The Bad Boy Cowboy by Kate Pearce is a good fit for readers looking for a contemporary romance novel that explores themes of healing, self-discovery, and the power of family and trust, set against the backdrop of a California ranch.

This was an okay read for me. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to keep my attention or interests. I struggled with keeping my thoughts to the story and not on things going on around me. The characters were developed enough but the chemistry just didn't click for me. It could be that this isn't necessarily the type of book I am into at the time and therefore, it could be why I just couldn't get emotionally involved with it. Regardless, I can't say I will continue the series.

I will say that if you are not into paranormal reads at this time and/or are into big families with famous characters and characters with no rush to do......... anything, you will enjoy this story/series.

A sinfully enjoyable read. The characters are well written and the storyline was developed. And don't be surprised if you're left fanning yourself while reading it...

Another good story in this Morgan Ranch series. HW, the hard-partying rodeo cowboy has come home to the ranch for good. He meets Samantha, an army vet working through the rehabilitation needed after the loss of a limb. Both have issues to work through, and don’t particularly take to the other. There was a lot of back and forth in this story—in their relationship together and their personal healing—but the story was well-developed, and Ms Pearce does a nice job of helping the characters grow through the book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. This is my freely given, honest review.

I prefer the two Morgan Ranch books that follow this one, but this one is fine. A mildly interesting H and a slightly more interesting heroine. Worth the read.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

We've met the Morgan's in previous books and this is HW's story. This family has faced a great deal of heartache and trauma and while they love each other they are also hard on each other. When HW comes home from the Rodeo circuit he is ready to come home to stay but not sure of the reception he'll get. When he is tasked to teach horseback riding to one of their test guest before the dude ranch opens he is not very happy and when she hears his comments and realizes he is a BRONC champion, she puts him through a ringer on their first class. But there is quite of bit of chemistry between HW and Sam. I loved both of these characters and how they challenged each other. A great story and well done!

HW Morgan has finally reached the top of the PBR ratings, but his personal life is in the dumps. Not even his family wants him. Samantha Kelly is trying equine therapy at the Morgan Ranch, hoping to get her military-caused injuries healed. HW has been bedeviled by the actions of his long-deceased mother's post-partum depression and other unresolved issues with his three brothers. Sam manages to get him to talk about these and doesn't let him push her or the others too far away. Many secrets of the extended family are exposed, and they explain a lot of what has happened in the past. It's fascinating watching the interactions of the brothers and their wives/significant others -- so realistic.

I was so excited for HW’s story because he seemed like the biggest mess of the family (and I’m always excited to know all their crazy names!). Well, it didn’t disappoint for drama, that’s for sure!
Neither HW nor Sam seem to know what they want. They’re dynamic is a little elusive and they always seem to be wishy washy when it comes to their feelings.
I kind of expected more, as I’ve seen from the previous books, but I still enjoyed getting a little bit more of the Morgan Family puzzle.
4 stars.

I really enjoyed this book. Haven't read all of the previous brother's stories but did manage to piece together the relationships. This was HW's story and it was very compelling. Lots of issues and problems but very interesting. Love the family and how they have all had hard lives but keep working to make things better. Will be adding the earlier books in the series to my TBR pile for sure!


I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.com and voluntarily chose to review it.

I do enjoy this series. With the issues from their childhood the Morgan's had to deal with, it's a wonder any of them managed to have a relationship.

I really did not expect to like HW. His character was so unlikable in previous books. While at the same time, you would get these slight glimpses of his pain.

HW and Sam battled from beginning to end. Normally if couples behave like that, I find the storyline very frustrating. They both had serious issues to overcome, but their characters and the relationship was so well written, I didn't get the same level of frustration.

Sam was sassy, strong, independent with an underlying layer of vulnerability. HW was fragile. Not something you would normally attribute to a big, strong, tall cowboy. HW and Sam were also funny. I spent a lot of time laughing at their repartee.

A romantic, sexy, funny read. Makes you really want to visit the Morgan Ranch.

I voluntarily read and reviewed the Advanced Reader Copy.

Upon the behest of her friend Samantha Kelly finds herself at the Morgan Ranch, as guest and critical observer. HW Morgan has returned to the family home, to contemplate his next course of action regarding his career, and life. Though initially getting off on the wrong foot, they soon form a friendship. HW and Sam both have erected shields, as a result of events in their pasts. Sam is still dealing with the after effects of an attack that left her physically and emotionally changed while serving. HW has been deflecting his experiences as a child during his parents troubled marriage. Reading as these two slowly danced around their attraction was entertaining. This romance is of the simmering buildup, instead of instant love.

I didn't like HW in the previous book AT ALL.. However in this one, Pearce told his back story and was able to convince me that he was not the "jerk" I thought he was and was just looking for his place in life. She convinced me that he had a heart! Love Kate Pearce!

The Bad Boy Cowboy by Kate Pearce
Book #4: Morgan Ranch Series
Source: Netgalley and Purchase
My Rating: 4/5 stars

HW Morgan has always been very good at two things, the rodeo and disappointing his family. With his age, various injuries, and general level of exhaustion the rodeo is quickly becoming a no-go, which leaves returning to the Morgan ranch and hoping he can mend some literal and figurative fences there. Going home won’t be easy, but the Morgan’s have a long history of forgiveness; all HW can really hope for is that the forgiveness will extend to him.

With the ranch on the verge of opening for “real” guests, the timing of HW’s return couldn’t be better. He’s willing to pitch in anywhere, anytime, and glad to be back to the honest, hard work of ranch life. With a herd of trial-run guests coming to the ranch, HW is willing to work hard, not just for himself, but also, to prove to his family he’s ready to settle down, leave the bright lights of the rodeo behind. His first assignment, outside of the everyday ranch chores, is to teach the newbies how to ride a horse. Though HW initially grumbles and groans about the assignment (he is a rodeo star!) he quickly figures out, he’s a pretty good teacher, and one guest in particular is well worth his time and attention.

Samantha Kelly frustrates HW to no end! She is strong, sassy, intelligent, and not like any other woman he has ever known. Every time he takes her out riding, Samantha surprises him or pisses him off and there’s certainly no in between! She’s admittedly nosy and pushes HW to talk about the issues that have clearly made him so angry. What’s more, her outspoken nature has made her a Morgan family favorite which means she’s learning more about HW from his family than he would normally share on his own. That pisses him off too! Finally, there is the intense attraction he has toward Samantha. She is sexy as hell and seems interested in nothing more than a no-strings-attached fling. Yeah, that also pisses him off!

HW’s life is generally a mess, but Samantha is working hard to help him sort it out. She insists on him talking about and dealing with his past even when it pushes them further away from one another. As the weeks fly by, HW is confronted with one issue after another, and each seems more emotionally wrought than the last. With his nerves frayed, his sexual frustration at an all time high, and his future uncertain, HW needs Samantha more than ever, but he just isn’t sure he is what she wants or needs. Needless to say, everything blows up in spectacular Morgan fashion long before an HEA can be reached 😊

The Bottom Line: You know what? I am still really enjoying this series, and with the exception of a few unanswered questions, I particularly liked this read. As I discovered, HW isn’t so much a bad boy, though he has done some bad boy things, but a guy with a great many unresolved issues related to his family and his past. He has secrets he fears will separate him from his family forever, and that drives much of his behavior and anger. Samantha is a force of nature with her own issues that often collide with HW and his issues. However, at the end of the day, Samantha and HW are perfect for one another, and with the support of the rest of the Morgan family (to HW’s great surprise!) they can be together and be amazing! As much as I liked HW and Samantha, my favorite part of this read was the extended information about the Morgan family history. The secrets just keeping rolling out of this group and it certainly keeps me interested and coming back for more. The family history reveal is buttressed by the ongoing evolution of the entire Morgan clan (and partners!) and interesting book-specific plot lines that fall right in line with the series plot line. In all, I am still impressed with and totally entertained by this series!

