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Cowboys of the Flint Hills #1
Prairie Heat
The Rancher's Son
Cowboy Blake Sinclaire is determined not to repeat the sins of his father. That means choosing to love no one and save the settling down for his younger brothers. But one woman has thrown a wrench in those plans – Maddie Hansen, the sexy scientist who also happens to be the daughter of his family’s greatest enemy.
The Woman He Shouldn't Want
Physicist Maddie Hansen vows she’ll never come back to the small town where she grew up - Prairie, Kansas. She’d rather stay in a dead-end job than stay trapped in a loveless marriage as a rancher’s wife. But she can’t stay away from Blake, especially after he saved her father’s life.
Will their love take them supernova, or collapse into a black hole?
Maddie's father owns land that used to belong to the Sinclaires, and Blake will do anything to get it back - including talking Maddie into a fake engagement. But Blake’s got secrets. Big secrets. And when they come to light, will their love withstand the shockwaves?
Cowboy Blake Sinclaire is determined not to repeat the sins of his father. That means choosing to love no one and save the settling down for his younger brothers. But one woman has thrown a wrench in those plans – Maddie Hansen, the sexy scientist who also happens to be the daughter of his family’s greatest enemy.
The Woman He Shouldn't Want
Physicist Maddie Hansen vows she’ll never come back to the small town where she grew up - Prairie, Kansas. She’d rather stay in a dead-end job than stay trapped in a loveless marriage as a rancher’s wife. But she can’t stay away from Blake, especially after he saved her father’s life.
Will their love take them supernova, or collapse into a black hole?
Maddie's father owns land that used to belong to the Sinclaires, and Blake will do anything to get it back - including talking Maddie into a fake engagement. But Blake’s got secrets. Big secrets. And when they come to light, will their love withstand the shockwaves?
320 pages, ebook
First published December 1, 2016
2157 people are currently reading
1396 people want to read
About the author
Tessa Layne
41 books393 followersTessa Layne is a five-time USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance across many genres. Known for her high heat "emotionally searing and uplifting" story lines, Tessa’s books take you on an adventure of the heart from the rugged and remote Kansas Flint Hills to the big-city boardroom. Additional pen names include TS Layne (billionaires) and coming in 2024, Tessa Snow (dark fantasy romance). Tessa lives in the heart of the Rocky Mountains with her husband, daughters, and two unruly cats. When she’s not writing, you can find her outside chatting up the bees in her garden, hunting for berries in the woods, or playing in the snow.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
July 20, 2017
3 1/2
Man this was a hard book to stay interested in. It started off really good and I loved the way it was going...then we hit wash and repeat. How many times were we going to hear about we shouldn't do this it isn't going to work I love you I hate you... I got to the point where I was like GET ON WITH IT!
Maddie got on my ever last nerve. She needed a damn spanking to get over herself. To me she was so self absorbed and I know she withdrew into herself because of the people around her but darn girl, Blake and Axe were right get a life start living. It took her way too many pages to figure it out.
Blake was a martyr for his family and he was a tad hypocritical when he got mad at Maddie for not asking for help, when he tried to solve everything by himself.
Not bad writing just incredibly draggy.
Man this was a hard book to stay interested in. It started off really good and I loved the way it was going...then we hit wash and repeat. How many times were we going to hear about we shouldn't do this it isn't going to work I love you I hate you... I got to the point where I was like GET ON WITH IT!
Maddie got on my ever last nerve. She needed a damn spanking to get over herself. To me she was so self absorbed and I know she withdrew into herself because of the people around her but darn girl, Blake and Axe were right get a life start living. It took her way too many pages to figure it out.
Blake was a martyr for his family and he was a tad hypocritical when he got mad at Maddie for not asking for help, when he tried to solve everything by himself.
Not bad writing just incredibly draggy.
June 24, 2018
Could not put down!
This book captivated me from page one. Amazing read. I would recommend to any of cowboy romances!! First time reading this author and I'm impressed.
This book captivated me from page one. Amazing read. I would recommend to any of cowboy romances!! First time reading this author and I'm impressed.
January 8, 2018
Good contemporary western romance! Smokin' hot chemistry, strong plot with personal turmoil woven throughout, and a hidden "smoking gun" that may do the hero in. Nerdy scientist & hot, alpha cowboy?? Yes, please! A Must Read!
February 9, 2018
Bunch of mush
Some snark, some drama, some heat. It wasn't too bad but kind of wishy washy. No interest in others. Fluff ending.
Some snark, some drama, some heat. It wasn't too bad but kind of wishy washy. No interest in others. Fluff ending.
Want to read
June 1, 2023🎁 FREE on Amazon & iBooks today (1/29/2019)! 🎁
February 6, 2017
Prairie Heat is book #1 in Tessa Layne's Cowboys of the Flint Hills series. The story gets off to a pretty hot start (always a plus, in my book) and continues with some strong sexual tension between the main characters. It all leads up to a complex plot twist that I didn't see coming. The strong romantic elements, combined with a interesting cast of supporting characters, make Prairie Heat a great read. I finished reading this with a happy sigh.
The Sinclaires and Hansens of Prairie, Kansas, have been enemies for years. The rivalry dates back to a land dispute, when Jack Sinclaire lost a piece of land to Warren Hansen in a poker game. Ever since then, the two families have been at odds.
Maddie Sinclaire is a particle physicist working at Fermilab outside Chicago. Originally from Prairie, she was a nerdy kid who was often picked on by her classmates. She couldn't wait to escape the small town she grew up in so that she could pursue her dreams.
Cowboy and rancher Blake Sinclaire grew up in Prairie as well. The son of a rancher, Blake has spent his whole life looking out for his mother and later his younger brothers, after their parents passed away. Blake's father had a notorious reputation for being a mean SOB, so Blake took it upon himself to take care of the family when his father wouldn't.
Maddie and Blake run into each other again when Blake is in Chicago to visit Fermilab, which purchases bison from Blake's ranch. (Sidenote: prior to reading this book, I had no idea that Fermilab actually maintains bison at their site in real life. The more you know!) At a cocktail party, Maddie and Blake see each other again for the first time in fifteen years. Although they've never been involved romantically before, there's a tangible, definite attraction that passes between them. Also, there's almost an element of the forbidden because their families have been enemies for so long.
The story heats up quickly when Maddie and Blake share their first kiss. However, their romance is a slow burn and the author does a great job maintaining an increasing sexual tension between the two of them.
Along with the romance, there's an interesting subplot at work involving their respective families. Maddie's father suddenly falls ill and it's Blake, of all people, who comes to the rescue. This throws Maddie and Blake into closer proximity that only becomes more complicated when Maddie's father orchestrates a deal with Blake--one that results in Blake concocting a fake engagement with Maddie. But as they present a fake relationship to the people of Prairie, Maddie and Blake begin to realize that their feelings for each other are starting to seem real.
An enemies-to-lovers romance, combined with a rich cast of supporting characters and some huge family secrets, make Prairie Heat a complex story that I enjoyed. I'm looking forward to reading the next book, which will feature Maddie's best friend and Blake's brother. Prairie Heat gets a big thumbs up from me.
I received a review copy of this book from the author.
The Sinclaires and Hansens of Prairie, Kansas, have been enemies for years. The rivalry dates back to a land dispute, when Jack Sinclaire lost a piece of land to Warren Hansen in a poker game. Ever since then, the two families have been at odds.
Maddie Sinclaire is a particle physicist working at Fermilab outside Chicago. Originally from Prairie, she was a nerdy kid who was often picked on by her classmates. She couldn't wait to escape the small town she grew up in so that she could pursue her dreams.
Cowboy and rancher Blake Sinclaire grew up in Prairie as well. The son of a rancher, Blake has spent his whole life looking out for his mother and later his younger brothers, after their parents passed away. Blake's father had a notorious reputation for being a mean SOB, so Blake took it upon himself to take care of the family when his father wouldn't.
Maddie and Blake run into each other again when Blake is in Chicago to visit Fermilab, which purchases bison from Blake's ranch. (Sidenote: prior to reading this book, I had no idea that Fermilab actually maintains bison at their site in real life. The more you know!) At a cocktail party, Maddie and Blake see each other again for the first time in fifteen years. Although they've never been involved romantically before, there's a tangible, definite attraction that passes between them. Also, there's almost an element of the forbidden because their families have been enemies for so long.
The story heats up quickly when Maddie and Blake share their first kiss. However, their romance is a slow burn and the author does a great job maintaining an increasing sexual tension between the two of them.
Along with the romance, there's an interesting subplot at work involving their respective families. Maddie's father suddenly falls ill and it's Blake, of all people, who comes to the rescue. This throws Maddie and Blake into closer proximity that only becomes more complicated when Maddie's father orchestrates a deal with Blake--one that results in Blake concocting a fake engagement with Maddie. But as they present a fake relationship to the people of Prairie, Maddie and Blake begin to realize that their feelings for each other are starting to seem real.
An enemies-to-lovers romance, combined with a rich cast of supporting characters and some huge family secrets, make Prairie Heat a complex story that I enjoyed. I'm looking forward to reading the next book, which will feature Maddie's best friend and Blake's brother. Prairie Heat gets a big thumbs up from me.
I received a review copy of this book from the author.
September 17, 2017
"She was nothing. She was everything. Every atom in her body vibrated with the universe. She was nowhere and everywhere. A brilliant beam of light and a million tiny points."
Yee-Ha! I loved this story! Cowboys, and family rivalries, secrets and love all rolled into one. I couldn't put it down! The pace of the story was perfect! I was rooting for Blake and Maddie, but was biting my nails waiting for the boot to drop.
The Sinclairs and the Hansens have had a long running dislike for each other. A dispute over family land has festered for years. But now, Blake Sinclair has run into a now grown-up and buttoned-up Maddie Hansen and his goal is to loosen her up. Make her feel anything. But, is she just a challenge, or something more? Is a game of the mind becoming a game of the heart?
Maddie is a genius. No doubt about that. She has no time for emotions. They only serve to distract. Love is for the foolish. But, she can't deny the pull she feels toward Blake from the moment he walks back in to her life. Can she open her heart again after the damage it sustained years ago? Should she run from him or toward him? Can they get past the rivalry between their families?
I really enjoyed reading this one! There was humor, tenderness, uncertainty, antagonists, love, and steam! Can't wait to read book 2!!
Yee-Ha! I loved this story! Cowboys, and family rivalries, secrets and love all rolled into one. I couldn't put it down! The pace of the story was perfect! I was rooting for Blake and Maddie, but was biting my nails waiting for the boot to drop.
The Sinclairs and the Hansens have had a long running dislike for each other. A dispute over family land has festered for years. But now, Blake Sinclair has run into a now grown-up and buttoned-up Maddie Hansen and his goal is to loosen her up. Make her feel anything. But, is she just a challenge, or something more? Is a game of the mind becoming a game of the heart?
Maddie is a genius. No doubt about that. She has no time for emotions. They only serve to distract. Love is for the foolish. But, she can't deny the pull she feels toward Blake from the moment he walks back in to her life. Can she open her heart again after the damage it sustained years ago? Should she run from him or toward him? Can they get past the rivalry between their families?
I really enjoyed reading this one! There was humor, tenderness, uncertainty, antagonists, love, and steam! Can't wait to read book 2!!
March 18, 2018
Title: Prairie Heat: Cowboys of the Flints Hills
Author: Tessa Layne
Publisher: Shady Layne Media
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Prairie Heat: Cowboys of the Flint Hills" by Tessa Layne
My Thoughts.....
Interesting read! Good contemporary western romance read that is full of a little bit of it all. From cowboys, family rivalries & interference [The Sinclairs & The Hansens], uncertainty, antagonist, drama, secrets, humor, confessions, sharing forgiveness, tenderness and oh yes love that was there for Blake and Maddie [especially the scene with them on horseback and...]. All in all what had happened many years ago had these two family in a land dispute due to a lost porker game and from this we get quite a story. What will happen after a kiss and Maddie's father becomes ill and a fake plan is orchestrated with Blake's involvement? How will this enemies to lovers romance play out? To find you you will have to pick up "Prairie Heat: Cowboys of the Flint Hills" to find out how the reader will come to a satisfied ending.
Author: Tessa Layne
Publisher: Shady Layne Media
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Prairie Heat: Cowboys of the Flint Hills" by Tessa Layne
My Thoughts.....
Interesting read! Good contemporary western romance read that is full of a little bit of it all. From cowboys, family rivalries & interference [The Sinclairs & The Hansens], uncertainty, antagonist, drama, secrets, humor, confessions, sharing forgiveness, tenderness and oh yes love that was there for Blake and Maddie [especially the scene with them on horseback and...]. All in all what had happened many years ago had these two family in a land dispute due to a lost porker game and from this we get quite a story. What will happen after a kiss and Maddie's father becomes ill and a fake plan is orchestrated with Blake's involvement? How will this enemies to lovers romance play out? To find you you will have to pick up "Prairie Heat: Cowboys of the Flint Hills" to find out how the reader will come to a satisfied ending.
January 24, 2018
In Prairie Heat Physicist Dr. Maddie Hansen and Blake Sinclaire a rancher make a very unlikely couple. They grew up on farms next to each other although Maddie was younger than Blake, he came to her rescue when other kids, including his brother bullied Maddie.
On a business trip to Chicago, Blake is promoting his bison meat products and the chef that is helping him introduces him to the grown-up Maddie. The families have bad blood due to a part of the Sinclaire ranch that his father lost in a poker game to Maddie's father.
Family secrets, bad feelings from long ago and a sizzling chemistry between Blake and Maddie make this a fun love story with lots of family interference. The humor of the Prairie Posse Ladies was absolutely delightful and a bit naughty too. I love the conflict, the honor and the happy ending.
On a business trip to Chicago, Blake is promoting his bison meat products and the chef that is helping him introduces him to the grown-up Maddie. The families have bad blood due to a part of the Sinclaire ranch that his father lost in a poker game to Maddie's father.
Family secrets, bad feelings from long ago and a sizzling chemistry between Blake and Maddie make this a fun love story with lots of family interference. The humor of the Prairie Posse Ladies was absolutely delightful and a bit naughty too. I love the conflict, the honor and the happy ending.
January 21, 2017
Prairie Heat by Tessa Layne is book number one in the Cowboys of the Flint Hills series. This is cowboy Blake Sinclaire and scientist Maddie Hansen's story.
I loved this book from the start. This a great start for this series. I can't believe this is the writer's first book. Wow, the secrets and the steamy romance kept me on the edge of my seat. Once I started this book I couldn't put it down until I finished it.
I fell in love with Blake and Maddie. This is an extremely fun, steamy, and sensual romance with so many secrets. The supporting characters were great too. I can't wait for the next book in this series. FYI, includes mature content.
I loved this book from the start. This a great start for this series. I can't believe this is the writer's first book. Wow, the secrets and the steamy romance kept me on the edge of my seat. Once I started this book I couldn't put it down until I finished it.
I fell in love with Blake and Maddie. This is an extremely fun, steamy, and sensual romance with so many secrets. The supporting characters were great too. I can't wait for the next book in this series. FYI, includes mature content.
July 13, 2019
Smoking hot
Maddie is a physicist and does not plan on returning home. When her father has a massive heart attack, she must return. Blake is a rancher and plans to let his brothers have families. When he sees Maddie again, he can’t help but want her. Their families have been feuding for years and he tries to get back a lot of their land that the Hansen’s have. Maddie believe love is just messy emotions and doesn’t want anything to do with it. But Blake is breaking down her walls and the on,y hint between them is her job. Can they get over the past and live happily ever after?
Good story with sex and secrets. First time reading this author but not the last.
Maddie is a physicist and does not plan on returning home. When her father has a massive heart attack, she must return. Blake is a rancher and plans to let his brothers have families. When he sees Maddie again, he can’t help but want her. Their families have been feuding for years and he tries to get back a lot of their land that the Hansen’s have. Maddie believe love is just messy emotions and doesn’t want anything to do with it. But Blake is breaking down her walls and the on,y hint between them is her job. Can they get over the past and live happily ever after?
Good story with sex and secrets. First time reading this author but not the last.
August 8, 2019
I suppose with examples like the Hatfields and the McCoys, it only makes sense to have a cowboy-themed version of Romeo and Juliet. The feud between Blake and Maddie’s families only goes back to their parents’ time, but there’s enough bad blood between them for a lot more generations. I really enjoyed watching Maddie discover how to let go of some of her tightly held control. I also liked seeing Blake realize that he’s not the only one who can do things and learn to accept help when it’s offered. This pair is going to make each other work for it every day they’re together, but it sure seems like they’re going to have a lot of fun doing it
January 27, 2018
Found this book for free on Amazon.ca via Hidden Gems; this is my honest review.
-I loved the way Blake and Madison met again years after she left town.
-Lots of misunderstandings, secrets, half-truths, denials and drama. Lots of drama. Lots of sex too at the end mostly.
-I loved the secondary people, if a bit over the top sometimes, and I liked how the author introduced you to the couple in the next book.
-The end of the story left me with lots of unanswered questions and hope they will be dealt with in the next one.
-The book could've been shorter and the editing needs another pass.
-I loved the way Blake and Madison met again years after she left town.
-Lots of misunderstandings, secrets, half-truths, denials and drama. Lots of drama. Lots of sex too at the end mostly.
-I loved the secondary people, if a bit over the top sometimes, and I liked how the author introduced you to the couple in the next book.
-The end of the story left me with lots of unanswered questions and hope they will be dealt with in the next one.
-The book could've been shorter and the editing needs another pass.
Read
February 6, 2017Unfortunately, Prairie Heat was a DNF.
I think I've overloaded on small town stories. My biggest problem was the lack of communication and secrets between Blake and Maddie.
No rating as I did not finish.
I think I've overloaded on small town stories. My biggest problem was the lack of communication and secrets between Blake and Maddie.
No rating as I did not finish.
July 13, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Hot alpha cowboy... YES please!!
August 16, 2017
Very strong characters. Loved the strong and independent women. Couldn't wait to read about the other brothers. Totally hot!!!!!!!!!
January 8, 2022
Wow! Blake and Maddie were amazing! I loved everything about these two! 🤠❤️💫
Can’t wait to read more this series! ☺️
Can’t wait to read more this series! ☺️
May 13, 2023
so unbelievably mid. i'm going back to my monster/alien books. or maybe I'll read something that isn't romance. like pls.
--
seriously though. the love interest? mid. the fmc? mid. the plot? mid. the supporting characters? the worst, actually. someone who doesn't read romance books as much as I do
one of the things that bothered me the most was the lack of communication in this book. I'm not usually one to complain about it (anything that contributes to the angst I love lmfao) but there was just no reason for the way they communicated! Like none. Like Blake is such a dumbass, honestly.
Moreover, Maddie (the main character I guess idk) felt very weak as a character. Her backstory never fully gets addressed, and seems to be ignored to focus on Blake's. Everything about her just seems so half-baked. Especially her career, which clearly was supposed to be a bigger plot point. Additionally, I found that her initial reasons for not wanting to be with Blake was stupid. She just seems to care about the wrong things.
Furthermore, the male characters had a bad habit of treating Maddie like cattle (something the mmc, blake, called out which actually surprised me in a good way until he started actually listening to them and didn't care lmao) and it just... never got addressed. it was a big thing as to why Maddie had moved away, and yet it never gets properly resolved? like
Also, Maddie's friend (I never bothered to remember her name) is dumb and I didn't like her character at all. Having her as a main character in future books is a very quick way to get me not to read the rest of the series, good job tessa layne! it's a new record!
and the "big secret" blake had was SO DUMB. the conflict it caused was SO DUMB and how maddie acted about it was SO DUMB.
anyways, there were points where I liked it - but many points where I was like "okay, let's just get past this chapter so I can get to the parts I liked" which is dumb. the ending is also dumb too bc like djfhjsdkfh
--
seriously though. the love interest? mid. the fmc? mid. the plot? mid. the supporting characters? the worst, actually. someone who doesn't read romance books as much as I do
one of the things that bothered me the most was the lack of communication in this book. I'm not usually one to complain about it (anything that contributes to the angst I love lmfao) but there was just no reason for the way they communicated! Like none. Like Blake is such a dumbass, honestly.
