The Cowboy's Twins

Family Secrets #3

by Tara Taylor Quinn

It looked so good on camera…

If it weren't for the money, Spencer Longfellow would happily drive Natasha Stevens and her TV crew right off his ranch. But his land, and his kids, mean the world to him—and he'll do anything to secure their future. Even cohost Natasha's cooking show, Family Secrets, in his barn. Even play the token hunky cowboy to her sophisticated city slicker and flirt with her on national television… It could never amount to anything real anyway. After all, he was fooled and left in the dust by a city girl once. And he will never let that happen to him—or his kids—again.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 3, 2017

About the author

Tara Taylor Quinn began her love affair with Harlequin when she was fourteen years old and picked up a free promotional copy of a Harlequin Romance in a hometown grocery store. The relationship was solidified the year she was suspended from her high school typing class for hiding a Harlequin Romance behind the keys of her electric typewriter. Unaware that her instructor loomed close by, Ms. Quinn read blissfully on with one finger resting on the automatic repeating period key. She finished the book in the principal’s office. Forced to leave her romances in her locker after that, Ms. Quinn’s typing skills improved - a fact for which she is eternally grateful.

With over 80 original novels, published in more than twenty languages, Tara Taylor Quinn is a USA Today bestselling author with more than seven million copies sold. She is a winner of the 2008 National Reader's Choice Award, four time finalist for the RWA Rita Award, a finalist for the Reviewer’s Choice Award, the Bookseller’s Best Award, the Holt Medallion and appears regularly on the Waldenbooks bestsellers list. Ms. Quinn writes for Harlequin and MIRA Books. Reviewer, Cindy Penn, wordweaving.com says, “Amazing character development is the hallmark of author Tara Taylor Quinn’s work. Indeed, Taylor’s profound observations of human nature and intimate understanding of values and priorities lends extraordinary psychological depth to all her work.”

Tara Taylor Quinn was born and raised in Ohio. Though she wrote her first story at the age of seven, her professional writing career began ten years later when she was hired as a stringer with the Dayton Daily News in Dayton, Ohio. She attended Wright State University and graduated from Harding College in Arkansas with a degree in English and Journalism. She published several magazine articles before turning to writing as a full-time occupation.

Ms. Quinn is a Past President of the Romance Writers of America and served for eight years on the Board of Directors of that association. She has a wide range of experience as a public speaker and workshop presenter for writers groups around the country.

When she’s not home with her owners, Jerry Lee and Taylor Marie, or fulfilling speaking engagements, Tara loves to travel with her husband, stopping wherever the spirit takes them. They’ve been spotted in casinos and quaint little small town antique shops all across the country..

Reviews

[Books and Spoons · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Loving and appealing story about parenthood, from its good days and triumphs, to its challenges and demands. Spencer would have done anything to his twins, to keep them safe, to provide for them, and protect them. There was no question of his affection and care for his children.
Natasha felt like she wasn't built for a loving, lasting relationship, but her commitment to her career was enough to keep her challenged and satisfied with her life.
The story is well written and flows nicely off the pages. The pacing of the tale is a bit slow for my taste, but you really get the feeling of the struggles the characters goes through and the lessons they learn through their journey.
The setting of the story is very different from the norm when it comes to romance novels. I would actually rather characterize this as a women's lit instead of a romance novel.
Even though Spencer and Natasha are attracted to each other, through most of the book Spencer is dating other women, or a woman and looking for others for his project to find a wife. I have never liked the third person 'drama' in my romance novels, and even though it wasn't so much in your face 'cheating', it was still a triangle were feelings did get hurt.
Regardless, the story is well done and gives an insight to the cooking reality show with plenty of details, as well as into the beef industry and farming. I enjoyed the twins and the determination Spencer had to be the best parent he ever could have been. The characters were well thought out and the journey they were on gave the opportunity to get to know them thoroughly.
~ Three Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

[Tressa (Wishful Endings)]

I really enjoyed this one and I adored the twins! Review to come.

[Kate Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another FAMILY SECRETS book, this time we learn more about Spencer Longfellow (not his original name) and Natasha Stevens, the producer of the cooking show. In her first attempt to run the cooking show and contest away from the studio and on a California ranch, she is introduced to ranch life when she observes the birth of a calf, but what really captures her heart are the 7-year-old twins of the rancher. He has no interest in getting to know Natasha. After all, she's a city woman. His ex-wife was one, too, and she left him after the twins were born. Spencer's goal is to find a woman who wants to live on the ranch and help him raise his kids and he can't imagine that Natasha would ever consider doing that.

Imagine his shock when she proposes to do just that--but only because the children's life on the ranch is threatened in a way Spencer never expected. So...a marriage of convenience, one that will help her business with the TV show and his business raising cattle? Without love? He's game, but Natasha's mother predicts disaster. Who's right? Who's wrong? And what about what the kids would prefer?

A great story for the beginning of a questionable year.

[Lynn Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Book 3 in the Family Secrets series, we finally get to hear Natasha’s story. We’ve seen her producing the show and wondered what made her tick, and now we find out! It was a bit slower moving than the previous books in the series, but still an enjoyable cast of characters.

Let down by one city-gal already, Spencer Longfellow isn’t happy about allowing another one onto his ranch, but money is money and he’s looking forward to getting some put away to solidify his children’s future by agreeing to this production.

Natasha Stevens is producing an off-site portion of her reality cooking show competition and what better place to do it than on a ranch that produces a great source of beef that they can educate the audience about? She’s not expecting to be drawn to the single father and his adorable kids. She doesn’t do relationships or roots.

When a secret comes to light and the future is unsure, Natasha will be the one to step forward and offer help in the situation … and in doing so, will realize that she has been wrong all these years!

[Janga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review will be posted at The Romance Dish later this month.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delicious, angsty read!

Spencer and his twins, Justin and Tabitha, are an absolutely delightful family. He's a great dad, always putting the two of them first in everything he does--even though they're destined to turn him gray before he hits 40 ;) His love for them is absolute--but loving anyone else? Not going to happen. Been there, done that, no repeat needed, lesson learned. Which is why his attraction to Natasha, chef and host of the reality cooking show Family Secrets is so distressing to him. He is not going to fall for another city girl who has no place on his ranch, no way, no how.

Natasha's not looking for love either--ever. She's sure her crew is all the family she'll ever need, except lately she's been feeling...well, unsettled. Something's missing. Something that might be kitten shaped. Or seven-year-old twins shaped. Or, heaven forbid, cowboy shaped. But no, that absolutely would not work out, so she's just going to put the idea right out of her head and heart.

Well, except for the kitten. A kitten is doable.

Ms. Quinn did a great job of keeping the tension tight between these two--by seeing inside both of their heads, we understood why they each pushed their attraction away with both hands for so much of the book. It made our hearts hurt a little, but we got it. (It might also have made me whisper-scream with frustration, "Just kiss her already!" once or twice. Or perhaps three times. But who's counting?) When they come up with a "business proposition" that they hope will be mutually beneficial for everyone but won't include any deeper feelings (they think), I both longed for and dreaded the outcome. Surely it would lead to something more? Except if they wouldn't let it...and maybe coming into it with such a contract-like attitude would doom it forever...argh! Did I mention the angst?

Ultimately, The Cowboy's Twins was a highly satisfying romance. Though it did end a bit abruptly, it was a good ending, and since the series is based on Natasha's show, I've got high hopes of seeing more of Natasha, Spencer, Tabitha, and Justin in future books!

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's another Harlequin Heartwarming book for you! If you love a sweet, clean romance then this is the perfect line to check into. There are so many authors to choose from!

This book is set on a working ranch with a handsome cowboy and his children. Spencer is trying to secure the future of the ranch for his children. They are the two most important things in the world to him. Natasha offers him the financial means to accomplish his goal, even if he doesn't like the set up of a TV show on his property.

Spencer is determined to dislike Natasha from the very beginning. He judges her and is actually a bit mean to her. He finds himself attracted to her despite his valiant attempts to rebuff her.

Natasha is a practical woman driven by her business and desire to succeed. The handsome cowboy somehow gets under her skin despite his not so nice attitude toward her. She definitely falls in love with Spencer's kids first.

This was a very slow developing and unconventional romance. Not much of a romance at all until toward the end. The kids were a cute and needed addition to the story line. The "secret" doesn't come out until the end which left me anticipating it the whole book. It wasn't what I was expecting!

Overall I would give this book 3/5 stars. There wasn't a lot of emotion to it as it was delivered in a straight forward, practical sort of way- much like the personalities of the characters. It was sweet though, and clean, which I really appreciate!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spencer longfellow isn't thrilled bout having Natasha and the TV Crew on his ranch but money is tight and he needs to look out of his mischievous twins. Now he has to play co host to Natasha's show Family Secrets and has to seem more playful, and flirt with Natasha on screen. But lines are blurring and its hard to see if this flirtation / attraction is more then just acting. He knows to keep his heart in check because he once be burnned before by a city girl and doesn't want that heart ache for him or his kids.

I liked this book, it was a bit slow paced for my taste but its nice to slow down when it comes to reading sometimes. I liked the characters getting to know Spencer's backstory on his life growing up, and how the twins came into his life to make him the man he is in the book. Then heres Natasha's side of things where she comes from a different lifestyle and upbringing and it was interesting how they made as a pair. I thought it was interesting seeing how Spencer had when it came to parenting style and how he tried his best to make sure that the children stick to the rules he placed and not change them when it came to the show. This book was well written, the story line was interesting and this book was an overall sweet book I really enjoyed.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. What's not to like about Spencer. He will do anything for his children even have a cooking show descend on his ranch. I liked Natasha as well, she has a big self discovery while working on this location for her show. It helps her work through some inner battles she didn't realize she had. Spencer has lingering hurt and his own inner battle to work through. I gobbled up the first half of this book then I realized the second half had something missing, the appearance of Spencer's twins. They were in the book a lot in the beginning, but to me a little sparse in later part of the book. That's really the only I guess downside of you call it that for me. I so loved Spencer's twins. They were just way too cute and brought a lot to the story.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spencer wants to protect his children and their legacy. He will protect them by any means necessary even at the price of his own happiness. Natasha wants to produce a quality cooking show on his working ranch and include his children. NO! Well maybe. OK.

Though the romance follows the pattern (like, sneak around, love, crash & burn, rebuild together) the story as a whole surprised me. The end should have been predictable but came about in an unexpected way. Made me smile. There is a reason this is part of the Harlequin Heartwarming collection.

Thank you NetGalley for this title in exchange for my honest review.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Family Secrets