The Bad Boy Cowboy is the fourth novel in the Morgan Ranch series and the third novel in the series that I've read, and I must admit that I had a very hard time deciding on a rating for this novel because while I can easily acknowledge the author's skill as a writer, this installment in the series left me in a bit of a quandary, while I liked both lead characters, HW Morgan and Samantha (Sam) Kelly, their relationship and constant bickering and waffling made this novel seem endless, and while I understood the issues facing each of them, I rapidly lost sympathy for both characters, more so, Sam. and was disappointed by the lack of a more substantial plot and the lack of a true HEA ending, which led me to give this novel only a 3-star rating.

HW is a character I was eager to learn more about after encountering him briefly in preceding novels. He's a mature rodeo bronc rider whose best performance was coming in second, convincing him that at his age (30-something), he'd never place any higher against the younger up-and-coming riders. He thinks he wants to retire, but his money-grubbing and obnoxious agent, Paul, thinking only of his own share of HW's winnings and endorsement deals, wants him to commit to another season. HW decides to take a break and return to the family ranch to figure it out, the ranch which is now in the process of being turned into a rehabilitation center and historic dude ranch by his siblings.

Samantha (Sam) Kelly is the female interest in this novel. She's a wounded veteran and former MP who lost her foot and ankle in an IED explosion. She's been invited to the ranch for two reasons, for rehab and as a test guest, tasked with evaluating what the ranch has to offer and how well it treats it's clientele. She first meets HW when she shows up at the stable, ready to re-learn how to ride a horse, and from the very beginning she's attracted to this gorgeous and charming hunk of rodeo cowboy. HW is equally taken with Sam. While HW is struggling to figure out how he'll fit in at the family ranch he's been away from for years, Sam is trying to regain her sense of independence, deal with her PTSD nightmares, and her survivor guilt, as the only survivor of the explosion that ended her military career. Additionally, she was dumped by her cheating ex-finance, and is a bit gun-shy and leery of getting deeply involved with another man, especially a man like HW--a love 'em and leave 'em, one-night stand, rodeo celebrity with a trail of buckle bunnies in his past, and no relationship experience whatsoever. While I applauded Sam's attempts to regain her independence, some of her arguments with HW, and her reactions to him seemed incredibly petty and calling her attitude prickly makes a saguaro seem smooth. At times I didn't have a clue what she wanted, and quite frankly, it seemed that neither did she.

The set-up and background of these two characters was intriguing, and at the outset both were likable, but the entire middle of the novel was one seemingly endless on-again, off-again sexual relationship plagued with constant waffling and bickering on the part of both characters, neither of whom really seemed to know what they wanted from the other beyond the bedroom. To say that their behavior and non-stop misunderstandings and conflicted feelings, indecisiveness and angst grew tedious and tiresome is putting it mildly. It slowed the novel down to a crawl, the only relief being the inter-relationships between HW and his other family members, almost all of whom we'd met in previous novels.

What saved the novel for this reader was seeing some well-liked Morgan family members again and learning more about what made them tick, as well as getting a better picture of what tore this family apart and why, and how each family member was dealing with the reality of what happened when they were mere children.

Add in the money-grubbing agent, HW's ex-girlfriend and drug abuser, Lally, who has her own agenda, the reappearance of Rachel, the sister that the brothers and their reformed alcoholic father, Billy, had presumed was dead, and there was plenty of drama to go around. I just kept wishing that Ms. Pearce has spent more time on them and less time on the non-stop bickering between Sam and HW. I was also disappointed by the abrupt ending, which hints at an HEA at some indeterminate time in the future, but still leaves the reader wondering why the author chose that rather than simply winding up this novel with a true HEA ending.

