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Sweet Water Ranch #0.5
The Cowboy's Second Chance
He's a billionaire that's supposed to be dead.
She's the woman who chose his best friend over him.
They've forged a strong online friendship over two decades as she's raised her eight kids alone, and he kept the promise he made to her husband.
She doesn't know who he really is - the entire town of Sweet Water attended his memorial service.
When they finally meet, will the friendship they've forged be strong enough to weather the deception and the explosive secrets he's hiding?
She's the woman who chose his best friend over him.
They've forged a strong online friendship over two decades as she's raised her eight kids alone, and he kept the promise he made to her husband.
She doesn't know who he really is - the entire town of Sweet Water attended his memorial service.
When they finally meet, will the friendship they've forged be strong enough to weather the deception and the explosive secrets he's hiding?
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First published September 12, 2021
213 people are currently reading
279 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
February 3, 2022
The author was offering the audiobook free through her newsletter for readers to experience her book and her narrator. So I snagged a copy. I have a couple of her books but haven’t read them yet. So I thought this would be a great intro for me into her writing. Several friends really enjoy her books and I enjoy her newsletter.
I enjoyed this sweet older, second chance clean romance. The audiobook was well done and I really enjoyed the narrator’s voice and acting. I got another of her audiobooks for free (I believe through her newsletter again) and I’m going to listen to that next. 💗
Content: clean. The characters kiss off and on but nothing detailed and nothing further than kisses.
Happy Reading!!!
I enjoyed this sweet older, second chance clean romance. The audiobook was well done and I really enjoyed the narrator’s voice and acting. I got another of her audiobooks for free (I believe through her newsletter again) and I’m going to listen to that next. 💗
Content: clean. The characters kiss off and on but nothing detailed and nothing further than kisses.
Happy Reading!!!
April 3, 2022
This was a unique story that was perfect to lead into Jessie Gussman's Sweet Water Ranch series. I always enjoy Jessie's books, and this was another winner. I listened to the audiobook, and Jay Dyess's narration was fantastic as usual.
December 28, 2023
Although this is listed as .5 of the series which makes you think of it as a prequel, it really needs to be read AFTER the other books. This one answers a big secret found throughout the series and wraps everything up nicely.
May 15, 2020
This was a sweet, feel good story with great characters. It is a wonderful long distance relationship over two decades. This is a sweet, clean romance.
July 18, 2022
Email Friends
Bonnie is a widow with 8 children, the youngest just graduated high school. Now she is an empty nester, living on her farm. For 20 years she has been on her own, but felt the support of a man through emails. Now he wants to meet face to face.
Oilman has been living & biding his time for 20 years in hopes of getting a chance to make his dream come true. He has been keeping secrets, but his only chance for his dream to come true depends on telling secrets & Bonnie to understand & forgive him.
Will he be able to explain his actions & convince Bonnie he meant no harm? Will Bonnie be able to open her mind & heart to give him a chance?
I enjoyed this short story. The end of the story was just too rushed.
Spoiler Alert: my problem was with Bonnie not questioning why Howard was asked to wait until all the children had graduated from high school. Bonnie asked him if he had visited her husband in the hospital before he died, but his death was never explained in the story. Howard never gave an explanation why he was asked to wait & why he agreed to the promise.
Bonnie is a widow with 8 children, the youngest just graduated high school. Now she is an empty nester, living on her farm. For 20 years she has been on her own, but felt the support of a man through emails. Now he wants to meet face to face.
Oilman has been living & biding his time for 20 years in hopes of getting a chance to make his dream come true. He has been keeping secrets, but his only chance for his dream to come true depends on telling secrets & Bonnie to understand & forgive him.
Will he be able to explain his actions & convince Bonnie he meant no harm? Will Bonnie be able to open her mind & heart to give him a chance?
I enjoyed this short story. The end of the story was just too rushed.
Spoiler Alert: my problem was with Bonnie not questioning why Howard was asked to wait until all the children had graduated from high school. Bonnie asked him if he had visited her husband in the hospital before he died, but his death was never explained in the story. Howard never gave an explanation why he was asked to wait & why he agreed to the promise.
November 20, 2022
Dead man loving…
Bonnie Stryker has spent years raising her eight children alone after her husband died. Now her last child is graduating. She loves her children but at times it is nice to have another adult to talk to. Oilman was that adult even though she doesn’t know his real name and he only knows her as Striker Mom. Their years-long friendship has been by email and text. Now he wants to meet in person.
Oilman is both excited and nervous to finally see Bonnie. Can he persuade her to move their friendship forward into romance? Will she let him explain everything or despise him for his deception?
This is a sweet second-chance romance. It all wrapped up rather quickly at the end but the journey getting there was lovely.
Bonnie Stryker has spent years raising her eight children alone after her husband died. Now her last child is graduating. She loves her children but at times it is nice to have another adult to talk to. Oilman was that adult even though she doesn’t know his real name and he only knows her as Striker Mom. Their years-long friendship has been by email and text. Now he wants to meet in person.
Oilman is both excited and nervous to finally see Bonnie. Can he persuade her to move their friendship forward into romance? Will she let him explain everything or despise him for his deception?
This is a sweet second-chance romance. It all wrapped up rather quickly at the end but the journey getting there was lovely.
April 30, 2023
Will the billionaire philanthropist get a second chance to win the lady of his heart?
He's a billionaire that's supposed to be dead.
She's the woman who chose his best friend over him.
They've forged a strong online friendship over two decades as she's raised her eight kids alone, and he kept the promise he made to her husband.
She doesn't know who he really is - the entire town of Sweet Water attended his memorial service.
When they finally meet, will the friendship they've forged be strong enough to weather the deception and the explosive secrets he's hiding?
The Cowboy's Second Chance - A Sweet Water Ranch Romance - is a full-length complete sweet romance audiobook written by USA Today best-selling author Jessie Gussman and narrated by Jay Dyess.
He's a billionaire that's supposed to be dead.
She's the woman who chose his best friend over him.
They've forged a strong online friendship over two decades as she's raised her eight kids alone, and he kept the promise he made to her husband.
She doesn't know who he really is - the entire town of Sweet Water attended his memorial service.
When they finally meet, will the friendship they've forged be strong enough to weather the deception and the explosive secrets he's hiding?
The Cowboy's Second Chance - A Sweet Water Ranch Romance - is a full-length complete sweet romance audiobook written by USA Today best-selling author Jessie Gussman and narrated by Jay Dyess.
December 23, 2025
Jessie's books are edifying. I would say they are also light reads, but she does tackle difficult topics. Bad things happen to the characters or because of their choices, but there is redemption, grace, and forgiveness. She weaves in truths about how we should leave as Christians, which serve as reminders as I listen along.
This book puts pieces together. I read it at the end or later in the series.
I've listened to her books on YouTube "Say With Jay." He's a great narrator, even for the women's voices. It's the type of book that you can listen to while doing something else. Any can be read as a stand-alone, but I recommend starting the series in order as several connect characters and places.
This book puts pieces together. I read it at the end or later in the series.
I've listened to her books on YouTube "Say With Jay." He's a great narrator, even for the women's voices. It's the type of book that you can listen to while doing something else. Any can be read as a stand-alone, but I recommend starting the series in order as several connect characters and places.
October 25, 2021
Overall, a good story. Bonnie's had an Internet pen pal relationship with Howard for about two decades without knowing who he is. He's always known who she is. While this could have easily devolved into a stalker relationship, he never crossed the line: keeping it to socially agreed upon attention. He put God first and her second in his approach. While he hadn't outright lied, he had deceived. Getting past that is the primary focus of this story.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Happily Ever After. Romantic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Happily Ever After. Romantic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.
December 16, 2021
A lovely Sweet Water novella available through joining Gussman's newsletter! (I highly recommend it - funny stories, free books, audiobooks, and so much more) I feel like this can stand on it's own, but I also am glad to be reading it after book 10 as it has some spoilers for the series (who marries who, background for the entire shebang that I'm glad I didn't know at the beginning as it spoils some of the mystery and intrigue of the marriage letters). I loved these characters and it was really awesome to get to learn so much background.
March 18, 2022
Bonnie and Howard had met many years ago, although she is unaware of the identity of the man, she has been corresponding with him virtually for 20+ years. She’s the widow mother to eight children and she met him online when he volunteered to fix her computer from afar. He was the friend she poured out her troubles to and they offered each other support when each felt alone. So, what happens when they finally meet? So many secrets unfold with a bit of miscommunication as well. Realistic older main characters, humor and romance make this a wonderful book.
July 22, 2023
Thank goodness for a short story
This has got to be the strangest story I have read in a long time. It just didn't make sense about a guy 'faking' his death and the story just didn't give any real reason why he would do that. It really wasn't about the money.
I can understand the history behind the relationship with Joel (Bonnie's husband), but why hide from everyone?
I'm not sure if I want to read the rest of the series. I have read other books by this author, but I am shying away from reading the next book for now.
This has got to be the strangest story I have read in a long time. It just didn't make sense about a guy 'faking' his death and the story just didn't give any real reason why he would do that. It really wasn't about the money.
I can understand the history behind the relationship with Joel (Bonnie's husband), but why hide from everyone?
I'm not sure if I want to read the rest of the series. I have read other books by this author, but I am shying away from reading the next book for now.
September 4, 2025
I somehow missed this one when I read the Sweet Water Ranch series. And to be honest, it explains a lot. But this one actually appears as one of the Sweet Water Ranch Billionaire Cowboy series. Anyway, turns out, Howard is from Sweet Water and his lawyer came up with the "He Died" thing so that he could remain anonymous. In the last chapter, 2 or 3 of Bonnies children and in-laws are recipients of his billion dollar philanthropy. Any way, now I a reviewing my author list for something else to read.
December 7, 2021
A widow, children, a farm and a suitor.
When Bonnie finds herself widowed with a large family of children to rear she turns to her farm for help. An online friendship with a person she has never met becomes a lifeline over the years. Surprises and an enormous deception affecting the entire community, not just Bonnie's family is revealed. How her family deals with the news is of importance.
When Bonnie finds herself widowed with a large family of children to rear she turns to her farm for help. An online friendship with a person she has never met becomes a lifeline over the years. Surprises and an enormous deception affecting the entire community, not just Bonnie's family is revealed. How her family deals with the news is of importance.
January 11, 2022
After reading several other books in this series by Jessie Gussman, I was happy to get the background story of the man who left so much money to so many people. Apparently it was time for his own happily ever after even though he was supposed to be dead. I am glad that I didn't read this book first though. It might have spoiled the rest of the series.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book and Jay Dyess really made this book come alive for me.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book and Jay Dyess really made this book come alive for me.
January 14, 2022
If you want to read (or hear)a romance between an older couple, this is the book for you! Widow, Bonnie, has been corresponding by e-mail with a gentleman for twenty years but now "Oilman" wants to meet her in person! Oilman knows who she is but Bonnie is not prepared for who Oilman turns out to be! You will enjoy this sweet North Dakota romance. I received a complimentary audio book from the author. This is my honest opinion.
March 15, 2022
Lovely Western Second Chance Sweet Romance
This is a lovely and sweet romance that is part of the SweetWater Ranch Romance Series. I generally do not listen to audiobooks. I can safely say that this is the first I have listened to in 50 years. I enjoyed it. I listened to the audio version on the Say with Jay YouTube channel. Jay does a wonderful job of presenting the story with emotion and believability. I have subscribed to his YouTube channel to listen to more of Jessie's books.
This is a lovely and sweet romance that is part of the SweetWater Ranch Romance Series. I generally do not listen to audiobooks. I can safely say that this is the first I have listened to in 50 years. I enjoyed it. I listened to the audio version on the Say with Jay YouTube channel. Jay does a wonderful job of presenting the story with emotion and believability. I have subscribed to his YouTube channel to listen to more of Jessie's books.
April 18, 2022
Excellent story by Jessie Gussman! I appreciated the Christian theme throughout and the emphasis on forgiveness. I liked Jay Dyess’ narration of the story. I liked hearing both POVs. Gives you a nice perspective of what is going on from both sides and why. He has a great cowboy accent. Nice and easy to listen to. I can easily recommend this audio book, not only Jay’s narration but also Jesse’s way of writing. I will continue to listen to other audiobooks from Jessie and Jay. Highly recommended!
September 19, 2022
Although I really enjoyed this book, I felt it could have read a little easier. It took too long for some things to happen and not long enough for others. The ending felt rushed too. I normally like to get so invested in a character that I get expressively emotional, by either laughing or crying out load. I didn’t experience this. Not that I experience outbursts of emotion with every book, I wanted more. This book was gifted to me.
October 1, 2022
This is one of the sweetest books that I have read in a long time. I love Howard and Bonnie’s story. Bonnie lost her husband about 20 years ago and has been raising her eight kids alone. She started emailing a man not long after her husband died and they became great friends. This book is a little different and I absolutely loved it. I love that the main characters were older. Fantastic story by Jessie Gussman.
October 16, 2022
In fairness to the author it was a poor choice by me, I was not the target audience. I don’t read “clean” romance, I find the term somewhat offensive and often there is a judgemental undertone. That said I found the inconsistencies frustrating and a bit annoying how frequently the characters commented on their age. I much prefer to read midlife romances than 20yos but I don’t need it pushed at me constantly
April 16, 2023
This book was interesting to me because of the backstory. The hero and heroine emailed back and forth for 20 YEARS after Bonnie's husband dies. In a friends only context, Bonnie and Howard finally agree to meet. With much to iron out, but decades of friendship, they decide to see where this path may go. Of course, they have to get the approval of Bonnie's 8 children first! A great story for the matriarch that has endured many years of hardship.
March 24, 2022
A clean, romance novella based on God given second chances, with a few unexpected twists and follows an older couple who are in a different season of their lives.
Liked the honesty of the characters after one has not been very transparent over the years while the other character is very gracious about the unexpected turn of events (except for the initial meet scene!).
Liked the honesty of the characters after one has not been very transparent over the years while the other character is very gracious about the unexpected turn of events (except for the initial meet scene!).
May 17, 2022
I had a free copy of this book, but this is my honest and voluntary opinion. She raised 8 children after her husband died. He corresponded with her by email for 20 years. Once they meet she realized he’s supposed to be dead. An interesting and uplifting novella by Jessie Gussman. The plot includes themes of forgiveness, acceptance and setting untruths to right.
May 31, 2022
The start of Sweet Water Ranch Western Cowboy Romance series. I have read the book and listen to the audio of this book. Jay Dyess makes this story come to life. Bonnie and Howard's story kept me turning pages as I listened to Jay's voice. Howard had so many secrets. I enjoyed seeing them get a happy ending. I would recommend.
June 3, 2022
OH! What Fun!
I enjoyed this book so very much. It is they story of a widowed rancher who had raised her children by herself after father died and how they managed to survive and keep the ranch going to support the family. I loved this book. Now I cannot wait to read the other books in this series.
I enjoyed this book so very much. It is they story of a widowed rancher who had raised her children by herself after father died and how they managed to survive and keep the ranch going to support the family. I loved this book. Now I cannot wait to read the other books in this series.
November 20, 2022
What a way to start a book series. I absolutely loved it! Bonnie is becoming an empty nester as all her children have grown up. She has been corresponding online since about a year after her husbands passing with a Howard. This is the perfect second chance at romance love you can't help but root for this couple.
March 12, 2023
Bonnie has been corresponding with Oilman for years, he fixed her computer and they've been emailing ever since. She's no idea who he is but had discussed lots of worries with him. Now he wants to meet. Does she want to change the whole dynamic of their relationship?
Turns out she knows him. Will she get a second chance with him?
A good read from Jessie
Turns out she knows him. Will she get a second chance with him?
A good read from Jessie
January 3, 2022
I love this book! I love Bonnie and Howard's story. The characters are delightful and their story is sweet. I have read one other book in the series and they stand alone well but also build with overlapping characters. WONDERFUL!
January 11, 2022
A farmer is not a cowboy. This was a depressing read of wasted years and what ifs. There was absolutely no reason one person had to carry twenty years alone on their shoulders. Every day is precious with no guarantees of tomorrow.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews