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Texas Matchmakers #5

Be Mine, Cowboy

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Prankster Sheri Marsh came to Mule Hollow to go into business with her best friend Lacy Brown… she did not come to fall in love with one of the towns cowboys. Her past has taught her happily-ever-after doesn’t exist for her.

But now, the “matchmaking posse” as she dubbed the town matchmakers have set their sights on her despite being told she’s not interested. And just to teach them a lesson she hatches her own plan — all she needs is a cowboy just as eager to keep them off his back as she is to get them off of hers.

Horse trainer Pace Gentry is just the man she needs for her plan to work… now she just needs to convince the quiet cowboy that pretending to be her boyfriend and teaching the ladies a lesson is the right thing to do.

Escapades in Mule Hollow just took on a whole new level of the unexpected

Note: This book was previously published as Meeting Her Match. This edition includes some fun extras.

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2007

428 people are currently reading
349 people want to read

About the author

Debra Clopton

137 books1,183 followers
International Bestselling Author and Kindle All Star who has sold over 3 million books worldwide and been translated into 3 languages.
Debra Clopton writes wholesome contemporary women's fiction, romance, and contemporary western romances set in Texas and on the beaches of Florida. Her awards include: The Book Sellers Best, Romantic Times Magazine's Book of the Year the Readers Choice Award, and many more. She's also a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Finalist, and a triple finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award.

A sixth generation Texan, Debra lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband Chuck. She loves to travel and spend time with her family. She has written for Harlequin and Harper Collins Christian and now with DCP Publishing. She is thrilled to write for DCP Publishing and see her books being sold worldwide. On any day she usually has books on the Top 100 list and ranks on 80 to a 100 retailer Bestseller list in the USA and around the world.
She loves helping people smile with her fun, fast paced stories.

Visit Debra's website at http://www.debraclopton.com
Check out her Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/debra.clopton.5
Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/debraclopton
Contact her at Debraclopton@yamil.com
Sign up for Debra's newsletter and contests at http://debraclopton.com/contest

COMING AUG 27 AND winter 2020 heartwarming women's fiction

1 WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF
2 WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF
3 WHAT HOPES ARE MADE OF


SUNSET BAY ROMANCE 2019
1 LONGING FOR FOREVER
2 LONGING FOR A HERO
3 LONGING FOR LOVE
4 LONGING FOR EVER AFTER
5 LONGING FOR YOU
6 LONGING FOR US

Ransom Creek 2018
1 HER COWBOY HERO
2 THE COWBOY'S BRIDE FOR HIRE
3 Cooper: CHARMED BY THE COWBOY
4 Shane: THE COWBOY'S JUNK-STORE PRINCES
5 Vance: HER SECOND CHANCE COWBOY
6 Drake: THE COWBOY AND MAISY LOVE
7 Brice: NOT QUITE LOOKING FOR A FAMILY

WINDSWEPT BAY SERIES 2017 & 2018
1 FROM THIS MOMENT ON (FREE)
2 SOMEWHERE WITH YOU
3 WITH THIS KISS short story
4 FOREVER AND FOR ALWAYS
5 HOLDING OUT FOR LOVE
6 WITH THIS RING (FREE)
7 WITH THIS PROMISE
8 WITH THIS PLEDGE
9 WITH THIS WISH
10 WITH THIS FOREVER
11 WITH THIS VOW

2017
She has released 13 books in Enhanced Editions with extra audio clips and photos inside of her Texas Matchmakers series set in her world of Mule Hollow. These Christian Romances will soothe your heart and tickle your soul.
(Previous titles listed)
1 Dream With Me Cowboy (The Trouble with Lacy Brown)
2 Be My Love Cowboy (And Baby Makes Five)
3 This Hearts Yours Cowboy (No Place Like Home)
4 Hold Me Cowboy (Dream a Little Dream)
5 Be Mine Cowboy (Meeting Her Match)
6 Marry Me Cowboy (Operation: Married by Christmas)
7 Cherish Me Cowboy (Next Door Daddy)
8 Surprise Me Cowboy (Her Baby Dreams)
9 Serenade Me Cowboy (The Cowboy Takes a Bride)
10 Return To Me Cowboy (Texas Ranger Dad)
11 Love Me Cowboy (A Mule Hollow Match)
12 Ride With Me Cowboy (His Cowgirl Bride)
13 Dance With Me Cowboy (A Mother for Mule Hollow)
The Turner Creek Ranch (Men of Mule Hollow) 1 1 TREASURE ME COWBOY (Lone Star Cinderella)
2 RESCUE ME COWBOY (Her Forever Cowboy)
3 COMPLETE ME COWBOY (Cowboy For Keeps)
4 SWEET TALK ME (Yultide Cowboy)

What readers are saying:
Debra always delivers...
Couldn't put it down!
Debra gives readers what they want.
I've read every book Debra Clopton has written and as usual I couldn't put this one down!


Follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/#!/debraclopton

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5 stars
306 (58%)
4 stars
142 (27%)
3 stars
59 (11%)
2 stars
11 (2%)
1 star
3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
2,939 reviews38 followers
October 7, 2019
A group in town are matchmakers and Sheri is their next target. Sheri isn’t having any of it and tries to get a new cowboy in town to play along with the gag. He wouldn’t agree since he is Christian and won’t lie. Sheri is also a new Christian and has to let go of her past to find out what love it.
Profile Image for Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library).
4,899 reviews88 followers
October 2, 2017
All I'll say about this one is that, though it was good, it felt a bit too cookie-cutter. If you've read Christian romances before, you've probably already read essentially the same book.
Profile Image for Delia.
Author 65 books106 followers
April 11, 2010
Sheri Marsh has had it up to here with the Mule Hollow matchmaking posse.

Much as she likes the sweet group of older women who fancy themselves the town's very own love connection, their meddling has gotten way out of hand - especially now that those little arrows are aimed at Sheri. What's wrong with a gal wanting to be on her own? Footloose and fancy free, that's Sheri's idea of the good life. Besides, she's already been burnt once - no sense going near the fire again.

Desperate to get the well-meaning but maddeningly persistent matchmakers off her back, the feisty manicurist hatches a plan. In order to make it work, she'll need a boyfriend, and handsome newcomer Pace Gentry - a genuine bronc-bustin'cowboy - will do quite nicely.

But playing Sheri's beau is not in Pace's plans. A fairly new Christian, he has given up a life he loved in Idaho's Great Basin. Having reluctantly followed the Lord's leading to Mule Hollow, he wants to be obedient to the call, but the taciturn cowboy isn't exactly a people person. He's fighting the bit in his mouth just like the wild Mustangs he tames for a living.

Still, he finds himself repeatedly thrown into his beautiful neighbor's path, and unwittingly becomes embroiled in her determined effort to teach the meddling matchmakers a lesson. Somewhere along the way, Pace realizes he likes being around Sheri and the attraction troubles him, since he considers her something less than a virtuous woman.

Then he finds out he's just a pawn in the game Sheri's playing, and it looks like their budding relationship will die before it ever blooms.

Meeting Her Match is a masterful piece of storytelling. Debra Clopton has a natural handle on humor, and Sheri Marsh's fiascos keep the reader in stitches throughout the book. Under Clopton's talented pen, the well-rounded characters come alive and readers will miss them after the last page. A well-written, warm, funny story peopled with lovable, very real characters that won't be soon forgotten.

An exhilarating horseback ride into the wonderful world of Mule Hollow, Texas. Don't miss it!
Profile Image for Joy.
33 reviews50 followers
January 31, 2012
I'm reading these in order, and I've really enjoyed them all, but this has been my favorite so far. I just recently found out that Debra Clopton lives in my community and goes to the cowboy church in our town. So it's fun to be reading someone who lives right here in our ranching community.
Profile Image for Stephanie Guerrero.
Author 44 books11 followers
November 27, 2012
An absolutely hilarious, tear-forming, heart-warming read. I've read it several times and it never grows old.
413 reviews6 followers
July 10, 2017
In book 5, attention is turned to Sheri Marsh who came to town with Lacy. Sheri is trying everything in her power to get the "matchmaking posse" to leave her alone. She's convinced that because of her parents, and her love for all things new and exciting, that she's a poor candidate for marriage. Therefore, she's decided to avoid it completely. However, when the posse targets her specifically, she thinks that by pretending to have a boyfriend and then breaking things off, she'll teach them a lesson to quit messing with other people's lives. She just never counted on Pace Gentry actually turning out to the man of her dreams. But, shouldn't dreams stay as dreams?

Pace Gentry is convinced that he's following God's will by leaving his solitary life in Idaho and coming to Texas to open a horse training business. But, when his neighbor starts pestering him to be her boyfriend, he's not so sure he wants to play along because he thinks it's dishonest.

What follows is both fun and sobering. On the surface is a fun, lighthearted tale, but as I started to dig into the lives of the characters, I found 2 people who were desperately trying to find and follow God's will, but struggling. Sheri thinks God is ignoring her and is convinced that she should not marry. Pace struggles with other issues such as communication and jumping to conclusions. As the story unfolds, their backstory is revealed and I'm sure there are many readers who can relate and learn from how Sheri and Pace grew in their faith.

