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Once Upon a Cowboy's Heart
398 pages, Paperback
Published December 5, 2025
6 people are currently reading
507 people want to read
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January 10, 2026📝 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗯𝗲: Second-chance romance • Emotional and angsty • Small-town undertones • Healing from addiction • Faith gently woven throughout • Closed-door romance with heavier themes
💬 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
This is a debut novel, and I had the opportunity to read it as an ARC. From the beginning, it’s clear that this story comes from a heartfelt place. The premise itself is compelling, and the author approaches some heavy subject matter with care and intention.
The opening chapters are intense and emotionally weighty, especially as we learn about the FMC's experiences. She’s experienced neglect, emotional abuse, and a deep sense of isolation, both from a controlling romantic relationship and from her parents. Those early moments felt raw and painful in a way that made it easy to feel compassion for her. I especially appreciated the presence of her loyal best friend, whose patience and steadiness provided a much-needed anchor in her life.
When the MMC enters the story, his role as a calm, grounding influence really stands out. He brings stability and kindness, and I liked how his presence slowly created space for healing rather than forcing it. I also appreciated how themes of faith were woven in naturally, offering hope without feeling heavy-handed.
As a reader, I did find myself wishing for a bit more space within the FMC’s emotional journey. The intensity of what she was facing made me want to linger longer in specific transitions, particularly in seeing how she actively begins to confront and work through her addiction. While the support system around her was clear and meaningful, a few additional moments focused on her internal processing and growth might have further deepened the emotional payoff. That said, this is also a debut, and the heart behind the story is very evident.
Overall, this felt like a promising first novel, one that isn’t afraid to tackle brutal realities while still offering gentleness, hope, and care for its characters.
❤️🔥 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗿: The emotionally rich premise • The supportive side characters, especially the FMC’s best friend • The MMC’s steady, compassionate presence
⚠️ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁: Alcohol abuse and addiction • Emotional abuse • Controlling and neglectful parents • Assault & Cheating (referenced)
✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱/𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲:
Closed-door romances that explore heavier, real-life struggles
Stories about healing, recovery, and second chances
Emotionally grounded small-town romances
Faith elements woven in gently rather than overtly
Character-driven stories with supportive found-family dynamics
💬 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
This is a debut novel, and I had the opportunity to read it as an ARC. From the beginning, it’s clear that this story comes from a heartfelt place. The premise itself is compelling, and the author approaches some heavy subject matter with care and intention.
The opening chapters are intense and emotionally weighty, especially as we learn about the FMC's experiences. She’s experienced neglect, emotional abuse, and a deep sense of isolation, both from a controlling romantic relationship and from her parents. Those early moments felt raw and painful in a way that made it easy to feel compassion for her. I especially appreciated the presence of her loyal best friend, whose patience and steadiness provided a much-needed anchor in her life.
When the MMC enters the story, his role as a calm, grounding influence really stands out. He brings stability and kindness, and I liked how his presence slowly created space for healing rather than forcing it. I also appreciated how themes of faith were woven in naturally, offering hope without feeling heavy-handed.
As a reader, I did find myself wishing for a bit more space within the FMC’s emotional journey. The intensity of what she was facing made me want to linger longer in specific transitions, particularly in seeing how she actively begins to confront and work through her addiction. While the support system around her was clear and meaningful, a few additional moments focused on her internal processing and growth might have further deepened the emotional payoff. That said, this is also a debut, and the heart behind the story is very evident.
Overall, this felt like a promising first novel, one that isn’t afraid to tackle brutal realities while still offering gentleness, hope, and care for its characters.
❤️🔥 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗿: The emotionally rich premise • The supportive side characters, especially the FMC’s best friend • The MMC’s steady, compassionate presence
⚠️ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁: Alcohol abuse and addiction • Emotional abuse • Controlling and neglectful parents • Assault & Cheating (referenced)
✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱/𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲:
Closed-door romances that explore heavier, real-life struggles
Stories about healing, recovery, and second chances
Emotionally grounded small-town romances
Faith elements woven in gently rather than overtly
Character-driven stories with supportive found-family dynamics
December 8, 2025
This story is completely full of faith and hope. Amelia has been through so much, and my heart ached for her. When her childhood best friend Mathias comes back into her life, things start to shift for her. He is such a good man who continually went above and beyond to show how much he cares for her. Even though Mathias was patient and gentle with her, she needed something (someone) greater to help her heal, grow, and move forward. I loved how Christ was at the center of that journey in this story. Sarah Da Silva has a knack for creating flawed, realistic characters that you want to root for, and with redemption arcs that are beautifully crafted. I’m really looking forward to the rest of this new series.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews