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Masterson County #1

Seeking the Sheriff

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An alternative cover edition for this ASIN B071SJJYDB can be found here.

Trouble. She doesn’t need his kind of trouble…

The sheriff of Masterson County had always meant trouble—especially for the Tylers of Tyler Township.

The last thing Phoebe Tyler needs is the sheriff complicating her life.

She has to focus on helping her widowed father run their struggling ranch and raise her younger brothers. When the sheriff shows up with her teenage brother, Phoebe knows more problems are right behind him.

He has a job to do…

Sheriff Joel Masterson has an entire county depending on him to keep them safe.

He doesn’t need more trouble with the rabble-rousing Tylers. But once he gets a good look at the eldest Tyler daughter, things get complicated. Real complicated—real quick.

Now Joel doesn’t mind trouble—at least…not Phoebe’s kind.

But trouble has a way of finding all the Tylers sooner or later. Phoebe is no exception.

But this time the sheriff might not be enough to keep Phoebe safe, after all…

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 25, 2017

2019 people are currently reading
1110 people want to read

About the author

Calle J. Brookes

99 books381 followers
Who is Calle Jaye Brookes?

Calle Jaye is fun, playful, ironic, professional and sophisticated. She’s super-educated in the field of fiction and would spend most of her time walking around in “Book World” (or”eBook World”).

Does she have slight control freak tendencies? Yep. Why else would she chose to self-publish?

In her day job she gets to read romance novels. In her night job she gets to write them!

Her favorite color is bold purple. She likes rock like Kid Rock, Shinedown, and Nickelback. Add in a bit of Anastacia and Adelle, too.

She collects rocks. Watches crime dramas. Abhors Lifetime Movies and Titanic (especially Leo…) and refuses to read or write about sparkly teen vampires.

She’s married to a cop she strongly suspects is a vampire. They’ve made vampire babies, too.

They live in Indiana with their vampire relatives and their vampire dogs.

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5 stars
1,758 (49%)
4 stars
1,036 (29%)
3 stars
558 (15%)
2 stars
142 (4%)
1 star
47 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
Profile Image for Shatire.
460 reviews2 followers
June 10, 2018
Not bad...

Not bad by any means, but I think this particular plot would've been better as a novel. There's grudges, drug rings, small town drama, death threats and more. It was too rushed and there was no room for growth. A few chaste kisses, one bedroom act (no explicit detail), now their in love and will spend eternity together.
This could be so much more. It would be amazing, if in the future, Brookes extends the book and gives it the chance to live up to its potential.
752 reviews1 follower
June 10, 2018
Interesting but...

Story had potential but there was too much confusion. 8 siblings with names all beginning with P, then add in nicknames — too much! And life in the family seemed so overwhelming with so much responsibility— how does one of them fall in love without causing chaos on the siblings? Some grammar and spellings errors. And the wrap up was just too quick.
Profile Image for Elaine.
4,419 reviews90 followers
April 11, 2022
I was really into this story. Lovely characters and storyline was just perfect. Thought I'd take a chance
to buy book 2, but it was a freebie like this one. So entertaining. Enjoyed reading it. 5☆
Profile Image for Hazel.
712 reviews58 followers
September 16, 2019
A new book to me recommended through a group challenge. This is the story of Joel the sheriff and Phoebe Tyler. Phoebe is one of numerous Tylers although most of her branch of Tylers are law abiding with the exception of her younger Brother Phoenix. It is thanks to Phoenix that Joel becomes aware of Phoebe and sets out to win her.
Profile Image for Angela Krug.
6 reviews
October 30, 2017
Decent story but it could have been better as a novel instead of a novella. It moved along very quickly and wasn’t as satisfying as this author’s bold normally are. It was enjoyable but definitely left me wishing it wasn’t over so quickly
Profile Image for Mari.
1,531 reviews10 followers
August 15, 2021
3.75 ***

Not bad for a novella. The story was predictable. Poor girl with a family reputation and a gaggle of siblings she cares for living on a failing ranch. Their names all begin with 'P', which I found confusing and annoying. The sheriff comes from the county founding family. He has several brothers. Lots of potential for more romances.
Profile Image for Kim.
701 reviews10 followers
May 28, 2018
I obtained this free e-book from Amazon and I am voluntarily writing a review. I have read this authors works before this and was impressed with the quality of her work, such was not the case in this piece. The story seemed put together in a rush with poor editing displayed by numerous misspelled words. Phoebe is the major caretaker of her brothers and sisters after the death of her mother in an MVA. She is living on a ranch with her father who is barely able to eek out a living with them all contributing to the family funds. Joel is the Sheriff and he has arrested her 19 year old brother for underage drinking and fighting. He returns the belligerent drunk to his family when Phoebe is injured by her brother and has to be taken to the hospital.
773 reviews
July 15, 2018
It was free and not too long so I thought it would be a quick read to keep me occupied until the next day when one of my favourite authors releases their latest book which I will want to start immediately. I guess if I had taken the time to read the synopsis I might have realised this would be way too cutesy for me.
Profile Image for Jill Miclean.
852 reviews
January 11, 2019
Ridiculous book filled with cliche after cliche after cliche and stereo typed women. Nothing I hate more than dumbed-down women or the shrew that needs a man to soften her.
Profile Image for Deb B.
1,852 reviews16 followers
January 9, 2019
I loved these four books. Will definitely be reading more by this author. They were sweet and sassy and rather cliched but there was plenty of action and the writing was excellent and I absolutely loved the characters
Profile Image for Jane.
1,266 reviews16 followers
July 9, 2021
Sheriff Joel Masterson of Masterson County, Wyoming is driving Phoenix Tyler home after finding him in a brawl with an older man at a bar. Instead of booking him for underage drinking and disorderly, he drives him to his homestead where he lives with his father and seven siblings.

At the Tyler ranch, Joel meets Phoenix’s dad and the rest of the family including Phoebe Tyler, the oldest of the siblings,
34 reviews
January 6, 2023
This book felt very rushed and was full of plot holes and editing errors. The mc especially was very flat/one dimensional. There was barely any character development for the fmc and none for the mc. As for romance development, it’s basically mutual attraction, the fmc giving in to the sherriff’s advances, then they are attacked and decide they want to be together. They know each other for a couple weeks total and have zero deep or extended conversations in that time. This is all amid the power dynamic of the sherriff still deciding whether or not to book her brother for something, and later while investigating him…not exactly equal ground. The mc’s personality is basically just white night to the rescue with excessive commentary on how tiny and petite the fmc is (I am also very petite, but instead of making it easy to place myself in the story it just felt off).

Overall I was very disappointed. It seems like the bones for a good story were there. There was a lot of potential for these characters and their dynamics (especially amongst some of the characters that will be in future books), and the fmc and her family were overall likeable and interesting. Unfortunately either laziness or rushed writing made it read like a wattpad story written by a high schooler. If the time were taken to fully flesh out the story, characters and town dynamics this could have been something great. If you’re looking for a small town romance that is more complete, I’d recommend Against a Wall by Cate C Wells.
Profile Image for Mustang.
99 reviews
February 21, 2018
A Riveting Story!

The Sheriff Joel Masterson brought a drunken underage boy home to the Tyler family. He realized the family was huge and as the oldest girl, Phoebe tried to calm her brother down, but was hurt. Joel rushed her the hospital and from there the story takes on a life of its own. There are stalkers, drug runners, strong family ties and a Sheriff who is making it a personal mission to protect Phoebe and her sisters at all cost. And the sheriff has 3 brothers that willing to ride to the rescue in the middle of a flood.
Profile Image for Donna.
Author 7 books33 followers
June 27, 2018
There were too many questions left hanging. Like what finally happened with Phoenix, why was Phoebe so very naive, what became of the bad guys, and why did the family seem so backwoods because several had college degrees? There was no real chemistry between Joel and Phoebe, the words were there but no real feelings expressed. The story needed more depth. I did love the love, loyalty, and support the families had for each other. I also liked the concept of the story. I suppose since this is Book 1, all the questions will probably be answered in the next books.
Profile Image for Will Decker.
Author 23 books17 followers
November 16, 2018
For a romance I was really disappointed. There's a weak mystery sub-plot and some sexual tension that is thrown in as an after thought, but a complete skip over when it comes to the heat and passion that a good romance should have. If you're into the Christian Romance genre, you might enjoy this story. If you're looking for real spice that sizzles, this isn't the book for you. Character development wasn't bad, so I'm giving it 3 stars.
Profile Image for Elaine Swinney.
2,201 reviews8 followers
June 27, 2018
This was a quick easy read. If your looking for spicy this isn't the book for you. It was a good story. This is the first Calle J. Brookes book I have read and I am looking forward to reading more of her books. I am looking forward to reading about the brothers and sisters. This is a book for that lazy afternoon when you need something short and sweet to read. Not spicy but a good story.
Profile Image for RaChelle Holmberg.
1,864 reviews24 followers
July 22, 2018
Not my ordinary cuppa tea - but then the story grabbed me and drew me in - and I enjoyed every word. I'm more apt to choose murder mysteries but this was a nice break from the norm. And now Im on book two ;-)
Profile Image for Rellim.
1,676 reviews44 followers
September 13, 2023
This is book 1 by Calle J. Brookes in the Masterson County series. These are shorter novella length romantic suspense books with a small town vibe.

Partially due to the narration (see below), the beginning was a bit rough for me. I also think this suffered from Brookes concentrating more on world-building and setting up the future books rather than developing Joel & Phoebe's relationship and the mystery/suspense element. One other aspect of concern: I know it's cute and many families do it, but giving all the siblings - eight of them - names that all start with the same letter is really confusing in books. Especially when several of them also have nicknames. It took a while for me to mentally sort everyone out in my head.

Also of note: A big impact on the story/plot is that Phoebe is deaf/hard of hearing. Unfortunately this isn't explained well and there are inconsistencies in the use of terms and in what/when Phoebe can hear. A sensitivity reader more familiar with the nuances would have been helpful.

Once I switched to reading and the background info was established I enjoyed the story much more. Phoebe is the oldest but smallest of the the Tyler children. Taking care of her younger siblings and much of the household management after the death of her mother years earlier. When Sheriff Joel Masterson has to bring her oldest brother home due to underage drinking - sparks fly.

I liked the evolution of the relationship. The suspense element toward the end was simplified but enjoyable. It ends kind of abruptly as the story is intended to flow into book 2, Discovering the Doctor. Despite the issues I'm interested in continuing and am looking forward to Matt & Pip's story.

Narration:
I originally started this book by listening to it. Unfortunately the narration by Tom Sleeker was lacking. While he differentiated character voices the delivery itself was flat. Additionally, he made the decision to voice Phoebe in a way that sounded like he was pinching his nostrils. I'm not sure if it's how he voices all female leads or this was some attempt to express how her voice would be impacted by being hard of hearing. It failed and, especially if the latter, was insulting.
Profile Image for My_every_day_chilling.
407 reviews26 followers
January 25, 2023
Romance: 0/5
Chemistry: 4/5
Spice: 0/5 (it's behind closed doors)
1st kiss: +-40% in
Foul language: 2/5
Drama: 2/5
Suspense: 2/5
Humor: 0/5
Cry factor: 0/5

Overall:
- This was a very quick read, behind-closed-doors, suspense romance novella.
- There was chemistry, but it felt forced and not natural.
- I don't normally give more then 4 stars for novellas, so each issue I had was subtracted from that. So minus 1 for the writing and minus 1 for plot holes.
- The writing style was not for me, but the writing itself was very poor as well. I know it was a novella, it's supposed to be short, but it felt like whole chunks were deleted from the story and I felt lost or thrown in deep water in lots of places. I think if this was a novel, it would have been much better.
- There were many plot holes and so many inconsistencies, I was confused half the time. The action scenes were the most confusing, I got to a point where I didn't know who was shot, if anyone got shot, and the amount of beatings the sheriff took was just not real or even possible. It just wasn't credible for me.
- Characters all of a sudden disappeared, or appeared from no where. Very confusing.
- The FMC was deaf, but 90% of the book I felt that was forgotten.
- I will try another book from this author, but just because I have so many more books on my kindle by her. I won't give up so soon

Tropes:
- Sheriff MMC
- Deaf FMC
- Small town
- Behind closed doors
- Close knit family
- Loss of a parent
Profile Image for Pat Bettinger.
239 reviews
November 26, 2018
Enjoyed the book very much. Sheriff Joel Masterson and his brothers are a great family and they are perfect for Phoebe Tyler and her sisters. Since all will get a book in the series we will see all couples come together. I love the personalities of both families.

There is a good story line here and you can see the other brothers and sisters will be getting a story too. Phoebe is the oldest sister of the Tyler family and very protective of her younger siblings since they lost her mother in a car accident. Her father had a heart attack that has helped put the family in tight times with money as they are still paying off cost from the auto accident and all have to pull together to keep the ranch going. Her brother gets in trouble and the sheriff Joel Masterson has to take him home where he meets Phoebe Tyler and is pretty much smitten from the first.

Though the Masterson brothers are neighbors to the Tyler family they don't really know each other. The Mastersons have money and are well respected but the Tyler family has kept to themselves so are not really known to the the brothers other than the youngest Nate who is a physician and works with Phoebe's younger sister Perci who is a nurse.

A good book with some danger and tense moments and lots of fun ones too. I will read the series and probably read again.
Profile Image for Jessica CW.
1,032 reviews13 followers
July 9, 2018
Joel is the new sheriff in town, and hasn’t yet had to deal with a Tyler on this piece of land, so he hadn’t met all 8 kids including 4 fairy redheads.

Phoebe hadn’t had much time for much these days, especially not a love life, and even worse not for any sheriff especially from Masterson county. Unfortunately her brother would lead to the introduction and a tragic event would lead to more of Joel’s attention.

I enjoyed this novella, had a bit of a mystery, little suspense, splash of romance and a family trying to do better. I would have loved to see more of their romance after that tragic event though.

Liked the various POV too.

This book left me with some questions about where they ended up living, about Phoenix, and about the whole clan. It seems the masterson boys have about nine years on their love interest I would have loved to explore that and their relationship a bit more but enjoyed this in-spite of that. Fairly clean, which worked- saw some chemistry without needing the steamy pieces. Definitely could have seen this as a novel with so much going on. Curious about the trouble making side of the clan too. First time I’ve read this author.

Will certainly be reading the other three books
573 reviews
September 3, 2023
Sheriff Joel Masterson
Phoebe Tyler

The Tyler’s of Masterson county are known to be trouble and when Sheriff Joel Masterson takes Phoenix Tyler home, he meets the Tyler Sisters and finds he can’t take his eyes off the oldest,Phoebe. When Phoenix, in his drunken state, swings out he hits Phoebe, Joel tries to catch her but she hits hard. He immediately picks her up and carries her to his car and takes her to the hospital for treatment. Phoebe doesn’t stay at the hospital so Joel starts checking on her at home. Phoebe and all her family know the reputation of the Tyler’s in Masterson county, but that’s not her family, they keep to themselves and avoid trouble. Meeting Sheriff Joel Masterson has her re-thinking her opinions of the Sheriffs of Masterson county. This first book introduces you to the Tyler sisters and the Masterson brothers all are part of the story without distracting. I liked both Sheriff Joel and Phoebe, both are good, strong, hard working characters. The book moves fast and is a good read. I would definitely read more books by this author and in this series.
3,542 reviews14 followers
June 5, 2018
Seeking The Sheriff by Calle J. Brookes was a fantastic surprise. Ms. Brookes has delivered a well-written book and furnished it with an amazing, lovable cast of characters. Joel is the sheriff of Masterson County. Phoebe is the oldest of the Tyler siblings and has helped her father raise them since her mother's death. Phoebe and Joel meet when he brings her drunk and obnoxious brother home after he's been caught drinking underage and fighting. Their story is loaded with drama, action, humor, suspense and spice. I enjoyed this book from cover to cover and look forward to reading more from Calle J. Brookes soon. Seeking The Sheriff is book 1 of the Masterson County Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
1,382 reviews
June 12, 2018
I am a fan of Calle J. Brookes PAVAD series and I enjoyed the first book in this series as well. The Tylers have a bad reputation in Masterson County. Sheriff Joel Masterson knows of the Tylers but he hasn't met this family. When he takes Phoenix Tyler home drunk, he meets the whole family. He is drawn to Phoebe Tyler, the oldest daughter. Everyone in the family is working hard to make the ranch a success. But, now they have trouble. Is Phoenix a bad kid? Or, is there something else going on. Someone is threatening the sisters. Sheriff Masterson decides he will keep them safe. He's falling for Phoebe who is partially deaf. We learn just how strong the Tyler sisters are (and it appears the Masterson brothers are enamored by the sisters). A good start to the series.
Profile Image for Stacy J..
1,345 reviews12 followers
June 23, 2018
I downloaded this book because it was free and it sounded really good. I'm so glad I did. The was a new author to me and you never know if you are going to connect with the authors writing but I did and I am so glad I found it.

My heart broke for Phoebe, it just never seems enough. The family's living conditions were horrible and even though they worked sun up to sun down, they just couldn't get ahead. I loved the Phoebe took care of the family and her dad but I felt a deep sadness for her.

I loved that Joel saw through her armor and the way she was always trying to run him off. I'm glad the she and her family now has someone on their side to fight with everything that was going on.

I highly recommend this book!
Profile Image for RedEnigma94.
772 reviews17 followers
June 24, 2019
Just when it was getting good...

Why couldn't it have been longer?! This story was building up to be something really good, but then it went to super zoom, and just ended. Ugh! I didn't even mind all the names that started with the letter P, even though it was a little confusing at first. They became easier to keep up when it became obvious the Tyler sisters were being paired off with a Masterson brother. The animosity and pure hatred for the Tylers by the Rotherfords--I wanted to know more about that! I wanted to see the process of Phoebe warning up to the Sheriff--more stolen kisses, some actual dates, more threats before they declared their love. I'm actually a Calle J. Brookes fan, and have read a LOT of her books so I'm used to getting a good mystery along with my romance.
Profile Image for Heather Dochylo.
250 reviews8 followers
November 26, 2022
I received this one for free a while back, and cannot remember where from. I discovered it when I was attempting to sort and organize my books and dump some I didn't feel I would ever read again. I realized this one had somehow gone unread, so I started the first chapter and couldn't put down this series starter about a large ranching family of four sisters and three sons just barely keeping things together. It was a surprisingly enjoyable one sitting read , heavy on the romantic build up, low on the actual acts but somehow that didn't bother me. I tend to only give 5 stars reviews but I'm trying my hand at rating this one as four; it was thoroughly enjoyable but I'm not sure I'd ever reread it. That defines 5 stars for me because I constantly reread.
2,164 reviews5 followers
January 8, 2025
3.5 stars
It’s a good beginning to a series. There are all the Tyler siblings (the girls) and the Masterson brothers.
This one was free. I checked and the others are not on KU. Guess this one will be my one and only then.
The Tyler family has had nothing but trouble and pain.
The sheriff meets them when he brings the errant son and brother home. Phoenix is the catalyst for much of the action.
Phoebe catches the sheriff’s eye right away. There’s something about her.
Long story and struggles. Some cliche drama with another family that precipitates a near tragedy.
But the sheriff, Joel, ends up in love with Phoebe. And she with him.
There were a number of typos and mistakes in the book. Editing left a lot to be desired.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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