Cowboy Trouble

Acquainted with the Night #1

by Joanne Kennedy

A cowboy like that could break your heart...

Fleeing her latest love-life disaster, big city journalist Libby Brown's transition to rural living isn't going exactly as planned. Her childhood dream has always been to own a farm-but without the constant help of her charming, sexy cowboy neighbor, she'd never make it through her first Wyoming season.

Handsome rancher Luke Rawlins is impressed by this sassy, independent city girl, but he yearns to do more than help Libby out with her ranch. He's ready for love, and he wants to go the distance. When the two get embroiled in their tiny town's one and only crime story, Libby discovers that their sizzling hot attraction is going to complicate her life in every way possible...

Praise for Cowboy Trouble:
"A fresh take on the traditional contemporary Western... There's plenty of wacky humor and audacious wit in this mystery-laced escapade." -Library Journal
Contemporary western fans will enjoy this one!" -The Romantic Times
"Everything about Kennedy's charming debut novel hits the right marks... you'll be hooked." -BookLoons

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Westerns, Fiction, Western Romance, Romantic Suspense

387 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2010

About the author

Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001
Laramie County

Books (Most Recent Publications First)





Author Website:  www.joannekennedybooks.com
Author Email:      Joanne@JoanneKennedyBooks.com
Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joanne-Kennedy-Books/114277591920110

Biographical and Professional Information

Joanne Kennedy's fascination with Wyoming’s unique blend of past and present leads her to write contemporary Western romances with traditional ranch settings. Her books include Cowboy Trouble, Cowboy Fever, and 2011 RITA nominee One Fine Cowboy. Her next book, Tall, Dark & Cowboy, will be released in November 2011. Two more contemporary western romances will be released in 2012.

At various times, Joanne dabbled in horse training, chicken farming, and bridezilla wrangling at a department store wedding registry. Themes that have remained constant throughout her life are Jack Russell terriers, a tendency to confuse fiction with real life, and a fascination with literature that led to careers in bookselling and writing. She lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming with two dogs and a retired fighter pilot. The dogs are relatively well-behaved.

A member of Romance Writers of America and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Joanne loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website, www.joannekennedybooks.com. 


Speaking Engagements

Joanne is available for speaking engagements on writing, romance, and the West. She teaches writing workshops including Finding Resonant Endings,  Starting and Structuring Your Novel, The Strategic  Synopsis and other topics related to

Reviews

[Shawna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars – Romantic Suspense

This should have been titled “Libby Trouble” because city girl heroine Libby, who moves to small town Lackaduck, Wyoming to heal her broken heart and start a chicken farm, is absolutely exasperating. If not for Libby’s hunky rancher neighbor, sweet cowboy Luke, I wouldn’t even be giving it 3 stars. He’s such a caring, endearing, sexy hero and frankly, I couldn’t fathom what he saw in Libby, other than the fact that she’s a relatively attractive, available woman in a one-duck town with practically zero female prospects.

I thought it was going to be a contemporary western, but it’s actually more romantic suspense because former journalist Libby investigates an unsolved local mystery involving a young woman who went missing years earlier, and every man in town is a potential suspect, including Luke. I found Libby’s TSTL behavior, wishy-washy attitude towards romantic interest Luke and the local sheriff, Cash, and blind stupidity of things that seemed really obvious totally exhausting and irritating.

So with an annoying heroine whom I wanted to slap for most of the book and rather lukewarm, PG-ish romance between the H/H, this was a little disappointing for me. But I liked the author’s writing and will definitely give her next book, One Fine Cowboy, a try since the characters and story sound much more intriguing.

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the cowboys :) And Luke is worth loving. He lives with his parents and, in his case, it's a good thing. Libby bugged me a little but, overall, she wasn't so bad that it ruined the story. Not really much of a mystery, though. I guessed the who-done-it early in the story. The story moved at a comfortable pace, allowing the reader to get to know the characters.

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read. I like this author's writing, and liked this book better than the first one. The book was funny, had some suspense, was spicy and two likeable characters.

