Review: His Kind of Cowgirl

Title: His Kind of Cowgirl

Author: Karen Rock

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Publisher: Harlequin

Purchase Links: 

      

Would he still love her…if he knew? 

Tanner Hayes smashed Claire's life to pieces when he chose the rodeo over her ten years ago. And now he'd wrecked her truck! Fantastic. She'd lost her husband, the family ranch was mired in debt, her father was recuperating from a stroke and her son was being bullied. Why not throw a reckless bull rider into the mix? 

All she'd wanted was a safe, stable life. But with Tanner back in town—and staying on her ranch—nothing was safe, or under control. Not the feelings she'd fought so hard to forget. Not the son she was determined to protect. And certainly not her long-held secret…

I was really excited to read this one, as I've loved all the books of Karen Rock that I've read so far. She just has a way to make me care and feel all the emotions gush in, and pull me into the world of her characters. Truly, this one does not disappoint.

Though admittedly, this one's going to be tricky to write about. The prologue already got me hooked, and I couldn't stop reading. I love how even though I am not a big fan of animals, I was able to come to love them. I never knew I'd be able to love these animals as if they were characters in the story. I love how it was very family-centered (I'm a sucker for this), and how realistic it was.

There were a lot of troubles, misunderstandings and secrets between Claire and Tanner, not to mention that everything just seems not to go the way that they want. It felt realistic, I guess, in this sense, because life just loves to throw whatever it wants to our way, and it's definitely about how we deal with these. For me, I wasn't able to connect with Claire and Tanner right away. I fell in love with everything this book has to offer, except for the protagonists. I guess, maybe it was because I have never found myself in their situation, so I couldn't put myself in their shoes. Still, everything felt so vivid and real, as if I wasn't a mere spectator: I was with them.

Tanner was someone whom I came to eventually love, despite his faults and shortcomings. In fact, it was because of those that made me love him even more, as several of his viewpoints unfold. Although there were some actions of his that I did not agree with, it was wonderful how he eventually came into terms with them. On the other hand, Claire is a different story. I saw her as a strong and selfless mother, but at the same time, I saw someone who had a lot of issues to deal with. At some point, I found her to be a little bit whiny (and I don't really like whiny characters). However, I guess that Karen truly has some way in the way she writes to make me love the things that I didn't like at first. I grew into it. I started seeing Claire from where she stands, and started to understand why she is being whiny. I even found myself imagining what I would have done, if I was to be put in the same position as her. I have never thought that I'd say this, but I came to love Claire, entirely, even with her being a slightly whiny character.

The romance between Claire and Tanner got off from a rocky start. They seemingly fought always, and it was tiring. The both of them were too stubborn, and neither wanted to make the first step in making amends. I hated how they both kept on making assumptions and fighting with each other, without any attempts on talking and reasoning out. It seemed like they were shutting each other off. I think it's weird for me in the sense that it was this dynamic that made me love His Kind of Cowgirl even more. It was in this situation that I could definitely relate, and I found myself cheering for the two of them with the astounding and beautiful character growth they have to offer.

Claire and Tanner are two broken people, with the wrong-decisions they have made and the wrong timings they have faced. In the end, though, it is in their brokenness that made their relationship even more beautiful. It is in this brokenness that helped them to make each other grow as better individuals. They may have said some nasty things to each other, fought a lot, or regretted some things, but the way they bounced back was truly heartwarming and absolutely beautiful.

With so much to offer, His Kind of Cowgirl is one book definitely not to miss, especially as it tackles the overcoming fear and the past. (Oh, and happy book birthday YAY!)

      

Karen Rock is an award-winning YA and adult contemporary author. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in English and worked as an ELA instructor before becoming a full-time author. Her Harlequin Heartwarming novel, A LEAGUE OF HER OWN, has won the 2015 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award and the 2015 Booksellers Best Award. Her Heartwarming novel, WISH ME TOMORROW, has won the 2014 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and the 2014 Golden Quill Contest. Her co-authored YA novel, CAMP BOYFRIEND, has been a finalist in the Booksellers Best and Golden Leaf awards. When she's not writing, Karen loves scouring estate sales for vintage books, cooking her grandmother's family recipes, hiking and redesigning her gardens. She lives in the Adirondack Mountain region with her husband, daughter, and two lovable dogs who have yet to understand the concept of "fetch" though they know a lot about love.