Moreover, Maddie (the main character I guess idk) felt very weak as a character. Her backstory never fully gets addressed, and seems to be ignored to focus on Blake's. Everything about her just seems so half-baked. Especially her career, which clearly was supposed to be a bigger plot point. Additionally, I found that her initial reasons for not wanting to be with Blake was stupid. She just seems to care about the wrong things.
Furthermore, the male characters had a bad habit of treating Maddie like cattle (something the mmc, blake, called out which actually surprised me in a good way until he started actually listening to them and didn't care lmao) and it just... never got addressed. it was a big thing as to why Maddie had moved away, and yet it never gets properly resolved? like
Also, Maddie's friend (I never bothered to remember her name) is dumb and I didn't like her character at all. Having her as a main character in future books is a very quick way to get me not to read the rest of the series, good job tessa layne! it's a new record!
and the "big secret" blake had was SO DUMB. the conflict it caused was SO DUMB and how maddie acted about it was SO DUMB.
anyways, there were points where I liked it - but many points where I was like "okay, let's just get past this chapter so I can get to the parts I liked" which is dumb. the ending is also dumb too bc like djfhjsdkfh
September 18, 2017
Maddie Hansen and Blake Sinclair are each grown up members of two families that have been against each other for many years.
Thrown together once again they find their antagonism turning to a different kind of heat, lust that turns to love.
I thought the beginning would perhaps drive me crazy when Blake kept repeating over and over that Maddie pushing her glasses back up her nose was "her tell.
Thank goodness the second half of the book made up for my irritation but still did not totally sell me on these two as characters could really care about or root for.
Happy the book was a free read and glad to have found the inhabitants of Prairie as it's small town vibe resonated with this small town woman very much. In some happy ways and in some not so fond ones just like Maddie.
Thrown together once again they find their antagonism turning to a different kind of heat, lust that turns to love.
I thought the beginning would perhaps drive me crazy when Blake kept repeating over and over that Maddie pushing her glasses back up her nose was "her tell.
Thank goodness the second half of the book made up for my irritation but still did not totally sell me on these two as characters could really care about or root for.
Happy the book was a free read and glad to have found the inhabitants of Prairie as it's small town vibe resonated with this small town woman very much. In some happy ways and in some not so fond ones just like Maddie.
Want to read
December 20, 2022Purchase Amazon February 21, 2020
Amazon Title 'Heart of a Cowboy'
Amazon Title 'Heart of a Cowboy'
July 12, 2017
I'm giving this book 4 stars instead of 5 simply because it read like The Never Ending Tale movie...it just went on and on with too many scenes like peat and repeat. After awhile, I just wanted to yell ENOUGH already!!
The storyline was good, but the main characters annoyed me...Blake was a martyr as the oldest Sinclaire brother while Maddie Hansen was a whiny ass that could have used a good spanking or two. I was never so glad to read the last few lines in this one. (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and was glad to finally reach the HEA and the words The End!)
The storyline was good, but the main characters annoyed me...Blake was a martyr as the oldest Sinclaire brother while Maddie Hansen was a whiny ass that could have used a good spanking or two. I was never so glad to read the last few lines in this one. (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and was glad to finally reach the HEA and the words The End!)
January 2, 2018
I'm a sucker for a nerdy girl and a hot guy who sees her, I mean really sees her for everything that she is and more so for everything she's unaware that she is. Maddie begins to fill that brief and Blake kind of fits that too. Completely? No. But pretty close.
The story started off pretty good with an unexpected meeting, a significant background event, and the beginnings of some pretty incendiary passion. Frustration and denial and misunderstandings crept in and slowly took over. When Maddie's father begins meddling and then collapsing their truncated evening can no longer be relegated to past regrets of unforgettable heat. Blake and Maddie are thrust together in an unlikely coupling and the secrets are piling up with each chapter we read.
The past can never stay in the past, though, so when things really heat up in more ways than one, the house of sand Blake has built begins to shift and crumble. With one major confrontation everyone's lives, even those on the periphery, are changed. Blake's greatest fear has come true and Maddie's heart is crushed. After the feelings of hurt and betrayal take root, how can they get back the love and life they were building? It'll take more than Blake and Maddie have ever had to give before.
While there was a ton of drama and passion from the beginning I can't say that I was a fan of all of it. I was more than frustrated with Blake's pushing. Maddie needed to be pushed but I felt that there were so many instances of pots calling the kettles black that I had a hard time taking anything seriously. Maddie needed the push, yes, but she didn't need the callousness and the accusations that went along with it. Blake needed a wake-up call and it didn't come until almost the end.
Together Blake and Maddie were an ideal pairing. How things developed from the beginning and well through the middle, though, was difficult to swallow. Honesty and tender compassion were thin on the ground almost all the way through. The last third of the story saved the book. The confessions, the sharing, the forgiving, the feels...they were so great that they made it worth reading through all the rest of the frustration. When they bare it all they really bare it all. Each of them find their humility and allow love to come to the surface, softening all the hurt from secrecy, misunderstandings, and history. The end was wonderful. Not saying the greatness of the ending validated all the angst through the first two thirds of the book but it finally lived up to its potential.
The story started off pretty good with an unexpected meeting, a significant background event, and the beginnings of some pretty incendiary passion. Frustration and denial and misunderstandings crept in and slowly took over. When Maddie's father begins meddling and then collapsing their truncated evening can no longer be relegated to past regrets of unforgettable heat. Blake and Maddie are thrust together in an unlikely coupling and the secrets are piling up with each chapter we read.
The past can never stay in the past, though, so when things really heat up in more ways than one, the house of sand Blake has built begins to shift and crumble. With one major confrontation everyone's lives, even those on the periphery, are changed. Blake's greatest fear has come true and Maddie's heart is crushed. After the feelings of hurt and betrayal take root, how can they get back the love and life they were building? It'll take more than Blake and Maddie have ever had to give before.
While there was a ton of drama and passion from the beginning I can't say that I was a fan of all of it. I was more than frustrated with Blake's pushing. Maddie needed to be pushed but I felt that there were so many instances of pots calling the kettles black that I had a hard time taking anything seriously. Maddie needed the push, yes, but she didn't need the callousness and the accusations that went along with it. Blake needed a wake-up call and it didn't come until almost the end.
Together Blake and Maddie were an ideal pairing. How things developed from the beginning and well through the middle, though, was difficult to swallow. Honesty and tender compassion were thin on the ground almost all the way through. The last third of the story saved the book. The confessions, the sharing, the forgiving, the feels...they were so great that they made it worth reading through all the rest of the frustration. When they bare it all they really bare it all. Each of them find their humility and allow love to come to the surface, softening all the hurt from secrecy, misunderstandings, and history. The end was wonderful. Not saying the greatness of the ending validated all the angst through the first two thirds of the book but it finally lived up to its potential.
January 18, 2022
I absolutely love reading Tessa Layne's books (this is not the first one I've read, even if it is the first book in the series). She brings her characters to life without them being overplayed. So they may be angsty (both Maddie and Blake) but, it's not overdone (for example, I didn't put the book down and never come back because I wanted to smack them). I also think her characters are well-spoken. I love when a character can communicate their feelings to other characters within the story. You'd think that would be important but, I've plenty of books where substantial character-to-character communication is lacking.
My only critique of the story involved the last conflict between Maddie and Blake, I think it could have been led up to better, and its execution at the end as a plot twist missed a few marks. So it acts as the climax of the story. The point where Blake and Maddie have to evaluate their relationship. (Where it's come from and going to, and also what part they play in the drama that ensues.) But it moves like a bullet. You have the pre-climax, climax, and denouement within 3 short chapters. Then you jump to the Epilogue. To be fair, this is common in romance novels. They hit you with the climax, and then everything is Happily Ever After. But most of these stories would benefit from taking this part a little slower. I didn't just spend a few hours leading up to this point for a wham, bam, thank you, ma'am.
Would I Recommend This?
All that being said, I do like the story, even if I wish there was a little more to the back end. If you are a fan of small-town romance novels, I think that you will truly enjoy this book. I also think it is a good book if you are new to reading romance novels and are looking for a sub-genre to get into. The characters aren't overplayed in their characterizations, and the story moves pretty fluidly. For me, it was a pretty quick read; it only took a couple of hours.
Overall I'd give it 4.5/5 stars (but we can't do .5 stars here so, sorry).
If you found my review at all helpful or enjoyable, please feel free to check me out on my blog: Gypsy Reading.
My only critique of the story involved the last conflict between Maddie and Blake, I think it could have been led up to better, and its execution at the end as a plot twist missed a few marks. So it acts as the climax of the story. The point where Blake and Maddie have to evaluate their relationship. (Where it's come from and going to, and also what part they play in the drama that ensues.) But it moves like a bullet. You have the pre-climax, climax, and denouement within 3 short chapters. Then you jump to the Epilogue. To be fair, this is common in romance novels. They hit you with the climax, and then everything is Happily Ever After. But most of these stories would benefit from taking this part a little slower. I didn't just spend a few hours leading up to this point for a wham, bam, thank you, ma'am.
Would I Recommend This?
All that being said, I do like the story, even if I wish there was a little more to the back end. If you are a fan of small-town romance novels, I think that you will truly enjoy this book. I also think it is a good book if you are new to reading romance novels and are looking for a sub-genre to get into. The characters aren't overplayed in their characterizations, and the story moves pretty fluidly. For me, it was a pretty quick read; it only took a couple of hours.
Overall I'd give it 4.5/5 stars (but we can't do .5 stars here so, sorry).
If you found my review at all helpful or enjoyable, please feel free to check me out on my blog: Gypsy Reading.
August 14, 2017
Maddie has never had true love with a passion in her life, her life is revolved around numbers and research. When Maddie gets the news about her father she finally goes home for the first time in years and the first person she sees is Blake. Blake and Maddies families have been in this war for years so when Maddies father says something about them to be married he goes with it in hopes of getting his family farm back but both of them not realizing that their lives will be forever changed when they fall for each other.
What I enjoyed most about Prairie Heat is watching how fast Blake falls for Maddie and how he would do anything for her and his need to make her happy and to stand up for her. Watching Maddie go from not wanting a relationship to wanting it all as long as its with Blake. Seeing both Blake and Maddie build a friendship that turns into love, and how both families work together when it counts. Plus this story is very entertaining when it comes to Blake' brothers and Maddie's father as there is LOL moments as well as OMG times.
This book was great, I enjoyed every page. This book has Maddie a woman who has been living away from home doing what she does best and loves until she gets a call to get home to her father who is in the Hospital, Blake a man on a mission to get his land back never expects that while trying to do that he will save Maddies fathers life and then become apart of a another family when he pretends to be engaged to Maddie to help her father along in his decision to sign over the land but what he wasnt expecting was to totally and completely fall in love with Maddie and want everything he never wanted before, a love story. If you like stories like this, then Prairie Heat is a must!
What I enjoyed most about Prairie Heat is watching how fast Blake falls for Maddie and how he would do anything for her and his need to make her happy and to stand up for her. Watching Maddie go from not wanting a relationship to wanting it all as long as its with Blake. Seeing both Blake and Maddie build a friendship that turns into love, and how both families work together when it counts. Plus this story is very entertaining when it comes to Blake' brothers and Maddie's father as there is LOL moments as well as OMG times.
This book was great, I enjoyed every page. This book has Maddie a woman who has been living away from home doing what she does best and loves until she gets a call to get home to her father who is in the Hospital, Blake a man on a mission to get his land back never expects that while trying to do that he will save Maddies fathers life and then become apart of a another family when he pretends to be engaged to Maddie to help her father along in his decision to sign over the land but what he wasnt expecting was to totally and completely fall in love with Maddie and want everything he never wanted before, a love story. If you like stories like this, then Prairie Heat is a must!
July 10, 2017
Blake Sinclair is a man of man secrets ones he has no intention of revealing ever. He is the eldest son and is determined to reclaim his family's ranch. The ranch his father gambled away to his avow enemy Warren Hans. Warren has no intention of letting Blake have the land. However, there is something Warren wants that only Blake can provide. He wants his estrange daughter to return home. So he suggest a deal with Blake. If Blake will marry his daughter in exchange he will sell Blake's family's ranch back to him but before they can seal the deal Warren has a heart attack.
Maddie Hansen is Warren's daughter. She is a physicist who has known Blake forever and when they met up again in Chicago at Maddie's office there was an instant attraction between them. The chemistry between these two adversaries was off the wall. When Maddie's father has his heart attack she decides to return home. Back home Maddie meets up with Blake
and reluctantly agrees to help him by pretending to be his fiancée. The question is will Maddie and Blake be able to find true happiness with each other when they are both hiding things from one another? Can Blake finally redeem his family's ranch? Will they be able to end the feud between the two conflicting family's. Just when you think you know all the answers you will discover you really don't. This book is so full of twist and turns, it will keep you guessing to the very end.
This is Tessa Layne first novel in this terrific new series. I love this book and can't wait to read the next one.
I received this as an advanced reader copy from the author and I am voluntarily posing this fair and balance review.
Maddie Hansen is Warren's daughter. She is a physicist who has known Blake forever and when they met up again in Chicago at Maddie's office there was an instant attraction between them. The chemistry between these two adversaries was off the wall. When Maddie's father has his heart attack she decides to return home. Back home Maddie meets up with Blake
and reluctantly agrees to help him by pretending to be his fiancée. The question is will Maddie and Blake be able to find true happiness with each other when they are both hiding things from one another? Can Blake finally redeem his family's ranch? Will they be able to end the feud between the two conflicting family's. Just when you think you know all the answers you will discover you really don't. This book is so full of twist and turns, it will keep you guessing to the very end.
This is Tessa Layne first novel in this terrific new series. I love this book and can't wait to read the next one.
I received this as an advanced reader copy from the author and I am voluntarily posing this fair and balance review.
July 13, 2017
Blake is a complicated man. He has had to grow up and take care of his younger siblings since going off to college. Even away, he was more responsible than his father. No wonder he tries to do what is best for everyone else and not take care of himself first. Maddie is used to being misunderstood. She was always ahead of her class and picked on as a result. A long time ago Blake had rescued her from a bully. Now she meets up with him again, but as adults, and finds out the attraction wasn't a fluke. Her roommate is a chef that is working with the Sinclairs on their marketing of the bison they raise for meat. She has met Blake and thinks he'd be perfect for her roommate. Little does she know, they are from the same hometown. Sparks fly, but Maddie is a Hansen and was raised to hate Blake's family. There has been a feud between the two families for decades. However, these two have chemistry in spades. The attraction doesn't go away. When she comes home to take care of her dad after a near-fatal heart attack, she runs into Blake again. The same bully is around and there are secrets she doesn't know about. I love the banter between these two and how she handles Brodie, Blake's youngest brother. Ben, the middle brother sounds like he will be a treat for some lucky lady. This is a fantastic start to a new series that I will be looking to read more of.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book.
November 18, 2017
What happens when brains meets brawn? Heat! And lots of it! Maddie Hansen has been ridiculed most of her life, having to fight against bullies in all aspects of life, including school, work and the men in her life. After her supposed “love of her life” almost destroyed her, taking advantage of her youth and her brains, she has sworn off of men, for more than the past ten years. Until her best friend and roommate Jamey, introduces her to a man, unknowingly, from her past. The only man to ever stand up for her, and perhaps the only one who could truly destroy her heart, if she ever finds the courage to open up and feel! Blake is on a crusade for the ranch, trying to increase their client base for their bison farm, with some extremely appreciated help from his friend, chef Jamey O’Neill. But when Jamey tries to introduce him to “a friend”, he’s a bit leary, until he sees just who that friend is. The moment he sets eyes on the beautiful Maddie Hansen, he knows his life is about to change. But when family feuds are fresh on the mind, and secrets start to spill, will this duo manage to stay the road? Or will they find their hearts shattered, once again?
Beautifully written in a style that will steal your heart and whisk you away on a journey of true love, this book will not only captivate you, it will leave you with a thirst for more of these people from Prairie.
Beautifully written in a style that will steal your heart and whisk you away on a journey of true love, this book will not only captivate you, it will leave you with a thirst for more of these people from Prairie.
November 10, 2017
Wow! That just about sums up my opinion of this book. I've never read this author before but she certainly convinced me that I should get the next book and get it as soon as possible. Great writing, excellent storyline, terrific drama and romance; all this written with heart and imagination. There is a property line and neighboring ranches feud which is at the heart of the book. Well, maybe not the heart, but definitely the center of conflict. The secrets held by each family bring tension and heartache. Blake Sinclaire has worked his whole life to support his family and keep the ranch out of the reaches of the bank. His father, the local drunk, left them in debt when he died, as well as, part of his ranch was now owned by his neighbor, Warren Hansen. Warren's daughter, Maddie, left for college as a young teenager and had her Masters Degree by the time she was 20. Being a scientist, she felt she had to analyze everything in her life but she couldn't figure out Blake. I loved this story, got the clench in my heart as problems nearly destroyed her and read on to the end as I didn't want to put it down. Congratulations, excellent job of writing.
December 17, 2020
Madison Jane (Maddie) and Blake
Blake is in Chicago making contacts with people who will want his and his brother's bison. Jamey the chef whose helping him wants to introduce him to her best friend. Only once he lays eyes on her friend he can't believe it, it's none other than Maddie. The daughter of his sworn enemy, Warren Hansen back home. The Sinclair's and Hansen's have been enemies for 12 years, ever since their father lost 500 acres in a poker game to Warren. Did he though? Blake has been carrying around secrets for 12 years now and he is trying his best to keep anyone from finding out about them. When Warren has a major heart attack Maddie comes back home. Things heat up when it's Blake that meets her at the airport instead of one of her cousins Axe or Gunner. What is going on? Will Blake be able to keep all of his secrets from coming out? Will Maddie's arch nemesis Kylee Ross, the one who bullied her the whole time growing up, continue to make trouble for her? Only one way to find out, read this great story by Tessa Layne. You wont want to stop till the last word and then you will still want more!
Blake is in Chicago making contacts with people who will want his and his brother's bison. Jamey the chef whose helping him wants to introduce him to her best friend. Only once he lays eyes on her friend he can't believe it, it's none other than Maddie. The daughter of his sworn enemy, Warren Hansen back home. The Sinclair's and Hansen's have been enemies for 12 years, ever since their father lost 500 acres in a poker game to Warren. Did he though? Blake has been carrying around secrets for 12 years now and he is trying his best to keep anyone from finding out about them. When Warren has a major heart attack Maddie comes back home. Things heat up when it's Blake that meets her at the airport instead of one of her cousins Axe or Gunner. What is going on? Will Blake be able to keep all of his secrets from coming out? Will Maddie's arch nemesis Kylee Ross, the one who bullied her the whole time growing up, continue to make trouble for her? Only one way to find out, read this great story by Tessa Layne. You wont want to stop till the last word and then you will still want more!
February 6, 2017
Prairie Heat was the first book I have ever read from this author and I think I just found a new favorite author. I will be 1- clicking everything she puts out.
I really enjoyed this book. It has everything – love, growth, hurt, betrayal, crazy ex, crazy families, heart and sexy times.
What can I say about Blake, he was a definite book boyfriend. He is just an all-around good man who wanted to do right by his family. Some of his choices were a little misguided but his intentions were true.
Maddie was a character that at times I really liked her but there were other times I wanted to knock sense into her. To me, emotions are basic human characteristic. Everyone has them and most expresses them. So, I had a hard time relating to Maddie in a few scenes because she was acting almost like a robot. But I had to keep in mind, given how she was raised and then what happened with her first boyfriend, I might be closed off also.
This was a wonderful book and I can’t wait to read book two.
I really enjoyed this book. It has everything – love, growth, hurt, betrayal, crazy ex, crazy families, heart and sexy times.
What can I say about Blake, he was a definite book boyfriend. He is just an all-around good man who wanted to do right by his family. Some of his choices were a little misguided but his intentions were true.
Maddie was a character that at times I really liked her but there were other times I wanted to knock sense into her. To me, emotions are basic human characteristic. Everyone has them and most expresses them. So, I had a hard time relating to Maddie in a few scenes because she was acting almost like a robot. But I had to keep in mind, given how she was raised and then what happened with her first boyfriend, I might be closed off also.
This was a wonderful book and I can’t wait to read book two.
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