Cody

American Extreme Bull Riders Tour #4

by Megan Crane

Skylar Grey lost everything when her fiancé died. But her move back to her hometown, Billings, Montana is not the fresh start she seeks, as too many people know her tragic tale. But then she meets a bull riding cowboy who treats her like she's made of fire and everything changes.

Cody Galen joined the American Extreme Bull Riders Tour to make money, not friends. He enjoys whiskey, winning, and women and he doesn’t care who he pisses off while he pursues the hell out of all three. He figures he only has a few years left before his body gives out and he might as well go down hard in a blaze of glory. He knows the pretty thing he meets his first night in Billings is no buckle bunny, but if she wants to play that role, who is he to argue?

Neither one of them is looking for anything lasting. But there’s only one thing more dangerous than riding bulls—and that’s love.

Genres: Romance, Westerns, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Sports

157 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 30, 2017

About the author

USA Today bestselling, multi-award-nominated, and critically-acclaimed author Megan Crane has written more than 150 books and shows no sign of slowing down. She publishes contemporary romance and paranormal romance as Megan Crane (and briefly M.M. Crane) with an extensive backlist of women’s fiction, rom-coms, chick lit, and young adult novels—among other things. She’s also won a large and loyal fanbase as Caitlin Crews with Harlequin Presents, Harlequin Dare, Harlequin Historical, and contemporary cowboy books. And for Midwestern small town coziness, found families, romance, and some paranormal scariness thrown in, Megan partners with Nicole Helm to publish as Hazel Beck.

Megan has a Masters and Ph.D. in English Literature, has taught creative writing classes in places like UCLA Extension’s prestigious Writers’ Program, and is always available to give workshops (or her opinion). She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her comic book artist husband, though, at any given time, she is likely to either be huddled in a coffee shop somewhere or off traveling the world. Preferably both.

You can find out more than you ever wanted to know about her at www.megancrane.com

Reviews

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy moly, I loved this book! This is the second book I've read of Megan Crane recently and she has got it going on! After reading this, I think we will all want to find a cowboy of our own.

Cody is one of my favorite types of alpha males. Strong, confident and brooding. He really didn't care about much in life..until he meets Skylar. I loved how he struggled with the pull she had over him and how he kept surprising himself with the things he said to her. He was baffled to find that he felt different about her and that was just plain funny.

This author also knows how to do heroines right. Skylar had self respect. She never tried to get more from Cody, even when he wanted her too. I loved the way she handled him and let me tell you, that ending was perfect.

This one hit the spot! ARC provided by NetGalley.

[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Who Are We Really Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
Oh, these tales just get me. With this fourth entry to the American Extreme Bull Riders Tour series, you get to experience two people who are trying to figure out who they are at this stage in their lives. With this tale, you have the expert hands of Megan Crane leading you on a journey of surprisingly sensual awakening, a deep examination of who we are, what do we want out of our lives and a growing, intense realization of how deeply these main characters love each other.

In other words, this book has moments which will take your breath away. I am not kidding.

This starts with us meeting Skylar Grey. She is a woman who has experienced the tragedy of losing her first and only love much too soon. Her fiance death 2 years ago changed everything for Skylar. At first, she couldn't breathe or move.

Then she had to endure the new view people had of her- the fiancé widow, this woman who will never be the wife she was supposed to be...this tragic figure...With all the I'm Sorry for Your Loss circling around her, she could barely breathe. Then there was a segue way into this new way of treating Skylar... this forgetting who she had always been, vital and open. Now every single person she saw would treat her as if the death that happened, could somehow rub off on them... and so they handled her with kid gloves.

The friends she had with Thayer in Atlanta were difficult for her to be around... memories and all that. Also, these friends felt so comfortable with Skylar remaining the fiancé widow and not moving on with her life.

So, Skylar took herself home to Billings, Montana. She had hoped with her being away for the last 18 years, no one would "know" her... but unfortunately at her father's big July 4th party, an excuse for Grey's Sporting Goods to take advantage of the AEBR tour being in town and populate his party, this proved to not be the case. Strangers did the consoling thing and Skylar had to just smile and take it.

Cody Galen had done these parties with sponsors at the local level so many times he could do it in his sleep. All he cared about was that the whiskey was decent and the women easy. His life was coming to a crossroads and he had no time for anything complicated or confusing. He had decided this was the last tour for him. He had had buckles, buckle bunnies and now he just wanted to finish high in the standings and alive.