[Pelusa Rivera · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was bored, bored couldn't get past annoying Libby, I liked Luke but what the heck did he see in Libby?.I personally did not understand, and I like Cowboys and love mysteries but this one was ridiculous and she was idiotic, I did try I picked up and put down and picked up again, but atleast there was nothing that was going to hold my interest..

Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) Voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions.

[Blodeuedd Finland]

Right now all the men (and why are there so many men) are all rapey and touchy. I am all wtf have you never seen a woman? This town is creepy

I have liked her books before, but it seems this was actually her first

[Brande Waldron · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is a girl to do when your ex leaves you for your boss and you look back to realize that the life you knew isn't the one that you wanted to begin with. This is the story of Libby Brown, crime scene, Big City journalist who has decided to move to Wyoming and live her dream. To have a chicken farm. In Joanne Kennedy's book Cowboy Trouble you are immediately captured by Libby, frankly she cracked me up. Always cautious and on her toes, the Big Bad City trained her well to always keep her eyes open and stay a little on guard. What she didn't expect is the arrival of her new neighbor Luke Rawlins. Sexy cowboy, chaps and all comes strutting up her drive to welcome her with his homemade casserole dish. Well, hello the man can cook and he melts your heart with his polite and charming demeanor.... oh and he's sexy as hell. I knew I was hooked. That cowboy charm alone won me over.

The humor of their relationship most definitely helped the flow of the book as well.
Coming off the bad relationship and a little bitter toward men and new relationships Libby fights her attraction to Luke. Even when he designates himself her protector. Why does she need protection? Well, there was a woman a while back that went missing. The owns only unsolved crime, lets be real here, the only severe crime this sleepy little town has ever seen. Thing is, the sheriff can't seem to find out who did it or why.
Now working for the local paper Libby and Luke are on a mission to solve the crime of the mysterious missing woman and capture who murdered her.
Fun because Joanne Kennedy has created such real characters that loved getting to know, sexy because Luke and Libby's chemistry is just plain ole undeniable, and with a little mystery to book, this was a sure fire winner in my book and a true can't miss.

[Romancing the Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posted on Romancing the Book's blog
Reviewed by Desere
Review Copy Provided by self from Amazon

I am sure by now we all know that Joanne Kennedy writes the most incredible cowboy stories with the hottest of men! But what about when you take a seriously yummy cowboy, add a heartbroken I am never going near a man again woman add a small town never solved mystery and what do you get ….. one heck of a book!

Libby loves a good crime story and no matter what she will always get to the truth and do anything she has to do to reveal and write the best possible story. So when she comes to live in a small town the last thing she actually thought she would find, aside from the normal everyday crimes is a mystery and a what a mystery it is …..never before solved murder!

Now in comes the sexy and very charming Luke. He wants Libby but not just for one night but a lifetime and he will not let the town Sheriff get in his way or will he?

What I loved about this book was that this was no ordinary cowboy novel, not the normal we meet and fall in love kind of thing but it had a super surprising mystery that really made for a fabulous read! And in true Joanne Kennedy form the book delivered a one heck of a punch oh and yes lots of cowboy trouble at the end!

[Bette Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this reissue of Joanne Kennedy's debut novel we have the story of a city girl, Libby Brown, looking for a fresh start and moving to Wyoming to start her own chicken farm. Before long her journalistic nose has her pulled in to a mystery surrounding a woman who went missing years ago. So we have a little mystery, some suspense and an interesting romantic dance between Libby and her sexy neighbor Luke with the town sheriff also letting his interest be known. Basically we have a little of everything going on. Problem is Libby is in the middle of all of it and I really didn't care for her character nor did I understand Luke's interest in her. Also I thought the story was a little drawn out so overall just an ok read.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free Kindle download. I liked the book in general and would probably read the author again. My biggest criticism about the book is that the story is kind of predictable, much more so than the usual romance, especially a romance with a touch of mystery in the plot. I mean to say that yes, I knew which of the two "love interests" she'd end up with — i.e., which of the two men was the hero — but it was more than that; I also knew very early on which of all the possible suspects was the bad guy, the one who killed the girl, whose death the journalist heroine is investigating. And that's kind of death in a mystery — you want to keep the reader guessing, first suspecting one character and then another and seeing the possibility in all of them.

