"truly an odd couple looking for dare we say love"
Reviewed by Sandra Wurman
Posted January 17, 2015
Western
If you missed How to Handle a Cowboy -- the first in The
Cowboys of Decker Ranch series by Joanne Kennedy my
first
suggestion would be go out and read it. It is surely one
of the best introductions to a series that captures your
attention and heart. Moving onto HOW TO KISS A COWBOY was
a very expected pleasure and well worth the wait. Kennedy
was never better, in fact as the series is progressing
each story line is getting continually richer. HOW TO
KISS A COWBOY is a study in imperfections and there is
nothing more interesting than watching a truly odd couple
find the something they knew was missing from their lives
even if they couldn't precisely define it. That it is
what almost everyone in HOW TO KISS A COWBOY is searching
for -- some successfully and others well maybe not in this
installment.
Now that I've read book one and two I will patiently wait
for the highly anticipated third.
Joanne Kennedy has developed a challenging set of
characters in this series. The three men who consider
themselves brothers are not related in a traditional way.
They were foster children who nobody wanted to adopt. As
fosters get older the adoption possibilities wither until
they literally die. The future of these three young men
was seemingly sealed until they got lucky. The Decker's
decided to take these boys into their lives, home and
heart. Each has developed into a fine man. All have very
different personalities and talents but they share a
special bond with their "brothers."
It's going to take a very special woman to truly complete
the brother's lives. In HOW TO KISS A COWBOY we come to
realize that a special girl -- now a grown woman -- had
indeed caught the eye and dare we speculate heart of
Brady. Suze Carlyle is an accomplished barrel racer
awards, prizes and ribbons galore. Brady doesn't seem to
take anything too seriously and his bronco riding got him
what he seemed to need - attention. All the gorgeous
rodeo followers did almost anything to catch Brady's eye.
Suze knew she just couldn't compete. Sure she was
confident in her barreling but was totally out of her
league around women who knew how to dress and attract a
handsome devil like Brady.
Suze envied the love and family that the men on Decker
Ranch shared. This was something she hasn't had since her
mother passed. The only person who ever really loved Suze
was her mother. Her father tolerates her barely and with
her competing and ranching she doesn't have time to
develop many relationships. Suze would love to be loved
but how can one recognize something that has been missing
from your life for so many years.
Brady sure is attentive to Suze and while she appreciates
most of his attention she just can't get to the next step
where she trusts that it is real. Trust is just too large
a step. So Suze uses words -- sometimes sharp and caustic
to keep her carefully constructed wall up. Try as he can
Brady has to acknowledge that no matter what he does Suze
for the most part won't even accept his friendship.
When a child grows up without love it affects how they
look at life. Suze does a real good job of talking
herself out of all types of situations. She has
successfully talked herself out of any feeling for this
cowboy who is just too charismatic for his own good.
Everyone likes Brady. Suze is candidly friendless. Truly
one of the oddest couples you will meet. Opposites
attract -- well in this case it is going to take a giant
leap of faith. Facing love is more challenging than any
rodeo Suze has entered. This is going to be the
competition of her life.
Reviewing a book like HOW TO KISS A COWBOY is an enormous
challenge. The title makes it seem like a very innocent
western romance. Once again Joanne Kennedy proves that
the proof is in the pudding -- in this case the space
between covers. HOW TO KISS A COWBOY is rich with
characters, dialog and insight. Kennedy's characters are
sexy, smart, troubled, flawed -- real. If you are a fan of
western romances Joanne Kennedy should be at the top of
your list of favorites and the Cowboys of Decker
Ranch should
be on your must read list.
SUMMARY
This cowboy is living a charmed life Winning comes naturally to bronc rider Brady Caine.
Ruggedly
handsome, careless and charismatic, the rodeo fans adore
him
and the buckle bunnies are his for the taking. He's riding
high when he lands an endorsement deal with Lariat Western
Wear that pairs him up with champion barrel racer Suze
Carlyle. Until one wrong move changes everything A stupid move on Brady's part lands Suze in the hospital,
her career in tatters. Now it's a whole new game for both
of them. Brady is desperate to help Suze rebuild her life,
but he's the last person she wants around now. Suze's got
plenty of grit and determination-learning to trust Brady
again is a very different matter.
What do you think about this review?
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