I loved Alex and Becca's story. Watching her come into her own and seeing her interact not only with Alex but with Jack and Gage (I cannot wait until they get their own books!) was so much fun. Seeing what was going on with Alex as the book progressed was more than a little scary, but once he finally decided to do something about it that made it all the more satisfying. Everything isn't "fixed" by the end of the story (there's that word!) but things are moving in the right direction and there's definite hope.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Alex, Becca, Jack, Gage, and Monica will be doing with the Ranch!

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

If you like this genre, this book is really cute. I’m not normally a big ex-military romance kind of gal because of how dark they often get. This one however stayed light and enjoyable for me.

A wounded SEAL, Alex, and his comrades team up with his step-sister, Becca, on a property they inherited from Alex’s father. They are opening a short of camp/sanctuary for veterans.

Truly a collaboration of so many plot plans we seen before: we’ve got the step-sibs, the wounded military men, the returning hometown heroes, and cowboys all mixed up with a woman striving for independence after suffering from a life threatening illness and being sheltered her entire life…and it completely works!

Lots of strong emotions scars bring some heavy reading but Helm’s ability to add fun and flare to some difficult life situations makes for a marvelously entertaining and heartfelt reading.

I received this ARC copy of Cowboy SEAL Homecoming from SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca. This is my honest and voluntary review. Cowboy SEAL Homecoming is set for publication Jan. 2, 2018.

My Rating: 4 Stars
written by: Nicole Helm
Series: Navy SEAL Cowboys (Book 1)
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: January 2, 2018
ISBN-10: 1492621307
ISBN-13: 978-1492621300
Genre: Contemporary Military Romance

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Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com

6 likes

This is the first in this series and I can't wait for more! Alex and his fellow SEALs return home emotionally and physically scarred. In an attempt to heal themselves they decide to open a ranch for returning soldiers. Alex owns the ranch with his step sister Becca. Shy Becca is amazed to find herself suddenly living with three hot guys, even if one is her step brother that she never knew. Sparks fly as plans for the ranch are made and old wounds are finally healed.

I loved this book! I loved how Becca came out of her shell to stand up for herself. Alex had a ton of issues but I really liked how things were resolved. I can't wait to read the next stories in this series!!

Cowboy SEAL Homecoming is the first book in the Navy SEAL Cowboys series. This book is a full meal deal of romance, cowboys, SEALS, step-siblings, and all that could go with them. Alex is an injured SEAL that made it home and wants to use his ranch that he and his stepsister inherited to help wounded soldiers work back into a normal life. Will this be something that they can do? I really enjoyed this book, and I definitely recommend it.

A new series from Nicole Helm featuring Navy SEALs turned cowboys! I was a little unsure how this was all going to play out, but I actually really liked the set-up. Three guys who all served together overseas as SEALs, who all got injured in an explosion, come back to the states together to a ranch that Alex has inherited. Well, he inherited half a ranch. The other half was given to his step-sister, Becca.

Alex hasn’t been home in a long time. When his father passed away (his father was married to Becca’s mother) he took that hard and is still grieving. He isn’t even sure how he will react to all of the memories that will flood him returning to the ranch, but he knows one thing for certain – he wants to turn it into a place where veterans can come for therapy and rehabilitation. He saw what happens to men and women in the military and trying to adjust with life back at home, and he wants to offer a place for them to cope. Becca is on board with this, even offering to oversee the horse therapist position.

Alex and Becca know each other, but haven’t been around each other in a long time. Alex had forgotten how pretty she was, and head-strong, and Becca had forgotten how many muscles Alex has. Becca has grown up a very sheltered life. Sick as a child, her mother became extremely overprotective. Barely leaving the ranch, she doesn’t have a lot of social skills. Having three SEALs coming to live on her ranch stretches her boundaries, but she is willing to see what happens. She wants to start living her own life and even though she feels a little overwhelmed, she would rather try something new, than sit inside her house alone, sheltered from the world.

Alex by nature is a protector, not just with Becca but with his guy friends too. He is extremely organized and is always planning. This annoys Becca and his SEAL buddies and pretty much everyone around him. He is a bit uptight. And broody. I liked his spreadsheets and how sweaty he would get when someone wanted to try something without planning it out extensively. I liked that he got offended if they made fun of how uptight he was.

The romance unfolds pretty predictably. In the past few Helm books I’ve found some of the character unlikable. I liked everyone in this one but it did have a bit of a gloomy tone. I’m not saying every character has to be bubbly and funny and silly. But these two are just a bit – dispirited, which dampened my enjoyment of the book.

Grade: C+

This is the first book in this series by this author. What an amazing start to the series. This is a well written story. The characters and story line were both engaging. I liked the characters, they were strong and perfectly matched. I can't wait to read more in this series and by this author in the future.
Would definitely recommend
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

One ranch. Two people. One goal.

Cowboy Seal Homecoming has WINNER written all over it. An act of bravery brings a group of seals full circle and with a little help from a friend inspires a common goal. Ms. Helm teaches a valuable lesson about what courage really means. Bravery does not mean lack of fear, but the strength to take a risk. In fact courage is a lot like faith. Alex and Becca have a history that borders on taboo. Despite the time, distance and heartache that may be headed their way, they bring out the best in each other. She sees the man he really is and he sees the woman she hopes to be.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
M/F Romance
Triggers: PTSD, step-sibling romance

Becca is the stepsister to Alex. They never truly knew each other growing up because Alex left when his father remarried Becca's mom. When his father dies and leaves half of his ranch to Becca and half to Alex, that is when they both reconnect.

I found this story somewhat confusing. I liked the premise of the SEALS coming home and wanting to put a ranch together to help other veterans reintegrate back in to society, however, I felt cheated because you never got to see the end result. Throughout the story they are all working their butts off for this end result, but I felt that despite the premise, the romance overtook the rest of the story.

Also, the idea that the SEALS were the only characters needing therapy was not quite true. Becca was so sheltered that she didn't really know how to function outside of her ranch.

I do want to see what happens with Alex's friends; however, I also hope that their stories have more than just romance. The overall romance was just semi-successful for me. Becca was too sheltered, and Alex was too timid too. It was just hard to believe.

Cowboy SEAL Homecoming, by Nicole Helm is an interesting contemporary romance that focuses on the military, family and friendship, and ranch life. Also, it's the first book in the Navy SEAL Cowboys series.

Alex Maguire has spent most of his life as a soldier, until a tragic accident causes him and two friends to end their careers as SEALs. Now, Alex is returning home to the family ranch in Blue Valley, Montana. Even though he grew up on the ranch, it's been years since Alex lived there and never since Becca Denton and her mother moved in, and everything has changed since his father recently died.

Even though Becca and Alex were technically step-siblings, they have only met a few times. Plus, she lived a sheltered childhood, due to her fragile health and her overprotected mother. Becca is looking forward to turning the family ranch into a haven for injured veterans, yet she's hesitant to work with Alex, Gabe, and Jack.

Even though Alex and Becca barely know each other, they are starting a non-profit business with the family ranch that they own together. Alex and Becca are focused on building a new business and dealing with their former family connection, as well as developing a personal relationship and romance.

Cowboy SEAL Homecoming is geared towards those who enjoy reading modern romances with military and ranching influences.


Note: I received this book from NetGalley, which is a program designed for bloggers to write book reviews in exchange for books, yet the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

DNF at 40%. Boring and characters were difficult to like. I really tried but nothing happened!

Often times life changes and you have to make another, different life plan. Alex knows this firsthand as a Navy SEAL who has been injured in the line of duty and now discharged he’s returning home to a ranch he left years ago and only rarely visited. He and his step-sister Becca now co-own that ranch and while he may have some detailed plans for their ranch so does Becca. Becca lived her early life as a child with what was considered a life threatening condition… and an overprotective mother. She’s developed the attitude over the years that life is for living now, plans are empty promises that may never come true. So she and Alex, who plans every single moment of his life down to the millisecond, have very differing attitudes about, well, just about everything that makes them who they are. They do agree about one thing – the ranch would be a perfect safe haven for returning wounded vets to spend time at while they accumulate to returning to the civilian world. Becca’s dream for the ranch is a working therapy horse ranch which in theory meshes well with Alex’s idea of a wounded vet re-acclamation ranch… on paper at least, their ways of going abut putting that plan in action are far different.

Cowboy SEAL Homecoming has a lot of what I enjoy in a romance involving military personnel. While PTSD is a very real condition we aren’t usually given all of the possible symptoms in most romances, I was impressed when Ms Helm brought another side to a serious condition to the table in this story. As the mother of a son with physical challenges it was easy for me to “get” Becca’s attitude. While I also think her mother was out of the park overprotective, Becca eventually found the courage to stand up for her own dreams and become her own independent person. Living in the moment because that’s the only moment you can depend on is a way of life for my family, so I also understood Becca on that level as well. That doesn’t mean I thought Becca was perfect, she wasn’t, but she was totally human. The only thing that I would have wished for this story is to have not spent so much time in Alex and Becca’s heads. Yes, seeing life and reactions from their perspective adds to the story – but I also would have learned about them from more dialogue and interaction played out between them. It’s a small thing, but I believe it would have made a difference.

In all, I enjoyed getting to know Alex and Becca, as well as Gabe and Jake. Since this series is spread out over the coming year I’ll have to wait til summer then winter to completely know what’s happening at the ranch. But I also think it’s a wait well worth the effort. I would definitely recommend Cowboy SEAL Homecoming to any reader who enjoys complicated people, facing down fears and the challenge of facing an uncertain future with the right person at your side.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

ARC - I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest!
Alex never wanted to come back to Blue Valle, Montana.
Becca wants to turn her ranch into a sanctuary for injured vets.
The attraction is there, but they don't know what to make of it.
As they get to know each other, they give the relationship a chance.
It was a sweet story.
I would love to read the next book!
Loved the storytelling + the characters!

This is the first book in the Navy SEAL Cowboys series and I enjoyed Alex and Becca’s story.

I’m excited for this series and what the characters are creating with the foundation and making the ranch a place for veterans. One thing I really appreciated is the way the author did not make Alex’s PTSD magically disappear with meeting Becca. I’ve read stories before where a veteran was plagued with nightmares and after meeting the heroine, the nightmares seem to magically get better, or that they can finally get a good night sleep just being in that person’s arms. That did not happen with Alex, he still had his nightmares, he still struggled. In fact, his issues grew, nearly consuming him, because he couldn’t/wouldn’t allow himself to heal, to ask for or seek help. He was their leader, he had to remain strong, he had to lead, had to remain in control, he needed to fix thigs, he was FINE.

His meeting with Monica was powerful and poignant. I really felt Nicole Helm did a great job with Alex’s PTSD, it felt so raw, so compelling, so consuming. Honestly, out of the romance books I’ve read that have PTSD in it, this felt the most real and true to form – at least to my very limited knowledge and experience.

Becca took some getting used to. She grew up extremely sheltered and her naivety took some getting used to. What I didn’t like at all the way she felt the ranch was hers! Um, hello, Burt was Alex’s father – he was your step-father for only a part of your life. Why the hell would you feel like it was only your home?

I loved the humor and ribbing that was intertwined in the story. OMG the hilarity of Ron Swanson and Rasputin left me laughing out loud.

All in all, even with a slow start, I enjoyed reading Cowboy SEAL Homecoming and hope Jack and Gage’s stories are soon to follow.

**I requested and received an advanced copy, provided by NetGalley and the publisher, and I am voluntarily providing an honest review**

Three injured Seals coming home to a ranch in Montana to finish recovering & to try to build some place for other injured military to come & recover. Alex Maguire has inherited 1/2 of a ranch when his father, Burt, passed away. His father's stepdaughter, Becca, inherited the other half. Becca's father was never in her life & she loved Burt. She wanted to set up a horse therapy ranch to help children recovering from illnesses but realized the ranch is too isolated for that. Alex's idea for the ranch parallels her idea. The main difference is recipients. She can deal with that. She can't deal with her attraction to Alex & her mother's continuing over protectiveness.

The author has set the scene for this series with this one book. She has managed to give the reader a great deal of the backstory on each character & their motivation. The portrayal of Alex's PTSD & his failure to deal with it on his own seems honestly portrayed. I have to go with my feeling nags since I haven't suffered from it but it seems honest & not dramatized. Good story.

3.5 stars

Cowboy Seal Homecoming by Nicole Helm is a heartwarming start to the Navy Seal Cowboy series.

The storyline is well written, the plot easy to follow and the characters all add to the overall enjoyment, even the animals ;)

Cowboy Seal Homecoming is a quick and heartwarming read, I enjoyed getting to know Becca and Alex. Both have a lot to deal with, one is struggling with PTSD and the other is learning to live life without her mother hovering over her and dictating how she should live her life.
These two might have been step-siblings but having spent very little time together growing up they never felt like siblings.
Their relationship takes time to develop, at first I wasn't sure if Alex would ever truly open up to Becca but with her honesty and no nonsense personality Alex finds himself feeling happier being with Becca.
Life is more sunny being with Becca.

Cowboy Seal Homecoming is a lovely start to the Navy Seal Cowboys series, I'm excited to read the upcoming books which will give us Jack and Gabe's stories. These men have a lot of baggage and I can't wait to see them meet their other half :)

Cowboy Seal Homecoming to be released January 2nd.
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*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

PTSD
This book is obviously setting the scene for a series. Three ex-servicemen, supposedly ‘fixed’ but rather dysfunctional and struggling with PTSD and a young isolated woman set about building a place where ex-military can come to continue their recovery and find purpose again. Becca and Alex are step siblings but hardly know each other until they are left half shares of the family ranch. Becca had dreamed of helping children with terminal illness through therapeutic horsemanship but changed her dream to instead help wounded veterans. Alex plans to give soldiers purpose and healing through hard work on a ranch. The idea is the two programs will run in tandem but we don’t get as far as seeing things up and running. Neither the horses, ranching, refurbishing the bunkhouse and growing closer to Becca are helping Alex to cope with life since his accident and it is obvious to everyone except him, that he needs help. Like all military he tends to suppress feelings and emotions and the thought of therapy is anathema to him (as it is to his friends) but eventually that is where he has to go to find the tools to cope. A good book with a lot of strong language and some interesting characters. I would be happy to read the next book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Becca is a naïve, fidgety, socially awkward, sweet young woman who has been sheltered her entire life and wants nothing more than to become the strong, independent person she’s always wanted to be. When Alex, the step-brother she’s never really known, comes home with two of his SEAL buddies, her life get a lot more complicated. Not only are they working together to establish a foundation to help injured veterans, she has to learn how to interact with these injured warriors who have more wounds than just the physical that need healing. She and Alex are still reeling from the loss of his father, but they may learn that their common grief is more easily borne if the load is shared. Alex is a leader, a planner, and always in control, but the universe seems to have a few lessons in store for him, if he’s willing to learn.

The advance copy I read of this book is my first by this author and will definitely not be the last. There are so many elements that I loved – the rural setting, the small town feel, a damaged cowboy turned SEAL hero, and an innocent, naïve heroine who finds her strength and comes into her own. The irony of the sheltered heroine with no life experience having more strength and wisdom than the battle hardened SEAL was really appealing. Alex and Becca were well developed, loveable, complex characters and were great together, with a nice dose of steamy chemistry between them. Yes, there were times I wanted to shake Alex, and the way Becca handled him made me love her even more. But have no worries, dear reader, Alex does get his redemption.

The other two guys, Jack and Gabe, were equally multilayered as well as endearing and hilarious the way they teased and bickered but always had each other’s backs. Their damage from combat is clear and I can’t wait to read both of their stories and watch them heal, grow and find love. Add in Becca's monologues with her animals and her propensity for startling, her overbearing mother, and a feisty goat who thinks he’s human and makes great use of the doggy door, and this book touches the heart while making it smile. It not only highlights an important social issue, but it touches the heart, tickles the funny bone, and leaves you with that happy, contented sigh. It will grab you from the first page to the last and leave you eagerly anticipating the next book in the series.

Alex is returning home to his family ranch—ownership of said ranch is now shared with his stepsister, Becca. Alex and his two friends, Jack and Gabe, want to turn part of the ranch into a place where wounded soldiers can come and work their way back into society again, heal their wounds and their heads—figure out their place in the world now that they’re no longer active duty members.

Becca’s lived a sheltered life—one exacerbated by an over protective mother. But Becca’s dream is to open a therapeutic horse operation. Her dream meshes with Alex’s plans on paper, but can they make it a reality.

I love a good prodigal son returns home story! Add in a military homecoming and I’m all in!! And while I did really enjoy the romance between Alex and Becca, I struggled a bit to get through their story. Cowboy SEAL Homecoming dragged a bit for me. Yes, I understood the need to set up the series with Alex, Jack and Gabe. And to learn about Becca’s childhood. But much of the story was told to us. Alex and Becca lived much of the story in their own heads, and my reading would have been greatly enhanced if more of the story was shown to me through dialogue and character interactions. And while I struggled with Cowboy SEAL Homecoming, I am looking forward to Jack’s book, Cowboy SEAL Redemption this summer. ~3.5 stars

Cowboy SEAL Homecoming by Nicole Helm
Navy SEAL Cowboys #1

Great premise for a new series – looking forward to reading more romances with SEALs in Montana ;)

Alex and two of his team head home after medical discharges from the Navy. Gabe, Jack and Alex all have issues related to their last mission going FUBAR when a grenade attack put paid to their military careers. Alex and his stepsister Becca have decided to use the property they inherited jointly to create a therapeutic ranch with horses and cattle to assist military veterans get back on their feet when they return stateside. The setting is perfect. The characters are well fleshed out and the potential for the series is great with Gabe and Jack and perhaps others who arrive at the ranch to provide fodder for romances of their own. In this book, though, Alex and Becca find that there is chemistry aplenty between them and potential for a future together. Well…if strong silent everything is fine Alex wises up to the fact things are not actually fine and that he might need a bit of help moving forward with his life AND Becca can come into her own and become more assertive in stating what she wants then acting on it.

I enjoyed the camaraderie between Alex, Gabe and Jack. I loved the dynamics between Jack and Becca and the fact that Becca was unwilling to “put up with” what she was unhappy with. I am looking forward to hearing more about Gabe and Jack and finding out which one of them will end up with therapist Monica Finley…and who the other one will end up with, too.

There are a lot of issues covered in this book including childhood illness, overprotective parents, assertiveness, PTSD, communication, role of counseling…and other things. All issues were handled well and the book made me care, smile and wonder what will happen next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebook Casablanca for the ARC – This is my honest review. 4. 5 Stars