When I read Three Cowboys and a Puppy, I kinda missed that this was to sequel to Three Cowboys and a Baby. In my defense: this was over a year ago.

As always, Kate knows how to weave a cute story. And with Bernie working for the dog shelter and taking care of the little pups…. Ahwww, so sweet.

Luke is a bit of an ignorant guy. Completely clueless that his BFF Bernie has been having a crush on him for several years. And when Bernie finally makes her move, he is too self-absorbed to realize that she is the one for him. Of course, Noah and Max run interference, otherwise they would never end up together.

An intense and heartwarming story on family, bonds and friendships. Four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc

Three Cowboys and a Puppy is the second book in the Three Cowboys series, and is a fun friends-to-lovers story. Luke Nilson is thinking he can use a makeover to look more appealing to his friend’s sister. He then asks his best friend Bernie Cooper for her help. Bernie can’t believe that her friend Luke is blind to the fact that she’s been in love with him since they were kids. When he agrees to help her with her Adopt a Rescue Auction, she lets him know about her feelings and that is an unexpected surprise. Now they’ve got to figure out if they pursue this will it ruin their friendship.

The author has created an entertaining story for two very likeable and relatable characters. Bernie is an independent woman working three jobs at once and may have spread herself too thin. However, she is very strong and proves it by standing by her principles. Luke is a leader but is having a tough time keeping it together. His run in with Max and his PTSD issues are making it difficult to convince his family that he is fine. Each have family support and issues that they are dealing with throughout the book and they each were dealt with nicely. An attraction to the story is the rescue dogs. Bernie’s dog had puppies and the fact they used social media and videos that went viral just made the story realistic. The addition of the secondary characters enhanced the story and moved the story forward. Kate Pearce has created a wonderful premise for this series of how these three ex-Marines find their happily ever after, and it has been a nice ride in the first two books. This second story was both entertaining and heartwarming. Three Cowboys and a Puppy hit all the right buttons to make this an instant hit.

A charming feel good romance. This was a light read and just what I needed. I loved the chemistry between Bernie and Luke.
Many thanks to Kensington and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

THREE COWBOYS AND A PUPPY (Three Cowboys Book #2) by Kate Pearce is a charming friends-to-lovers contemporary cowboy romance and the second book in the Three Cowboys trilogy. You can read this as a standalone, but I enjoy all the backstory on all the characters, so I read book one, Three Cowboys and a Baby first.

Luke Nilsen is happy running the family cattle ranch with his two best friends from his time in the service. When Noah’s sister visits, Luke is captivated, but she is a city girl through and through. He asks his best friend since childhood, Bernie, to help make him more attractive to her.

Bernie Cooper has been Luke’s best friend since childhood and grew up on a neighboring ranch, but when he asks for her help to change for another woman, she has had enough. Luke has been blind to the fact that his BFF has grown into a beautiful and successful woman who has loved him for years. She feels it may be time to move on.

With the help of family, friends, and a barn full of shelter animals, can Luke figure out how to give Bernie what she has dreamed of for so long?

I really enjoyed this second book in the trilogy and am so excited for the final one. Bernie is a wonderful heroine. She is smart, loving, and caring, but also has so much depth of character with her feelings towards the father that abandoned her and the father that raised her, three successful businesses and her life-long feelings for Luke. Luke is caring and a leader, but with dealing with big financial losses on the ranch after a harsh winter and some type of PTSD from his service which leave him with several phobias, he at first tries to escape his life rather than deal with it. So many realistic problems intrude on this romance with heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes on their journey to HEA. The sex scenes are smokin’ hot and explicit, but not gratuitous. I do wish Luke’s PTSD would have been explored more. It is mentioned with some symptoms and then just mentioned as treated with on-line therapy. I would have liked a little more depth which would have made me even more empathetic to him. All the secondary characters are fully developed and I look forward to discovering what is going on with Max in the next book.

This is a sexy and sweet contemporary cowboy romance with wonderful characters.

Three Cowboys and a Puppy is the second book in the series, featuring a friends-to-lovers tale between Luke and Bernie. Luke seeks a makeover to attract his friend's sister, unaware of Bernie's long-standing affection for him. As they navigate their feelings, they must decide if romance will jeopardize their friendship. The author crafts an engaging story with relatable characters, including Bernie's independence and Luke's struggles with PTSD. The inclusion of rescue dogs adds charm, while secondary characters enrich the narrative. Kate Pearce delivers a heartwarming and entertaining romance, continuing the series' promise of finding love after service.

"Three Cowboys and a Puppy" is the second book in the "Three Cowboys" series. I had not read the first, but like most romance series, you can start with book 2 if you don't mind some spoilers about the previous book's couple.

It's a small-town friends-to-lovers romance, and as a fan of those tropes, I quite enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others who enjoy those tropes too. I think my favorite part were the scenes where Bernie and Luke film videos with the puppies. So cute!

I am a big fan of Kate Pearce's cowboy books. This series is about a trio of ex-Marines, who have come to Northern California to rescue Luke Nilsen's family ranch.

This book is about Luke and his best friend since kindergarten, Bernie Cooper. Now that Noah is paired up with Jen and her son Sky, Luke starts thinking it might be time for him to settle down and is infatuated with Noah's sister Bailey. He is so dense that he doesn't realize that Bernie has been in love with him since forever. Bailey has just broken up with her boyfriend and is not interested, but points him in the direction of Bernie. Meanwhile, Jen, convinces Bernie to look elsewhere and sets her up on a dating site. Which of course makes Luke jealous, when he sees her with someone else. Bernie is also super busy, working hard to become successful, juggling 3 businesses. When Luke finally makes his move, can she trust him? They had always talked to each other about everything, but since he has come home he has changed and she sees it more than anyone else. He almost losses her, when he won't talk to her about his PTSA and is so blockheaded that he forgets to tell her that he loves her. It takes an intervention from friends and family to push these two to their HEA.

This well written book has lots of interesting characters, 2 legged and 4, interesting insights into the business of ranching, bakery, and non profits and several different stories encompassed in the book. I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

This is a Cowboy Friends to Lovers Romance, and this is the second book in the Three Cowboys series. I read the first book in this series before picking up this book. I really love the characters in this book, and this town sounds so cute and small. I really enjoyed this book. I found myself rooting for the two main characters. There are some steamy moments in this book. The animals in this book make for some very cute and fun times in the book. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Bernie and Luke. They have known each other for all their lives. They are Best Friends. There is an instant attraction. Bernie tells Luke she has an attraction to him. He starts to notice Bernie. They start dating. They both have busy lives. They realize they are made for each other. They fall in love.

This was a fun book that shows how opening your eyes and taking a chance can bring a future you might only dream for. Luke and Bernie have been best friends since they were kids, but when things get steamy it complicates their relationship and they must dig deep to see what they could be. Luke is pretty much clueless in the beginning when he asks Bernie to help him make his friend Noah's sister Bailey notice him. He eventually gets sense knocked into him more than once thanks to friends and family, to make him realize what a gem Bernie is right in front of him. It's a good thing he has good friends in Noah and Max coach him as only ex-military men can. Bernie on the other hand has good friends in Bailey and Jen who help her her manage all the irons she has in the fire. When her birth father Brian, who is so much like her, contacts her she takes his advice he's gained by crashing and burning himself. Add to that PTSD issues all the guys have had to deal with and you get a well crafted and interesting story that includes a litter of sweet puppies. I really enjoyed this story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What do you do when you love your best friend and he is clueless? Luke and Bernie have been friends for decades and lived so much life together and learned how to live in a small town where everyone knows everyone. Luke went to war and came back a different man, he doesn't want anyone to know just how different. Bernie is a very busy woman, she has multiple businesses and interests but the one thing she can't seem to have is Luke. This is a great friends to lovers story with characters that are relatable and you wish you were friends with. There are ups and downs like in all love stories but this is a great story and the puppies are the icing on the cake.

For some unknown reason I couldn't get into this Romance at all, there was just something about it that kept me from enjoying it

Although overall I enjoyed this story, I’m going to start right off with some things that bothered me because I think one of them is important when choosing a book to read. The blurb of this book does not align with the story itself. While Luke does have a crush on his buddy’s sister in the beginning and does ask his best friend Bernie to help him win her over, the dogs have very little to do with any of what happens. There is no one particular puppy that is featured. Bernie, who has crushed on her best friend for years, owns a non-profit animal shelter. There is an auction fundraiser that they’re working on, but it’s mostly peripheral to the main story. I kept waiting for one of the dogs to come into play and, other than a video Luke and Bernie make to promote the auction (at 75% mind you) they just don’t.

Because Luke’s crush, Bailey, is a sweetheart and not interested in Luke I was afraid his misguided feelings would drag on too long. The author did a good job of nipping that in the bud while using the crush as a basis for Bernie to finally do something about her stagnant love life and Luke to see what he has right in front of him. Luke has definitely taken Bernie for granted through the years. He’s in no way cruel or even dismissive of her, but he’s used to her always being there for him at the drop of a hat. Bernie knows that’s on her and decides to stop that behavior. She has enough going on in her life. Possibly too much.

One of the driving forces of this book is Bernie trying to find balance in her life. She owns several small businesses and does most of the heavy lifting herself. On top of that, her birth father is looking to get back in the picture and she’s not sure how she should feel about that. Dealing with her best friend’s crush on another woman and his refusal to get help for his PTSD is not something she needs on top of it all.

Luke and Bernie have good chemistry and I enjoyed their times together. I didn’t like how hot and cold Luke could run though. I understood his motivations since we do get his thoughts, but he’s oblivious to how he comes across to his loved ones when he thinks he’s protecting them. And, quite frankly, I don’t think Luke gave enough grovel at the end.

I found this story to be a bit all over the place even while I was enjoying the tale. I think Bernie’s overwhelming schedule, although key to the story, kept me from feeling her true depth of feelings for any of the myriad of things in her life. I also missed seeing more of the three cowboys interacting. It seemed all they did was bicker on the rare occasion they shared the page. So this one ended up being a mixed bag for me.

Adorable story that made me want to look up the author and read others in this series. Cute story, likeable characters and couldn't put down.

Luke and Bernie have been best friends since they were 5 years old. She's been in love with him (from afar) for too long. After he returns from the Marines he's different and more closed off. All his family and friends notice, but he claims to be getting help, yet nobody calls him on that.

When they move to more than friends after she bluffs out her true feelings for him, something is just not right. He's struggling with PTSD and when she calls him on his actions, he always pushes her away. When it happens one too many times, she breaks off the relationship. Can he figure out what went wrong before she leaves to spend time in California with her birth father?

Noah and Max, his best friends from the Marines, push him to figure out what went wrong with he and Bernie. Will love be enough to keep these friends turned lovers together? Throw in some adorable puppies and you have a delightful story that you want to read.

Although I received a free ARC ebook from Net Galley and the publisher, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Three Cowboys and a Puppy is the second book in Kate Pearce’s Three Cowboys series. This story features Luke Nilsen, owner of the Nilsen Ranch and retired marine officer.

Bernie Cooper Murphy, owner of the town’s best coffee shop and bakery, online baking service, and humane society advocate and fundraising organizer, has been best friend with Luke forever. She has been there for him through childhood, deployments, and he comes to her for advice all the time. But when he asks Bernie how to attract his friend and fellow ranch worker Noah Harding’s sister Bailey, that’s where she draws the line. Why doesn’t Luke see her that way? And how can she change that?

This is a lovely story that sneaks up on the reader and lands some important messages regarding parent abandonment, overworking to overcompensate, handling the after effects of battle, and wonderful characters finding their ways. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

A story of best friends who keep letting their heads get in the way of their hearts

Luke and Bernie have been best friends since kindergarten. Now that they’re adults, Bernie is having a hard time hiding her deeper feelings for Luke. For his part, Luke is focused on keeping his ranch afloat while trying to hide the PTSD he’s suffering after his time in Afghanistan. When Bernie lets her secret slip, Luke doesn’t know how to react. Bernie deserves more than he feels he can give her. But he doesn’t have the words to tell her now much she means to him, how much he needs her. How can he explain what he’s feeling when he can’t explain it to himself?

These are two vulnerable people trying to prove themselves to people who already believe in them. The author artfully illustrates the emotions and stress felt by both Luke and Bernie, fueled by their feelings of inadequacy, their frustrations and their insecurity. Bernie was wearing herself out as she sought to do it all. But she was the one who found her strength first, to begin to realize she didn’t have to do it all alone. And with that realization she was able to put herself first and let Luke know what she needed for him. But Luke’s fears kept him from opening up to Bernie. He knows he needs help dealing with his feelings, especially what he’s feeling for Bernie, but he just can’t take that last step to ask for it.

The back and forth between Luke and Bernie became exhausting at times. But it also served to highlight the time Luke and Bernie were on the same page and moving forward. At times I felt I had to push myself to read the next chapter. But, looking back on the story I just finished gave me a warm feeling. It was a meaningful story full of emotion and hope. The author let the reader know that there is no weakness in asking for the help you need The people who mean the most to you will always be there to give you what you need.

3.75 stars
Luke and Bernie's have known each other a long time, bonded by friendship. They both suffer from emotional traumas that have impacted how they live their lives. Luke is downright unsuspecting that Bernie has feelings for him beyond friendship, even conceiving an ill advised plan to use Bernie to stir jealousy in another woman. I like that K.P. writes about regular characters, that have real world everyday troubles. As Bernie and Luke respectively work through issues the two finally move beyond friendship. A friends to lovers story that delivers a happily ever after.

Okay, so being a HUGE fan of Kate Pearce's 'House of Pleasure' series, I went into this thinking it was going to be a MMFM read. It wasn't. Which isn't a big deal, but the title seems a bit misleading as the 'three' references the cowboys of the series rather than the MMCs.

That said, this was a fun read. I like animals in my romance novels more than children. I get so sad with a constantly overlooked hero or heroine. A lifetime of pining breaks my heart. My frustration with Luke over not seeing Bernie got in the way of my really rooting for him as the hero. Ultimately, I liked the pup better than the hero.