The Copper Mountain Rodeo has returned to Marietta and cowboy reputations aren’t the only thing at stake…
Marietta Kindergarten teacher, Kate Canaday, is doing perfectly well without the ex-love of her life mucking up her intention to stay gloriously uncommitted. So what if she’s become—according to her sisters—a serial dater? If pro-bullrider Finn Scott's untimely defection six years ago taught her anything, it was that men come with an expiration date. And she’s more than happy to oblige them.
Trouble is, the sexier-than-ever Finn, now a devoted single father, has just moved to Marietta with his adorable five-year-old twins. He’s in an unexpected custody battle with his ex and too proud to ask Kate for help in making his crazy life look stable. But Kate sees helping him as a way of sealing off the hurt from her past once and for all. If they can just keep their hands off each other. After all…expiration date, right?
Barbara Ankrum grew up in Upstate New York, training to be a ballerina, but secretly dreaming of being an actress. Her first fangirl crush on Haley Mills led her to practice her British accent on unsuspecting store clerks, and she dreamed of co-starring in the remake of THE MOONSPINNERS. Because she was also a compulsive reader, she discovered that the film was based on a book by the fabulous Mary Stewart, which led to Barbara's lifelong obsession with romantic fiction.
Since Haley Mills was, sadly, not in the market for a co-star, Barbara pursued a degree in English Literature from the University of Tennessee. And when that degree, predictably, led to unemployment, she pulled up her socks and moved to Hollywood where she built a career as a successful commercial actress while raising two amazing (now grown) children with her sweet husband.
Writing romance came naturally from all that reading and the down time between auditions. Once she sold her first book, she said farewell to Hollywood-Land and never looked back. In between writing novels, she got her MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard and optioned a few screenplays. But her first love is, and always will be, romance.
Barbara's emotional, character driven, adventurous historicals (Wild Western Hearts series), her sexy, romantic suspense for Harlequin and her funny, heartwarming contemporaries for Tule Publishing, offer a little something for everyone. Twice nominated for Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA Award, and her contemporary romance, Holiday Hearts, was made into a Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Christmas movie! Today, she lives in Texas with her husband and a scruffy, adorable rescue dog.
This was another goodie from Tule. Despite its length, which is on the short side, the plot and the characters were really well developed. The town of Marietta, Montana came alive and was the perfect backdrop for Finn and Kate's second-chance romance.
Apart from the rushed ending, I became frustrated with Kate. I loved her spunk and that she stood up to Finn's ex. But I didn't buy her reasoning behind the shitty decisions she made. I feel for her but she definitely was at fault the first time they broke up and also with the second one. It seems like her reasons were all in her head. Like everything was in her head. She totally ruined her own love life for reasons I still didn't understand.
Despite my frustration with Kate, I loved Finn and his twins. And Kate did manage to save the day in the end. So overall, I still liked this one very much!
From the blurb: Second chance romance. He left her 6 years ago and comes back with 5 year old twins. Do the math. He sure wasted no time moving on after the "love of his life". With other bad reviews, This one is a huge nope for me.
Urgh! How is it that the fact he marries the ow, cause she's preggers, gets twisted round on her and her lack of faith in herself. She's super annoying in the now, and someone I was quite judgey about as she seemed to go through men at quite a pace. But seriously why do authors twist themselves up and their characters just to get the H off the hook. I would rather an H who steps up, claims the mistake and makes up (grovel) for it. In this case the H does acknowledge his mistakes but the h ends up shouldering a lot of the blame too. Puh-lease!
An easy read about mistakes of the past and deciding whether to forgive and move past or give up. Kate and Finn we’re together in college and then meet up again six years later. Kate is used to running when things get tough. Finn realizes his mistakes too.
This is a lovely story of love and forgiveness in a fraught second chance romance involving a couple who had been engaged till his one night stand ex turned up pregnant. He did the ‘honourable’ thing (!?!?!) and married the mother-to-be breaking her heart. They haven’t seen each other for six years….
Finn Scott has moved to Marietta, having inherited a dilapidated, run down ranch which belonged to his friend and mentor and he’s not alone. He’s brought with him his adorable five year old twins, Cutter and Caylee, only to find out that his ex-wife is now contesting custody, wanting to take the twins she hasn’t even attempted to see from him over to live in Hong Kong. Not only that but the judge they’ll be seeing always seems to prefer to give custody to the mother . . .
