather depressing subject matter, but I found the romance unconvincing. Who could think about love or engage in sex when this was going on?!?! Certainly not someone as caring and anxious as Natalie.
ROMANCE CATEGORIES
Animal Lovers' Romance - Natalie is a veterinarian and adopts a dog.
Contemporary Romance
Cowboy/Western Romance
STEM Heroine Romance - Natalie is a veterinarian
Non-Virgin Heroine
He's a Rancher; She's a Veterinarian
Takes Place in: Kansas (Wichita area) and Texas, U.S.A.
NAMES IN THIS BOOK
January 11, 2018
This is a very emotional book about a girl whose alcoholic father makes a shocking death-bed confession to her about the crime he'd committed years ago that had brought devastation on to her childhood best friend's family. It was also the reason why he'd uprooted his wife and three daughters from Texas to Kansas and the guilt of not owning up to his crime made him to take to excessive drinking, making the lives of his wife and daughters miserable ever since. Natalie had been only nine then. He now wanted Natalie to go to that family, who've been like a second family to her, and tell them the truth as well as give them a letter with his written confession, so that they would get closure.
When Natalie returns to her childhood hometown, the first person she meets is her best friend, Chloe's oldest brother, Garrett, on whom she'd had a crush even at that young age. From him, she finds out that Chloe and their younger brother, Owen had recently married and they and their spouses were on their honeymoon. Sparks fly between Garrett and Natalie, but she holds back because of her secret. She wanted to wait until the rest of the family returned to tell them the truth. In the meanwhile, being a vet she helps the local vet by taking on few of his cases, but an encounter with an angry bull lands her in the hospital with her leg in a cast. Garrett's father, Wayne, was visiting someone at the hospital when he comes across her. Knowing that she has no one to give her the care she needs in this condition, he takes her to live with them on their ranch, which makes it worse for her because not only does guilt keep visiting every now and then, she also finds it hard to stop herself from falling for Garrett.
Garrett is a good-looking, hard working, no-fuss guy, who's finally found his perfect woman in Natalie. Turns out he could be very romantic too - liked those treats and flowers he left for Natalie with sweet notes and the awesome proposal in the end. He did get mad at her for a while after her confession because it happened soon after they had sex and he thought she made love to him to soften him, but thanks to his sister and father he was made to see sense.
Wayne was such an nice and easy-going man. Liked his relationship with his children and how wonderful he was to Natalie both before and after she revealed the truth. I loved how despite of how hurt he was, he sat beside Natalie's hospital bed after her second injury and let her tell him everything and did not hold her responsible for her father's crime. I also liked how he encouraged Garrett to go after Natalie. “Not near as difficult as seeing my oldest son let the woman he loves slip through his fingers. Trust me when I say that when you find the woman who makes your heart beat so fast you’d swear your chest can’t contain it, you grab on and don’t let go.”
I liked Chloe and her husband Wyatt too and very keen to read their book - 'The Cowboy's doctor.'
I really felt for Natalie. She was such a nice person and poor thing, had to deal with so much pain. While she had to deal with her father's betrayal, she also was mourning him because in spite of what he'd done he was still her father and she loved him. Over and above she had to reveal the truth to the family who once had been a second family to her and still cared for her and treated her as one of their own. I'm so glad Garrett eventually saw how wonderful she was. They were both wonderful and deserved to have their HEA with each other.
The Brodys were awesome. Loved the friendly banter between all of them. The opening scene itself had Garrett and his sister bantering as they dance and at the end of it he tell his brother-in-law "Your wife is evil." The epilogue in the end was also very sweet, especially Garrett's younger brother chiding him for being all fidgety and later Garrett's conversation with Natalie's mother.
A very moving and heartwarming book. Made me laugh, made me smile and made me cry too. Loved it.
When Natalie returns to her childhood hometown, the first person she meets is her best friend, Chloe's oldest brother, Garrett, on whom she'd had a crush even at that young age. From him, she finds out that Chloe and their younger brother, Owen had recently married and they and their spouses were on their honeymoon. Sparks fly between Garrett and Natalie, but she holds back because of her secret. She wanted to wait until the rest of the family returned to tell them the truth. In the meanwhile, being a vet she helps the local vet by taking on few of his cases, but an encounter with an angry bull lands her in the hospital with her leg in a cast. Garrett's father, Wayne, was visiting someone at the hospital when he comes across her. Knowing that she has no one to give her the care she needs in this condition, he takes her to live with them on their ranch, which makes it worse for her because not only does guilt keep visiting every now and then, she also finds it hard to stop herself from falling for Garrett.
Garrett is a good-looking, hard working, no-fuss guy, who's finally found his perfect woman in Natalie. Turns out he could be very romantic too - liked those treats and flowers he left for Natalie with sweet notes and the awesome proposal in the end. He did get mad at her for a while after her confession because it happened soon after they had sex and he thought she made love to him to soften him, but thanks to his sister and father he was made to see sense.
Wayne was such an nice and easy-going man. Liked his relationship with his children and how wonderful he was to Natalie both before and after she revealed the truth. I loved how despite of how hurt he was, he sat beside Natalie's hospital bed after her second injury and let her tell him everything and did not hold her responsible for her father's crime. I also liked how he encouraged Garrett to go after Natalie. “Not near as difficult as seeing my oldest son let the woman he loves slip through his fingers. Trust me when I say that when you find the woman who makes your heart beat so fast you’d swear your chest can’t contain it, you grab on and don’t let go.”
I liked Chloe and her husband Wyatt too and very keen to read their book - 'The Cowboy's doctor.'
I really felt for Natalie. She was such a nice person and poor thing, had to deal with so much pain. While she had to deal with her father's betrayal, she also was mourning him because in spite of what he'd done he was still her father and she loved him. Over and above she had to reveal the truth to the family who once had been a second family to her and still cared for her and treated her as one of their own. I'm so glad Garrett eventually saw how wonderful she was. They were both wonderful and deserved to have their HEA with each other.
The Brodys were awesome. Loved the friendly banter between all of them. The opening scene itself had Garrett and his sister bantering as they dance and at the end of it he tell his brother-in-law "Your wife is evil." The epilogue in the end was also very sweet, especially Garrett's younger brother chiding him for being all fidgety and later Garrett's conversation with Natalie's mother.
A very moving and heartwarming book. Made me laugh, made me smile and made me cry too. Loved it.
June 10, 2015
Very good book. Natalie's family had left Blue Falls when she was a child and she never knew why. Life hadn't been easy, as her father was an alcoholic, leaving her mother to work two jobs to keep the family together. Now her father is dying and has confessed what caused them to leave Blue Falls. She's horrified by what he tells her, and more so when he tasks her with going to Blue Falls to deliver his confession.
Natalie is torn up about what she has to do. The Brodys were like a second family to her, and knowing what her father did has sickened her. All she wants to do is deliver her message and get out, but it doesn't work out that way. Half the family is gone, leaving her to wait and worry. As she waits, she sees old friends and remembers how much she loved living there.
Garrett is the oldest of the Brodys and the one everyone expected to settle down first. But he's seen both his siblings find love without any luck of his own. When his little sister's best friend, Natalie, comes back to Blue Falls, suddenly he's filled with hope that he's found the one. But as strong as the attraction between them is, he can see that something is stopping her from giving in.
Natalie is trying hard to keep herself separate from the town, resisting the feeling of belonging. Even the local vet, the one who inspired her, does his best to convince her to stay. She has several encounters with Garrett, and it is obvious to her that the crush she had as a kid is still going strong. When she ends up with a broken leg, it's Garrett who insists on taking care of her. Natalie falls hard for him, but she's sure that as soon as she reveals why she's there, it will be the end of what they have together. Garrett is happy to have the chance to spend so much time with Natalie. Not only is the attraction there, but she fits into his life perfectly. If only he can figure out why she keeps pulling away.
When the truth comes out, emotions run very high. I went through several tissues as both Natalie and Garrett dealt with it all. Garrett realizes that he has never truly dealt with his mother's death, and Natalie's revelations just bring all the pain back to the surface. With her father dead, Garrett finds himself unfairly placing the blame on her, refusing to listen to anything else she has to say. He has to face his own feelings before he can even think about moving forward. Natalie also has come to realize that she has to deal with her feelings of betrayal from her father's actions. Until she can forgive him and let go, there's no way she can heal her own heart. I loved seeing the help that they both got from family members to get them to see that the past is just that. The conclusion was sweet and romantic and perfect for the two of them.
Natalie is torn up about what she has to do. The Brodys were like a second family to her, and knowing what her father did has sickened her. All she wants to do is deliver her message and get out, but it doesn't work out that way. Half the family is gone, leaving her to wait and worry. As she waits, she sees old friends and remembers how much she loved living there.
Garrett is the oldest of the Brodys and the one everyone expected to settle down first. But he's seen both his siblings find love without any luck of his own. When his little sister's best friend, Natalie, comes back to Blue Falls, suddenly he's filled with hope that he's found the one. But as strong as the attraction between them is, he can see that something is stopping her from giving in.
Natalie is trying hard to keep herself separate from the town, resisting the feeling of belonging. Even the local vet, the one who inspired her, does his best to convince her to stay. She has several encounters with Garrett, and it is obvious to her that the crush she had as a kid is still going strong. When she ends up with a broken leg, it's Garrett who insists on taking care of her. Natalie falls hard for him, but she's sure that as soon as she reveals why she's there, it will be the end of what they have together. Garrett is happy to have the chance to spend so much time with Natalie. Not only is the attraction there, but she fits into his life perfectly. If only he can figure out why she keeps pulling away.
When the truth comes out, emotions run very high. I went through several tissues as both Natalie and Garrett dealt with it all. Garrett realizes that he has never truly dealt with his mother's death, and Natalie's revelations just bring all the pain back to the surface. With her father dead, Garrett finds himself unfairly placing the blame on her, refusing to listen to anything else she has to say. He has to face his own feelings before he can even think about moving forward. Natalie also has come to realize that she has to deal with her feelings of betrayal from her father's actions. Until she can forgive him and let go, there's no way she can heal her own heart. I loved seeing the help that they both got from family members to get them to see that the past is just that. The conclusion was sweet and romantic and perfect for the two of them.
June 28, 2015
3.5 to 4 stars
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June 30, 2016received 4 stars @ RT Book Reviews
Miniseries: Blue Falls, Texas
Miniseries: Blue Falls, Texas
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews