A Nice Day for a Cowboy Wedding

Mile High Romance #4

by Nicole Helm

Colorado’s gorgeous Rocky Mountains set the stage for a breathtaking tale of small-town heart and big-time passion . . .

As the oldest of three brothers, Shane Tyler takes his responsibility to the family ranch seriously—and it’s clear to him that the younger man who wants to marry his widowed mother is only looking for a meal ticket. He’s determined to stop the nuptials whatever it takes, but the shy wedding planner his mom hired is harder to intimidate than he expected.

When Cora Preston worked up the nerve to leave her abusive ex and move with her young son to Gracely, it was a huge step. Accepting the position as wedding planner at brand-new Mile High Weddings took even more courage. But Cora’s biggest challenge is turning out to be the bride’s handsome—and stubborn—oldest son, Shane, and the way the strong-willed cowboy makes her feel. Can the heat crackling between them warm two hearts suspicious of love?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook

300 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 28, 2018

About the author

Nicole Helm is the national bestselling author of fast-paced romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue and down-to-earth contemporary romance. Her Intrigues routinely land on the Publishers Weekly Bestseller list, and she’s received starred PW reviews for her contemporary romances. She’s written over 75 books, known for their emotional depth and happily ever afters.

Nicole also writes with Megan Crane/Caitlin Crews as Hazel Beck writing the Witchlore series, which began with SMALL TOWN, BIG MAGIC in 2022.

In her spare time, Nicole loves losing herself in genealogy research, watching Cardinals baseball, and hiking with her family. She lives in Missouri with her husband and two sons.

You can contact her via email: Nicole@nicolehelm.com
You can sign up for Nicole’s monthly newsletter at http://eepurl.com/V973n

Reviews

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet cowboy romance. I kept waiting for some silly drama, and it did not arrive. Instead they faced their problems and talked. Well, there was some drama, but hey, who doesn't get mad now and again.

Cora is a single mom with a 12 year old son. She is trying to make it as a wedding planner. She is kind, fun, but with issues from her abusive past.

Shane has his own demons. He took on the responsible for his family at 12. He felt he needed to do more. He was wonderful. So sweet, good and great. A cowboy dream.

The drama then. His mom is getting married to a younger guy and the kids feel he is not after love, only money. And Cora has to deal with it all as she is planning the wedding.

They get to know each other, they fall in love. The kid finds something to love too. It's a nice family, I'd love to see them all find love too.

Sweet. Cowboys and romance, what more do you need.

Narrator
He did a good job, I have not read many, ok none contemporary romance with a guy narrating solely and I liked it. He had a nice range and I felt he did justice to all.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

We meet Cora Preston, the heroine of Nicole Helm’s A Nice Day For A Cowboy Wedding, as she comes into her own: “She was reaching for the stars now, or maybe those snow-peaked mountains. Strong, immovable, and majestic.” Five years ago, Cora and her then seven-year-old, Micah, lived with an abusive husband and father. When Stephen threatened Micah rather than her, Cora divorced him, got full custody of Micah and a restraining order. In the intervening years, Cora and Micah moved to small-town Gracely to live with Lilly, her sister. They’ve been difficult, growing-pain years, but the movement has been forward and positive. Cora and Micah are forging a new life. Cora’s gleaned herself off of total dependence on her older sister, is living on her own with her son, and partnering with Lilly to launch a wedding-planning business. More importantly, she and Micah’s therapy, while a work in progress, is helping them cope with the day-to-day. Micah is showing signs of teen-age rebellion and sullenness, but Cora is mothering more than being mothered. Micah is in baseball day-camp and Cora on her way to her first wedding plan client, Deb Tyler of Tyler Ranch. Cora is a vulnerable heroine, but determined to succeed and do right by her son. I liked her from the get-go.

As Cora’s mini-something makes its way to the Tyler ranch, good-guy hero Shane Tyler, stalwart, handsome, and responsible, is having ungenerous thoughts about his mother’s, Deb’s, fiancé, ” … scheming, lying, thieving Ben Donahue.” And he’s about to meet the woman who’s going to make his mother’s dream wedding a reality – while he aims to stop it. On the surface, it seems Shane and Cora will clash and spend the novel’s duration working at cross-purposes. Instead, Helm uses this frivolous at best, puerile at worst, premise, to say something about healing the past, understanding yourself, learning to understand the person you’re falling in love with, and navigating what it means to be a family. Shane and Cora have more in common than they do apart. And this is one of the secrets of the romance genre: seemingly impassable odds for the couple turn into the means by which hero and heroine will work out their HEA.

For Helm, the bridge between Cora and Shane is simple: “Shane would do anything to protect his family” and Cora will do anything to protect her son and ensure that he thrives. They both feel, for spoilerish reasons in Shane’s case, they have to atone for the past. Helm offers them, and by extension the reader, the “out” Cora and Shane’ll need to work out their differences and turn them to commonalities. Helm’s strength lies in her Ariadne’s thread thrown to reader, hero, and heroine in the form of sentences pointing to mutual understanding, respect, and consideration. Shane watches Cora with Micah, her care and love, also her confusion and uncertainty: “Shane knew what it was to look at someone and be afraid and at a loss and just desperate to figure out what to do to make everything okay.” Cora doesn’t know what to do with this suddenly difficult teen. Their relationship has had to be mitigated by therapy, to offset the pernicious effects of the abuse Cora suffered and Micah witnessed. We watch as Cora flexes her good-mother muscles and as Shane learns to respect his mother’s wishes. Helm’s portrait of their growth is wonderful.

What of their relationship? Nice Day For A Cowboy Wedding is, after all, a romance and the romance is central. Helm rightly cannot have much by way of dramatic conflict for Shane and Cora. Cora’s had more than her share and Shane is too silently strong and capable. too honest and good to engage in any mind or otherwise games. Instead, Helm creates an ideal hero for Cora, one so exemplary, though flawed in his way, that Cora can trust and like him, and still notice how he fills out his cowboy jeans. Their physical attraction and relationship is flirtatiously gentle and gently flirtatious. Shane is a man made for fidelity and commitment and perfect for what Micah and Cora need. His thoughts on Cora: “It was this kind of thing. Not just great sex, but an easy camaraderie. A partner in things: to talk to, tease, enjoy … what a partnership would look like. With Cora, he didn’t care what it looked like. As long as it was with her.” I loved the idea of “camaraderie” as a basis for a relationship. It’s as good as the conviviality Cora’s and Shane’s families enjoy together. And the two things that round out every romance’s positive ending.

At this point in my review, I’m making Cora and Shane’s relationship sound boring and it is anything but. If they were cardboard cut-outs, then yes, maybe we can say Helm’s couple is a tad ho-hum. But they do have interesting “stuff” to work through. Firstly, separate and for different reasons, Cora and Shane have to realize they are deserving of love and that their actions haven’t failed their families or each other. Shane is a man who is compelled to protect others, to always appear strong, and to be the one who “fixes” everything for those he loves. Cora is a woman who’s yet to thoroughly feel as if she CAN fix anything, can protect her son, and take care of herself. There are moments when Shane has to let go: ” … he was selfish enough to want to keep his weaknesses from her. His failures.” He can be vulnerable and loving and protective, that’s his lesson to learn and enact in the HEA; Cora’s is to trust herself, to acknowledge her strength, to embrace what Shane offers: love, commitment, family, consideration, respect, and laughter. But their road to the HEA reaches an emotional impasse:

“The sad fact of the matter was, no one wanted that. His help, his guidance, his protection. No one wanted him.”

“She would always be the victim. He would always be the man trying too hard to make up for things that weren’t his to make up for.”

The resolution, dear fellow-readers? Is one of such depth, simplicity and beauty. With Miss Austen, we find in Helm’s A Nice Day For A Cowboy Wedding “no charm equal to tenderness of heart,” Emma.

Nicole Helm’s A Nice Day For A Cowboy Wedding is published by Zebra Books. It was released on August 28th and may be found at your preferred vendors. I received an e-ARC from Zebra Books, via Netgalley.

[Amor y otras ficciones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really really enjoyed this book. It was such a pleasant surprise!

It tells the love story between Cora and Shane. At first, I didn't like Cora. She seemed so insecure and with low self-esteem. However, as the book unfolds, we see why she's like that, why she thinks what she thinks, why she's always comparing herself to her sister or why she doesn't think she deserves to be loved.

Their romance is very realistic - slow development but also involving the kids (very important part when one of the them has a child).

As I said, I truly liked this book. And, although it's the 1st book by Nicole Helm I've read, I'm looking forward to read more!

[Donna Repsher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Nice Day for a Cowboy Wedding is the fourth book in Nicole Helm's Mile High Romance series, but only the second book in the series that I've read, and I'm happy to say I liked this one more than the first, and it gets 4 stars from this reader.

Clearly, as I missed reading the second and third novels in this series, I've missed a great deal of the backstory on these characters, but it wasn't terribly difficult to read this novel as a standalone. The principle characters are Cora Preston, who, along with her 12-year-old son, Micah, moved to Gracely, Colorado, to be near to her sister, Lilley, who, along with her husband, now run Mile High Adventures. Cora is on the run from her violently abusive ex-husband, one man in a long string of poor choices in the happily ever after department, but she's been drafted by her sister to start an offshoot business, Mile High Weddings, and the first wedding she's about to plan is that of Deb Tyler, a fifty-something widow, and Ben, a ranch hand who works on the Tyler Ranch. He's 10 years younger than Deb, and her 5 adult children want to derail this wedding in its tracks, and none more so than her eldest, 30-year-old Shane Tyler, who doesn't think much of Ben as a ranch hand, and thinks even less of him as the man her mother should marry.

When Shane and Cora first meet, the attraction is instantaneous, but they are at cross-purposes. She desperately wants to succeed at planning her first wedding, and Shane wants to stop the wedding from happening at all. So far, he's not met with much success, and he and his siblings become even more frustrated when Deb informs them that she wants to move the wedding date from late December to September, giving them even less time to convince her that Ben is wrong for her, and giving Cora less time to get this wedding off the ground.

Shane is everything you could possibly want in an excellent cowboy hero: strong, handsome, sexy, kind, caring, and honest, all of which attract Cora, but to say that Cora is ambivalent is putting it mildly, and her character was my least favorite in this novel. While we don't learn how long Cora was married to her ex before she got away from him, her ambivalence about getting involved with anyone, which was understandable at first, eventually made her inner dialogue and her on-again, off-again, flirtatious behavior with Shane, followed soon after by her pushing him away, became annoying after a while. Although she and her son are both seeing a therapist to deal with the emotional aftermath of their abuse, 12-year-old Micah seems to be doing a better job of that than his mom, who keeps second-guessing herself, second-guessing the motives of everyone around her, and fearing that if anyone at the Tyler Ranch found out about her having been a battered wife, it would completely change the way they perceived her. Just before her first official date with Shane, Micah makes her promise not to tell him anything about their abuse, and she agrees--excuse me, but just who is the adult here? When Shane bares his own well-kept secrets to Cora, something that was incredibly difficult for him to do, does Cora respond in kind? Nope. She's honoring her promise to her son, but be prepared for a shocking turnaround.

In addition to the relationship between Cora, Shane and Micah, that forms the core of this novel are the excellent secondary characters, Shane's mother and his siblings, especially when his youngest brother, Boone, a professional bull-rider whose recent injuries make his returning to the rodeo circuit unlikely, returns to the ranch and he bonds better with Micah than Shane does. Then there's Shane's soon-to-be stepfather, Ben, to deal with too. There's a lot of emotion and angst between all of these characters and Ms. Helm does an excellent job of storytelling when it comes to the emotional ties between them, making this novel quite an engrossing read, and making this reader look forward reading to the next installments in this series.

Yes, there is an HEA ending, and yes, there's some heated sex as well, but what I liked best about this novel was its hero, Shane, and the depth of emotion which Ms. Helm handled with such care and understanding.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. I opinions expressed are my own.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and emotional book that sucked me in from the start. Cora is the single mother of a twelve-year-old boy and the survivor of an abusive relationship. With the help of her sister, Cora began a new position as a wedding planner. Her first job is to plan the wedding of Deb Tyler, the Tyler ranch matriarch. Unfortunately, she must deal with Deb's oldest son, Shane, who is very much opposed to the wedding.

Shane became the man of the family at the age of twelve when his father died in a ranching accident. He helped raise his younger siblings and still takes his responsibility to family and ranch very seriously. He doesn't trust his mother's fiancé, a man a decade younger than his mother, and makes his feelings very clear.

I loved the first meeting between Shane and Cora. While they disagree about the wedding, there's no doubt about the sparks that fly between them. Cora needs to succeed at this first wedding gig, and Shane and his siblings want to stop the wedding entirely. I liked how Cora refused to give in to Shane's attempt at intimidation, reminding him that Deb is a grown woman who knows her own mind. Shane can't let go of the idea that Ben wants the ranch more than Deb and will do anything to prove it.

I liked the development of the relationship between Cora and Shane. Though ostensibly on opposite sides of the issue, they connect over their common need to do anything to protect their loved ones. When Cora has problems with her son, Micah, Deb insists that Cora bring him to the ranch. She knows a thing or two about rebellious sons and that hard work and horses are an excellent remedy. Micah quickly bonds with the entire Tyler family, and Cora is pulled in also. The attraction between Cora and Shane continues to grow, and their flirty banter is fun to watch.

Cora is wary of letting things go too far with Shane. The abuse by her ex left Cora with some confidence problems. She works hard to be independent but frequently second-guesses her decisions. She keeps her past to herself, fearing that Shane and the others would look at her differently if they knew. This tends to make her relationship with Shane something of a yo-yo because she pulls back, then moves forward, then pulls back again. Shane suspects the truth and has a fantastic amount of patience. He often finds himself walking a fine line between pushing for answers and giving her space.

At the same time, Shane has his own demons to fight. His protectiveness frequently puts him at odds with his family. I ached for him when he shared the reasons behind that protectiveness with Cora and waited for her to do the same. Their joint issues come to a head when a crisis forces them to look at how they let their pasts control their presents. I wanted to shake Cora for pushing Shane away just when she needed him the most. It takes some straight talk from an unexpected source to open her eyes to the way she sabotages her own happiness. Shane gets similar advice and must decide how best to repair things with Cora. I loved the ending.

The secondary characters were great. I loved Cora's son, Micah. He was a realistic blend of sweet and sullen, typical of that age. The reader also gets a good look at the effect of his father's abuse on Micah and his view of the world around him. The dynamics between Shane and his siblings were interesting. Even though they are now all adults, Shane still tries to tell them what to do "for their own good." This especially doesn't sit well with his youngest brother, Boone, who joined the rodeo circuit in rebellion. One of the most interesting characters was Deb's fiancé, Ben. Initially, I understood Shane's reservations. Ben's attitude was annoying, smug, and "in your face," and I wondered what Deb saw in him. But as the book went on, there were hints that there was more to him. I liked how Cora encouraged Shane to speak honestly and without animosity to Ben and see if it made a difference.

#netgalley

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for a fair review
This story is an intense and emotional read, with well-crafted, complex characters, that seem so genuine with all their flaws and contradictions.
Shane, Cora and 12-year-old Micah (the heroine’s son) just stole my heart. Steady, reliable and an honorable man, yet sporting some psychological scars, Shane is the perfect counterpoint to Cora’s wounded soul. And his innate kindness and softness are so sexy…
I knew Cora from the previous stories in the Mile High series and her growth as a character surprised and humbled me. What a fantastic female character Nicole Helm wrote! It’s great how serious issues such as domestic violence and teen pregnancy, which had been handled previously, are still part of the character, but don’t define her or overwhelm the story – Cora is a vibrant woman, sexually active, sensual and flirtatious in a very natural way.
Micah is a wonderful preteen, with the right amount of sullenness and sweetness. I loved how Shane and the Tylers adopted him immediately, as the Mile High team had done, but with some subtle yet important differences.
I was founding this story a bit slow in the beginning, but I was then completely hooked by it; the subtlety of the sparks of attraction between ever responsible Shane and Cora, Shane’s initial ambivalence towards the single mom and a bunch of super emotional scenes, all against the background of the beautiful Colorado landscape, make this a very compelling read.
Helm’s tendency to convey (sometimes not that) subliminal messages through her characters’ lines is rather downsized here or feels more natural than in other of her stories.
Now I’m hoping that Shane’s siblings and mother will feature in future books, because Boone and Gavin in particular hold great promise as characters and I’d really like to know more about Deb and Ben.
I'm grateful to the publisher, Kensington Books/Zebra, and NetGalley for providing a free copy

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review also found at https://kristineandterri.blogspot.com...

3.5 stars

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

Full disclosure: I am not a fan of cowboys. I should clarify, I am not a fan of cowboy themed books, I am sure real cowboys are very nice. I don't find the whole cowboy thing attractive and I avoid books with cowboy in the title or a cowboy on the cover. Obviously I have made an exception and that is due to the author. As I have read her work previously, I felt I needed to give it a chance.

I was pleased that this story seemed to be a spin off of the Mile High Romance series as all of those characters were present or mentioned in this story. No need to worry if you haven't read that series, it is not required but an added touch for those who have.

I'll admit I got over my cowboy issues pretty fast. Cora and Shane were pretty cute right from the beginning. It is kind of nice that the reader didn't have to sit through the characters hating each other first (which is pretty common in this genre). Instead we got to see pretty fun flirting which was entertaining.

Both characters had some pretty serious baggage which I cant really comment on as I have not experienced anything like that to be able to lay any judgment. While I felt Shane's issues should have been more easily overcome than they were, there was no denying Cora's.

I enjoyed this book and I do see some potential for a new series as Shane has some family which could use their own story. I stand correct, I do like cowboy stories, well at least if they are written by Nicole Helm

Side Note: I believe I may have commented on Helm's Mile High Romance male leads as well. I believe I ranted how the lumberjack type man is not my thing also. It is a good thing I like her writing as we don't seem to share the same taste in men :-)

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story that has the oldest brother Shane Tyler not liking the man his mother is about to marry. He does not think he is in love with her and that all he wants is half of the ranch. That part he does not understand because he never finishes a job that is given to him to finish. He is looking for help form his siblings and that is slowly fading away. On top of everything else his mother hired a wedding planner and for the love of --- why does he like arguing with her and how could he be attracted to her when she is part of his problem putting on this wedding. Cora Preston has moved to a new town and has taken on a new job. Leaving her abusive husband she and her 12 year old son are looking for a new and fresh start. She really needs this first wedding to go off as planned and does not need some good looking cowboy messing up her plans, even if he is the mother’s son. She is also dealing with her 12 year old, Micah his character is perfect for this story along with all of the other characters of this book. Once the story gets going you are in for a nice ride and you find out about of the main characters past and each of their secrets that they have been holding on to. I for one really liked Nichole and the character as you can see her struggle as a mother and with her own fears at times as a parent, all the while knowing she did the right thing leaving her ex. A very good book and very good characters. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

[Bette Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mile High series continues as we move down the mountain and meet some of the fine people of Gracely, Colorado. Shane Tyler grew up in Gracely on his family ranch. He's the oldest of the family so when his father passed away he took over responsibility for the ranch and his family. No way will he let some smooth talker come in and con his mother out of anything! Cora Preston is new to Gracely. She was brave enough to leave her abusive ex and start over in Gracely. No way will she let some gruff cowboy derail her from planning his mother's perfect wedding. Enjoy the ride as these two butt heads over the wedding and fight the attraction between them. Love is definitely in the air!

[Anna's Herding Cats · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2VZIDk9

Cowboys and Nicole Helm? I. Was. In!

The Gist: Shane's current mission? Stopping his mom's upcoming wedding. Cora's mission? Making sure that wedding happens come hell or high water. And get that reluctant cowboy to walk his mama down the aisle. *nods*
I enjoyed Shane and Cora. Shane's all responsible by-the-book cowboy. He works hard and he takes care of the people around him. And Cora. She's doing everything can to create a new, and happy, life for her and her son. They're good solid people.

The romance was entertaining. The two are at odds over this wedding (they both have their reasons) so things could get, erm, lively. But it also had sweet and funny moments as they dealt with each other and her son started working at his ranch. And heated up nicely, too!

There's some family drama, there's some flirty romance, some steam, some healing. I did have a couple little heroine quibbles because of her personality type but overall still enjoyed the read. I do think I'd have been a little more invested had I read the previous 3 books in the series first, though.

[Carma · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is always a nice day for a cowboy wedding…..Cora Preston is trying to make the best wedding happen for her clients even though every fiber in her body is telling her she will fail. She has worked hard to let go of the negative feelings she has for herself and her abilities but after so many years, it is easy to fall back into her old trappings. She has to do better, for her sister and the company, for her son and for herself. But can she trust herself to let success come without automatically expecting the worst?

Shane Tyler is a fixer, he fixes his ranch, his siblings, his mother. The one thing he couldn’t fix has haunted him is a secret from when he was 12 years old. When the pretty new wedding planner shows up at their ranch to help his Mom with her marriage he figures out a way to get this wedding stopped once and for all.

Cora and Shane are both coming into this with the same sort of back issues in their lives but from completely different places. Cora has nothing but fixers in her life while Shane has nothing but people needing saved in his. Or so they both think. On the wedding front, Shane wants to get his mother to see the man she wants to marry is wrong for her and Cora does everything in her power to make Shane see he is wrong. Can they work together to prove their respective points, while navigating this slippery slope, despite being wildly attracted to each other?

I have been a fan of Nicole Helm’s writing for a while now and this one certainly doesn’t disappoint earning 4 1/2 stars. I’m usually pretty good at figuring out a storyline and I was greatly relieved to see that one point I was sure would happen, did not. Cora and Shane though both appearing confident in themselves were very much the opposite and I liked the way they both realized they needed to make that change in themselves. Moms definitely do know best always, even flawed ones like Cora and Deb Tyler doesn’t miss a trick. Throw in the awesome Grandma Maisey, her sword collection and a possible love connection with Skeet in the future (please please) and this book is wonderfully all family.

I received an advance copy from Netgalley without any expectation for review. Any and all opinions expressed are my own. Another great read from Ms Helm and I can’t wait to read the next chapter(s) to come in Gracely, Colorado.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I want to acknowledge that the author named a character Maisey in this story and I just love that. If you’re not in the know, this author and the author Maisey Yates are friends and I think it’s very sweet that their friendship gets a nod in the form of the hero’s grandma.

As for the rest of this story? Amazing. There is definite chemistry between Shane and Cora from the very beginning. I’ve been extremely lucky that I’ve read so many stories with warm-fuzzy inducing characters lately. It’s my favorite thing! These two gave it to me in spades. Plus, Shane has a great relationship with Cora’s son. Not easy and light, but rocky and full of it’s ups and downs while they figured out their roles.

Cora did drive me batty with her discipline (or lack thereof) of her son, Micah. Yet I’ve never been in her situation so I tried very hard not to judge. Not only was Cora in an abusive marriage for many years, but Micah witnessed so much in that time and has not fully learned to cope. I was immensely happy that Cora’s parenting decisions were questioned a bit (by herself) later in the story since she didn’t seem to know how to say no to Micah.

Seriously, Shane has the most patience of any man in the world ever. Not only was he great at taking a step back from Cora when she needed him to, he also kept his family going regardless of the push back he got so often. He was extremely worried about his mom and her choice of beaus yet was able to keep his temper reigned in…for the most part.

This series has been a bit all over the map for me. I’m really excited about the addition of the Taylor family though. They all seem to have such interesting stories that are just waiting to be told.

**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own and given freely.**

https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.c...

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free, advanced copy of this book from NetGalley.com. This is my unbaised and voluntary review.

With the help of her older sister Lilly, Cora Preston fled with her 12 year old son, Micah, from his abusive father in Denver, to Gracely. Lilly is now married with twins and is the PR specialist of her husband's business, Mile High Adventures. Cora was tasked to start Mile High Weddings, a wedding planning division of Mile High Adventures. Her first customer is ranch owner, Deb Tyler, who after being a widow for a long time, is marrying again. However, the man she is marrying is 10 years her junior and her children don't trust him. The oldest son and ranch foreman, Shane, will do anything he can to stop the wedding. Both Cora and Micah are suffering from the aftermath of many years of abuse, but don't want anyone else to know. When Micah gets kicked out of basketball camp, Deb offers Cora the chance to have Micah help on the ranch. Micah falls in love with the horses, and the Tyler family. Both Cora and Shane are both fighting demons of their past. Will they find their partner in the other?

This is the fourth book in the series, but I read it as a stand alone. Since there was no Prologue or short synopsis of what had happened in the first book, which was Lilly and Brandon's story, I was left guessing if Cora's past had been revealed previously, or the elusions of what her ex had done, was on purpose, so it could be revealed slowly. The characters are adeptly developed and the conflicts of family dynamics and secrets are artfully explored.

[Sandy Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 4th book in the Mile High Romance series. It can be read as a standalone. I haven't read any of the previous 3 and fully understood the whole book. This one is about Shane Tyler and Cora Preston. Shane runs the family ranch and feels the full responsibility of making sure his family is not only happy but safe. He is determined to stop his mother from marrying a younger man, especially as he feels that man is only out for her money. Cora has been hired by his mother to plan the wedding. And for her this is her new start after leaving her ex and moving her and her son away from him. She is determined that everything will go off without a hitch, even if that means she has to learn how to stand up for herself and have the stubborn will to make it happen.

I truly liked this story. It started off slow for me but once I got past that I liked it. Cora is a sweet woman who has been through a lot. But she still had the strength and gumption to get away from the horrific situation that her and her son were in so that she could make a better life for him. Shane comes across as being hard headed but always willing to do what he could for his family. And he had his own issues to deal with as well. I really liked how they never treated Micah any differently than if he had been blood related. That's something that I always love to see and it was great to read about. These two together make a great couple, especially once they truly start dealing with their issues and can move on with their lives. Another good read by this author!

[Negar Arvanaghi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't blame Cora for passing the buck.

It seems to me that having a pre-teen should have made her grow up a long time ago.

Charming.

Er, those seem like a lot of red flags.

Yeah, Boone doesn't exactly have an office job.

What is wrong, Micah?

Hey, what's wrong with art?

Whoa, Gavin. Your mom is not a Mossad agent.

His grandma has a sword collection? Remind me not to cross her.

I talk to myself, that's for sure.

I'm guessing her mom was a mistress?

I hate the smell of coffee, but I'm glad I don't have trauma attached to the smell.

I love everything about Micah's first day on the job.

I hope you feel better soon, Lou.

It's good that Shane is teaching Micah how to be a man.

It's sweet how her friends are willing to take her son on an outing so she can have a date.

Is she expecting him to share all his secrets without telling him something in return?

What a witch his ex was.

That's a lot of guilt for the poor man to carry around.

I'm glad he and Ben had that talk, specifically at his father's grave. It felt like his dad was a part of it, giving his blessing.

Boone messed up.

She's ending things before he can, expect he isn't going to.

Micah is more mature than three grown-ups combined.

Mmhmm. "Practical reasons". Sure.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

This was a very emotional story. One that deals with a heroine and her son that suffered from physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her ex-husband. As someone who has never been either, there were times that it was hard to understand her actions. Having the book written in a dual POV format though, helps in understanding characters that have gone through different backgrounds than myself. Shane even had a difficult event that shaped his childhood that I have never gone through. Seeing these two wonderful characters connect and go through the some painful relationship building made for a worthy read.

I had not read the prior books in this series. It appears that they were mighty good as the characters that did appear here were really great characters. I look forward to reading them.

This books does have some intense sections where abuse is mentioned by not in detail or action. I highly recommend this book and author to anyone who loves to read a truly realistic and touching story.

[Kate Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of the Mile High Romance series, in which Shane Tyler is certain that the cowhand his widowed mother wants to marry is out to take the ranch away from the family. Why else would he want to get hitched to a woman 10 years older than he? Why indeed?

When Cora Preston is hired by his mother to help plan her wedding, Shane is confronted by a woman he can't seem to get out of his mind. Never mind that she has a 12-year-old son who reminds him too much of youngest brother, Boone, now home after being badly injured in a bull riding contest.

Cora is attracted to Shane, but she's still recovering--if she ever can--from the abusive relationship she endured for too long with her ex-husband. And then there's her son, who has been kicked out of the basketball camp after launching a ball at the coach. How can she do her job and be the kind of mother she wants to be and fears she'll never become?

How all this works out leans toward more than one wedding, but only after her son shares what he's begged his mother never to utter.

[Leslie Ooten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hard one to rate for me, I was deciding between 3 and four stars. Shane was what pushed it up to 4 stars. Shane was a good hero, and a great man. He did everything he could to help those around him. Cora was what was bringing my opinion of the story down. I understand that she was in a horrible situation, but she was supposed to be in therapy and dealing with things, and she clearly wasn't. She was always taking things the wrong way, second guessing everyone, and taking things out on Shane that didn't have anything to do with him. I felt like she let her 12 year old make decisions for her, and that was no way to be either. I liked all the secondary characters, and even though this is not the first book in the series, I didn't feel like I missed out on anything. I did enjoy the ending, and I was glad that these characters could move past everything and get their HEA.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cora and her twelve year old son are new in Gracely, Colorado. She’s starting out in a new business, a wedding planning company called Mile High Weddings. Her first job is for a wealthy ranch owner, Deb Tyler. She has things under control until she meets Deb’s handsome, oldest son, Shane, who is not in favor of his mother’s wedding. Cora has problems with her own son, problems with the Tyler sibling’s relationships, problems in her and Shane’s relationship and secrets that they all have make a rock-em, sock-em emotional story! Great characters make this an engaging and sincere read that is sure to delight all lovers of contemporary romance.

A Nice Day for a Cowboy Wedding by Nicole Helm will be published by Zebra, an imprint of Kensington Books on August 28, 2018. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

[Traci Westling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing ! I couldn’t wait for Cora’s story to be told from the very beginning! Cora’s Job in this is to plan Deb Tylers dream wedding to a somewhat younger man . She gets resistance from the family but eventually handles it all ! She meets & falls for one of the rancher men , Shane ! Because of Cora’s 12 yr old son & horrific marriage , she has trust issues & must see if she can pull off the grand wedding for her client & MAYBE find her HEA in the process! I personally think this was possibly Nicole’s best work to date & she should consider this book to be entered in the Rita preliminaries when time.. MANY MANY touching, heartwarming scenes that are so poignant because of Cora’s abusive past & the emotional issues that continue with her & her son affecting thier daily lives! Excellent work!

[Sandi Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh My Word this is a book I can so relate too. Large family with a dad who passes when some of the kids are younger in age. One of the sibling steps up to help the Mom raise the other kids. Shane is THAT person in this situation. Most of the other siblings work along side him on the Ranch. His mom is getting re-married after years of being a widow. Good and bad...Good as it brings Cora and her son Micah into the picture for everyone to meet the clan. Bad as Ben seem to be the bad penny. He is a ranch hand, 10 years younger than their mom Deb and lazy to boot. Bet you can guess what the kids all think right... What does Ben really want from Deb? This is part of a series (I have read book 1 but not the others until this one) but can def but read as a stand alone. I enjoyed it so much that I decided i need to read books 2 & 3 LOL to catch up.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the title, A Nice Day for a Cowboy Wedding, I would have never guessed that this is part of the Mile High Series but it certainly is. Nicole Helm has changed this series up and I like it. This is Cora Preston’s, the wedding planner for the Mile High Wedding venue, story.

The story involves the son of one of the brides using Cora’s services. The story is well developed with excellent deeply complex characters. It shows/ growth in Cora and her son, Micah. These are people I grew to love so it was easy to see how Shane should fall head over heels too. Well done.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cora is going to the ranch to help Shane's mother plan her wedding. Shane does not want his mother to marry her fiancé and is willing to do whatever he needs to do for the wedding to never take place. Cora is desperately trying to prove herself to the owner - her friend - so she needs this wedding to be planned and to take place.
The attraction between these two is almost instant. I immediately wanted the two of them together. I loved how Shane and his family even took her son under there wing. I love a good single mother romance.

This is book 4 in this series, but was fine to read on its own.
This was my first book by this author and I look forward to reading others.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the first three books in the Mile High series from Nicole Helm, so leapt at this one when it was released. I enjoyed it, but not as much as the others in the series. In the first three, the mountains and the family business leading tours were almost characters in the book. In this book, the heroine Cora is a sister-in-law to the family business of the previous three, but the book was really focused on the Tyler ranch. As a result, it seemed like another modern western, which is fine but not my thing. A bit too much alpha/traditional male roles for me. The book was fine, but didn’t really match up with the others in the series for me. 3/5

[Karen Roma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicole Helm has become a favourite, and her heroes are easy to love and sometimes hard to handle. After reading A Nice Day for a Cowboy Wedding, I realised I’ve missed a series along the way, and will now need to return to the beginning of the Mile High romances to familiarise myself with the other characters.

That said, this was a fabulous read and typical of Ms Helm’s easy writing style and her loveable and sometimes troubled rogues. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this book too, but if you can, read the first three Mile High romances first.

[Anima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love a fun cowboy romance. Shane is the way men should be, strong, sensitive, loving and even nurturing. Cora's son needs that influence and so does she. Having struggled with abuse they need someone to help them be strong without pity. Cora comes from the Mile High romance series as Lilly's sister and we've seen her struggle as a single mom to a preteen. It was nice to see Cora get a decent man and catch up with the Mile High crew. Not necessary to read the series to enjoy her story. My copy came through Netgalley and my review written voluntarily.

[Marybeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. It’s real, emotional and an honest to goodness feel good book. I love Cora and her son Micah! And Shane is wonderful! He is so sweet, sexy and kind and honestly just everything Cora needed after what she has been through. He has his own burdens but together they are what the other needs to heal and be happy. These characters are so deeply developed, real and lovable I felt like I really knew them.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC

[Shirley Linn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book. I love the way this talented author writes. The story flows seamlessly. It has wonderful, flawed, believable characters. I loved Shane and Cora along with the rest of the loveable characters. It is the story about finding strength in the midst of self doubt. It is a story about trusting yourself enough to let yourself love and to be loved. I would definitely recommend this book and this author.

[poppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the series but it is a standalone read. I liked this one it is a pretty sweet read and is Cora and Shane's story she is new to town after finding the courage to leave her abusive ex, she meets Shane while she is planning his mothers wedding the clash right from the start but the attraction between them is really strong. This was a good read and well a read I really liked it.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shane's mother catches on to everything, nothing gets passed that woman, "...she bent over to grab something from inside the car, and, yes, very . . . formfitting. “Did you just check out my wedding planner?” Shane likes to give warnings, “yeah,” he admitted, pulling her close again . “And I’m about to be very ungentlemanly.” I liked this book, I fell in love with Shane.