Yes, alive and not broken was the key...because riding bulls was the most dangerous sport out there...there was nothing protecting these men during those slow/fast moving 8 seconds in the ring. The ride was the most exciting, thrilling and scary as hell experience anyone could have, yet all these bull riders lived for it. If Cody could finish the tour and get out, his next unknown was what the hell was he going to do with himself...as he never had truly planned ahead.

Neither Cody Galen or Skylar Grey had planned or thought possible what would happen when Skylar opened the front door that fateful July 4th...There was this mountain of a man looking directly at Skylar...

There was no sympathy, no pretend concern... just a little curiosity and then an open assessment of her being a woman while he looked at her as if he had already stripped her of her clothes and was ready to take her. Skylar didn't lurch away...she stood her ground and for the first time in a long time, she felt alive... with her blood rushing through her veins. When Cody asked if this was Grey's house, Skylar made the error of asking if he was here for the party...Because Cody then responded with a comment that let her know he was open to partying hard, wild or not at all...

Oh, My...

I read this story from beginning to end...and didn't stop. Both of these people need each other to find themselves. They are freer and more alive... they see how they are finally able to see clearly what they want. Cody knows from the start getting Skylar to see him as someone who is committed to making this work will be a challenge because the tables have been turned... He falls hard and wants her first...for real and always... She needs convincing and needs to allow herself to know her inner truth.

As you can tell this book just touched me and there are scenes between these two that are smokin' hot! but also so well done... the crafting was top notch. Megan Crane knows how to write and with this entry to a strong series, she made it all the stronger.

This series can be read in any order:
Tanner (American Extreme Bull Riders Tour, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Chase (American Extreme Bull Riders Tour, #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Casey (American Extreme Bull Riders Tour, #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Cody (American Extreme Bull Riders Tour, #4)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Troy (American Extreme Bull Riders Tour, #5)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Kane (American Extreme Bull Riders Tour, #6)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Austin (American Extreme Bull Riders Tour, #7)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Gage (American Extreme Bull Riders Tour, #8)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

A gifted copy was provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[Carvanz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a tragic, beautiful, heart wrenching, heart healing love story and there are not enough words to express what an incredible read it is. I was expecting something very lighthearted and sexy, fast paced and easy flowing. The kind of book you can pick up and read in an afternoon before moving on to the next one.

What I got was definitely lighthearted as Cody and Skylar meet and begin to spend time together. They just clicked and their conversations and moments together were full of fun and steamy goodness. Both of them are in denial but this doesn’t have the push and pull that usually takes place in such cases. Each of them are struggling in their own way but neither are willing to open up to the other about it.

Cody is a man’s man, alpha strong, determined and yet confused by his own internal need to keep Skylar with him. Skylar is just trying to figure out how to move on, where to move on, and if those around her will allow her to move on. She is a strong heroine that has no expectations and that is actually what is driving Cody crazy. He wants her to make demands of him.

This doesn’t flow quickly to be forgotten afterwards. This is a journey. A “sweet, brutal dance” that makes the reader feel every jarring, twisting buck that this couple experiences as well as the ultimate high of a ride well done.

ARC provided for an honest review

No epilogue but the last chapter gives a view several years into the future and is one of the best “epilogues” I’ve read in a long time.

Dual POV
No abuse
Possible Triggers - Cody’s stepfather is a drunk and abuses Cody’s mother. This is off page and not detailed.

[Michelle [Helen Geek] · Rating 4 out of 5]

May 2017 -- 4.5 Stars

This was my first book by Megan Crane. I really like how she writes. She has such strong characters who interact in a very adult manner. Cody was interesting. The way she wove an aging athlete planning for the sunset of his career was interesting. Skylar is a strong woman. She held her own and took Cody full frontal. I loved their interactions.

The concept for this series is interesting too. Each book is written by a different author. Hmm... so, I'm sure I won't read others. The series isn't as important to me as the author.

So, I'm a PBR fan from way back. I grew up going to the National PBR until it moved to Las Vegas. I had family on the circuit at different points in time, so I can say that her portrayals are accurate.

I have one comment that may be viewed as negative -- the over the top sex. Some of it seemed a bit gratuitous and unnecessary. The scenes leading to some of these events were just non-interesting. So, there goes a half point.

So, I think I've found a new author. Yes, I liked her that much.

Happy Reading!!

ARC provided by the author and publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This turned out to be a gripping story of two destined to be together. An unlikely match, the perfect daughter of well to do but dysfunctional parents and the man that also has a dysfunctional background, that come together in an explosion of sparks, lust and feelings that both have trouble handling. Skylar is still grieving two years after the death of her fiancé, a man she loved and was the total opposite of Cody. She’s still trying to find herself and doesn’t want to commit to another love out of guilt. Cody is brash, a man-ho who sticks to the buckle bunnies and one that has vowed to stay away from any committed relationship. He’s still taking care of his mother and half-sisters. Cody is a loner. He’s the oldest one on the bull riding circuit at the ripe old age of 30 something. He’s lost friends in the ring, watched friends’ lives being torn apart by divorce or long periods of separation because of being gone so much. He’s grumpy, not very friendly and would much prefer to be out in the wilderness and alone.
When they first meet, the sparks fly and there’s insta-sex where both of them mentally vow it’s just a one night stand or more correctly, one hour on a picnic table. And it was hot. But fate puts them back together and the relationship changes. Cody, for all of his vows to never commit, realizes this is the woman of his dreams. He’s a better person with her and she is the center of his universe. It takes Skylar longer to let go and realize that she’s running from the man that she wants with her whole being.
The way this author delivers the feelings of Skylar dealing with the death of a man she loved and expected to live forever with was heart wrenching. The words also make you bleed for Cody and the things he has endured in his life. But he comes through. Even though he’s a supreme alpha, hot man, he doesn’t hesitate to go after Skylar when he realizes that he can’t live without her.
If you want to read a love story that makes you feel both the highs and the lows of the main characters, this one is for you.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it.

I'm not generally a fan of cowboys or bull-riding but I read and enjoyed Casey so I looked out for other books in the Bull Riders series. For the record, each book is by a different author. I lurve Megan Crane's books so this was a no-brainer when I saw it on NetGalley.

Skylar Grey has returned to her father's home in Billings Montana after the death of her fiancé in a car crash two years ago. The middle child, the peacekeeper, Skylar feels like some kind of walking cliche. All anyone ever says or does in relation to her is sympathy foe the death of Thayer. Sometimes she feels like she has ceased to exist as a separate person. At her father's annual Fourth of July party she escapes yet another well-meaning but irritating guest offering their opinions about her emotional state when she opens the door to a cowboy.

Cody Galen is the old man of bull-riding at the age of 30. A walking cliche: the hard drinking, buckle bunny chasing, taciturn loner, Cody knows that this is his last year on the tour. Forced to attend a tour mixer hosted by some local big shot in Billings he is pole-axed by the elegant, calm, 'nice' woman who opens the door.

Whilst everyone around them tells them this is wrong can Cody and Skylar make something real from a one night stand?

Although this was plenty sexy, it was romantic rather than the full on steamy "give me a cloth to wipe my face" sex I've come to expect from Megan Crane's Edge series.

Megan Crane flips the tables with this cowboy, despite his past Cody forges a deep connection with Skylar almost immediately and breaks his own rules about never going back. Skylar, on the other hand, the 'good girl' is more than happy with a no strings relationship based entirely on sex.

I've got to get my hands on the other books in this series, a lot of them are written by some of my go-to authors.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Cathy Geha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cody by Megan Crane
American Extreme Bull Riders Tour Book 4

OMG – Buy it! This author can write anything and does it oh so well! I have read every book in this series and think they all are great but this one was perfection! I mean…sex with a stranger? Sure, we might have fantasized about it but this book made it real and true and oh so worth reading!

Skylar has been rocked by loss and finds her life turned upside down. She returns to her childhood home and still feels “off”. What comes over her when she meets Cody is unexpected, unlike her and causes her to change in a heartbeat. With “fling” in both of their minds they spend time together, learn about one another and then…it is over…or is it? What a wonderful wonderful story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tule Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awwwww!! Wait- Can we leave one word reviews? This HEA was SWEET <3

This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf

Cody is an intense romance. For me, there is simply no other way to describe what is happening between Cody and Skylar but… intense. I don’t know that it makes for a comfortable love story, but it is a compelling one. I believe part of that feeling is in the delivery of their back stories in a more narrative fashion instead of actual dialogue between them. In many ways the reader knows more about what this couple is feeling than they do through much of their story being told. Don’t misunderstand me, it’s definitely not a story that tells us instead of letting the characters express what is going on, but it is also definitely a story that is not dialogue driven – and for Cody and Skylar’s story, that worked quite well. Why? Because at different parts of their story neither of them would have been able to put what was happening in words because of their own emotional baggage. So we’re told until they can talk to each other enough to bring us into the dialogue. For some readers this type of story telling won’t work, for those readers I’d have to say just hold on, let things unfold and soon enough you’ll get all the dialogue you desire… in their own time. I mention it because in many ways it adds to the feeling of things being intense almost to the edge of being out of control.

Skylar had lived in Atlanta, Georgia for years, there she was happy, building a life and planning to marry a wonderful man. All of that changed in a matter of hours when Thayer had left for a meeting with an old friend and when the police arrived at her door. One drunk driver and her world had been smashed to pieces. For two years she was in an emotional fog, much like being seen as a widow without the marriage license. Eventually she moved back home to Montana, and one unexpected cowboy walked into her life.

Cody knew this was his last year on the Tour. He’s too old now, even though in his thirties should not be considered old in any field – when you’re riding the bulls, it’s almost ancient. He’s been in this business long enough to see friends injured beyond hope, to feel death at his shoulders and to see men walk away for love and family before the bulls could put them in the ground. At this point in his life he had no friends on the tour, only fellow cowboys crazy enough to sit on the back of a bull for the thrill, the money and for some, the notoriety. His plan was simple, stay at the top of the field, bring home the most prize money he could manage and survive this last year intact enough to start a new life doing something else. And he was sticking to that plan right up until one amazing woman opened a ranch front door – and he was gone. No logic to it, no sense to be made, for this woman he’d do things he never expected to do – like stay.

Cody hits all of the emotional buttons any reader could possibly have. What Cody and Skylar have between them is indeed intense, a bit crazy and more than simply fast, hard, amazing sex. There’s a connection there that will take faith and trust in each other to forge into a life time. It will take stepping out of comfort zones and letting someone else in to the important parts, the mind, the heart, the reasons they are as they are today. If they can do that then the future goes on for mile after amazing mile.

I’d recommend this title and any story in this series to Romance readers who enjoy a complicated couple, intense emotions, sizzling sexy times and the discovery that love doesn’t always show up when we expect but it’s a gift to treasure nonetheless.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cody by Megan Crane
Skylar Grey lost everything when her fiancé died. But her move back to her hometown, Billings, Montana is not the fresh start she seeks, as too many people know her tragic tale. But then she meets a bull riding cowboy who treats her like she’s made of fire and everything changes.

Cody Galen joined the American Extreme Bull Riders Tour to make money, not friends. He enjoys whiskey, winning, and women and he doesn’t care who he pisses off while he pursues the hell out of all three. He figures he only has a few years left before his body gives out and he might as well go down hard in a blaze of glory. He knows the pretty thing he meets his first night in Billings is no buckle bunny, but if she wants to play that role, who is he to argue?

Neither one of them is looking for anything lasting. But there’s only one thing more dangerous than riding bulls—and that’s love.
this is Skylar Grey and Cody Galen’s story.
She was still happy she wasn’t in Atlanta anymore, she told herself now. Skylar stood in the great room of her father’s sprawling but cozy ranch house, enjoying the air conditioning and the break from the party outside that was as much a business function as anything else.
“I’m looking for Billy Grey,” he said, in the kind of low, dark voice that made every last part of Skylar demand she…do something. “He’s out in back,” Skylar heard herself say in a voice she hardly recognized.
Will Skylar Grey and Cody Galen be more than friends? read this book to find out.
Cody by Megan Crane is a 4 star book.
"I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book."
Megan's Books with Tule:
Tempt Me, Cowboy
The 75th Copper Mountain Rodeo
The Montana Millionaires


I Love the 80s
Stand Alone Titles


A Game of Brides
Great Wedding Giveaway

Once More With Feeling
Stand Alone Titles

Please Me, Cowboy
The 76th Copper Mountain Rodeo
The Montana Millionaires

Come Home for Christmas, Cowboy
Stand Alone Titles


Writing the Bestseller: Romantic and Commercial Fiction
Non-Fiction


In Bed with the Bachelor
Bachelor Auction

The Great Wedding Giveaway


Writing the Bestseller II: Romantic and Commercial Fiction
Non-Fiction

Project Virgin
Stand Alone Titles


A Book Girl’s Guide to Marietta

American Extreme Bull Riders Tour
Cody


American Extreme Bull Riders Tour
This series follows the American Extreme Bull Riders Tour. These heroes are hard-living alphas with serious fame and money.

Book 1
Tanner
by Sarah Mayberry


Book 2
Chase
by Barbara Dunlop


Book 3
Casey
by Kelly Hunter


Book 4
Cody
by Megan Crane

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book opens with a women Skylar Grey who lost her fiancé two years ago in a car accident moving back to Montana from Atlanta where she has lived from college and after. Now thinking that she has a fresh start and not all of the sympathy that she was getting in Atlanta, she is finding out she is receiving the same treatment in Montana. Now she has meet a stunning looking cowboy at her father’s 4th of July bar b Q. Not expecting to see the cowboy see is surprised when he shows up where she is sitting off by herself. Cody Galen was a champion bull rider and is in the last year of riding even though he has not told anyone. He also hates having to do these corporate shindigs. But here he was looking at a beautiful women and wouldn’t you know it later in the night he sees here sitting by herself after he thought she was gone. Now after they have their own fireworks which actually was great for Skylar she walks away just saying thank you. He feels like he has just been thrown and he was not on a bull. He has never felt this way before. The problem he does not know her name. She on the other hand feels good that she does not know the cowboys name, and now at another corporate gathering for her father’s company. Her father introduces her to bull riding champion Cody Galen, and yes she knows who he is and now she also knows who the cowboy she was with that made her feel again. Actually feel more than she has felt before. This is where the story takes off because she actually takes off with him. Her family and friends go crazy and when they finally have a two week break he takes her to some property he owns and tells her his dreams. She does not want to hear that or that he loves her and after a huge fight he drives her to an airport so she can make it to her brother’s wedding. The problem is all she is thinking about is a cowboy and how she left things. Now when said cowboy has tracked her down to her families’ bar that looks like it was out of the old west she can’t move as he walks to her. Describe like a scene from an old western movie everyone parts and the ending of this book is just as good as the beginning. The characters and dialogue really make this story stand out, and it is very much worth the read. Find out what happens. A very good book. I got this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cody, by bestselling author Megan Crane, is book #4 in the exciting multi-author American Extreme Bull Riders Tour series. A highly entertaining, sexy, romance that you won't want to miss! With the terrific storyline, complex characters you can't help but love, humor, angst, smoking hot sexual encounters, drama, and some surprise twists, this emotional roller-coaster of a story will capture you right from the start, and hold tight till the very end. This was another fantastic story by Megan Crane, and the only thing that I didn't like was that I wasn't able to read it sooner!

This story starts off with a grieving heroine, an angsty, sexy as sin bullrider that's soon to become the Hero (even if it's the last thing he wants), as well as the snarky, witty, and humorous banter between them. Doesn't sound like it would work, but it does, in the best of ways. Cody and Skylar find something in one another that they definitely weren't looking for, but is extremely reluctant to let it go, especially without seeing where it will take them. They both figure out things about themselves, as well as about the other, but are either of them ready to make the changes required for them to be together beyond just the fling they thought they were having? When it's time to say goodbye, will it be forever as planned, or does fate have something more in store for them? You'll have to read it to find out, and you won't be disappointed!

Each book in this series is written by a different author, and has it's own characters and setting. It's not necessary to read them all, but if the others are as fantastic as this one was, I would highly recommend it. I haven't had the opportunity to read any of the other books in the series yet, but I do plan on doing so.

I strongly recommend this book, series, and exceptional author.

I have voluntarily reviewed this complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Linda Quick · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this book! It has all the sass and spice that you count on from this author, wrapped around a compelling story and tale of second chances. The characters are wonderful - I found myself rooting for Skylar and feeling her pain. Cody is a man's man and just too sexy for words and such a strong character that he practically leapt off the pages of my kindle.

I loved how Skylar is trying to get past the pain in her past by returning to her family home in Montana. It's always hard to go home again - especially after living for years in Atlanta. Almost immediately, she encounters Cody and starts to feel again for the first time in years. She doesn't even know his name, but enjoys the delights he has to offer. The problem with going home again is that everyone is invested in, and talking about, your business. After all she's been through, Skylar just can't bring herself to care.

Cody is numbing his own pain by riding the meanest bulls the rodeo has to offer. For him, it's all about that eight second ride followed by fun with the local buckle bunnies. He's never been interested in having the same girl twice and loves that his fame provides enough diversity that he doesn't need to. He stuns himself when he goes back to Skylar for another encounter.

Before long, these two damaged souls are entwined in each others lives, despite Skylar's repeated comments that its just a fling and not to worry about her getting serious.

I absolutely loved this novel and can't say enough good things about it. It also has what may be the best epilogue that I've ever read - truly swoon worthy and brought a smile to my face. If you enjoy the genre, this is a must read. While this is part of a series, it is a stand alone book.

[Happily Mary After · Rating 4 out of 5]

Megan Crane’s Cody is a sexy and sweet cowboy romance that will tug at your heartstrings and make you smile. Skylar Grey lost her fiancé two years ago and is adapting to life without him. She’s just moved home to Billings, Montana, in order to start fresh and away from the overwhelming memories. Soon after she arrives, she meets one of the hottest and best bull riders in the country - Cody Galen - on his way through town with the rodeo.

Cody is older for a bull rider and looking to retire after this last year on the circuit. He’s a loner and has never been interested in having a serious relationship with a woman. He’s into one-night stands, but he never expected to meet a woman like Skylar.

These two come together with a BANG, and their first meeting is steaming hot. Skylar loves their interlude, because he doesn’t know that she lost her fiancé and doesn’t treat her differently. She wants the thing between them to be a fling, because she’s never done anything rash like this in her life and it is liberating. Ironically, for the first time in Cody’s life, he thinks he might want this to be more than just sex.

I loved how their romance developed. While start is fast and hot, the romance moves slowly and steadily with a slow-burn that keeps the reader captivated. Cody and Skylar both have emotional walls, and it is fascinating to watch a man like Cody be the one to lower his defenses first. The ending is very romantic and worth a few tears. Megan Crane has written a romantic and steamy cowboy romance that will steal your heart.

ARC provided, but this review was voluntarily and honestly written.

[Angela Simmons · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve been enjoying the American Extreme Bull Riders series but this one, sadly, not so much.

Here’s what’s going on. Skylar’s finding her feet after her fiancé’s death and being back in her hometown hasn’t made it easy. Cody’s earned the reputation of being a ‘bad boy’ and that’s fine with him because all he wants to do is win the money so he can help his half-sisters. Although now that Cody’s met Skyler, he’s starting to wondering if there can be more for him than bull riding.

Okay, so this one had potential to be interesting but everything about it seemed forced and repetitive. Yes, I felt for Skylar because she lost her fiancé but the fact that she was constantly going on about getting sympathetic looks from people and practicing her ‘widows smile’ just got a bit old and when she finally decided to break free and get a little wild, it felt forced. And Cody was constantly going on and on about how he was a ‘bad boy’. Every page stated that he was a bad boy, so it got old real quick.

The romance was more like insta-lust. Seriously, they went from meeting for the first time at the door of her father’s house to wild monkey sex on the picnic table in less than an hour. And it continued like that from there. I didn’t really buy the romance that they were selling.

So, this is the second book by Megan Crane that I’ve read and I really don’t think her writing style is for me. Both books have had the same effect on me and, honestly, I had to force myself to pay attention to both of them.

Overall, this one just wasn’t my cup of tea.

[Miekenstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 3 1/2 star book for me.

I had a hard time connecting to the characters in the book for the first 1/2 or so. Cody, our hero, especially seemed wooden, with little depth; kind of a cardboard bad boy with predictable relationship issues. Skylar, our heroine, was a sympathetic character, however, she seemed a little bit lost and unfocused. She had finally moved through the grief of losing her first love and into a place in her life where she could build new relationships and move forward. Overall, the first part of the book seemed very temped. I understood that Cody and Skylar liked having sex, I didn't feel much of a spark between the two characters. All in all, I was pretty underwhelmed through the first half of the book.

I did start enjoying the book after the half way point. I started to understand that Cody wasn't cardboard so much as quiet and stoic and unsure how to build a healthy relationship with anyone. And Skylar wasn't apathetic to a relationship with Cody as much as afraid to create the foundation of a new life on shifting grounds.

By the end of the book I did feel like our romantic couple belonged together and thought that they were good for each other.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance.

I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cody by Megan Crane is the fourth book in the American Extreme Bull Riders Tour series. Like each of the previous book, it is a stand-alone. There is less of the bull riding aspect in this story but just as enjoyable. Skylar Grey and Cody Galen have suffered losses and have to overcome that to be able to truly live and not just survive. That is at the heart of this steamy romance story.

While it has dual perspectives, much of the story is through Skylar’s eyes. Like her family, I would have been questioning her behavior so her POV brought real clarity to what she had been through and was still dealing with as well as her actions with Cody. Cody is a character made to be played by a younger Clint Eastwood including the rehearsal party scene. Besides the scene in Marietta, (loved seeing Jesse again), being a favorite so is the last chapter. The last chapter is an epilogue, that is sweetly satisfying.

Highly recommend to cowboy romance fans.

4.5 Stars
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotional cowboy romance that was hard to put down.

When extreme bull rider Cody Galen met Skylar Grey in Billings, Montana, he knew she wasn’t like the rest of the women he met while traveling with the rodeo. She wasn’t a buckle bunny like she pretended to be, but he went along with her game because he was intrigued by her.

Skylar is back home in Billings after her fiancé died. She just wanted to start her life over again. When she meets Cody, she didn’t expect much. It was just supposed to be a fling. But then her heart rebelled on her.

Cody is used to living his life in the fast lane. He doesn’t want to settle down, but he knows eventually he will have too. He knows he can’t ride bulls much longer and will have to decide what to do afterwards. Falling for a women wasn’t exactly the first thing that came to mind, but it happened, and it happened fast.

This book had it all, intense romance, emotional situations and a great story. Anyone who loves a good cowboy romance needs to add this book to their reading list.

[Karen Roma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A woman suffering a tragic loss, returns home to lick her wounds and escape the scrutiny of those who know too much about her grief, and a womanising, hard drinking, rough riding Cowboy who doesn’t apologise for his actions to anyone; this unlikely couple are about to burn up the pages and leave a lasting impression on each others hearts .

Skylar Grey and Cody Galen are fabulous characters and well worthy of inclusion in this addictive series. Great dialogue, an engaging storyline and believable character development, all add to the enjoyment of this fourth story in the American Extreme Bull Riders Tour series.

I’ve loved every story in the series and it has only increased in its allure as each new tale is told. That this story was written by Megan Crane, speaks for itself to the flair behind the author and her ability to capture an audience.

Thank you to all the amazing authors who have contributed their talents to this wonderful series.

[Margaret Sholders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Megan has put together a good group of story lines and people. You should feel like you are in the book. This whole book feels real. Cody is in the bulls tour. He has to go to his sponsor for his Party. He knocks on the door and meets Skylar. She sends him out back. She is still mourning her dead fiancee for 2 years. Spoiler! They are
interested in each other but her family can't see how she wants to be with a bull rider. Her father is upset. Skylar tells him about sneaking his son's girlfriend and married her. Major Spoiler! She agrees she is an adult and will go on the tour with him. Cody has fallen for her but soon she has to leave. Her brother Jesse is getting married. Cody had said he doesn't do that. They both miss each other. Does Cody come to the wedding? Does So glad get back together? Will you read the end of this book? I hope you choose to read this story. It is a quick read! You won't regret it! I volunteered to read and review this book.

[Stevie · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were quite a few raving reviews, and while I tend to avoid anything cowboy, I was intrigued. I find myself in the minority. For me, the endless and somewhat repetitive mental dialoguing overshadowed the story. I fully understand the struggle our main characters were enduring and they were sizable. But I did not get much more than excuse after excuse and nonstop head-burying. It kept everything on one flat plateau and never gained any depth or height. There was no range of motion. Emotion and communication was superficial and limited, and both main characters were guided by the external influences. It really didn't hold my interest and or even my curiosity. I finished the book, but I don't think I will look any further into the series. Writing is okay but for me, lacked intensity and any sort of build I tend to gravitate toward. The story is down to earth and sweet in a somewhat passive victimized way, which is just not my cuppa.

[Maranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Megan Crane is an author with a flare for romance. Character building is number one on my list for a good book and she does an amazing job. Cody is a bull rider who has led a life full of loneliness and mistrust. Skylar is a woman who had everything to live for until her fiance was killed and took part of her soul with him. Skylar runs from Georgia to get away from the pity expressed by everyone around her only to go home to Billings Montana and find that the climate is the same. Sometimes in life just the act of opening a door can change destiny and put you on a new path. Healing is the theme of this work that leads to a HEA. "A copy of this book was provided to me by Tule Publishing and author via Netgalley with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read and my comments here are my honest opinion."

[Paula Pugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I have loved all the books I have read by Megan Crane beginning with A Game of Brides three years ago. I knew this would be another favorite and it is!
I love stories that talk from the guy’s perspective when he is the one that finds him in an internal quandary. This is true of Cody who has never seen the future with any woman but when he meets Skylar all those notions of having no permanent woman take a hike. He is drawn to her as never before and as never again. She, however, has been living a non-life as the widowed fiancé of what everyone described as the perfect man for her. She is truly not living at all-until she meets Cody. In her mind, he has brought her back to life and she welcomes the breath he brings to her, if only for a little while and she’s fine with that. He’s not. He’ll find her and bring her back. Period.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great bull rider story.
Cody keeps everyone at a distance. Skylar is trying to rediscover herself two years after the death of her fiance. They both are the perfect balm for each other's souls.
Skylar really closed off her feelings, and was really good at acting how she felt she should be acting. She was being smothered with sympathy from everyone around her. It was to the point that she was no longer herself, she was just a "living shrine" to her dead fiance.
Cody was dealing with his own demons. His mother was in an abusive relationship and he was trying to help her and his half sisters, while also keeping enough of a distance to protect himself. He never let anyone on the tour get close to him.
I really liked both characters and how well they fit together. This was a very hot story, interlaced with some very heartfelt moments.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Book 4 in The American Extreme Bull Riders Tour. Skylar has moved back home to Montana 2 years after her fiancé had been killed in Atlanta. She’s so tired of the sympathy! She wants something more but doesn’t know what. She does know that he’s tired of having to live her life like her fiancé had just died 2 weeks ago and not 2 years. Then she open’s the front door of her father’s house and meets Cody, a Professional Bull Rider. Her life has just changed and she doesn’t even realize it. This was a really sweet romance between 2 people, one who doesn’t care what people think of him and one who doesn’t want to make anyone fee bad. So what happens? Read it and see for yourself. (But here’s a secret: Could you pass up a hot cowboy who rides bulls for a living? I voluntarily read and reviewed this book that I received from Netgalley

[Rosemary K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skylar Grey lost her fiancée and her identity. She's tired living with grief. She decides to go home and leave her past behind her. There she meets Cody Galen. He's a champion in the American Extreme Bull Riders Tour. He's a loner who has family issues. They are drawn to each other and find a passion that consumes them. Can they find a new life? I loved seeing them let down their guard and open their hearts. I wanted them to find peace and happiness with each other. Megan Crane has written a fiercely passionate romance that pulled me in. The Greys are an interesting family with plenty of drama.The dialogue is both emotional and touching. This series has pulled me in. I can't wait for more.
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.

[Debs · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Cody" is a must have story in the 4th book of the 'American Extreme Bull Riders Tour' series! Skylar is still in a two year mourning period when she lays eyes on Cody. The connections between them is instant and hot! They both have a somewhat dysfunctional family, but the story revolves around Cody and Skylar's budding hot sexy romance, with new understandings on both of their parts to give them their HEA. It was so good, the intensity of the story kept me turning the pages, and I read it straight through. Who doesn't love a rodeo star that rides bulls? There was everything you could want in a great western romance. Hot steamy sex, emotional, angst, fun, family issues, and a lot of other feelings that the reader will enjoy. I would like to thank NetGalley and Tule Pub. for gifting me "Cody". My opinion is my own. This is mine. 4.5 Stars!

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed Cody by Megan Crane, the fourth book in the American Extreme Bull Riders Tour. Skylar Grey and Cody Galen were not looking for love or a lasting relationship when they meet. Skylar was still trying to find herself after losing her fiancé and Cody did not know how to love someone. Yet, somehow fates decided that these two needed each other; no matter their tempers, stubbornness, warts and all, in order to make sense of their lives.

I really enjoyed reading this book and had trouble putting this book down, reading it in one day. Ms. Crane is a wonderful story teller and she seems to always draw me into her books, making me forget the world around me. I highly recommend this book to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Becky Burciaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of all the books so far in this series, this one has been my favorite. Perhaps it's because of the undercurrent running throughout about overcoming the curve balls life throws at you...and second chances after those curve balls hit their target. But mostly it's because of the author's take on the theme of the series and the emotional honesty she added to counterbalance the action of the bull riding.

What I found to be especially rewarding was the perfect conclusion to Cody and Skyler's journey and their lives together after overcoming their curve balls. Their HEA was richly deserved and rewarded and I enjoyed how Ms Crane made that happen.

This ARC book was a complimentary copy provided by the Publisher and Netgally, I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

[Debra Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this rodeo romance.

I absolutely loved Cody and Skylar. They were meant to be together. Skylar was so ready to move on with her life so a chance meeting with a sexy, charming bull rider was just the spark to start her on the road to healing after her fiance's tragic death. So she ran away with the rodeo. I loved that aspect of the story. Skylar took a chance and spread her wings because she was done with living up to what everyone else expected of her. I love an independent heroine. Cody was the sweet sexy cowboy who eventually won her heart but it took a fair bit of drama.

This was a very romantic book that has hooked me on The American Extreme Bull Riders Tour.