What do you think?
Rate this book
Copper Ridge #8
Down Home Cowboy
This Texas cowboy has come home to Copper Ridge to put down roots…but will he risk his heart again?
Asked where he'd be at this point in life, Cain Donnelly would have said anywhere but Copper Ridge, Oregon, living with his estranged brothers. But since his wife abandoned them, both he and his daughter, Violet, are in need of a fresh start, so he's back to claim his share of the family ranch. Local baker Alison Davis is a delicious temptation, but she's also his daughter's mentor and new boss. That makes her off-limits…until she offers a no-strings deal that no red-blooded cowboy could resist.
Alison has worked tirelessly to rebuild her life, and she won't jeopardize her hard-won independence. Especially if it also complicates Cain's relationship with Violet. But with Cain offering a love she never thought was possible, Alison has to find the courage to let her past go…or watch her future ride away for good.
Asked where he'd be at this point in life, Cain Donnelly would have said anywhere but Copper Ridge, Oregon, living with his estranged brothers. But since his wife abandoned them, both he and his daughter, Violet, are in need of a fresh start, so he's back to claim his share of the family ranch. Local baker Alison Davis is a delicious temptation, but she's also his daughter's mentor and new boss. That makes her off-limits…until she offers a no-strings deal that no red-blooded cowboy could resist.
Alison has worked tirelessly to rebuild her life, and she won't jeopardize her hard-won independence. Especially if it also complicates Cain's relationship with Violet. But with Cain offering a love she never thought was possible, Alison has to find the courage to let her past go…or watch her future ride away for good.
356 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 27, 2017
241 people are currently reading
1033 people want to read
About the author
Maisey Yates
1,161 books2,997 followersNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit. In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book.
Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.
She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.
Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.
She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
February 4, 2019
A great romance featuring a single-father hero and a heroine who is using a damaging past to empower other women. Abandonment, domestic violence, and reinvention in spite of it all. I so enjoyed this Maisey Yates novel. Although part of a series, I read it as a standalone with no consequences. Enjoy!!
My favorite quote:
“It’s amazing what can happen when you let yourself heal.”
My favorite quote:
“It’s amazing what can happen when you let yourself heal.”
July 17, 2017
I enjoy the Copper Ridger series, but this slight spin-off series of the Donnelly brothers is hitting all my buttons! Cain Donnelly is one hot cowboy. He wears a Stetson, he has a beard, he wears tight black t-shirts. He knows how to charm the ladies by tipping his hat. His wife abandoned him and his daughter and for the past four years he has been a single dad. He hasn't even had sex! Oh Cain. He moved back to Copper Ridge to help his brothers run their family ranch. And honestly - because his sixteen year old daughter is pulling away from him and he doesn't know what to do. His brothers aren't too much help with her - but they are family and he feels like this is where he belongs.
Alison is divorced and had an abusive husband. She has moved on from him, but she has not dated for four years either. She owns the local bakery in town and is known for bringing in women to work for her who are having a hard time in life. Paying the town back for taking her in after getting away from her abusive ex. She has a good group of girlfriends and offers to help Violet, Cain's daughter, by giving her a job to hopefully give her something to do in her new town. The problem is - Violet's dad is super hot and Alison gets all flustered around him. Cain stares back at her with lust in his eyes and before you know it, they are having sex in the bakery. Oopsie. They have a very strong attraction - but they don't want complications. So just fun sex - and no feelings. Right? *wink*
Maisey Yates writes such fun books. Just really sexy heroes and heroines - with great chemistry, all the while giving us a nice family atmosphere and a lovely small town. She makes Cain broody and grumpy and darn it, I fall for a grumpy hero every time! He has no idea how to relate or talk to his sixteen year old daughter and I thought this came across really well. Violet is written well for a teenager too - she definitely felt sixteen. While he still has some room to get closer with his brothers (they didn't grow up together) their banter made me smile in this one. Alison has a great group of girlfriends too and I love girlfriend time in romance books.
"I mean, physically, he would be a lot of fun."
"You're a bunch of perverts," Alison said. "Anyway, my life is full. I'm fulfilled. My business is going well, and I'm making a difference. I don't need to be distracted."
"I make a difference in a man's life every night," Lane said, looking very smug indeed.
Cain and Alison have a fun, sexy relationship - trying to figure things out after four years of loneliness and before that, rotten marriages. Love wins in the end and these two are good together.
"Backseat," he growled against her mouth.
"You mean you don't just want to kiss?" she asked, her tone far too innocent to be genuine.
"You should know better than to go parking with men like me."
"You seemed so nice back there when I was baking the cake."
"That's how we get you."
This can be read as a stand alone but I also really liked the first Donnelly book, Slow Burn Cowboy. Ready for brother Alex next!
Grade: B+
Alison is divorced and had an abusive husband. She has moved on from him, but she has not dated for four years either. She owns the local bakery in town and is known for bringing in women to work for her who are having a hard time in life. Paying the town back for taking her in after getting away from her abusive ex. She has a good group of girlfriends and offers to help Violet, Cain's daughter, by giving her a job to hopefully give her something to do in her new town. The problem is - Violet's dad is super hot and Alison gets all flustered around him. Cain stares back at her with lust in his eyes and before you know it, they are having sex in the bakery. Oopsie. They have a very strong attraction - but they don't want complications. So just fun sex - and no feelings. Right? *wink*
Maisey Yates writes such fun books. Just really sexy heroes and heroines - with great chemistry, all the while giving us a nice family atmosphere and a lovely small town. She makes Cain broody and grumpy and darn it, I fall for a grumpy hero every time! He has no idea how to relate or talk to his sixteen year old daughter and I thought this came across really well. Violet is written well for a teenager too - she definitely felt sixteen. While he still has some room to get closer with his brothers (they didn't grow up together) their banter made me smile in this one. Alison has a great group of girlfriends too and I love girlfriend time in romance books.
"I mean, physically, he would be a lot of fun."
"You're a bunch of perverts," Alison said. "Anyway, my life is full. I'm fulfilled. My business is going well, and I'm making a difference. I don't need to be distracted."
"I make a difference in a man's life every night," Lane said, looking very smug indeed.
Cain and Alison have a fun, sexy relationship - trying to figure things out after four years of loneliness and before that, rotten marriages. Love wins in the end and these two are good together.
"Backseat," he growled against her mouth.
"You mean you don't just want to kiss?" she asked, her tone far too innocent to be genuine.
"You should know better than to go parking with men like me."
"You seemed so nice back there when I was baking the cake."
"That's how we get you."
This can be read as a stand alone but I also really liked the first Donnelly book, Slow Burn Cowboy. Ready for brother Alex next!
Grade: B+
January 12, 2018
3/5 flames on the flame meter
I was coming off the heels of reading two serious toned books and needed a diversion. Maisey Yates' series is the perfect escape for when you need to shift reading gears.
Cain Donnelly needed a fresh start: his wife left him and his daughter to never return. After four years of waiting for her he relocated from his home in Texas to Oregon - much to the displeasure of his daughter, Violet - leaving their ghost behind. Alison Davis is a young divorcee who left an abusive marriage. She prides herself on helping women just like her by employing them at her bakery, but is still haunted by the woman she used to be.
Each has been celibate for four years. Neither wants a relationship, but they take one look at each other and something is definitely there. They enter into a no strings, purely physical arrangement but things get messy. Hot and messy, and more messy.
Reading about cowboys made me miss my TV cowboy crush, Wade Kinsella...just look at that smile ;)
Cain's character is quite charming too. Yes, he may be damaged and have terrible communication skills, but you can't help but to root for him. Alison you just want to shake and tell her to "wake up darnit!" Hehe. If you are looking for a romance series check out Mrs. Yates' work.
If you have read her work before, let me know which is your favorite of her Copper Ridge series.
I was coming off the heels of reading two serious toned books and needed a diversion. Maisey Yates' series is the perfect escape for when you need to shift reading gears.
Cain Donnelly needed a fresh start: his wife left him and his daughter to never return. After four years of waiting for her he relocated from his home in Texas to Oregon - much to the displeasure of his daughter, Violet - leaving their ghost behind. Alison Davis is a young divorcee who left an abusive marriage. She prides herself on helping women just like her by employing them at her bakery, but is still haunted by the woman she used to be.
Each has been celibate for four years. Neither wants a relationship, but they take one look at each other and something is definitely there. They enter into a no strings, purely physical arrangement but things get messy. Hot and messy, and more messy.
Reading about cowboys made me miss my TV cowboy crush, Wade Kinsella...just look at that smile ;)
Cain's character is quite charming too. Yes, he may be damaged and have terrible communication skills, but you can't help but to root for him. Alison you just want to shake and tell her to "wake up darnit!" Hehe. If you are looking for a romance series check out Mrs. Yates' work.
If you have read her work before, let me know which is your favorite of her Copper Ridge series.
April 28, 2017
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup. (live release day)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pFvPne
Down Home Cowboy all kinds of delicious fun! A growly frazzled cowboy trying to raise a 16 year old and a bakery owner trying to reclaim her life. Both very much set against ever falling in love again but rocking an intense need to see each other nekkid. Mmhm.
Yall, these two were quite the mess of sexual tension, frustration, and a fear of anything 'romance'. Whew! They'd been pretty fucked over by life-- her with an abusive marriage, him with a wife walking out on him and their kid-- and were both dealing with a lot of baggage. Including a pissed-at-the-world sixteen year old. Cain's kid. Alison's newest employee at her bakery.
I liked Cain and Alison. And wanted to shake them. And thought they were perfect for each other when they could stop freaking out or growling at each other over things. Then I maybe wanted to shake em again. lol They had great chemistry and were pretty damn hot together. I didn't totally by their sudden jump to LOVE but I did see them making their way towards that point.
The pissed off teenager? Cain and his daughter. Holy heck. It was painful and heartbreaking and frustrating watching the two of them lash out and deal with their abandonment. It was hard to watch but seeing them finally deal with things was powerful. I might have even cried a little. Maybe.
I did have a couple little quibbles-- I really wanted the heroine to apologize for something-- and would have liked one more chapter at the end before things wrapped up, but, overall, Down Home Cowboy was everything I expect from Yates. Hot cowboys, characters that you can root for and and emotional journey that'll leave you breathless. Add in a bit of humor and steam and, yeah, a damn good time.
July 13, 2017
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/revi...
3 ½ ★
This is the 8th book in the Copper Ridge series but it can be easily read as a standalone. I have not read any of the previous books and did not feel like I missed something. Which is always good.
Most know, that I enjoy Cowboy books among Rockstar and Hockey books , when it comes to romance books, so it was really way to like this book.
This was the first book I read by Maisey Yates but I plan on reading more of her books. I liked the writing style it had a nice flow to it and was easy to follow and get lost in.
I did enjoy the story and the characters for the most part, some parts were a bit annoying but nothing major that made me want to stop reading. I l liked the back story of the characters and it made us really see why they are the way they are.
While most of the story was easy to predict it still was very enjoyable to read. I enjoyed all the side characters as well even if I did not know that from the precious books.
I thought they had just the right amount of page-time not too much or little.
Overall. Great read and looking forward to read more by this author.
I rate it 3 ½ ★
September 14, 2017
Down Home Cowboy was an excellent romance with characters who learn to love again despite their heartbreaking pasts and I really enjoyed it!
Cain Donnelly never expected to return to Copper Ridge, but after his wife abandoned them, he and his daughter Violet are in need of a change. So when Cain is attracted to his daughter’s new boss, Alison Davis, he sets those feelings aside to focus on his relationship with Violet. Alison has worked hard to rebuild her life after her disaster of a marriage and she won’t let anything jeopardize that. However, Cain pulls at her in a way she hasn’t felt in a long time, so she offers up a no-strings deal believing it will only ever be physical. Soon, Alison and Cain are in deeper than either of them planned and will have to decide if they can let the past go to move forward to a better future together.
Cain has trouble putting how he feels into words and believes his actions should show that he cares. His inability to talk about things has put a strain on his relationship with his daughter and with his brothers as well. His actions clearly show how much he loves his daughter, but I definitely understood how she might not see that after her mother walked out. Like the rest of the Donnellys, he didn’t have the easiest time growing up, which likely contributed to his difficulty talking about things.
Alison has been one of my favorite side characters up to this point. I admire how she was able to make a life for herself when everyone in town doubted she could. I loved that she uses her bakery to help women who come from situations similar to her own gain experience to rejoin the workforce. Alison’s experience at the bakery definitely helped her work with Violet through her issues and I enjoyed the scenes where they got to bond.
Cain and Alison had great chemistry right from the beginning. Their attraction to one another blindsided them both and I liked watching them initially try to resist one another. Once they do get together, it’s incredibly sexy and the scenes were very enjoyable. On the non-physical side of things, Alison definitely helped Cain in his relationship with Violet and was a very positive influence when it came to his relationships in general. Cain also helped Alison see that taking on a new relationship didn’t necessarily mean giving up all of her hard won freedom.
I definitely think you could pick up the Donnelly portion of the Copper Ridge series without reading the other books, but as always I think you get more out of the books by reading all of them. Down Home Cowboy has definitely helped cement the Donnelly family as my favorite in this series and I look forward to the last two brothers’ books.
**I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
Cain Donnelly never expected to return to Copper Ridge, but after his wife abandoned them, he and his daughter Violet are in need of a change. So when Cain is attracted to his daughter’s new boss, Alison Davis, he sets those feelings aside to focus on his relationship with Violet. Alison has worked hard to rebuild her life after her disaster of a marriage and she won’t let anything jeopardize that. However, Cain pulls at her in a way she hasn’t felt in a long time, so she offers up a no-strings deal believing it will only ever be physical. Soon, Alison and Cain are in deeper than either of them planned and will have to decide if they can let the past go to move forward to a better future together.
Cain has trouble putting how he feels into words and believes his actions should show that he cares. His inability to talk about things has put a strain on his relationship with his daughter and with his brothers as well. His actions clearly show how much he loves his daughter, but I definitely understood how she might not see that after her mother walked out. Like the rest of the Donnellys, he didn’t have the easiest time growing up, which likely contributed to his difficulty talking about things.
Alison has been one of my favorite side characters up to this point. I admire how she was able to make a life for herself when everyone in town doubted she could. I loved that she uses her bakery to help women who come from situations similar to her own gain experience to rejoin the workforce. Alison’s experience at the bakery definitely helped her work with Violet through her issues and I enjoyed the scenes where they got to bond.
Cain and Alison had great chemistry right from the beginning. Their attraction to one another blindsided them both and I liked watching them initially try to resist one another. Once they do get together, it’s incredibly sexy and the scenes were very enjoyable. On the non-physical side of things, Alison definitely helped Cain in his relationship with Violet and was a very positive influence when it came to his relationships in general. Cain also helped Alison see that taking on a new relationship didn’t necessarily mean giving up all of her hard won freedom.
I definitely think you could pick up the Donnelly portion of the Copper Ridge series without reading the other books, but as always I think you get more out of the books by reading all of them. Down Home Cowboy has definitely helped cement the Donnelly family as my favorite in this series and I look forward to the last two brothers’ books.
**I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
June 6, 2017
I have been enjoying this series from the beginning, so I'm at the point where I don't even read who they're about.
I've always liked Alison and I was excited to see that she got her own book. She's a genuinely good person who needs a little good for herself. Cain is stubborn and stoic and it's delightful to read him fall. As always, the group of friends are fun. Same for seeing Cain's brothers.
Plot wise, it was sort of what I expected: a hefty portion of teenage drama with a side of adult drama. They're were some sweet moments, but for a MC who needs to learn to open up and talk, it didn't seem like there was a whole lot of dialogue. And maybe that's where it lost me a bit.
Overall, it was a good story, but sort of lacked a spark I was expecting.
**Huge thanks to Harlequin Books for providing the arc free of charge**
I've always liked Alison and I was excited to see that she got her own book. She's a genuinely good person who needs a little good for herself. Cain is stubborn and stoic and it's delightful to read him fall. As always, the group of friends are fun. Same for seeing Cain's brothers.
Plot wise, it was sort of what I expected: a hefty portion of teenage drama with a side of adult drama. They're were some sweet moments, but for a MC who needs to learn to open up and talk, it didn't seem like there was a whole lot of dialogue. And maybe that's where it lost me a bit.
Overall, it was a good story, but sort of lacked a spark I was expecting.
**Huge thanks to Harlequin Books for providing the arc free of charge**
May 18, 2017
Someone save me from this cowboy rabbit hole I seem to have fallen into.
June 28, 2017
His kiss was like oxygen. As if she had been drowning for years and this was her first sip of salvation.
It woke her up.
I've read every book in Maisey Yates’ Copper Ridge series (even the spin-off titles), and there's a reason I keep coming back to this small coastal town—aside from the sexy cowboys, that is.
Maisey Yates is a smart writer. Her books have heart and humor—two very important elements when it comes to romance—and they also manage to delve into some pretty touchy subjects in a way that doesn't feel in your face. In Down Home Cowboy, Alison is dealing with the aftermath of an abusive husband, while Cain is recovering from his own failed marriage, which resulted in the abandonment of his daughter by her mother.
Sounds heavy, and yes, at times it was enough to make me want to cry, but actually, this is a pretty hopeful story about finding, catching and keep a second chance. It might have taken Cain and Alison time, but for the most part, their growth from sexual relationship to more felt realistic. They were both immensely likable—Cain in that grumpy grr kind of way, and Alison because she was simply a good person. Together, they had delicious chemistry, and heat enough to burn. And aside from all of that, they had something else—communication. They talked, they fought, they acted like real humans.
And it was refreshing. Interesting, if not perfect. Down Home Cowboy was certainly enough to ensure that, once again, I'll be back for more of this series. Especially since Cain’s brother, Alex is up next, and the foundation laid for that has piqued my interest, not just for another sexy cowboy, but for the Wild Ride.
She wanted this man. This strong, uncompromising man. She didn’t fear him. She wanted him. That was good in a million indescribable ways.
~ 4.5 Pie in the Sky STARS ~
It woke her up.
I've read every book in Maisey Yates’ Copper Ridge series (even the spin-off titles), and there's a reason I keep coming back to this small coastal town—aside from the sexy cowboys, that is.
Maisey Yates is a smart writer. Her books have heart and humor—two very important elements when it comes to romance—and they also manage to delve into some pretty touchy subjects in a way that doesn't feel in your face. In Down Home Cowboy, Alison is dealing with the aftermath of an abusive husband, while Cain is recovering from his own failed marriage, which resulted in the abandonment of his daughter by her mother.
Sounds heavy, and yes, at times it was enough to make me want to cry, but actually, this is a pretty hopeful story about finding, catching and keep a second chance. It might have taken Cain and Alison time, but for the most part, their growth from sexual relationship to more felt realistic. They were both immensely likable—Cain in that grumpy grr kind of way, and Alison because she was simply a good person. Together, they had delicious chemistry, and heat enough to burn. And aside from all of that, they had something else—communication. They talked, they fought, they acted like real humans.
And it was refreshing. Interesting, if not perfect. Down Home Cowboy was certainly enough to ensure that, once again, I'll be back for more of this series. Especially since Cain’s brother, Alex is up next, and the foundation laid for that has piqued my interest, not just for another sexy cowboy, but for the Wild Ride.
She wanted this man. This strong, uncompromising man. She didn’t fear him. She wanted him. That was good in a million indescribable ways.
~ 4.5 Pie in the Sky STARS ~
July 1, 2017
2.5 This series is starting to get repetitive: insta-lust attraction, couple decides to engage in sex-only relationship; both halves of the couple fall in love, but only one is willing to admit it/accept it; rejection of a more meaningful relationship; a quick turn-about and acceptance that the relationship is for the long haul. This one features Cain Donnelly, a 38-year-old man with a 16-year-old daughter whose wife/mother left them three years ago. Cain falls in insta-lust with Allison, the daughter's boss, a bakery owner who we met in the early volumes of the series as an abused wife. Allison's ditched abusive husband and is helping other women regain their footing by employing them in her new bakery. Cain's daughter, Violet, is being a rebellious teenager, and Cain asks Allison if she will help him learn how to communicate better with her, in between hot sex sessions. The result: see the above plot outline.
Several things put me off this one: the prevalence of the word "masculine" used to describe Cain (its a short cut used instead of really describing someone's unique reasons for being attractive); a lot of implicit sex-stereotyping in its depiction of women who can talk about their feelings and men who can't; the text's treatment of teen sexuality as something to be afraid of and to repress; and the story's overly-rosy portrayal of Allison's adjustment to having sex for the first time after breaking from her abusive husband. I appreciated Allison not wanting to be regarded as vulnerable, as spun glass (and appreciating Cain because he's new to town and so doesn't know her traumatic backstory, as do all the other guys in town), and the pleasure she gets from fighting with a man whom she doesn't physically fear. But it seemed a bit too unlikely that Allison would have no residual fears/misgivings/involuntary reactions to being with a man sexually again.
Several things put me off this one: the prevalence of the word "masculine" used to describe Cain (its a short cut used instead of really describing someone's unique reasons for being attractive); a lot of implicit sex-stereotyping in its depiction of women who can talk about their feelings and men who can't; the text's treatment of teen sexuality as something to be afraid of and to repress; and the story's overly-rosy portrayal of Allison's adjustment to having sex for the first time after breaking from her abusive husband. I appreciated Allison not wanting to be regarded as vulnerable, as spun glass (and appreciating Cain because he's new to town and so doesn't know her traumatic backstory, as do all the other guys in town), and the pleasure she gets from fighting with a man whom she doesn't physically fear. But it seemed a bit too unlikely that Allison would have no residual fears/misgivings/involuntary reactions to being with a man sexually again.
July 12, 2017
A wonderful installment of Maisey Yates Coopers Ridge series which I wanted to so desperately finish in one sitting!
Caine Donnelly has a fair bit on his good looking shoulders. His family (The Donnelly Brothers); moving ranches from Texas to Oregon; his 16 year old daughter Violet, as well Violet's boss, the first woman he's actually been attracted to in a looooooong time, Alison Davis.
With the incredible skill of making me hooked before I knew it, I was in a world of love, laughter, pain, warmth and second chances and I didn't want it to end. If you imagine being curled up in front of a warm fire on a cold winters evening, this is how I felt reading Down Home Cowboy! I love how the picture is painted brilliantly so my imagination can land me right there, be it the barn Cain finds Violet in, or Alison's bakery or the town itself.
I loved that characters as familiar as family made appearances. I loved the realistic discussions about Violet. I understood both point of views and I really liked the way Alison's story was approached and handled. I felt Cain's pain with his story and I laughed whenever the brothers became involved in anything.
A wonderful story of love, laughter and second chances which had me engaged until the end.
Caine Donnelly has a fair bit on his good looking shoulders. His family (The Donnelly Brothers); moving ranches from Texas to Oregon; his 16 year old daughter Violet, as well Violet's boss, the first woman he's actually been attracted to in a looooooong time, Alison Davis.
With the incredible skill of making me hooked before I knew it, I was in a world of love, laughter, pain, warmth and second chances and I didn't want it to end. If you imagine being curled up in front of a warm fire on a cold winters evening, this is how I felt reading Down Home Cowboy! I love how the picture is painted brilliantly so my imagination can land me right there, be it the barn Cain finds Violet in, or Alison's bakery or the town itself.
I loved that characters as familiar as family made appearances. I loved the realistic discussions about Violet. I understood both point of views and I really liked the way Alison's story was approached and handled. I felt Cain's pain with his story and I laughed whenever the brothers became involved in anything.
A wonderful story of love, laughter and second chances which had me engaged until the end.
July 4, 2017
It doesn't matter how many of the Copper Ridge books I read; I enjoy every single one of them. In Down Home Cowboy, we have Cain -- left by his wife, living in a new place with brothers he hardly knows, and trying to raise his teenager daughter who never seems to talk to him. And then there's Alison -- also a divorcee, heroically employing women in her pie shop to empower them and move them into other jobs, make their lives better. (I love Alison.) When the two make an agreement to embark on a physical relationship, we all know where this is going to go. But I loved how Maisey has these two unlikely characters help each other in their rough spots and come to many conclusions about their past partners and who they were in these relationships.
Over and over again, it is said how love is not easy and there's a lot of work to be done on each side. I like that reminder and I'd bet the occasional romance reader wouldn't think that kind of sentiment was expressed in these stories as much as it is.
Can't wait for the next book to come out in August!
Over and over again, it is said how love is not easy and there's a lot of work to be done on each side. I like that reminder and I'd bet the occasional romance reader wouldn't think that kind of sentiment was expressed in these stories as much as it is.
Can't wait for the next book to come out in August!
July 11, 2018
Maisey Yates is back on form with Down Home Cowboy! I was so disappointed in Slow Burn Cowboy, and I thought maybe the magic had worn off for me after binging the first six Copper Ridge books and taking a break before book seven. Turns out it was just that book I didn't like, as I thought this one was excellent! I'm so glad Alison got her own story after everything that happened in the previous books, and I really liked that she was in a good headspace and was very focused on being herself. There was no hint of Cain coming in to fix everything! And as for Cain, I really liked what a major role his daughter played in the story and how his relationship with her developed as the book progressed. And of course, I loved watching Alison and Cain fall in love and get their happily every after. This book was really well done and I am back on the Maisey Yates bandwagon. I can't wait for Alex and Liam's stories!
September 1, 2021
When I die, bury me in a casket full of Harlequin romance novels. I never feel like I can properly rate these, because it’s an entirely different scale than other books I read, and also because I have a problem and love them all. Sue me.
June 13, 2018
3.5 Possibly interested in reading more in this series. Connects to others, but you don't have to read them in order.
did-not-finish
March 16, 2020I’m just not loving this heroine.
June 30, 2017
Down Home Cowboy talks frankly about abuse and how the victim of abuse in a marriage leaves and recovers. It also looks at another serious problem in our society today - what happens when teens try to kill themselves. For all that it looks at two serious problems it is not a depressing book. All of that is wrapped up in a very nice love story between two people who do not trust and try to make the attraction they feel about just the physical. Cain, his daughter Violet and Alison are really great characters who move the story along at a brisk pace. While both problems are tackled in the story line it is done in a very sensitive manner and shows that with work there can be a happy ending.
I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
August 18, 2017
Originally published at Reading Reality
Maisey Yates’ Copper Ridge series has been a bit of a mixed bag for me. I adored Last Chance Rebel, but let’s just say that I did not feel much love for Slow Burn Cowboy. On my other hand, my Guest Reviewer Amy clearly enjoyed Hold Me, Cowboy. So we were two out of three coming into Down Home Cowboy.
And we have another winner.
Neither Cain Donnelly nor Alison Davis are looking for a relationship. But they are both looking for sex. Four years is a long dry spell for anyone in their early-to-middle 30s, even coming out of their completely different but equally bad relationships.
Maybe not quite equally bad. Alison was abused by her ex-husband for eight years, and her four years post-divorce have been a journey of self-discovery and self-fulfillment. But her baggage is huge and painful, and she’s just reached the point where she is willing to dip her toe back into the waters of sex. But she is unwilling to cede an inch of her hard-won independence to any man for any reason. And it’s impossible to blame her.
Cain’s ex-wife left him four years ago, running off and leaving him with sole custody of their daughter Violet. Dealing with the fallout from that disaster, along with being a single father, has left Cain with little time, energy or inclination to get involved with anyone, until he meets Alison.
But they definitely start out on the same page. They both want sex, but neither of them is interested in the complication of a relationship. Things are already complicated enough – Alison is Violet’s boss at her bakery, and it seems like working for Alison is the first thing that Violet has even half enjoyed since Cain uprooted them from Texas and moved in with his half-brothers in the ranch they all inherited from their grandfather.
(The details of that particular SNAFU are in Slow Burn Cowboy. And while the romance in that book was a bit of a disappointment, the messy drama of the Donnelly boys making themselves into a functionally dysfunctional family was a load of fun. I’m happy to see more of them! Possibly not quite as happy as Alison is to see ALL of Cain, but that’s part of what makes Down Home Cowboy work.)
The problem that Cain and Alison have is that it is difficult to make love without feeling at least a little love (Which was also one of Finn’s issues in Slow Burn Cowboy. This may be a trend.) And no matter what fibs they told themselves about what they were expecting from their liaison, it’s pretty clear from the beginning that they are, quite definitely, making love and not just getting their ashes hauled. Not that they aren’t doing that, quite well, too.
But when Cain challenges Alison to admit that they both feel more for each other than they planned on, Alison lets her past fears ruin her present hopes. Unless she can finally drop the baggage that’s weighing her down for good.
Escape Rating B+: This one was fun. And it was way, way, way more fun than Slow Burn Cowboy, without quite rising to the level of angsty goodness that was Last Chance Rebel.
This is a story where everyone has baggage, and everyone needs to drop it. Or learn to carry it. Or both. And it’s a story where everyone is afraid, and with good reason.
Both Violet and Cain fear abandonment. His father abandoned him, his mother was an alcoholic, and her mother abandoned both her and Cain. Those fears are all real. Alison is afraid of losing herself again, the way she did in her abusive marriage. She’s not certain her new found strength and independence is strong enough to let her love someone without letting them take her over, even though she knows that her ex’s need to take her over and grind her down had way more to do with him than with her. That she let it happen haunts her to the point of preventing her from moving all the way forward, and we understand why.
Watching them all overcome the worst of what��s holding them back and learning to cope with the rest in a healthy and not destructive fashion is what makes this story work. At least, that’s what made the story work for this reader, and I hope for lots of others.
Maisey Yates’ Copper Ridge series has been a bit of a mixed bag for me. I adored Last Chance Rebel, but let’s just say that I did not feel much love for Slow Burn Cowboy. On my other hand, my Guest Reviewer Amy clearly enjoyed Hold Me, Cowboy. So we were two out of three coming into Down Home Cowboy.
And we have another winner.
Neither Cain Donnelly nor Alison Davis are looking for a relationship. But they are both looking for sex. Four years is a long dry spell for anyone in their early-to-middle 30s, even coming out of their completely different but equally bad relationships.
Maybe not quite equally bad. Alison was abused by her ex-husband for eight years, and her four years post-divorce have been a journey of self-discovery and self-fulfillment. But her baggage is huge and painful, and she’s just reached the point where she is willing to dip her toe back into the waters of sex. But she is unwilling to cede an inch of her hard-won independence to any man for any reason. And it’s impossible to blame her.
Cain’s ex-wife left him four years ago, running off and leaving him with sole custody of their daughter Violet. Dealing with the fallout from that disaster, along with being a single father, has left Cain with little time, energy or inclination to get involved with anyone, until he meets Alison.
But they definitely start out on the same page. They both want sex, but neither of them is interested in the complication of a relationship. Things are already complicated enough – Alison is Violet’s boss at her bakery, and it seems like working for Alison is the first thing that Violet has even half enjoyed since Cain uprooted them from Texas and moved in with his half-brothers in the ranch they all inherited from their grandfather.
(The details of that particular SNAFU are in Slow Burn Cowboy. And while the romance in that book was a bit of a disappointment, the messy drama of the Donnelly boys making themselves into a functionally dysfunctional family was a load of fun. I’m happy to see more of them! Possibly not quite as happy as Alison is to see ALL of Cain, but that’s part of what makes Down Home Cowboy work.)
The problem that Cain and Alison have is that it is difficult to make love without feeling at least a little love (Which was also one of Finn’s issues in Slow Burn Cowboy. This may be a trend.) And no matter what fibs they told themselves about what they were expecting from their liaison, it’s pretty clear from the beginning that they are, quite definitely, making love and not just getting their ashes hauled. Not that they aren’t doing that, quite well, too.
But when Cain challenges Alison to admit that they both feel more for each other than they planned on, Alison lets her past fears ruin her present hopes. Unless she can finally drop the baggage that’s weighing her down for good.
Escape Rating B+: This one was fun. And it was way, way, way more fun than Slow Burn Cowboy, without quite rising to the level of angsty goodness that was Last Chance Rebel.
This is a story where everyone has baggage, and everyone needs to drop it. Or learn to carry it. Or both. And it’s a story where everyone is afraid, and with good reason.
Both Violet and Cain fear abandonment. His father abandoned him, his mother was an alcoholic, and her mother abandoned both her and Cain. Those fears are all real. Alison is afraid of losing herself again, the way she did in her abusive marriage. She’s not certain her new found strength and independence is strong enough to let her love someone without letting them take her over, even though she knows that her ex’s need to take her over and grind her down had way more to do with him than with her. That she let it happen haunts her to the point of preventing her from moving all the way forward, and we understand why.
Watching them all overcome the worst of what��s holding them back and learning to cope with the rest in a healthy and not destructive fashion is what makes this story work. At least, that’s what made the story work for this reader, and I hope for lots of others.
July 16, 2017
4.5 stars
This is kind of a tricky review to write because I have so many thoughts about it that I don't even know where to begin.
First off ever since I learned about a year ago that Alison was getting a bookI was so excited and couldn't wait for her book to be released. My anticipation for this book was huge. I mean beyond huge. So my expectations were a little high to say the least. It was really going to be hard to meet my expectations and even surpassing them because I anticipated this for so long. They probably unrealistic but they were there. And I was right it didn't quite meet my expectations, but I didn't hate it. In fact I liked the book very much and throughly in the end especially the further I went the book because it for more emotional and raw and jut really deep. And that part of the story was really awesome. It just took me a little time to warm up to the story and kind of get over my expectations for it then it was fine.
I think my big issue in the story was just how casual of an arrangement that Cain and Alison entered into, even though it did preview that fact in the synopsis, I don't think I was quite prepared for how casual it felt me. It was based on a physical attraction between them at first that they decided to just go with. I am a big stickler for those type of relationships and tend to like them, and I kind of didn't like it here either. It was once the emotion came into play that for me it got so much. I just wasn't expecting to feel like that but I did while I was reading it. It probably do with the fact that I thought Alison deserved better after all she went through in her life. She needed more from a relationship than that. Not that she didn't go into it willingly and knew what the arrangement for what it was, heck she was the one who suggested it in the first place, but it just didn't feel right to me. That's just my opinion.
I loved Cain as much as I loved Alison, and I love Alison a lot and wanted her to get her HEA in the end. Cain was just such a good guy. He was doing everything in his power for his daughter even though he didn't feel he knew what the heck he was doing. He still did everything with her in mind and really had to put up with a lot from Violet. But he kept trucking on and do what was best for her and putting his needs aside for her. He really was sinking but he was trying. I just loved seeing his journey that really came all the way around. He held so much back due to his own emotional insecurities, and it was nice to see him learn go and finally open up to the people he loved. He was a well rounded character, and I loved him. He had such a good heart and some of the blows that he had to face ripped out my heart. It was painful to watch yet it was beautiful because he could finally open up to the good in his life after confronting the pain he faced. I loved seeing him open up. And it didn't hurt that he was hot as hell. He was yummy. There was just so much to love about him.
As for Alison I loved her, but I did want to shake her at the same time. She really surprised me and wasn't what I was expecting not only her proposing the arrangement between them but also her attitude. In reading the Copper Ridge series and getting to know her and see her journey in various books and seeing her getting stronger and stronger as the books progressed, I felt a certain attachment to her. I thought I understood her. Clearly I was wrong and this story opened my eyes to how wrong I was. She was a little firecracker with lots of spirit but also a big loving heart. She could see others so clearly but not herself, which was surprising considering her background. But I thought going into this book she might be a little timid and resistant to getting into a physical relationship with him. Not the case. It was more the emotional side of their relationship that she was hesitant about, which again was totally understandable. But she really flew head first with Cain and really couldn't stop. She didn't need coddling. She just needed him.
Another aspect of this story I really enjoyed was the relationship that Alison had with Violet. It was a mentoring relationship but it went beyond that. They had a bond that kept growing and growing over the course of the book. They had a really nice friendship. I loved all the honest talks that they had together, and how they came to understand one another, there in by Alison could relay what Violet needed from Cain so they could have a better father-daughter relationship. And that bond strength them because of Alison's relationship with Violet. Without that there wouldn't have been a strong relationship between Alison and Cain. That was how they learned to relate to each and to Violet. It brought them closer together which was needed in order for them to succeed as a couple.
I also enjoyed seeing the friends interact from each of the books. Alison was the last remaining Single one in the group and she was feeling a little left out and thought that she wouldn't be alone in no romantic prospects. The girls try to encourage her to get back out there but it proved difficult for Allison at first. But I loved all their little humorous girl nights out because it was really clear that they were friends and really cared about one another and wanting the best for one another. I just loved seeing their friendship played out on the pages, which is sometimes hard to find in romance. I loved how they had all moments they had together and all their honest conversations that they had and in which really helped Allison overcome her fears and give in to her feelings for Cain because otherwise if she didn't have their support I don't know if she could've gone through with it. They were some of the most truthful scenes that I have read and some of the most beautiful.
The emotional side of the story definitely took a while to get there for me but when it did it just was off the charts good and so worth it in the end. It became so satisfying to see both of their emotional journeys play out and what they had to work through before they got their HEA. And it was work and struggle but worth it in the end. After all they both had some severe baggage that they had to through. A lot of damage had been done to them in the past so in order for them to have a future they had to worth through and overcome the fear that in order to have love in their life. After that that I almost didn't care and I saw the point of why they started the way the started. It was to show how far had really come. It was really telling that their first three times didn't happen in the bedroom but last one did. That last scene was not only about their physical closeness but emotional too. I loved when they finally held each other afterwards and slept in the same bed. That spoke volumes to me, and it really hit home how serious they became compared to the casualness that it was. That brilliant development and showing the relationship and the steps that it took. I may not have liked their relationship and casualness in the beginning but I understand why it was in there. It was really raw emotional journey for both of them that I was glad I get to see played out on the page. That made the story worth it in the end.
Another thing that really stood out for me was their first date. It was just so cute and adorable and really romantic, but not only that it showed that Cain really wanted to get know who the real Alison was. He wanted to know everything. The good and bad. I could really feel need in him through out the whole book as he fell more and more in love with her. But more with this scene he really wanted to make feel special and pampered because he knew she needed that. It was just a sweet where it showed their bond grow as they got closer and closer. And that was beautiful.
Overall this was another solid addition to the Copper Ridge series, and though I wasn't head over heels in love with, I did enjoy it very much. I was so glad that Alison finally got her HEA in the end, and Cain really was the right fit for her that I could see her with no one else. They shared connection not only physical but emotional too. They had that bond of failed marriages that caused a lot of hurt in their lives and basically avoid complicated, emotional and romantic relationship. They understood that pain and could relate to the other really well. Though I may not have liked their casual physical relationship in the beginning, I understand now why it had to be there. It had to show how their changed and grew and deepened with every turn of the page and that was a very good thing. Once the emotions came into play, then all bets were off and the book really took after that for me.
Maisey Yates knows how create an emotional, raw and sometimes painful romantic journeys. It what she does best really. I got punched in the gut a couple times and I did up a little especially after their final bedroom scene that was just heartbreaking. That just took the cake really. This story just really got this series and again was a really addition for the series. In fact I don't think this series could do no wrong, and this was another example of that.
Can't wait to read the next two Donnelly brothers stories, I have a feeling they are going to be whoopers too.
This is kind of a tricky review to write because I have so many thoughts about it that I don't even know where to begin.
First off ever since I learned about a year ago that Alison was getting a bookI was so excited and couldn't wait for her book to be released. My anticipation for this book was huge. I mean beyond huge. So my expectations were a little high to say the least. It was really going to be hard to meet my expectations and even surpassing them because I anticipated this for so long. They probably unrealistic but they were there. And I was right it didn't quite meet my expectations, but I didn't hate it. In fact I liked the book very much and throughly in the end especially the further I went the book because it for more emotional and raw and jut really deep. And that part of the story was really awesome. It just took me a little time to warm up to the story and kind of get over my expectations for it then it was fine.
I think my big issue in the story was just how casual of an arrangement that Cain and Alison entered into, even though it did preview that fact in the synopsis, I don't think I was quite prepared for how casual it felt me. It was based on a physical attraction between them at first that they decided to just go with. I am a big stickler for those type of relationships and tend to like them, and I kind of didn't like it here either. It was once the emotion came into play that for me it got so much. I just wasn't expecting to feel like that but I did while I was reading it. It probably do with the fact that I thought Alison deserved better after all she went through in her life. She needed more from a relationship than that. Not that she didn't go into it willingly and knew what the arrangement for what it was, heck she was the one who suggested it in the first place, but it just didn't feel right to me. That's just my opinion.
I loved Cain as much as I loved Alison, and I love Alison a lot and wanted her to get her HEA in the end. Cain was just such a good guy. He was doing everything in his power for his daughter even though he didn't feel he knew what the heck he was doing. He still did everything with her in mind and really had to put up with a lot from Violet. But he kept trucking on and do what was best for her and putting his needs aside for her. He really was sinking but he was trying. I just loved seeing his journey that really came all the way around. He held so much back due to his own emotional insecurities, and it was nice to see him learn go and finally open up to the people he loved. He was a well rounded character, and I loved him. He had such a good heart and some of the blows that he had to face ripped out my heart. It was painful to watch yet it was beautiful because he could finally open up to the good in his life after confronting the pain he faced. I loved seeing him open up. And it didn't hurt that he was hot as hell. He was yummy. There was just so much to love about him.
As for Alison I loved her, but I did want to shake her at the same time. She really surprised me and wasn't what I was expecting not only her proposing the arrangement between them but also her attitude. In reading the Copper Ridge series and getting to know her and see her journey in various books and seeing her getting stronger and stronger as the books progressed, I felt a certain attachment to her. I thought I understood her. Clearly I was wrong and this story opened my eyes to how wrong I was. She was a little firecracker with lots of spirit but also a big loving heart. She could see others so clearly but not herself, which was surprising considering her background. But I thought going into this book she might be a little timid and resistant to getting into a physical relationship with him. Not the case. It was more the emotional side of their relationship that she was hesitant about, which again was totally understandable. But she really flew head first with Cain and really couldn't stop. She didn't need coddling. She just needed him.
Another aspect of this story I really enjoyed was the relationship that Alison had with Violet. It was a mentoring relationship but it went beyond that. They had a bond that kept growing and growing over the course of the book. They had a really nice friendship. I loved all the honest talks that they had together, and how they came to understand one another, there in by Alison could relay what Violet needed from Cain so they could have a better father-daughter relationship. And that bond strength them because of Alison's relationship with Violet. Without that there wouldn't have been a strong relationship between Alison and Cain. That was how they learned to relate to each and to Violet. It brought them closer together which was needed in order for them to succeed as a couple.
I also enjoyed seeing the friends interact from each of the books. Alison was the last remaining Single one in the group and she was feeling a little left out and thought that she wouldn't be alone in no romantic prospects. The girls try to encourage her to get back out there but it proved difficult for Allison at first. But I loved all their little humorous girl nights out because it was really clear that they were friends and really cared about one another and wanting the best for one another. I just loved seeing their friendship played out on the pages, which is sometimes hard to find in romance. I loved how they had all moments they had together and all their honest conversations that they had and in which really helped Allison overcome her fears and give in to her feelings for Cain because otherwise if she didn't have their support I don't know if she could've gone through with it. They were some of the most truthful scenes that I have read and some of the most beautiful.
The emotional side of the story definitely took a while to get there for me but when it did it just was off the charts good and so worth it in the end. It became so satisfying to see both of their emotional journeys play out and what they had to work through before they got their HEA. And it was work and struggle but worth it in the end. After all they both had some severe baggage that they had to through. A lot of damage had been done to them in the past so in order for them to have a future they had to worth through and overcome the fear that in order to have love in their life. After that that I almost didn't care and I saw the point of why they started the way the started. It was to show how far had really come. It was really telling that their first three times didn't happen in the bedroom but last one did. That last scene was not only about their physical closeness but emotional too. I loved when they finally held each other afterwards and slept in the same bed. That spoke volumes to me, and it really hit home how serious they became compared to the casualness that it was. That brilliant development and showing the relationship and the steps that it took. I may not have liked their relationship and casualness in the beginning but I understand why it was in there. It was really raw emotional journey for both of them that I was glad I get to see played out on the page. That made the story worth it in the end.
Another thing that really stood out for me was their first date. It was just so cute and adorable and really romantic, but not only that it showed that Cain really wanted to get know who the real Alison was. He wanted to know everything. The good and bad. I could really feel need in him through out the whole book as he fell more and more in love with her. But more with this scene he really wanted to make feel special and pampered because he knew she needed that. It was just a sweet where it showed their bond grow as they got closer and closer. And that was beautiful.
Overall this was another solid addition to the Copper Ridge series, and though I wasn't head over heels in love with, I did enjoy it very much. I was so glad that Alison finally got her HEA in the end, and Cain really was the right fit for her that I could see her with no one else. They shared connection not only physical but emotional too. They had that bond of failed marriages that caused a lot of hurt in their lives and basically avoid complicated, emotional and romantic relationship. They understood that pain and could relate to the other really well. Though I may not have liked their casual physical relationship in the beginning, I understand now why it had to be there. It had to show how their changed and grew and deepened with every turn of the page and that was a very good thing. Once the emotions came into play, then all bets were off and the book really took after that for me.
Maisey Yates knows how create an emotional, raw and sometimes painful romantic journeys. It what she does best really. I got punched in the gut a couple times and I did up a little especially after their final bedroom scene that was just heartbreaking. That just took the cake really. This story just really got this series and again was a really addition for the series. In fact I don't think this series could do no wrong, and this was another example of that.
Can't wait to read the next two Donnelly brothers stories, I have a feeling they are going to be whoopers too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2017
I have been following the people at the Copper Ridge since the beginning and enjoyed the visit there. They have always been entertaining, steamy, and fun reads with charming characters finding their destinies. I am at the point that when I see 'Copper Ridge' I get excited.
Both Cain and Allison have appeared in previous stories, so I was super excited to see them finding their happily forever after with each other, those two really deserve it, if anyone. I just didn't expect them to break my heart in the process.
Allison, Cain, and Cain's teenage daughter Violet all touched my heart with their brokenness, their hope for the better tomorrows, willingness to work on themselves to achieve the better days, to open up, to learn to communicate, to learn to love and trust again.
The story touches many issues most of us have struggled at one point or another, making it easy to relate to the characters and to their situation, to their feelings. There is the teenage angst, finding yourself, feeling that you are not enough, accepted, or loved. The problems of parenting and with our parents, the ever so fragile balance on those parental relationships as we grow and mature and rebel against the authority. There is the aftermath Allison has to go through after living years with an abusive husband. The whole process with Allison is dealt with tender yet honest way, respecting the victim as a true survivor that she is.
All this just resonated with me so that I was holding my breath, just wishing and hoping that they find their balance, their happiness, and acceptance, feel the love that surrounds them. Yet it was Cain, his loneliness, his history of being abandoned, not feeling loved, his fear of intimacy and rejection that stood out. The utter devastation of his feelings, the raw honesty of them, his struggle to connect with Violet, and Allison, even with his brothers, his willingness to do the hard things, have the difficult conversations and put himself out there open and vulnerable just hit me hard. His growth to be the man he wanted to be, the best version of himself, to be the man his loved ones needed and wanted him to be, knew that he could be, the author lays all the fragile emotions there, and let me feel each and every one of them as the story progress.
Yes, there is all the fun banter, the warm family connections, and the friends who would do anything for you that are some of the trademarks of the series. There are the passion-filled moments that steam the windows, and cake baking that could be considered foreplay. There are moments with the brothers that had me chuckling, and teenage angst that had me groaning, but it is the deep emotions that cut me to the core, that still makes me tear up as I write this review, that makes this story stand out for me, that makes it one of the treasured ones that will stay with me, that puts it into the thin folder of 'My Favorites from 2017'.
A must-read book, in my opinion.
~ Five Spoons
Both Cain and Allison have appeared in previous stories, so I was super excited to see them finding their happily forever after with each other, those two really deserve it, if anyone. I just didn't expect them to break my heart in the process.
Allison, Cain, and Cain's teenage daughter Violet all touched my heart with their brokenness, their hope for the better tomorrows, willingness to work on themselves to achieve the better days, to open up, to learn to communicate, to learn to love and trust again.
The story touches many issues most of us have struggled at one point or another, making it easy to relate to the characters and to their situation, to their feelings. There is the teenage angst, finding yourself, feeling that you are not enough, accepted, or loved. The problems of parenting and with our parents, the ever so fragile balance on those parental relationships as we grow and mature and rebel against the authority. There is the aftermath Allison has to go through after living years with an abusive husband. The whole process with Allison is dealt with tender yet honest way, respecting the victim as a true survivor that she is.
All this just resonated with me so that I was holding my breath, just wishing and hoping that they find their balance, their happiness, and acceptance, feel the love that surrounds them. Yet it was Cain, his loneliness, his history of being abandoned, not feeling loved, his fear of intimacy and rejection that stood out. The utter devastation of his feelings, the raw honesty of them, his struggle to connect with Violet, and Allison, even with his brothers, his willingness to do the hard things, have the difficult conversations and put himself out there open and vulnerable just hit me hard. His growth to be the man he wanted to be, the best version of himself, to be the man his loved ones needed and wanted him to be, knew that he could be, the author lays all the fragile emotions there, and let me feel each and every one of them as the story progress.
Yes, there is all the fun banter, the warm family connections, and the friends who would do anything for you that are some of the trademarks of the series. There are the passion-filled moments that steam the windows, and cake baking that could be considered foreplay. There are moments with the brothers that had me chuckling, and teenage angst that had me groaning, but it is the deep emotions that cut me to the core, that still makes me tear up as I write this review, that makes this story stand out for me, that makes it one of the treasured ones that will stay with me, that puts it into the thin folder of 'My Favorites from 2017'.
A must-read book, in my opinion.
~ Five Spoons
July 2, 2024
Never having it as a little boy, Cain Donnelly longed for family and stability. After he got a girl pregnant at twenty-two, he married her, but they weren't in love and it became more and more awkward over the years. He still took it hard when she walked out on him and their daughter. It's been four years, and Cain is tired of being alone, but that doesn't mean he's ready to find love again. He's a little jaded and doesn't realize that he built a wall around his heart. He's trying his damnedest to patch his difficult relationship with his sixteen years old girl, but she's too angry at the world and he doesn't know how to make her open up to him.
Alison Davis have her own demons and know what it is to lose everything. She lost herself to an abusive man over several years, but now she's finally happy again, gladly single and own a bakery in Copper Ridge, where she hire women in needs of guidance or a place to rediscover oneself like she did. She gives a job to Violet Donnelly, recognizing herself in the teenager with a chip on her shoulder.
When Alison learn that the man who caught her attention at Ace's Bar is Violet's father, she try to convince herself she must resist temptation. But it takes two to tango and right from the start, the attraction between them is pretty potent and he's not immune to it too. If it was not for his daughter, Cain would probably go through life living like a zombie, but for the first time since his divorce, he feels alive, even hopeful, and all thanks to a pretty red-haired woman.
Cain tried to convince himself and use his daughter as the perfect excuse to not get involve again with a woman. The truth is that he's got abandonment issues. It's part of the reason why he can't seem to connect with his daughter, even if he want the best for her and try so hard to fix the relationship; they both hold themselves back because they're are afraid to be left behind again. That's also why he's gonna ask Alison for help in understanding and dealing with Violet's attitude. But is he ready to hear the truth and that no matter how hard he try maybe his way is not the best way to deal with it ? And is Alison ready to risk her heart again ?
More than a romance, this story is about three people. Three lost souls who have to find how to trust again so they can find their true potential and each other.
If you're familiar with Maisey Yates's writing style, you know it's gonna be an emotional journey for Cain, Alison and Violet and that every word is fill with depth, tension, intensity and passion. This story is a nice addition to the series and Alex's story who's next sound really promising.
Alison Davis have her own demons and know what it is to lose everything. She lost herself to an abusive man over several years, but now she's finally happy again, gladly single and own a bakery in Copper Ridge, where she hire women in needs of guidance or a place to rediscover oneself like she did. She gives a job to Violet Donnelly, recognizing herself in the teenager with a chip on her shoulder.
When Alison learn that the man who caught her attention at Ace's Bar is Violet's father, she try to convince herself she must resist temptation. But it takes two to tango and right from the start, the attraction between them is pretty potent and he's not immune to it too. If it was not for his daughter, Cain would probably go through life living like a zombie, but for the first time since his divorce, he feels alive, even hopeful, and all thanks to a pretty red-haired woman.
Cain tried to convince himself and use his daughter as the perfect excuse to not get involve again with a woman. The truth is that he's got abandonment issues. It's part of the reason why he can't seem to connect with his daughter, even if he want the best for her and try so hard to fix the relationship; they both hold themselves back because they're are afraid to be left behind again. That's also why he's gonna ask Alison for help in understanding and dealing with Violet's attitude. But is he ready to hear the truth and that no matter how hard he try maybe his way is not the best way to deal with it ? And is Alison ready to risk her heart again ?
More than a romance, this story is about three people. Three lost souls who have to find how to trust again so they can find their true potential and each other.
If you're familiar with Maisey Yates's writing style, you know it's gonna be an emotional journey for Cain, Alison and Violet and that every word is fill with depth, tension, intensity and passion. This story is a nice addition to the series and Alex's story who's next sound really promising.
June 27, 2017
This is my first book by Maisey Yates and I am thrilled to say I've found a new author. Down Home Cowboy was fun, sweet and sexy without being cliche or cheesy. I am fast reader. I could have easily finished this in one sitting but I was enjoying the characters so much I found myself slowing down and really delving into the story rather than rushing to find where the plot would go.
The characters' conflicts and relationships are layered and complex and the descriptions have just the right mix of explanation and imagery as to enhance, not bog down, the story.
As a mother of two teenagers, I greatly appreciated the authentic relationship between Cain and Violet. Neither is portrayed as perfect or flawless. Both make mistakes and show frustration which makes the reader empathize with them all the more.
The secondary characters (Alison's friends, Cain's brothers, and other people in town) added depth and interest to the story. As soon as I finished the book, I hit Maisey Yates' website to see about other books and realized I am quite late to Copper Ridge party. There are plenty of other books about these characters for me to explore and I'm especially excited about Wild Ride Cowboy after reading the excerpt at the end of Down Home Cowboy. I would enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good, fun romance.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher
The characters' conflicts and relationships are layered and complex and the descriptions have just the right mix of explanation and imagery as to enhance, not bog down, the story.
As a mother of two teenagers, I greatly appreciated the authentic relationship between Cain and Violet. Neither is portrayed as perfect or flawless. Both make mistakes and show frustration which makes the reader empathize with them all the more.
The secondary characters (Alison's friends, Cain's brothers, and other people in town) added depth and interest to the story. As soon as I finished the book, I hit Maisey Yates' website to see about other books and realized I am quite late to Copper Ridge party. There are plenty of other books about these characters for me to explore and I'm especially excited about Wild Ride Cowboy after reading the excerpt at the end of Down Home Cowboy. I would enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good, fun romance.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher
July 27, 2020
My favorite Maisey Yates novel to date, I think. Everything in this book is just about perfect. (No self-hating virgins or questionable attempts at portraying BIPOC, for instance.) The protagonists are two divorced people in their thirties with a bunch of baggage who attempt—and then promptly fail at—a friends-with-benefits situation. Feelings get strong way too fast, but love is impeded by the author's trademark angst. A lot of personal growth happens throughout, and the chemistry was excellent. As always, if you're in the mood for small town romance, Yates is probably one of the best currently writing.
📌 . Blog | Review Database | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
📌 . Blog | Review Database | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
September 29, 2018
This was an OK book but needed some pruning--I didn't need pages and pages and pages of our two main characters' thought processes as they examined their motives and needs over and over AND over again. I like the series premise and the side characters, but 376 pages was too much for this particular book. Is the author being paid by the word? I think not, so pare it down, please!
October 10, 2017
This one was a cute read but really needed some editing. I found so many mistakes that it took away from the story.
September 16, 2019
better than the last one
January 24, 2018
"This wasn't her healing, no. It was the evidence that she had already healed."
What a sweet story! I really enjoyed both MCs here. Cain, that hottie, yes-stereotypical-cowboy and the damaged and healing Alison. I hadn't read any previous books in this series so I came in completely blind to either character's past. I liked that actually. It was a refreshing change to come at a character like Alison, a woman who escaped a brutal marriage, but had already progressed so far as to be firmly healed in her mind - only to realize she had more healing to do. Lots of times with a character arc like Alison's, you have to go through the initial healing with them. In this case, though, it's either because I hadn't read previous books in the Copper Ridge series, or because the author deliberately dropped you into Alison's story near the climax (i.e. full recovery). And that was a nice change of pace. The story didn't focus as much on the abuse or the ex or the monumental emotional growth the woman had to go through to get to where she was. At the start of the story, she's already basically there... Her body is ready to get back out there, even if her mind rebels at the idea.
Very refreshing indeed!
"You don't get things right the first time. There's no guarantee you'll get them right the second time. Or the third time. But you'll never get it right if you stop."
Very powerful and very truthful words. And perfectly describes both of these bruised and lovable characters. While I kind of picked Cain's character right away, I really enjoyed watching him grow and develop throughout the story. And I don't get where some reviews say he didn't talk at all. That man could do a sh*t-load of talking when he needed to! His reaching out to Violet and then confession to Alison and then painful confession to his daughter afterward... Oh that was a great side of him. I even liked how he disappeared to work off his stress and frustration rather than talk. That's not necessarily a bad human trait. I know. I do it myself and it calms me before I approach the problem.
His brothers are entertaining and I definitely look forward to reading Alex and Liam's story. I liked how Cain had to deal with both communicating with his teenage daughter "...because you can't please teenagers ever." and realize that he did indeed deserve to be smiled at. Alison's last line really tweaked the ol' ticker here for sure!
Good solid, feel good story here! I liked the author's excellent little quips and one-liners that really got you thinking.
"in those dark hours between midnight and sunrise when memories scuttled in like spiders from dark corners." That one actually gave me goosebumps... though maybe because I'm arachnophobic...
"...difficult to ask for help when you'd half convinced yourself that it was your own fault you needed it."
"If green had a smell, it would be that smell that rode the coastal air across the mountains. Fresh and heavy, all a the same time." Oh how that made me homesick!
"some of the worst ghosts I've had to deal with have been the ghosts of the living."
She also made me absolutely laugh out loud!
"...benefits of a little bit of medicinal penis..."
"She made that horrible, cat-hacking-up-a-hair-ball sound that teenagers made when they just couldn't even with you." O.M.G how TRUE is that?!?!
"Butter is a lot like alcohol when applied directly to the problem." here here!
"Basically Alison and the Seven Douchebags."
Too fun. I enjoyed this. I really did. Liked the characters, the story, the writing, the location, the HEA definitely. Great book.
What a sweet story! I really enjoyed both MCs here. Cain, that hottie, yes-stereotypical-cowboy and the damaged and healing Alison. I hadn't read any previous books in this series so I came in completely blind to either character's past. I liked that actually. It was a refreshing change to come at a character like Alison, a woman who escaped a brutal marriage, but had already progressed so far as to be firmly healed in her mind - only to realize she had more healing to do. Lots of times with a character arc like Alison's, you have to go through the initial healing with them. In this case, though, it's either because I hadn't read previous books in the Copper Ridge series, or because the author deliberately dropped you into Alison's story near the climax (i.e. full recovery). And that was a nice change of pace. The story didn't focus as much on the abuse or the ex or the monumental emotional growth the woman had to go through to get to where she was. At the start of the story, she's already basically there... Her body is ready to get back out there, even if her mind rebels at the idea.
Very refreshing indeed!
"You don't get things right the first time. There's no guarantee you'll get them right the second time. Or the third time. But you'll never get it right if you stop."
Very powerful and very truthful words. And perfectly describes both of these bruised and lovable characters. While I kind of picked Cain's character right away, I really enjoyed watching him grow and develop throughout the story. And I don't get where some reviews say he didn't talk at all. That man could do a sh*t-load of talking when he needed to! His reaching out to Violet and then confession to Alison and then painful confession to his daughter afterward... Oh that was a great side of him. I even liked how he disappeared to work off his stress and frustration rather than talk. That's not necessarily a bad human trait. I know. I do it myself and it calms me before I approach the problem.
His brothers are entertaining and I definitely look forward to reading Alex and Liam's story. I liked how Cain had to deal with both communicating with his teenage daughter "...because you can't please teenagers ever." and realize that he did indeed deserve to be smiled at. Alison's last line really tweaked the ol' ticker here for sure!
Good solid, feel good story here! I liked the author's excellent little quips and one-liners that really got you thinking.
"in those dark hours between midnight and sunrise when memories scuttled in like spiders from dark corners." That one actually gave me goosebumps... though maybe because I'm arachnophobic...
"...difficult to ask for help when you'd half convinced yourself that it was your own fault you needed it."
"If green had a smell, it would be that smell that rode the coastal air across the mountains. Fresh and heavy, all a the same time." Oh how that made me homesick!
"some of the worst ghosts I've had to deal with have been the ghosts of the living."
She also made me absolutely laugh out loud!
"...benefits of a little bit of medicinal penis..."
"She made that horrible, cat-hacking-up-a-hair-ball sound that teenagers made when they just couldn't even with you." O.M.G how TRUE is that?!?!
"Butter is a lot like alcohol when applied directly to the problem." here here!
"Basically Alison and the Seven Douchebags."
Too fun. I enjoyed this. I really did. Liked the characters, the story, the writing, the location, the HEA definitely. Great book.
May 31, 2017
Cain Donnelly has moved back to Copper Ridge with his daughter for a fresh start after his wife left them. However, he's finding it very hard to get along with his daughter when she resents him for making the move away from her friends and everything familiar. Determined to re-connect with Violet, he asks her new boss, Alison Davis for help. Will they together uncover what's going on with his daughter and hopefully have their own chance at a happy ending?
This is the first book I've read by Ms. Yates, even though I've had book friends recommend this author's books to me time and time again. Right from the beginning, this story was entertaining, fast-paced and I liked how this story began. Cain and his brothers were estranged before he moved to Oregon, and yet, it seems they're determined to stick together through the good times and the bad and I liked how Cain's brothers tease him and are determined to get him back to the dating world or at least to find a woman to have a good time with. Will he listen to his brothers and go for it?
The dialogue was compelling, and I was captivated by the main characters back stories. Alison had it tough during her marriage, and it's understandable why she fights so hard for her independence and doesn't want to give another man a chance. However, in saying that, I liked how Cain won her over by showing her how different he is to her ex. I also liked how determined she was in the moment where she asked Cain for what she wanted, because she hasn't been intimate with a man in years and Cain seems like the perfect man since neither want more than the other is willing to give. Meaning, neither have to worry if the other wants more out of their relationship. Yet, what I liked most of all about the heroine is how Alison has made a difference in so many women's lives, because no one should have to endure what she did during her marriage.
While the hero, I liked that he wasn't afraid to ask for help when it came to helping his daughter with everything she's going through. Her mother's abandonment has done a real number on the teen, and it's understandable why she's acting the way she does. What if she loses someone else she loves? I also liked how kind, caring and determined Cain was to gain Alison's trust. Because it's palpable that talking about her past is painful, and yet, opening up to Cain is good for her. Then there's the growing bond between Cain and his brothers, which shows they will do anything for each other, and is proven when Cain goes through a worrisome time for any parent.
Overall, Ms. Yates has delivered a wonderful read in this book, where the chemistry was intense, the romance was hot, and which tugged at my heart-strings due to what both the hero and heroine have been through in the past that has made them wary of getting involved with someone else. Luckily though, Alison is willing to take a chance on Cain. The way this story ended had me a tad concerned that this couple might not achieve their happy ever after, as Alison is scared after what she went through in her marriage. Will Cain be able to win her over? Will her friends be able to make her realize that love is worth fighting for? However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up brilliantly, as it's told from a secondary character's point-of-view and reveals how good life is, despite everything they've been through and that makes this person realize that family is important. I would recommend Down Home Cowboy by Maisey Yates, if you enjoy second chance romances or books by authors Jennifer Ryan, RaeAnne Thayne, Carolyn Brown or Linda Lael Miller.
July 1, 2017
A man and a woman lock eyes across a crowded bar room. The electricity and attraction is immediate. Man and woman waste time trying to ignore said attraction. Man and woman give into said attraction but try to deny it’s anything more than physical while falling madly in love. That’s the skeleton of Down Home Cowboy and it’s very familiar to readers of modern romance novels being the basis for probably 80% of them that aren’t friends to lovers or enemies to lovers stories. But what makes Down Home Cowboy special and Maisey Yates one of my favorite romance authors is the way she takes that skeleton and fleshes it out to make it so much more.
Cain and Allison are damaged people. They had lousy childhoods followed up by lousy marriages. They’re both unknowningly desperate to reconnect with a member of the opposite sex and find love but have trouble getting out of their own way to let that happen. Add to this Cain is trying to raise Violet his sixteen year old daughter whom his ex-wife abandoned right along with him four years ago. Plus Cain is still feeling his way through his relationship with his three half-brothers with whom he’s only had a tenuous relationship. Allison is a survivor of domestic abuse having been married to a man for eight years who abused her both physically and emotionally. Fortunately Allison has a trio of wonderful friends, fellow Main St. shopkeepers, to support her. She has her friends, she has her bakery which not only supports her but allows her to help women with similar backrounds get back on their feet. She tells herself her life is full and complete although as a healthy 32 year old woman she is tiring of being celibate since her divorce. Especially since her close knit friends are all sporting that orgasmic glow since finding their own forever loves. She tells herself she doesn't want a relationship, doesn't have time for one. She just wants to get good and laid. Enter Cain Donnelly. Like Allison it's been four years since Cain has 'done the deed" and he's tired of living like a monk. Like Allison he tells himself he doesn't have the time or interest in a relationship but he sure could use some sexual release. As fate would have it Allison is with her friends on a "girls night" and Cain with his brothers on a rare evening out when they spot each other at Ace's bar. While they never introduce themselves to each other they can barely keep their eyes off of each other. Let the games begin!
This is a story about love between a man and a woman. About not letting your past define your future. But it’s also the story of love between a father and a daughter, brothers and friends. I was late to the party in regard to the Copper Ridge series and inhaled all the previous books. This was the first one I had to wait for the release of. It was well worth the wait.
Cain and Allison are damaged people. They had lousy childhoods followed up by lousy marriages. They’re both unknowningly desperate to reconnect with a member of the opposite sex and find love but have trouble getting out of their own way to let that happen. Add to this Cain is trying to raise Violet his sixteen year old daughter whom his ex-wife abandoned right along with him four years ago. Plus Cain is still feeling his way through his relationship with his three half-brothers with whom he’s only had a tenuous relationship. Allison is a survivor of domestic abuse having been married to a man for eight years who abused her both physically and emotionally. Fortunately Allison has a trio of wonderful friends, fellow Main St. shopkeepers, to support her. She has her friends, she has her bakery which not only supports her but allows her to help women with similar backrounds get back on their feet. She tells herself her life is full and complete although as a healthy 32 year old woman she is tiring of being celibate since her divorce. Especially since her close knit friends are all sporting that orgasmic glow since finding their own forever loves. She tells herself she doesn't want a relationship, doesn't have time for one. She just wants to get good and laid. Enter Cain Donnelly. Like Allison it's been four years since Cain has 'done the deed" and he's tired of living like a monk. Like Allison he tells himself he doesn't have the time or interest in a relationship but he sure could use some sexual release. As fate would have it Allison is with her friends on a "girls night" and Cain with his brothers on a rare evening out when they spot each other at Ace's bar. While they never introduce themselves to each other they can barely keep their eyes off of each other. Let the games begin!
This is a story about love between a man and a woman. About not letting your past define your future. But it’s also the story of love between a father and a daughter, brothers and friends. I was late to the party in regard to the Copper Ridge series and inhaled all the previous books. This was the first one I had to wait for the release of. It was well worth the wait.
July 17, 2017
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book.**
Two broken hearts find healing together.
Cain has his hands full raising his teenage daughter and trying to convert an old barn into a suitable home for the two of them. Having been abandoned by his wife, he isn't quick to rush back into another relationship. But he can't deny the sexual side of him still craves the touch of a woman. And Alison butters his biscuit like no other.
Alison is a busy bee, herself. Running a bakery and training all of her employees takes up most of her time. Cain's daughter is one of her employees and that makes things complicated when Alison realizes she's lusting after the girl's father in a big way.
Their passion for each other is impossible to deny and soon the pair enter into a physical relationship with a promise to keep feelings out of the arrangement. And that always works out, right? Yeah... Before they know it, emotions get involved and Cain has to decide if he's willing to put his heart on the line and Alison must face the ghosts of her past before she can love again.
I received an advance paperback copy for review. It's the first I've read by this author but won't be the last. This book surprised me by being a lot deeper of a story than I was expecting. Both of our main character's have painful histories in the love department and neither thinks they are ready to move on when the story begins.
The pacing was steady and I'm glad this was dual POV. Seeing things from both sides made it easier to connect with the characters and understand their hesitance to enter into a relationship. The romance was on the spicy side and even though those scenes tended to be a little wordy, I still enjoyed them.
Cain's daughter was a complex character, as well. There were several secondary characters who made an appearance and helped Cain and Alison to recognize their feelings and face the facts. After getting a glimpse of them, I'm definitely interesting in reading their stories. I'm super anxious to see Alex's book, especially.
In closing...
A hot romp in the bakery leads to love. Four suns!
Full review on blog: https://uptildawnbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/07/review-down-home-cowboy-by-maisey-yates.html
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews