The theme of this modern Western romance is that someone may be bitter, scarred or traumatized -- but still in need of love and capable of loving. Wrangler Jackson Cade takes a job working with horses on a dude ranch, but it's only a cover for his real job, which is a bounty hunter. At first there is nothing to make manager Dani Crawford think her new hire is A COWBOY TO KEEP. Although she has to admit he's got a nice way with horses, and he insists on taking time with a scared, unreliable mare.

Dani has her own shady past which she is determined to hide. The irascible bounty hunter could jeopardize her good job. She doesn't trust him, or anyone. Gradually though, she comes to depend on him to do good work. But he'll round up the bad guys he's chasing and leave, so there's no point replying on him to stick around. She doesn't realize that she's made a very good impression on Jackson, and he might even consider settling for a while; if work permitted, that is. Separately, Jackson is hunting down someone responsible for the death of a family member. He'll find them no matter how long it takes.

This story is heavy on suspense and light on romance, with plenty of scenes from the point of view of tough-talking guys in the open country. I particularly enjoyed the horse training aspects and the good match with the landscape. Dani is a strong determined young woman, kept fit by her work and sharp with her tongue. In the sidelight of the shy mare we can see aspects of both main characters, who need a reason to trust again. This is a particularly nice writing device.

Enjoy Karen Rock's big-hearted Rocky Mountain Cowboys series, where the men are real working cowboys, not just called that because they wear a Stetson to the office. A COWBOY TO KEEP has some mild swearing but otherwise is suitable for anyone from tweens to adults.