When Finn and Kate first meet again, it is following a playground accident in which Cutter was injured. The attraction is there, as strong as ever, for both of them but she’s wary of having her heart broken again. Despite this, she eventually suggests they marry to give him a better chance of keeping the children - but this is to be a marriage of convenience which they will annul once things are sorted. However, with family life feeling so right, their mutual attraction so strong, maybe their best laid plans could go so wrong - or so right?
This is the fourth and final book in this delightful series. As in all the books, it has robust, strong characters, plenty of trauma and drama and, of course, the Marietta Rodeo and people. It can be read as a standalone but the whole series is fantastic, so if you like cowboy romances, check them all out. This is a great addition to the series and I have no hesitation in highly recommending it.
Thanks to the author, publishers and NetGalley, too for provided an ARC for me to read in exchange for this, my honest review.
This is a sweet book about Kate, a kindergarten teacher who is a serial dater. She bumps into her ex, Finn, who has moved to her home town with his twin children. Finn was her last real relationship but he broke her heart when he married the twins’ mother.
The twins’ mother has decided to sue for custody and Finn’s lawyer tells him that getting married will help his case to keep the kids. Kate offers to help him out.
The book is very straight forward and predictable, but it is well written and enjoyable. It’s a good escape for a few hours.
This book had potential, but I don't think it went deep enough. I love stories of single fathers doing whatever needs to be done to care for their children, but this one failed to pull in any emotion.
I liked Finn. He seemed a good guy who'd been dealt a hard blow and made a decision he felt was best. But even after finishing the story, there are so many unanswered questions.
Then there's Kate. I didn't care for her. She was so closed off, even in her inner thoughts, I had the same struggle breaking through her emotional wall that Finn did.
The ex-wife Melissa was stereotypically evil.
I missed several things in the end.
As a whole the story was ok, but superficial. With a little more depth, this could have been a real winner. I liked the writer's style, she was easy to read and understand. I just wanted more.
This quote sums up why a great relationship ended up with two heartbroken people. Kate is a substitute teacher where she meets Cutter and Caylee, adorable twins in her class. But when their father walks in, she is hit with memories from the past. Finn broke her heart six years ago while they were on a break, and she hasn't forgiven him since. And won't let him forget it either.
But when his ex-wife threatens to take his children away, ones she didn't want anyway, Kate steps up for a marriage of convenience so Finn can keep his children. But when she finds out Finn's ex doesn't really want the kids, just the money, she fights harder, only to believe she will be left behind again so she sabotages the relationship herself.
Absolutely loved this book! The characters are so real and I can identify their feelings so well. I was laughing in the beginning at the situation out main character found herself in, angry in the middle at the ex wife and crying in happiness at the end. Definitely recommend. One suggestion is to check your grammar a little better. Yours is much better then most I’m seeing but could use just a touch of help.
This is one of those rare ebooks that I will look for in paper. It is the kind of story I want to reread when I am sick or just feel like I need a friend--times when for comfort I want the old-fashioned feel of paper in my hands. Great writing, a bit of suspense, engaging characters, never slow or boring. A terrific book.
Kate is a Kindergarten teacher in the local Elementary school that is currently working as a substitute. Finn is a professional Rodeo Bull rider and single dad with twins, Caylee and Cutter. Kate and Finn dated in college and were even engaged until Kate broke it off and ran off to Italy and Finn got together with Melissa a Rodeo follower who ended up pregnant. After a couple years Melissa and Finn divorced and Finn got full custody of the twins, now Melissa is back and wants partial custody of the twins and Finn needs a wife. Finn inherited a ranch in Marietta MT, Kate’s hometown. This is a very good book of second chance romance. As Finn and Kate navigate the upcoming court appearance, real marriage, that is really fake, but with rules to be broken, twins, ex-Melissa and their old/current feelings for each other. This is a sweet read that would be enjoyed by everyone. I would definitely read more books in this series and by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I am going to put a disclaimer on this one- I have just read a string of less than mediocre books. Romance where the H or h is married to someone else until the end, people fighting over nothing, etc... So, I am not sure if this was as good as I am rating it. Lol. In comparison to the last few books I've read, it was freaking fantastic. But has I not come off such a string, I may have been less enthusiastic.
Also, when I read, I look at the book for what it is. I knew this would be a romance, perhaps with a little spice. I was not going into it looking for the meaning of life or expecting a literary masterpiece. I went into it looking for some fluffy escapism. And this delivered.
I loved Finn and his kids. Kate was alright- I wanted to shake her a few times. There were some parts where you really had to stretch your imagination, but overall a decent read.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this story. Kate sees her ex in her town and wonders why he’s there. Turns out when he broke up with her because another lady was pregnant by him, he did the honourable thing and married her. She in turn left him with their twins to live with her lover because she wasn’t ready to be tied down. Kate and Finn’s break up was messy and they parted on bad terms. He is a rodeo bull rider or at least he was. After he split with Melanie his ex, he bought a handyman special farm as he would like to breed bulls and leave the rodeo life to spend more time with his twins. This story has some interesting twists that kept my attention.
This is the second book in the Canadays of Montana series by Barbara Ankrum. Finn Scott is a professional bull rider who has returned to Marietta, Montana to raise his five-year old twins Caylee and Cutter. Melissa, Finn's ex-wife didn't want children but changed her mind and is fighting for custody of the children. Kate Canaday is a Kindergarten teacher who had her heart broken by Finn when they were in college. Kate and Finn marry for convenience so that Finn have guardianship of his children. Finn and Kate rekindle their romance and take a chance on their fake marriage to make it real. I really enjoy this wonderful western romance novel.
Honestly, I skipped massive amounts of this book because it was all too obvious, which made it boring. Another reason I skipped most of the book, reading an occasional page was the really awful language and probable opened door bedroom scenes. How could I judge a book like this - well it was in the blurb ‘they had trouble keeping their hands off eachother, and when I read that the female went in and looked at him taking a shower. That was enough for me. Don’t recommend if you like a clean book at all. Typical 2nd chance trope, boring.
Choose Me, Cowboy by Barbara Ankrum Story starts out with Candy and she's made an agreement with others, NO dating for a month. She's a laid off kindergaren teacher. Story also follows Finn who's living in a house that another rodeo rider gave him, him and his two twin kids. They go to school during the day and because of his work he has others to watch them. They have a past together and she has a proposition for him.... She loves redoing the house to bring it out of the 80's. Like conflicts and hwo they are resolved, never saw it coming. Adult situations.
What a great couple Finn and Kate make with the foibles, love and issues we all have on a daily basis. Well thought out storyline that draws you in from the very start and makes page turning interesting. I read this novel in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it, it had a little of everything that is expected in a contemporary romance. 4.5 Stars from me and I encourage you to read it for yourself .
This book ,like so many set in the town of Merrietta,Montana is great! It’s got kids,ranching,love trying not to happen,all of the good things that make a book so good ! I’ve read a lot in this series,some by different authors,and they are all very good! So if you see this book, please do yourself a favor and read it.Hopefully you’ll like it as much as I.
This is the Second Book in the The Canadays of Montana Book, (not sure about the Montana Born Rodeo #4 Series?). This time, Kate is the Canaday sister that is at the center of the book. She reluctantly reunites with the man that broke her heart years ago. That man is now a single father of twins. There story takes a few detours, and there are tears, but in the end love wins. Rating 3.5
This was a great small town story with a lot of heart. The struggles that Finn has gone through and is going through for his children is heartbreaking. The truths that Kate admits to herself makes for a happy marriage her and Finn. The bull riding, treehouse building, and brownies make for s happy ending.
Kate's perception of herself as always being a disappointment and unable to maintain a healthy relationship sets her up for failure. Will Kate be able to move beyond her history with Finn in order to give this second chance for a lasting relationship a real possibility?
Loved this book! It showed you all the ups and downs of relationships and having to correct wrongs done in the past. It also shows you how you can rewrite the past and make a new beginning. Never underestimate the power of love!
Choose Me, Cowboy (The Canadays of Montana, Book 2)
The love story of Finn and Kite. Finn is about to lose his children because his ex-wife want them. So he come up with the idea of marry Kite. Can they turn a fake marry to a real one? Great story.
I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to you. Ms. Ankum is a good author and I have enjoyed reading this book and hope you will also enjoy reading Choose Me, Cowboy.
This was great story, am looking forward to reading more from this author. Excited to read the others in this series, this was the first book that I have read by this author.
Love this author and love any books about cowboys. I think I should move to America lol. Keeps you enthralled in the story from start to finish and makes you try to predict what is coming next but what you think doesn’t happen
Cute story! Gotta reach a little bit, but hey, sometimes it works& that is this one ! I thought it was reachable... & it made me happy as I read it , so yep, I recommend it to your enjoyment ! Very catchy......
Oh so sweet! And complicated. Cute children, tough bull - riding cowboy, evil ex, loving family and insecure redhead. It all adds up to an intense and enjoyable visit to Marietta, Montana.
This was my first novel I read by her and it was a great read. It kept on flowing all the way to the end and had a great plot with twists and turns that you didn’t expect! This was a great read!!