A ranch must pass on to the next generation - but the stalwart lady owner hasn't yet made up her mind as to who will be named in her will. Stone McNair is asked to complete a task by which he'll be judge for suitability. Awkward hardly describes it, because the task will be judged by his ex-fiancee.

ONE GOOD COWBOY knows how to care for his horses, but his grandmother asks him to find good homes for her four dogs. The Hidden Gem Ranch veterinarian is Johanna Fletcher and she's also now immune to Stone's charm. The dogs are all different sizes and he mustn't keep them himself. The land outside Fort Worth, Texas is partly used to board ranch guests and the family also runs a jewellery design business. Accordingly a corporate jet is put at Stone and Johanna's disposal.

Another of the McNair cousins, Alex, previously asked Johanna for a date, but she decided to give a polite refusal. Now he's interested again. Is this a coincidence, or is he trying to turn her against Stone? Given that there is still chemistry between the formerly engaged couple it's not surprising that they restart a romance when pressed into each other's company... but if the same issues are going to come between them how long can it last?

The point is well made that when a person dies they may not have made provision for their beloved pets, and a shelter might have to be their destination. We'd all like to think that relatives would take our pets but not everyone is in an ideal situation. The context is light because this family has plenty of money and land so we never feel that the well-behaved dogs are in serious jeopardy.

Stone has a fear that addiction runs in his family and he is reluctant to be a father for this reason. He seems to be overstating the problem, given he's avoided substance abuse himself, but his unwillingness to admit this to Johanna caused unhappiness and misunderstandings. There's a lot of looking back over the past in ONE GOOD COWBOY before Catherine Mann allows her characters to dream of a future. This causes an up and down relationship in this adult romance, where honesty and looking ahead come to the fore. This is a good read for dog lovers and for hopeless romantics.