I also loved the secondary story of Sam and Adela.

I can't wait to find out what's next for the residents of Mule Hollow.

Romance - PG - kissing
Language - clean
My rating - 5 stars.
732 reviews3 followers
June 8, 2017
The matchmaking posse has set their sites on Sheri Marsh, the manicurist for Lacy Brown. With the "wives wanted" campaign working so well they want to see Sheri happy now.
Sheri devises a plan to make the "posse" think twice about what they are doing. She believes they are wrong to push everyone into marriage. She has told them numerous times that she will never marry but to no avail. Now all she has to do is find the perfect cowboy to play her fake boyfriend.
In come the perfect cowboy to play her boyfriend or so she thinks. Horse trainer Pace Gentry.

Pace has lived a solitary life roaming from ranch to ranch with his father training horses and working the ranches. Now with the passing of his father, Pace wants to dedicate his life more to GOD. So he takes Clint up on his offer to start his own horse training ranch. When Pace moves to the shack next to Sheri, without her knowledge, the two of them bump heads from the start.

What happens next is the wild ride of misconceptions, snappy remarks, and an adventurous wild ride to romance. From first dates to sunsets, to wild horse rides these two come to an understanding that will have you believing if you just put your trust in God all will work out.
1,785 reviews6 followers
June 11, 2017
This was a sweet, well-written, fun book. Sheri came to Mule Hollow to start a business with her friend. Three of the women in town have started a nationally advertised "Wives Wanted Campaign" to help find matches for the lonely cowboys in Mule Hollow. Sheri has no intention of being matched with a cowboy, though, since her past has told her not to expect "happily ever after." When the matchmakers set their sights on her she decides to convince one of the cowboys to help her teach them a lesson not to match someone who isn't interested. Horse trainer Pace seems like just the cowboy to help her out. It was great to see the relationship between Sheri and Pace progress. I enjoyed this book, which can be read as a standalone book, though it is #5 in the Texas Matchmakers series. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series as well as other books by this author.
715 reviews14 followers
May 26, 2019
I enjoyed this story just like I have of the others I have read in this series but found that this one had more of a focus on spirituality or religion. That did not take away from the story in any way so even if you don’t like stories that have references to God, you will still enjoy it. I found that you don’t have to be read them in any order. I did find that the characters are often intertwined so you might not see a relationship until you read the previous book. But that doesn’t take away or make it hard to follow the storyline, I know because I have not been reading them in order.

Pace and Shari are really very similar and it is a lot of fun to watch them interact. But once they see that will it bring them together or send them apart? You will have to read the story to find out. It is well worth the read.

1,353 reviews
August 13, 2017
The wives wanted ad has been slowly bringing an influx of women to Mule Hollow to marry lonely cowboys, but Sheri wants no part of the posse's plans. Her past has shown her happily-ever-after doesn't happen.

Pace has decided that dedicating his life to God's plan is what he wants. So when Shari presents her plan, he takes some convincing.

Be Mine, Cowboy is the fifth book in the Texas Matchmakers series. This book was previously published as Meeting Her Match. I really enjoyed this book, and I definitely recommend it!
23 reviews
April 13, 2019
Sweet, though typical

Nice, smooth Christian romance novel. Easy to surmise the end from the beginning, but it’s a pleasant journey if this genre is what you enjoy. The descriptions seem to bring you right into the locales and the tender moments are just that — oh, so tender. A light, but lovely read.
Profile Image for Debbie Sue.
240 reviews1 follower
July 24, 2020
after the enjoyable mule hollow book i finished yesterday this one was disappointing. Neither lead character was especially likeable and the "matchmaking possie" gets annoying after a while. What part of no dont you understand
Profile Image for Love.
1,747 reviews5 followers
September 24, 2020
Sassy Sweet Romance

This is a refreshingly sweet and enjoyable romance with sassy sweet and charming characters that will steal your heart from the very beginning til the end as they journey towards their own unconditional love story.
713 reviews4 followers
November 28, 2023
A great read

This town, the peop!e, old, young and in between are well written, interesting and hold your attention. Everyone is is different but somehow find ways to work together, learn from each other and maybe even fall in love.
Profile Image for Holly.
1,474 reviews11 followers
May 4, 2017
Cute, fun series. Christ based without being preachy.
Profile Image for Jana.
601 reviews
June 24, 2018
I love these feel good Christian romances set in Texas!!
157 reviews
April 13, 2019
Sweet western read!

Love these characters! Love this town! Enjoy being part of the life of Mule Hollow as Sheri & Pace and others learn to follow God’s leading in their lives.
1,031 reviews
October 4, 2022
Overcoming her doubts

This book had more emotional impact on me than the previous books. It involved Sheri reaching deep down inside herself and letting go of fears.
168 reviews
August 18, 2024
good book

This book was just as good as the four books before that I read. They hold your interest and keep you wanting to find out what is happening. An excellent read too.
Profile Image for Torre.
463 reviews2 followers
November 4, 2016
Loved this book more than the first 4. They were good but this one kept me laughing and tearing up.
Profile Image for Veronica.
481 reviews
January 9, 2013
To be fair, Debra Clopton writes in a much more far-fetched and upbeat manor than the books I usually read. I began to read this series after I read her other series 'Men of Mule Hollow.' I was intrigued by the characters and wanted to read their love stories. This is the fifth book in Clopton's series and it's also the sixth book I've read by her in recent weeks. It may just be that the stories are becoming monotonous because I read them in such a short time frame but this book just wasn't my favorite.
I did enjoy the chemistry between Sheri and Pace. I also thought some of their interactions were really cute and funny. On the other hand, Sheri never really confronts the fact that JP (whom she was dating in the other books) broke her heart but focuses on the fact that she doesn't think she would be marriage material because of her parents, it was kind of annoying. I also didn't like what kind of a whirlwind this relationship was, it just took away from the sweetness of Sheri and Pace's relationship.
Profile Image for Debbie Briggs.
53 reviews7 followers
October 19, 2015
I like Debra Clopton and I like this series but I didn't know how to take the comment by the main character in chapter 10 about 'as a Christian everything we eat is okay with the Lord and how the disciples didn't think they could eat pig and stuff like that'. Does she really believe that? I can see how if you take 1 Timothy 4:4 by itself it might seem like all things can be eaten but what if you look at verse 3 to those who 'know the truth'. During the time the disciples were proclaiming the truth they were only using the old testament writings. None of the new testament was available to them. The truth would have included Leviticus 11. The greek word for foods in verse 3 is 'broma' which is defined as food that has already been declared clean. The greek word for set apart in verse 5 is 'hagiazo' which means set apart, holy, hallowed, made uncommon. If we can eat all things then we make all food clean all food common. Nothing would be uncommon or set apart. Nothing would be consecrated by God.
2,323 reviews38 followers
March 21, 2012
In book 5 is Sheri's story. Sheri came with Lacy to start their own salon before the place grew. Sheri got her heart broken when on JP on a date with her fell for someone else and married her.
Sheri is warrier of mariage her parents combined married 9 times.
Pace Gentry has moved next door to Sheri he is not used to having
neighbors he would go months not talking or seeing anyone where he lived in winter and only a few in summer. He is going to break horses and start his own business he moved because he felt God wanted him to.
I liked how Pace was trying to change and realizes he has a ways to go. How Sheri is trying to get over fears.
Profile Image for Karen.
1,811 reviews1 follower
January 10, 2016
Sheri Marsh is in Mule Hollow to run her business and make a life for herself, not get married. Pace Gentry has just moved to Mule Hollow from Idaho to train Mustangs. As neighbors, they clash over everything...
2 reviews
October 29, 2009
I truly enjoyed this book! It had a humorous plot and the kind of sweet- and almost embarassing- romance that made you want to curl your toes and giggle! A very enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Tracy Cabe.
37 reviews
March 2, 2010
These books are really good!!! It just makes you start thinking.
Profile Image for Suzanne Williams.
Author 162 books95 followers
November 6, 2011
Great love story. Plot moves along well. Character descriptions are a bit corny, as are their names. Surely not everyone in Texas has a country-fied name? Loved the ending. Enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Shekeyse.
34 reviews1 follower
July 19, 2015
I loved this book! So far it's my favorite!
577 reviews1 follower
April 12, 2017
Another great read

I keep saying to myself that the books can't get better but Debra Clopton keeps proving me wrong. I love the humor and the characters in every book. I hurry through one book just so I can get to the next book and then I hurry again.
2,054 reviews8 followers
April 25, 2017
Now that Sheri and JP have broken up, the women who started the "Wives Wanted Campaign" have set their sites on getting Sheri hitched. She knows that the "candidate" they've chosen isn't a good match so she needs to come up with someone to pretend to be her boyfriend to fool the ladies into thinking she's taken. Enter a new cowboy in town, Pace Gentry. But will this seemingly unfriendly horse whisperer be willing to go along with the plan? And what will happen with the ongoing story of Adela and Sam? Will Adela move to be closer to her children? This is a definite must read. This is my honest review in exchange for a copy of the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews

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