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The Portree Cowboys #1

Wild Love, Cowboy

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She’s a fiery, smart-mouthed city girl and world-class swimmer – Small town intolerant, pepper-averse and allergic to unsolicited cowboy charm – about as cuddly as a cactus.
So when I find myself in a store aisle, holding her red lacy underwear and giving her my best Cowboy drawl...

She looks about ready to set me on fire instead of saying hello.
It’s adorable. It’s a challenge and I accept.
Because I live for the challenge. Heck, the Rodeo world calls me the main event. The town calls me trouble, but they don’t know my big ‘ol smile, hides a past that's got me rooted to this land.
Mia might be here by mistake and can’t seem to leave my town soon enough.
Too bad fate keeps shoving us into the kind of situations that make it real hard to keep a straight face…or keep my hands to myself.

She swears this is temporary. Says she’s leaving.

But I’m a man of action.
I keep showing her exactly why she should stay.

368 pages, Paperback

First published July 24, 2025

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About the author

Ellie Wilder

4 books27 followers

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5 stars
260 (41%)
4 stars
213 (33%)
3 stars
120 (19%)
2 stars
31 (4%)
1 star
4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
Profile Image for Cassie.
218 reviews3 followers
October 25, 2025
Overall, an enjoyable read! Great banter, lovable characters, and that small-town charm you just can’t resist. This series shows a lot of promise. Can’t wait to see where it goes next…
Profile Image for Sandy (Sandy.Reads).
1,101 reviews573 followers
April 25, 2026
3.75 ⭐️

Such a fun small town romance with a slightly chaotic meet cute that immediately pulled me in. I loved how the story kicks off with her landing in the right town but the wrong state. It set the tone perfectly and made everything that followed feel a little bit fate driven in the best way.

And then we get him… a slightly arrogant bull rider who crosses her path at just the right moment. Their dynamic had that perfect mix of tension and charm, and I couldn’t get enough of the way he kept finding reasons to be around her. Even when that meant not being fully honest, it never felt malicious, more like he just couldn’t stay away, which honestly made it even better.

The small town atmosphere really stood out to me. The nosy community, everyone being in each other’s business, and that cozy, close knit feeling added so much to the story. It made their relationship feel more immersive, like the whole town was quietly watching it unfold.

Both characters are working through past experiences that have kept them guarded, and I appreciated how that emotional layer was woven into their romance. Watching them slowly open up and move forward felt genuine and added depth to what could have just been a light romance.

I also really enjoyed the audiobook experience. It brought the characters to life in a way that made the story even more engaging. Huge thanks to the author for sharing it.
138 reviews2 followers
July 30, 2025
I loved Grant and his family and best friend, but Mia not so much. He showed her he loved her in so many ways and gave her/up everything. What did he get in return? Nothing. She didn’t have to make a single effort or compromise. And it dragged on and on, so much that I skipped entire pages through the last 25% of the book, which is easily a dozen chapters too long. Still, I liked the writing style and banter, and will give this author a second chance with Mason's book.
Profile Image for Nikita.
172 reviews858 followers
November 26, 2025
⭐️ 3.5 rounded down rather than up only because it was a little too long. Could have defo been 300 pages max and still hit the same

Their banter was so good and Grant was so funny with his fumbling.

🌶️ 2.5 ish - that first scene in the bar bathroom was absolutely delightful 🥵 wish there’d been more spice tbh

The epilogue was lovely I had actual tears in my eyes 🥹 will happily read the rest of the series ❤️
2 reviews
August 26, 2026
This one healed something in me. What a beautiful story. "Even brave girls get scared."
I'm glad that there was vulnerability with both characters but both of them were extremely strong, and not only was there depth and growth for each character, the world building was incredible and throughout the hilarious moments had me laughing non stop! I love this book so much!! Now onto book 2.
Profile Image for Jessica Ehmcke.
141 reviews4 followers
June 11, 2026
Small town, cowboy romance, meet cute, fantastic banter, strong FMC, and MMC with a filthy sexy mouth. This was a fun read great storyline and no annoying miscommunication just life happening. I love a strong male main character who will do anything for his woman, without her having to ask!! Just like my husband!!!
Profile Image for Diana Brennan.
131 reviews6 followers
April 12, 2026
Cute, funny, spicy small town cowboy romance, grant is so swoony and has a sneeze smink? we listen and we don't judge 🤣 .... narration was so good Andi Eloise amazing as usual and new to me Narrator Thomas Oakley ooooff 😊😊
Profile Image for Rozsreads .
109 reviews
January 2, 2026
Wild love,cowboy started in December 25. Finished. 1/1/26

This book dragged from the beginning and I struggled to connect with it. I normally like a cowboy romance but I really struggled with this book. I nearly DNF it but thankfully it started to get good about halfway through and then I kept on going and actually enjoyed the rest. I don't know if it was because I've had so much going on over the festivities and didn't have time to read as much as normal leaving large gaps between reading this book. 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Susie.
224 reviews8 followers
November 10, 2025
It started out good, but it felt like it was written by ChatGPT…
Profile Image for BooksBooksandmoreBooks69.
2,199 reviews45 followers
May 20, 2026
I went into this one expecting a light, trope packed cowboy romance, and it absolutely delivered exactly what it promised, with a big grin and a whole lot of spark. 😜

Mia is a delightful storm of a heroine, a world class swimmer who’s sharp tongued, zero tolerance for small town nonsense, and hilariously prickly about everything from unsolicited cowboy charm to peppers. She’s not “cuddly,” and that’s precisely what makes her so refreshing. Watching her clash with the charming rodeo hero had me laughing out loud more than once.

Grant (I’m still smiling thinking about him) is pure main event energy. He’s the guy who lives for the challenge, flashes that troublemaker smile while hiding some heavier baggage, and falls first, and hard. His pursuit of Mia was just funny to read, equal parts golden retriever sweetness and filthy minded determination.

The banter between them is top tier, it’s quick, teasing, and genuinely funny without trying too hard.

The forced proximity and one bed situations are handled with perfect spot on timing, and the small town/found family vibe adds warmth without slowing down the romance.

There’s solid sports romance flavor woven in through Mia’s swimming background and his rodeo world, giving both characters real drive and stakes beyond just “will they or won’t they.”

The spice hits all the right notes, but what I loved most was how heartfelt it gets underneath the laughs. The hero’s rooted past and Mia’s gradual shift from “I’m leaving yesterday” to “maybe this town isn’t so bad” felt earned. It’s steamy, sweet, and surprisingly tender in places.💜

So, if you’re in the mood for a fast paced, laugh out loud romance with a city girl/cowboy clash, strong banter, and a hero who knows how to show (not just tell) why she should stay, this is a winner.

It’s the fun, escapist kind of read that left me grinning and ready for the next book in the series.

Highly recommend if you love funny, spicy, feel good romance with heart.

🦋
Profile Image for Ana ♉️✨ .
262 reviews2 followers
March 31, 2026
ARC Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Perfect 💯

I loved this book. I was hooked from first chapter till epilog. This story had everything, the perfect amount of possessive/ obsessed mmc, sassy strong fmc, banter 🤭 that will make you laugh with tears, a golden retriever mmc with a filthy mouth 🥰 and spice 🔥 that will make you sweat 😉. Mia and Grant are 2 pieces matched in stars, they both battle similar past trauma but differently coping mechanism, they are perfect for each other. Grant’s family it’s amazing, daddy Eric is hilarious, has no filter and lives to embarrass his kids 🤭😉, and his siblings and best friend kiss chefs. Let’s say that after this story I will not look the same when somebody sneezes or seeing Deep Heat cream 😂😂😂.
And of course the proposal had to be epic and epic it was 😂🥰.

Thank you Ellie Wilder for the opportunity to read this amazing story.

Grant

“You are chaos and peace in one impossible package. Olympic legend, conjurer of filthy poems, breaker of egos, woman of wit and wildfire. You’re the smartest pain in my ass, the fiercest heart I’ve ever known, my compass when I didn’t know I was lost and the love of my life.”
Profile Image for Tanja Glavnik.
786 reviews16 followers
May 21, 2026
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I nabbed this one because I can't start a series on a not-first-book. Lol. I'm weird like that.

But also WHAT IS IT with these cowboy books recently??? Like, I've never been a cowboy book girlie. Even if I read one or two back in the day, they were never like THIS. There was never this much YEARNING. And just ... IDK what it is, but I am here for it.

Then again I came to the bar bathroom scene right at the start and went: uhhhh SCUSE ME MA'AM THIS IS A WENDY'S WE PREFER OUR ROMANCE SLOW AND ANGSTY.

Ms Wilder just patted my head, gave me a lollypop, and said don't you worry sweet child. Hold onto that saddle because it's gonna be a wild ride.

She wasn't lyin' either!

Grant and Mia are just beautifully yearning messes. I kinda wish we maybe got a bit more on the professional side of things as both of them are kinda BIGSHOT names in their respective fields and feel like a powerhouse athlete couple, but that aside

I loved them. Loved the unhinged, erratic, supportive and loving side characters. This family is ALL in on the emosh and making sure everybody gets a HEA and I'm here for it.

Ms Wilder writes beautifully. The reader should be fully engaged reading this book otherwise I don't know what to tell you. I can't wait to dive into book 2!
11 reviews
July 3, 2026
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an Advance Reader Copy (ARC). All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book completely caught me off guard.

What begins with a wrong flight and an unexpected stay in a small Texas town quickly becomes so much more than a cowboy romance. It’s a story about healing, grief, family, learning to trust, and discovering that sometimes home finds you when you least expect it.

Grant Taylor has officially earned a place on my book boyfriend list. He’s flawed in the best way—he makes mistakes, owns them, grows from them, and loves wholeheartedly. I couldn’t help but fall for him.

Mia is a wonderful heroine. She’s fiercely independent, driven, and complex, and I loved that her ambitions were never diminished for the sake of the romance. Instead, the story explores what it looks like for two people to support each other’s dreams.

The real surprise for me was the Taylor family. They brought so much warmth, humour and heart to the story that Portree felt like somewhere I’d genuinely want to visit. Every family interaction felt authentic, and more than once I found myself laughing out loud.

The writing flowed beautifully and made it incredibly easy to become invested in the characters. The dialogue felt natural, the emotional moments were heartfelt, and the humour balanced the heavier themes perfectly.

There were a couple of moments where some of the emotional conversations could have been a little tighter, but they never took away from how invested I was in the story.

If you enjoy:
🤠 Small-town cowboy romance
❤️ Slow-burn relationships
👨‍👩‍👧 Found family
😂 Humour alongside heartfelt emotion
🏊‍♀️ A strong, ambitious heroine
✨ Characters who genuinely grow together

…I highly recommend giving this one a read.

This is one of those stories that reminds you that home isn’t always the place you planned to end up—sometimes it’s the people who make you want to stay.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Addicted2Books.
4 reviews
August 13, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a 1/2 out of 5 Stars

I really enjoyed this book. A great palate-cleanser after reading a couple of less than mediocre books

Plot: 😃😃😃😃 out of 😃😃😃😃😃

Spice: 🌶️🌶️ out of 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Trope: Hot cowboy meets flighty straight- laced athlete

Vibe: Series of unfortunate events leads the FMC to a small town in Texas where she meets a hometown celebrity cowboy. There’s a meet-cute scene. Adequate amount of steam but can use a few more dashes of 🌶️.

Characters: FMC is likable, good backbone, and knows what she wants but you can still see a hint of vulnerability.MMC is multitalented, a hardworking rancher/ champion 🐂 rider/business owner swoon-worthy Hero with the right amount of self-awareness and a realistic character-growth in the end. No real villain in the story. Characters are likable and “normal”.

Overall impression?
•good book, entertaining read
•Great plot. No unnecessary drama
• Characters are relatable, no annoying side characters
• I will definitely watch out for this author’s work
Profile Image for Patricia.
103 reviews1 follower
July 12, 2026
Be still my beating heart!

This was such a wholesome and funny story. Mia has been running for so long, and she finally finds a place to call home. Grant, on the other hand, has been carrying guilt for far too many years, and finally finds someone who helps him let go of it. I absolutely loved their banter, their chemistry, the way they slowly became each other's home. I felt every second of the love, sadness and happiness. I loved every second of this book!

If you love contemporary romance, hot cowboys and witty banter, this is the perfect series to start! ^-^

~ Thank you to Ellie Wilder and BookSirens for providing me with an ARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own! ~
Profile Image for Angelica Burke.
29 reviews1 follower
April 23, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Holy cowboy, what a ride! From start to finish, I was completely hooked. Grant’s filthy mouth paired with Mia’s sass? Absolute perfection. The banter had me grinning the whole way through and the chemistry was just chef’s kiss.

I loved the found family element (always a favourite of mine), and the Taylor family have officially stolen my heart! I’m fully obsessed and can’t wait to read about the rest of the family.

And that deep heat scene? I was actually howling.

Such an easy five-star read for me!
42 reviews
May 21, 2026
I devoured this book! It was such a fun read with the banter between family & main characters. Spicy. I enjoyed the character growth and support they gave each other. Grants a swoon worthy dirty mouth cowboy who doesnt know what he wants until he does. I love that Mia stood up for what she believed in & was headstrong. They are perfect for each other!!

This was my first time listening to a Ellie Wilder book and I look forward to more. Thomas Oakley was a new narrator for me and I enjoyed listening to his narration. Andi is one of my all time narrators and she crushed it, of course! Can't wait to listen to more from both of them!!
2 reviews
May 7, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I am officially ruined for other cowboy romances.

This book didn't just have me kick my feet and make me giggle like an idiot… it straight-up hijacked my entire personality for days. 🤠🔥

Grant Taylor?
OH. MY. GOD.

This man is rugged, cocky, filthy-mouthed, fiercely loyal, emotionally wrecked in the hottest possible way, and so obsessed with Mia Bonney that I honestly need therapy after reading him. The way he looks at her? Speaks to her? Shows up for her? GOODBYE. I’m never recovering. I pray this kind of love tackles me!

And Mia? THANK YOU for finally giving me a heroine who’s ambitious, funny, emotionally layered, and doesn’t lose herself for the romance. She gives as good as she gets and their banter had me grinning like crazy at 2am.

LOVED IT! Bring on Book 2!😍
Profile Image for carolyn sim.
157 reviews3 followers
April 19, 2026
Fabulous read

Loved this so much I cannot wait for the audio too. Grant is a perfect male specimen and clearly no one like him exists but that is why we love him so much in this book. I cannot wait to see what happens with Mason next ...
6 reviews
August 26, 2026
Give me Grant Taylor any day! Ooft, that man's mouth is something else. The world building is so well done that I just want to live here in Portree with all the Taylor brothers. I loved the storyline, the humour was top tier and the spice was delicious.
Profile Image for Janene .
145 reviews6 followers
April 30, 2026
Absolutely loved this audiobook. The tension between the MMCs you could cut with a knife. I loved the way they healed one another. 😍
Profile Image for Jackie Stanko.
5 reviews
August 24, 2026
This was adorable! The banter was so good and the inner monologue was hysterical. It had me laughing, kicking my feet, but also had some emotions depth. Fin twist on the small town contemporary romance!
64 reviews1 follower
March 28, 2026
Love it

I love this story. I like how Mia was stranded and Grant was basically her savior. There relationship had all the emotions. And all the things he did for her that is real love. And I love how they fought for each other and how it ended HEA
Profile Image for Becky Mansur.
692 reviews7 followers
July 8, 2026
cute cowboy romance

A travel writer/Olympic swimmer and a bull riding business man. Definitely wasn’t a combo I was expecting, but it worked. The whole family was refreshing and makes me want to read more about them.
Profile Image for Sheila Gilbraith.
19 reviews
March 20, 2026
Basically Mia ends up in the wrong town where she runs into a charming Cowboy & it takes off from there. I really liked this one. It was giving meghan Quinn vibes. The Taylor family is hilarious with razzing our MMC. The circumstances that bring them together are chuckle worthy as well. But girlies the slow burn romance 🥵 well done. It's a little annoying with the back pedaling but it works with the story. Looking forward to the next one in the series.
Profile Image for H. S Davies .
Author 1 book3 followers
August 15, 2026
Small town-cowboy romance books are my least fave kind of romance books - I don’t know why, they’re just not my cup of tea.

That being said, I still enjoyed reading this one - the spice was top notch and the love story felt really believable
Profile Image for Shelly .
99 reviews1 follower
June 29, 2026
Loved this book! Listened on audio and the narrators were fantastic!! Loved the pacing and it reminded me a lot of how Elsie Silvers books flow! The storytelling was phenomenal. The author did a great job at creating dynamic between the characters and the relationships naturally formed and didn’t feel forced. The spice was so good ..but not overwhelming which to me… is perfect! 🩷Really excited to read book 2!
Profile Image for nikitatt.
421 reviews1 follower
May 30, 2026
I think this one wasn’t just way longer than it needed to be and a miscommunication trope that didn’t really fit in with the book. However I would say it was nice to delve into character development and really understand the characters in this one. Nothing in the book screamed I LOVE THIS while reading unfortunately.
Profile Image for Joyce Oilar.
14 reviews
July 3, 2026
Absolutely love this book. It has the perfect amount of drama that keeps you interested.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews