What starts as an annual five day music festival on the beach leads to two people falling in love with new rhythms.
Opposites anxiously trying to learn the beats of one another's hearts.
Will the endless noise of one industry ultimately tear them apart, leaving their relationship to be nothing more than a forgotten melody, or will they manage to survive and create their perfect harmony?
* This book is a COMPLETE standalone. The Culture Blind Series can be read in any order *
There are some books that just connect with you on every level, and for me this was one of them. What could be just another romance is made so much more by offering special characters that push the norm and make you both think and feel. Cooper, the country music star, on the surface was what you would expect. Charming, a playboy, jaded and puffed up on his own importance. Underneath though is the sweet guy, the kind and generous brother, the doting uncle, and loving son. Frankie was simply amazing and I think she will be relatable to so many readers. Suffering from anxiety, she is unique, quirky, sassy and loveable. With a storyline that blends poignant emotions, steam, sweetness humor, drama and passion, this book quickly pulls you in and dos not let go. You will smile, you will sigh, you will swoon and you will cry. An absolute reading delight that will touch your heart and easily earn a spot on your keeper shelf. This is my honest, voluntary review.
The second book in the series is about a country movie star falling in love with a hotel heiress/chess prodigy. I'm guessing the theme of this series is about Black women from the city falling in love with southern white men.
This book was a lot better when it came to the racial dynamics compared to the last book. I still have issues with her characters Black families being broken but the White families loving and supportive. In this book the heroine's father is dead and she's been estranged from her mother for several years for some reason that's not completely clear to me. By the end of the book, the heroine has reconciled with her mother.
This author typically has a quirky heroine who is socially awkward but this heroine was too the extreme. I thought she was on the spectrum but her issues aren't really made clear and because it's not clear she comes off a little weird.
We follow frankie and Cooper the Cowboy casanova. Frankie is the owner of the hotel resort that's renowned for its country music festival once a year. Frankie is a shy anxious chocolate eating hideaway. Frankie is funny though when things gets tough she inhales the treats like it's the only thing she ever needs. It her way of coping especially as she don't people as she puts it. It becomes increasingly difficult tho when cooper walks into her life and thoughts a love shaped spanner in the works of her life. She throws a milkshake over him lol I mean she is my kinda woman just for that. Cooper is a massive country star people flock the resort just to see him. He sings people listen. He is called the cowboy casanova because he is image is to be seen with woman but not actually be attached to one. That is until he falls head over boots for frankie the hotel owner. He can't help but want to take her and make her his but has to get past the anxiety she had first. Thing go right for a while and they both are happy frankie comes out of her comfort zone while cooper looks to comfirm there relationship in the public eye. That is until one of coopers team puts a spanner in the works and claim his image is the important thing.
I can't tell you how much I love the culture blind series. Having couple that come from two ethnic backgrounds and from two different walks of life professionally. But they make it work until small minded people that don't belong in the world puts a stop to there budding relationship. I love how the author does this in today's world there should be a issue of race but highlighting something that shouldn't happen that still does I hope open the eyes to world that this should still happen. Good job Neal.
I'm disappointed in this one, more so because I liked the first book, but man...Cooper is just gross and disgusting! From his behavior meeting Frankie, to the things his sister says as she dresses him down. Why would I root for him to get together with Frankie, she deserves a real man, not a boy too enamor with himself, his success and his partying ways. Gave up around the 20% mark, this one just isn't for me.
They learned to play the game well with each other
Cooper Copeland, Country Music consummate playboy and heart throb did not expect his flirting to land him a milk shake in the face. Anxiety ridden Francesca Hatcher was ill prepared for any attention she received from any man and his inappropriate flirting only sent her anxiety into the stratosphere. Their first meeting mistakes did not come to the forefront until each ine realized that they needed each other for business. Cooper sponsored the Beers and Babes Beach Bash every year and Frankie needed that business for her Chessboard Resort.
His attempt to apologize for his drunken behavior had him realizing what his soul already knew. He'd unknowingly kicked in the door in on her heart, popped a squat on her soul and Frankie did not like that. She needed control in her life and she needed to know the rules and regulations like in a chess game. It and chocolate were the only things that kept her anxiety at bay. It only took him three days of being around her that he found himself knee deep in love creek. He always thought of himself as almost a god, the stage was his church, the crowd his flock, his music was his gift and a curse. And here was his Sweet Pea that he found himself not wanting to be without. To Frankie, he taught her how to be spontaneous and not be so anxious and finally coming out of her chocolate shell and try new things in her life.
But, he made a big mistake that Frankie could not live with and "resigned" her life with him. He listened to the wrong advice. He should have known better.
Xavier wrote a sweet and compelling love story about a young woman battling with anxiety after the death of her father and the alienation of her mother, the only way she could without the help of pills. The meeting and falling in love of the city girl and the small town country guy was a match made in heaven to them. They conquered the world of popular opinion knowing that skin was only skin and not the content of their love for each other. Their HEA was the only thing left for them to get with the support of both of their families.
I loved Coop so much! He started off this arrogant man who I would have slapped into the middle of next week, but then he took off the mask and showed the real man. This real man was kind, thoughtful and amazing. He was fun and funny and caring.
Frankie’s character was so different from any heroine I have read. Her inability to deal with the world around her was a little off putting at first, but she grew on me. Her addiction to chocolate was a bit much, but I got it. It was her coping mechanism. The way she looked at life as a chess game was original and a bit much, but overall she was a good person.
Once these two got out of their own ways, they were magical. I live how Coop gave her the confidence she needed to deal with the world. I also appreciated how Frankie was able to give Coop the sense of normalcy he craved and didn’t even know it. His need to have family near was something instilled in him from his parents and she became his family.
I enjoyed the secondary characters as well. I couldn’t put this book down. As it neared closer to the end I slowed my reading to savor it a bit more. I didn’t want it to end.
I absolutely loved Coop and Frankie. This book was beyond the cuteness for me, though they were a cute couple. I loved how it shows, if you love someone, you love them, quirks and all. Truly embracing who they are and not wanting them to be something they’re not. True Love. Coop and his (mostly) charming ways and Frankie and her blunt ways just seemed to flow well together. Loved it and can’t wait for more!
I have been reading Xavier Neal Books for about a Year now. And each and everytime she manages to surprise me. With that being said. Cowboy Casanova Review.
Frankie, What can I say about her. She is a Chess Loving, Chocolate Eating Sweetheart. I just love the way she brings Chess playing to life. People to Frankie are like Chess Pieces. She use her abilities to understand her Opponents. But her understanding of things is about to get an little complicated due to the fact that she has Anixety issues which she controls with Chocolate. But that's not the only thing that can calm her down.
Frankie is about to find out, Chess isn't the only thing in life....
Cooper. A walking Sexy piece of all things Good. Not only is this Country Boy Gorgeous, and can sing too boot. His one flaw, always being something he's not. A Obnoxious Prick. You see he is one thing around his close family and friends, and another around his self serving, Unattached friends. Coop is jaded and thinks he all that and then some.
But that is all about to change once he meets Frankie. Who is the polar opposite of Cooper.
The first meeting between them had me Rolling off my bed. With the cheesy lines Cooper used like:
“What do you say you give me your number , and I arrange a little one on one to explore that garden and let you handle my hose?”
It's a wonder Frankie didn't kick him.
Xaxier and her Crazy dialogue.
With a storyline that blends emotions, Cray humor, drama and passion, this book quickly pulls you in and once it got you, it will have you so far into your Emotions, you'll be Crying a River.
Love all things Xavier. Thanks Love for Sweet Pea and Peanuts Lovestory. Can't wait to see what is up next.
This right here was the bombastic, fantastic and super, super, super good... This was the epitome romantic, sweetness type of story. Man how can I get a Cooper. He was everything! Handsome, down to earth, romantic, lovable, a teddy bear at heart, a sweetheart, a wonderful, albeit a little dumb man but still the top of the top. He was so good, so patient with Frankie, so understanding and yet so selfish and clueless. Frankie on the other hand was almost getting on my nerves with this chess thing ( which by the way I do not know how to play). Everything was about chess for her except for Cooper whom she managed to to just be with him un restrictively. She was it seems at the borderline of being autistic or she was lightly brushed with the autistic bug, yet this didn't deter her to have a thriving business, a wonderful side business, a beautiful relationship with Cooper, a wonderful relationship with the few people she let in. This story was so much more than boy meets girl, boy do something stupid, boy looses girl, then boy reconciled and have a second chance which he does not screw it up. Ouf, that was long. It was a winning book, a winning romance, winning characters and the best plot possible. you have done it again MS. Neal, power to you and we sure are not worthy!!
I really love Frankie, and as Cooper calls her sweet pea. She is hilarious I could not stop myself from laughing. I love that she is more than willing and brave to go out of her comfort zone in able to be there for Coop. I love even more that she throws her chocolate milk shake at him when he becomes an idiot. And he tries to throw some over the top, corny, lines at her. She shows him that his Casanova pick up lines will not fly here. NO MATTER how famous he is, which had me on the side lines cheering her on all the way.
What I love the most is throughout the book, no matter how many times she was pushing his attention away. Coop was going to work hard to get into her good graces and be there for her. He really wanted to be with her, and cleans up his act to proves his worth to her.
I also enjoy the fact that she did not fall down to his grace right away. No sir, little Sweet Pea goes makes him work for it. She doesn't change who she is, but more so shows him a little bit of what behind the walls that she has up.
Overall I really enjoy this book, and it's characters
This book and the characters are truly amazing. I absolutely love Frankie and her spunky personality who doesn’t take crap from anyone including Cooper the headliner of her festival. She overcomes so much and is really relatable. Cooper also overcomes so many of his own insecurities and trust issues that you feel the growth with this characters. I love the descriptions of the feelings, environments, and places that they go as it helps to connect you to the characters on a deeper level. Can I just say how much I love the secondary characters and their interactions within the story as it gives it a whole new level to the story.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this book. I thought I was getting some more Dusty because wow he was awesome. But holy moly was this book good. Had me all in my book feels 💜. We had quirky woman meet overly cocky guy and doesn’t fall to her knees to worship at the alter of Cooper. I found myself rooting for Frankie from the beginning like I wanted her to find happiness to make peace with her past. It took Frankie warming up to Cooper for me to warm up to him she made him bigger than his ego. Book was well written again. And once again Xavier has written a book where I actually find myself sad that the book is over.
I freaking LOVE Cooper and Frankie!! Omg and Cooper's family, cant forget them!! I loved every second of their story! Cooper, the sexy and arrogant, cocky country music singer and Frankie, the adorable and nerdy, anxiety filled firecracker!! Nothing alike, but perfect together. And I have to admit I literally laughed out loud many times due to Frankie's outbursts. She's so quirky that you can't help but love her. And some of the side characters like Sadie and Marcello are amazing as well. I don't think the book would be the same without them!! Definitely a must read!
I didn't immediately take to Frankie or Coop..although I remembered Coop from Redneck Romeo which I LOVE!! Frankie reminded me too much of Ruth & Hannah Kabbah in A Girl Like Her & Untouchable. I didn't find her nearly as endearing and hated the junk food & sugar addiction. Cooper..Lord he know he played that loud mouthed, crude womanizer role to perfection and I just wanted to slap him. But they did make huge efforts to grow and morph out of their respective shells. Coops family was his saving grace & Frankie found courage she didn't know she had. I was surprised at the quick jump to sex but they make it work in the end. Not One of my faves but it's okay.
Playing Chess For Love This was a great read. I loved the chess metaphors & the abundance of all things chocolate. Frankie is sheltered from the world by keeping herself closed off using chess as the game of life. Cooper is a singer who needs a real reason to sing besides fame & fortune. These two people shouldn't click not because of racial differences but because they literally see the world differently. The ups & downs of a love are on display as well as fears & even ignorance of others. There is a beautiful story here : a HEA too.
It had a nice light hearted beginning with a meet cute moment. But the love interest was just an awful person as time went on. And when he makes the mistake that tears them apart? There really is no going back from that. I dont know how any WOC would forgive that and move onto a HEA. He showed no sign of growth that would lead one to believe he could become a supportive and caring partner for her. It began on a pleasant note and then took a bad turn - she deserved better.
Like in the previous story from this series,it was just as good if not better.I love that the heroine is not one that is so perfect that you just grind your teeth or that she is so beyond help.We get an old fashioned romance with a new age twist and it is so entertaining.I love that Cooper is an ordinary man who happens to be famous and makes all the mistake a man does.(dumb ones)This was just a good solid story that will keep you invested till the end.I am so looking forward to the next story in this series.
As a 20+ year mental health professional this book really resonated with me. It was a perfect example of how unprocessed emotions, such as grief and trauma, can have such a negative impact on one's life. At first glance it appears Frankie is on the autism spectrum but as the story progresses we learn she has regimented her life in a manner she can successfully navigate. It was gratifying to see how her relationship with Cooper changed her life and his. This book is definitely worth your time!!!
I loved this series and this book was my favorite. Unusual because most series get a little softer. Cowboy Casanova (CC) did not! It was all things-hot, funny, angsty, sweet and it kept my interest until the very last sentence. I like Frankie and Cooper. She was quirky, might have been on the spectrum. I appreciated that the fact that if she is on the spectrum, Ms. Neal did not make that the sole focus of the story. The plot was about Frankie and Cooper's love story. The meeting, the hook-up, the break-up, and the HEA. It was a fabulous ride! Thank you Ms. Neal for a fantastic love story!
Cooper and Frankie are an adorable, engaging, and humorous couple that you can't help but fall for. She's all structure and discipline, while he is fun and spontaneous! The writer knows how to get you invested in the characters and the outcome of the story. If you love rom-coms, you will enjoy this book. Take a chance on sweet pea and peanut, you'll thank me later
This book was truly a swoon worthy book for Cooper, he just appeared so sexy, passionate and confidant. Book boyfriend material. Frankie was funny, socially challenged and all. I can still see her as a good friend. This book was nice and calm with page turning moments throughout to keep you intrigued. I would definitely recommend this book for those wanting a sexy read.
I really loved Cooper. His character was so lovable and patient to me. That is until he became self centered . I thought Frankie had one major issue which was her weakness for all things chocolate. Her minor issue was her introvertedness. She was a daddy's girl with a gift for business when she wasn't having meltdowns over dating Cooper. This book makes me want to appreciate cowboys and country music more. I love this Author's work.
It was obvious what Kurt was up to. I almost did not want him to get a second chance with Frankie. He needed to suffer for being so stupid. However I loved his family and how supportive they were. Also remembered how he brought Frankie out of her shell. Most of all I believe he truly loved Frankie but got played. In the end glad Frankie gave him a second chance.
This was a great, sweet story! Loved that it tackled the issue of race and how it truly does not matter! Love is love and skin tone doesn’t have any bearing on it. Loved all the sweet touches for the female character and her anxiety. Great job Xavier and can’t wait to see what is next!!
This story between Cooper and Frankie is so awkwardly adorable, that my cheeks hurt from smiling so hard! Even with the ridiculously sweet aspect of their relationship the hateful ideology crept in and it was hard for Cooper to understand. But when he got it.....be still my beating heart!!
I have a new book boyfriend. I simply adored Cooper. His dynamic with Frankie was as sweet as it was intense. I loved the effort that he put into being with Frankie and the resolve that she had to step out of her she'll and experience love. I would recommend this novel to anyone. A fantastic read!
I don't think Ms Neal can write a bad book. I purchase without even reading the sample my expectations are always well rewarded. I laughed and giggled, was pissed with Cooper for going along with that idiot kurk but he lived and learned. In all great story. On to the next.
I enjoyed reading this installment of the series more than the first one. Frankie the heroine was different and quirky and stayed true to herself through out the book. Cooper the H was sweet and loving but kind of all over the place nevertheless I enjoyed their story and glad they got a HEA.
Another amazing love story. The connections and range love expands. Frankie and "peanut" were each other's missing piece and song. Xavier Neal manages to open the heart and mind to the truth, love is blind. It only knows it's other half. Love the people as always. Sadie and Marcello along with parents a total hit. The missteps were genuine, forgiveness Devine.