So, while the romance part of it might have been OK, the mystery part of the book needed a lot of work. The clues and the red herrings were a little too obvious, such that I found myself about three or four steps ahead of the story. It's almost as if the author feared the readers might not be smart enough to get it.

The chemistry between the hero and the heroine, though, was really nice. I liked how they got along with each other. Plus, there were passages in the book that made me laugh out loud — they usually involved the smaller characters, nearly all of whom were nicely drawn. Usually, in a romance, the author doesn't bother building up the minor characters in a book unless they're sequel bait or unless the characters were the hero and heroine in a past book; the minor characters are usually flat, two-dimensional, or largely ignored, like wallpaper. The treatment of the minor characters in this book, however, was refreshing; they had some interesting quirks and lovable aspects, and they added dimension to the main characters by the sort of interactions between them.

Some of the passages describing the minor characters were also just plain, downright funny, which made for an entertaining read. For example:

Suddenly, he doubled over and grimaced. Libby thought he'd been taken ill until she realized he was contort ing himself into a bodybuilder's stance to display the muscles obscured beneath his pallid flesh.

Especially funny was the menu at a restaurant, where the cook has dreams of gourmet chef-dom:

Joe's might have been a small-town diner serving country food, but the chef obviously had higher aspi rations. The meatloaf she'd looked forward to all day was billed as "Loaf de Meat: ground beef succulently seasoned with a medley of herbs and spices, baked, sliced, and served with rich mushroom gravy." "Pureed Pommes" and "Bacon-Laced Beans Vert" were recom mended as "accompaniments."

One minor annoyance I had in reading the book was the formatting. Every now and then a word is broken in half, causing me to stumble over the words as I read:

...but I've got ten used to blocking things out.

Ten what? What ten things or people are used to blocking things out? Very, very annoying. I find this happening in a lot of Kindle books and can't for the life of me figure out what causes it. Could it be that's where the word was hyphenated as the line ended in the print version? Another round of proofreading could have easily fixed that.

So, all in all, a fun read, if somewhat predictable and faultily formatted.

[Julianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for THC Reviews
Cowboy Trouble is the first book in Joanne Kennedy’s Acquainted with the Night series and her first published novel. Libby was an investigative journalist in Atlanta, a job she loved, but after her boyfriend cheated on her with her boss, she needed a major change. Moving to the little town of Lackaduck, Wyoming, she buys an old property she plans to fix up so that she can start a chicken farm, while still writing stories for the local newspaper. While moving in, she meets her handsome cowboy neighbor, Luke. Although he’s very attractive and she can tell he’s interested in her, too, she immediately friend-zones him, having no intention of getting involved with any man right now. Coming up with ideas for interesting stories in the backwater town is difficult until Libby hears of the disappearance of a young woman named Della two years earlier. After meeting Della’s mom, she’s determined to see if she can find something the local sheriff, who seems to have put the case on ice, might have missed. Soon she’s attracting all sorts of unwanted attention from all the wrong people and receiving threats that make her suspect the person responsible for Della’s disappearance may be someone she knows. Along the way, Luke steps up to help Libby and tries to protect her as best he can, and soon she can’t seem to resist his cowboy charm. Then evidence surfaces that points to Luke as a possible suspect, leaving Libby uncertain if she can still trust him, while the real killer has her in his sights and has developed what could become a fatal obsession.

Libby loved her job with the Atlanta newspaper until her cheating ex ruined everything for her. Feeling like she always picks the wrong guy, she’s sworn off all men. Packing up her life, she moves to Wyoming, hoping for a fresh start. Although it’s a bit run-down and needs some work, she likes the little farm she bought and looks forward to raising chickens there. On her first day in town, Luke stops by to introduce himself, but worrying about his motives, Libby tells a little white lie about owning a large attack dog. Thinking she might need a real one for protection since she lives alone in the middle of nowhere, she goes to the local rescue where she ends up adopting a little Jack Russell terrier and fostering her litter of puppies. Once she’s settled in, she goes looking for interesting stories to write for the local paper and stumbles upon Della’s disappearance, which deeply intrigues her. Luke helps out by bringing her a folder full of background information on Della and between that and an interview with the girl’s mom, Libby is off and running, chasing down leads. Luke continues to help her and when she receives threats, he also steps in to offer protection. When they take a trip to see one of Della’s old friends, one thing leads to another, and they spend the night together, after which Libby’s walls start to come down. But when the evidence she’s collecting starts to point to Luke as a suspect, she fears she may have chosen the wrong guy once again. Libby is a great reporter, just the kind of dogged investigator someone would want on a missing person’s case. For the most part, I’d say she was smart about her investigating. I also liked that she’s an animal lover and that for a big city girl, she settled into small town life admirably.

Luke has lived in Lackaduck all his life. He runs his ranch, where he keeps cattle and trains horses, and still shares the house he grew up in with his parents to help his dad look after his mom who has dementia. When Libby comes to town, he’s immediately attracted to her, and although he flirts with her, she makes it clear that she’s not looking to get involved with anyone. When he learns that she’s investigating Della’s disappearance, he helps out in more ways than one, and when she starts getting threats, he tries to protect her. He insists on accompanying her to visit one of Della’s friends, a trip that takes a romantic turn when they end up at a roadside motel in a hailstorm. Luke convinces Libby that what happens at the inn can stay there, and although he tries to keep his promise, he just can’t stop thinking about their night together. But after she goes on another trip with the local sheriff to see another of Della’s friends, Libby returns angry with him and he isn’t sure why. And if the killer has his way, Luke might not get a chance to make things right. Luke is a sweet, beta hero. I adored him for respecting Libby’s autonomy and also for practicing enthusiastic consent. I also loved how he treats his mom and how he’s a true friend to a mentally impaired taxidermist who everyone refers to as Crazy Mike. Although he really wants to be the only man in Libby’s life, he doesn’t turn into a jealous, possessive ass when he thinks that she might be getting close to the sheriff and he trusts her when she tells him she’s not. Luke was just an all-around great guy.

Cowboy Trouble was my first read by Joanne Kennedy and overall, it was an enjoyable one. After being hurt in the past, Libby is understandably gun-shy with men, but she warms up nicely to Luke, who’s a gem of a hero. The two fit together well, with Libby being more headstrong and independent, while Luke is more laid-back. There are a number of interesting townspeople in Lackaduck to spice things up, to give our protagonists other characters to play off of, and to offer multiple possibilities for culprits. The mystery of what happened to Della unfolds gradually as Libby investigates and puts the pieces together. I’ll admit that I correctly guessed the villain pretty early in the story. I’d hoped maybe I was wrong and that the author would pull a switcheroo and surprise me, but unfortunately she didn’t. However, I admit that I didn’t work out all the details until the full reveal. This was the only weak link in the story, but I still enjoyed journeying along with Libby as she figures things out. So overall, I had a pretty good time reading this book. Cowboy Trouble is the first in a series, but I can’t help wondering if it was originally conceived as a stand-alone and then the world was expanded later. There weren’t any real prospects for future heroes and heroines introduced in this volume like readers might expect with a series, but I still look forward to continuing with it and meeting new characters along the way.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew I was going to like this book when I read the first line: "A chicken will never break your heart."
heh
Having chickens I know this to be true.
I don't, though, have a cowboy but that's OK.
The story begins when Libby Brown, an investigative journalist for The Atlanta Journal Constitution, leaves all she knows and moves to a tiny town in Wyoming. She's going to have a chicken farm and report for the local newspaper. There is not much going on around town but there is one big unsolved crime; The disappearance of Della McCarthy.

The first person she meets is her neighbor Luke Rawlins - a cowboy right down to his chaps.
Is he for real?
Abby then goes on to meet some of the other colorful residents of Lackaduck - including super handsome sheriff Cash McIntyre.

Abby's full of big city energy and her training have her jumping right into the mystery of where is Della. Luke agrees to help her but things are not always what they seem to be.

The book was easy to read and full of true characters. There is romance, suspense, mystery and a wild chicken (?). Somewhat simplistic in the easy adjustment from city to country life but fiction is about dreaming and happy endings for the most part. I enjoyed reading the book and found mystery, curveballs and romance enough to keep me turning the pages.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had my heart at "chicken farm" . Having raised chickens previously in my life I knew I would like the book! After starting the first chapter i thought to myself..."This is what country songs are made of! " Our main character Libby lost her job, her boyfriend, and her dog died. It was the perfect start to a cowboy romance.


The story line was great...city girl moves to the country and has to make her way on her own. The Mystery in the book was really interesting and kept the story moving quickly. I stayed on the edge of my seat for most of the book waiting to see what would happen to poor Libby next!


The romance level was on spot and the intimate scenes were tastefully written. You'll definitely fall in love with the main characters. (I loved Luke!) Joanne's writing was just fluid and fun and the humorous moments in the book were really funny.


This is one of those books that I kept checking to see how many pages were left because I didn't want it to end! I think Ms. Kennedy had it right when she wrote this book and I look forward to reading more of her work!

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fleeing her latest love life disaster, big city journalist Libby Brown's transition to rural living isn't going exactly as planned. Her childhood dream has always been to own a chicken farm—but without the constant help of her charming, sexy, cowboy neighbor; she'd never have made it through her first Wyoming season.
Handsome rancher Luke Rawlins is impressed by this sassy, independent city girl. But he yearns to do more than help Libby out with her ranch...he's ready for love, and he wants to go the distance. When the two get embroiled in their tiny town's one and only crime story, Libby discovers that their sizzling hot attraction is going to complicate her life in every way possible...
I had to keep putting the book down, catching a breath or two, then picking up where i left off. What a suspenseful book. I wasn't expecting it. The only problem was EVERYONE was the bad guy. I figured out right from the start who did it. Wavered once, but came right back to my suspect. Turns out, i was right. 4 stars.

[Jess the Romanceaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

A free read on Kindle.

What worked for me:
*it was kind of nice to have the hero fall hard for the heroine right off the bat

What didn't work for me:
*I figured out "whodunit" waaaay early on - much sooner than I think I was intended to.

See, and that's all I've really got without spoiling anything lol It was a quick, easy read, with just enough angst to keep things interesting. Plus, while I did figure out the twist early on, it had enough "well, who was it?" to keep it from getting too boring (plus, since I'd figured it out, I kept waiting to see if this person would turn on our heroine).

Overall? 3 1/2 Stars. Pick this up free on Kindle while it's still available :)

[Ellison Maria]

Luke Rawlings is A B S O L U T E L Y my top favourite book boy. He’s charming, a total gentleman, and he sure is great at loving dogs like Ivan The Terrible, or Crazy Mike’s Rooster.

This book swooned me. And I sure it would swoon you too.

[Carrie]

Not bad, but I found I kept putting it down to read other things, so I gave up. May try again some other time.

[Char (1RadReader59) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that grabs you from the beginning. You find yourself talking to yourself like you did when you do when you watch the old westerns. You know the ones in black and white or the obvious mysteries you know the ones where you can’t just turn away because you already know who did it.

Yet, when you find the characters just either too dramatic, over the top crazy or too funny where you want to turn the channel but can't because it gives you just enough to keep going. Or it could be that the clues are dropped in fine hints and you think, what are you thinking? and you call yourself a crime reporter for a newspaper back in Atlanta!

Because that is where Libby Brown is from, but she allows herself to be swayed. By or should I say made fearful of ghost stories by people in the community. To be thrown off the trail of the true suspect.

You see because she is almost from day one getting tipped off by sexy all-male cowboys Luke Rawlins about a cold case in town. Of a supposed runaway or murder victim. Making this city girl who moved to Wyoming on the open plain to raise chickens very afraid. With Luke being her only neighbor living a huge country mile away makes him and everyone else in her new community a Ted Buddy relative.

When she goes to the local bar with Luke, the Roundup, she meets a lot more of the locals. Let’s just say that is a colorful bunch which is to clean a word for most of them. They are rough. As she starts to investigate she's given not so nice warnings.

This was a creative, imaginative and twisted story. In a good way. You are taken in quickly because you know Libby and Luke find an interest in one another. However, when the add local sheriff into the mix, the one Libby thought would be like Boss Hogg but turns out looking like Gold’s Gym Golden Boy a Blondie. There’s a triangle for her time.

She, however, wants to follow this cold case moving backward without stepping on the sheriff’s toes. Tensions are high for the once quiet little town once Libby starts asking questions about Della the young seventeen-year-old. The author’s spin the story causing the suspects to keep changing and always keeping poor Libby on edge was comical at times too.

She not only had one cowboy but two, one alpha male and one shy cowboy who was skittish as a new colt. Only one would win her heart. While the other…

I give this: 5++++ stars. Provided by netgalley.com.
Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com.

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf

COWBOY TROUBLE is a basically good story, yet one that I could not connect with one of the main characters, at all – which changed my opinion of the story somewhat. It’s also a reissue of Ms. Kennedy’s debut novel, originally released in 2010. I wish I could have enjoyed this one more for I usually enjoy going back to an author’s first work for a look at how they’ve grown and changed over time. But there is one word for the reason I didn’t: Libby. No matter how many times I put it down and picked it up again I simply could not like Libby nor understand what Luke saw in her that I could not. Sometimes it happens that I simply cannot like or care about one of the main characters, no reason other than I could not connect with them.

There is an audience that will love going back for this debut story, and for them, I’d say this is a good story with interesting events happening. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether you believe in the characters, everyone is different. Because it is an interesting story (aside from my not liking Libby) that I feel it does deserve the 4 stars I gave it. Will I read any more in this series? I don’t know. With the size of my TBR pile right now, I just don’t know. I’ll usually give a series two books before my final decision so perhaps but for now I’ll say it was a good story and leave it at that.

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

[Carole Rae · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got his a while back from my local Used Bookstore. I've read a couple by this author so I figured why not?

Here we have Libby and Luke. Libby is fleeing her latest love-life disaster. She is tired of the big city and is finally carrying out her plan to live the country life. But without the aid of her cowboy neighbor, she would never survive. Like is a rancher and was immediately impressed by Libby. The two not only start catching feelings but the two of them get embroiled in their tiny town's one and only crime story. Will they be able to solve the disappearance? Will they fall in love along the way?

Honestly....I wished this stayed just a mystery. The romance was meh to me. The mystery was really the only thing that kept me going. I HAD to know who did it. This author has a knack for mysteries!

What is it with the men of this town? Are there no women besides old ladies, the bar lady, and Libby? Lord. Pushy and needy!!!! Too much "alpha"-ness. Is it in the water?

And all the slut-shaming was a bit much. I get it...the town is conservative and etc, but good lord.

Was I happy that Libby and Luke finally, FINALLY got together? Eh. I feel like Libby is so flaky and Luke just follows her around like a lost puppy. Their marriage will fail.

Now that mystery!!!??? That was good. I enjoyed it. Lots of red herrings and the big reveal was fantastic. *clap*

Maybe this should've just stayed a mystery. That was the best part. The romance? Eh. I could've done without it. Maybe a subplot would've done the story better.

I'll give this 2 stars.

[Ann-Maree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book by a new author to me in this light-hearted cowboy romance mystery that has many twists and turns to which you will guess most of them before they happen. But the humour and characters will still give you the pleasure in this story to keep you reading to the end. Luke and Libby had that instant chemistry from the start of the book. The story was more suspenseful than I expected but it only drew me further into the story and plot. I believe this is a revamp of the author debut novel where many early review pick up the issue of editing issues, I myself found this to have been improved as the flow and writing read well for me.

How could a new start get any better than having a sexy cowboy next door? Well, Libby was not to impressed at the start but she had to admit that he made her feels things she told herself she didn’t need in her life anymore….Man. Libby uses her journalistic abilities in her new job at the newspaper to look into a Cold case where she soon learns more than she ever thought she would find out about.

Rancher Luke Rawlins could not help but want to help his new neighbour out with her farm, she was good looking, sassy and a very independent city girl that needed all the help he believed he could give her. But he was not the only one interested in the new girl in town. Would helping her with the mystery warm her heart to him? He could only try.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Cowboy Trouble is a re-release of Joanne Kennedy's debut romantic suspense Western.

Libby Brown is a crime reporter who relocated to Wyoming following a bad break up that also led to the loss of her job. Realizing her dream of running a chicken ranch, she is also working for  the local newspaper. While not a lot goes on in this small town, Libby is immediately drawn into investigating the still unsolved disappearance of Della McCarthy.  In the course of her investigation, she meets town sheriff Cash McIntyre, whose intensity is a little unnerving. Libby is a gutsy heroine, but she not looking for love which is why she tries to ignore her attraction to Luke Rawlins, the sexy cowboy who lives on a neighboring ranch. Can Libby unearth the truth about what happened to Della? And will she decide to take a chance on love again?

Libby is an independent woman who does not need a man's help to get her chicken ranch up and running.   However, she is very reluctant to accept Luke's assistance but she is smart enough to know she is out of her depth.  Before long, she discovers her feelings for the handsome cowboy run deeper than friendship, but will Libby risk her heart again?

Luke is a charming man who still lives on his family's ranch. His parents are much older and their health is declining. Luke is pretty irresistible but, much to his dismay, Libby is intent on keeping their relationship platonic. As her investigation into Della's disappearance intensifies, he grows concerned for her safety. Can Luke convince her to let him help keep her safe?

There is plenty of chemistry between Luke and Libby but her lack of trust becomes a huge obstacle for them. She  does not trust her judgment and it does not take much for Cash McIntyre to raise doubts about Luke. Libby is also determined get to the truth about Della's disappearance, but this leads her to make some ill-advised choices throughout her investigation.  Rushing headlong into to danger, will Libby's quest for answers put her in the crosshairs of a killer?

Cowboy Trouble by Joanne Kennedy is a quirky romance that has plenty of suspense. Libby has several good qualities, but her lack of trust and her propensity to act without thinking are annoying. Luke is a sweet man but his character is not very well-developed.  The mystery aspect is interesting and really takes off in the last third of the book. Although Libby is clueless about who might have harmed Della, readers will most likely have NO problem solving the crime.  While the rest of the story is a bit predictable, the conclusion is quite heartwarming.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free, advanced copy of this book from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary reviews. Endearing characters and a compelling plot written in a humorous bent make this an entertaining mystery romance.

Libby Brown has been obsessed with farms since when she played with a Fisher Price Farmer Joe Play Set as a little girl. While working as a crime reporter for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, her dog died and she found out her boyfriend was cheating on her with her boss. So she left Atlanta and bought a chicken farm in rural Lackaduck, Wyoming. Lack of a more solid back story is the only flaw with the book. What happened to her parents? Why was she out of a job? Did her boss fire her? Did she sue the paper and that's how she had the money to buy the farm? The reader has to fill in the blanks.

Her new neighbor is good looking Luke Rawlins, but she has sworn off men, as untrustworthy creatures. But Luke wants to be more than just friends as does the sheriff, Cash McIntyre, who actually gives her the creeps. She gets a job at the local paper and acquires chickens and dogs and makes friends. She also finds a mystery, the disappearance of Della McCarthy two years ago. As she starts investigating the cold case, she starts getting threats. Will she let Luke help keep her safe or continue to insist she doesn't need anyone?

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

After I started to read this, it seemed pretty familiar. Come to find out I read an earlier version. I could have stopped and written a review but I enjoyed it the first time so I went ahead and finished reading it again. It was still such a fun read. The mystery of what happened to Della was a good one. Luke and Libby have a connection that Libby fights all the way. She has been hurt before and doesn't want to go through that again. Luke immediately wants to get to know and protect Libby as she uses her investigative skills to cover the disappearance from two years ago. Cash the handsome sheriff also feels a connection to Libby. Cash warns Libby against Luke and Crazy Mike. He is almost obsessive in his compulsion to protect Libby. Luke on the other hand warns Libby against Cash. Who should Libby listen to? Who is Libby falling for?

The journey to a HEA is one that will keep you guessing. Getting a multiple POV in this book was a joy to read. It gives the reader a chance to identify and understand the characters. I adored the puppies that Libby fosters and her adventures into life on a ranch. This Atlanta transplant is living life away from town will all the peace and quiet of solitary living.

If you like a mystery romance, give this one a try.

[Stacy J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good. It had humor, romance and suspense.

The suspense of the book was told in a way that at different times EVERYONE seemed like the guilty party. That part was really fun to read. The "who done it" aspect. I was amazed at how strong Libby was. Alone on her farm and with everything going on, I would have found a hotel in town I think.

I really liked the character of Luke. He really was a good guy. He was loyal and really seemed to care about Libby from day one.

My only real issue with this book and why I rated this book 4 stars had to do with the parts concerning Luke and Cash. The writing in this book was done very well. However when it got to the parts concerning the guys, it felt like their age almost decreased. I know the author was going for neither of the guys trying to put that much pressure on Libby and wondering where she stood with the other male, but it seems almost juvenile.

Otherwise, I really liked this book.

[Nicole ReadingBetweenTheSheets · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Libby’s boyfriend dumps her for her boss, she decides to buy a decrepit chicken farm in Lackaduck, Wyoming.

Luke Rawlins, the cowboy neighbor, tries to smoothly catch her eye, but he has competition from the local sheriff, Cash McIntyre.

I don’t know. I didn’t much care for this one. I have enjoyed some of Author Joanne Kennedy’s previous books, but this one, unfortunately not-so-much. It had potential… an “ok” plotline (new chic moves into town, decides she needs to solve an unsolved murder), and I liked the description of the setting. However, I always felt like Libby was disconnected and annoying. Luke was an ok character, but for the most part, all the rest of the characters were meh. I don’t know…I finished reading it, but it wasn’t really easy. I felt like Libby never trusted any of the people in town, was always suspicious, and then all of a sudden her and Luke were kind of an item. I wish I could have liked it more, but for me it was a 3 star rating.

[Yvonne Cruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this book, since it was a new author for me, and lately , I have read a few cowboy stories which I loved.
Sadly, this one did not measure up to my expectations.
Was it entertaining , sort of, but was it memorable, no.
It was easy to determined who the villain was and at times I just skipped pages to get through the book.
The main female Libby, was exhausting while Luke, the neighbor was the one that saved the story.
All that said , I will give the book a 3 stars rating, since I realize authors spend a grea deal of time, and effort in a very lonely trade.
Also know that this is a re-issue.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Donna]

Lackaduck, Wyoming has been a hopping place since Libby moved to town. She bought the old Lackaduck farm, uh sorry, ranch! Now she’s decided to raise chickens and maybe other four -legged animals. Darn but she had to go and meet her good-looking neighbor and then the handsome sheriff and the two crazy men started fighting over her! Speaking of crazy, how about the three Mikes in town, add a bundle of other town folk and you have the recipe for lots of fun! This book has it all! Mystery, murder, love, a herd of pups and lots of zany fun make this book a four star winner for me!

Get this book on March 26, 2019! An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

[Leslie Ooten · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't finish this one. The writing didn't flow well, and there were places were I kept feeling like a skipped a page because there wasn't any lead up to a situation. Libby was annoying and I'm not sure how she made it so far in life. Luke comes on strong from the beginning and says things like "school marm". Exactly what century is he supposed to be living in? I thought this was going to be a romance, but there is suspense to. Honestly it didn't fit together for me. I didn't make it far enough to see how everything ends up. Even though I didn't like this one, I would be willing to give this author another read.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.

[Linda Rea · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun story! Like and Libby are hysterical and the terrors round out the craziness. Libby lost her boyfriend, job and home all in one minute but she has decided to become a chicken farmer or rancher and to stay away from men this way chickens don’t break her heart. Luke meets his new neighbor and falls head over heels for her but he has a lot a competition and not just from other men. This story was sweet, crazy and a little scary sometime but it made you smile.
Reviewed on behalf of Once upon an Alpha

[Denise H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cowboy Trouble by Joanne Kennedy was an entertaining story, yet not your typical cowboy gets the girl love story. There is plenty of humor, wit, romance, fun, and mystery packed into this read along with adorable rescue dogs and a wild, crazy chicken named Wild Thing to add to your enjoyment. The characters are likeable and the storyline is well-paced and easily holds your attention. Overall, a great read!

*Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the advanced copy I received thru NetGalley. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review; all thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.