While I feel grateful for having more of the Morgan family history brought to light, and while I liked almost all of the characters, the character I liked the least was Samantha, and I would have much preferred growing to like her by the end of the novel, but for this reader, it just didn't happen. Finally, I have to take issue with the title. HW was a nice guy, charming, caring, sexy and sweet. While he may have been a bad boy a some point in his past, we didn't see any evidence of that in this novel. Instead, HW wants to save everyone with whom he comes into contact, and thus, the title seemed designed merely to draw in possible readers, rather than being an actual portrayal of the hero's character.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

I liked it but didn't love it. The characters fought a bit too much for my liking.

- - Received copy through NetGalley - -
L

HW and Sam are such great characters. Kate Pearce does such a great job bringing her characters to life. I love the backdrop of the Morgan family's story and how their mom leaving has affected each brother differently. Kate shows the realistic, yet often unrealized, impact that even being the favorite had on our hero. My only criticism would be that sometimes the dialogue between the characters was difficult to follow and I would need to reread it so understand why they were mad at each other.

I have enjoyed this series from the start and this is another great read in this series. HW and Sam (Samantha ) are both strong willed but have a lot in their pasts to get over. I think this has been my favorite so far looking forward to the next book

This was a great story with very well developed characters and plot. This is HW's story and a great addition to the series. Sam (Samantha) and HW were great together. I can't wait to see what Kate has next. I didn't want to put it down.

I am very conflicted with this book and have considered skipping writing this review altogether. First, it took me for the longest time to finish reading the book, I would put it away and then pick it up again. I had waited to hear the story of Ry's twin HW, I had looked forward to this story. I felt like he really deserved a good woman as his partner, and I was excited to read this story, I really wanted to not only like it but love it. But this book turned out to be a bit of a mess, in my opinion.
Samantha Kelly is a good woman, she is a wounded veteran, she is strong and independent but she is also stubborn, has no idea what she wants or how to go about figuring life out. She is lost with survivor's guilt, with a broken heart by an ex who cheated on her, with the adjustment of her new life after losing her leg.
HW is ready to leave the rodeo world and retire while he still can. He wants to leave behind the snake of an agent who wants to take advantage of him and the clingy ex who loves to party while intoxicated and high and do it all by using HW's money. But coming home is not so easy when HW feels that the whole family resents him because of their mother who loved him the best. The family drama and trouble seems to come to heads everytime HW is around and he is not completely confident there is a welcome mat for him or a place to him in the new operation at the home ranch.
When you take two people who both have more issues than most, who are at the crossroads on their lives and have no idea how to communicate, are stubborn, argumentative, and tenacious you bet you get some sparks flying. HW and Sam fight, argue, banter, clash, have confrontations, walk away from each other and come back together again for a tryst. Because they are physically as combustible as they are mentally and emotionally. Yes, there is a connection between them but it is not working out because of their hard-headed behavior. Sam is so prickly, I am not sure she knew half a time herself why she was fighting with HW.
The past drama with the family brings to light more secrets from the past, HW's burden as the favorite child of their unstable mother was not an easy to task to live with, nor are the memories or actions of a little child that changed lives and destinies.
The biggest problem I have with the story was that after all the exhausting arguments and fights, the ending was left wide open with no solutions to anything. HW's professional life was not resolved, the rodeo past is still open-ended, there are money issues that are not solved, there was a maybe with his future at the ranch, and his personal life got more of an HFN ending and even that was part of an argument... I am aware that some people do get energy out of constant fighting but I just felt drained and disappointed when I finished the book.
~ Two Spoons

I have been waiting for HW’s book, and Kate Pearce did not disappoint! We caught glimpses of HW from the previous books in the series, and I really wanted to hear from his perspective. So much happened with their family in the past, and it was vice to see what happened from everyone’s perspective.
I loved Sam in this story. She was perfect for HW, and I loved that she was not some damsel in distress. She was a strong female, and she had to overcome so much to get where she is. However, she still had a way to go. Both Sam and HW are stubborn, and they often clash. They had to learn to work together. And they each had to face parts of their past. This was an amazing book, and I am sad to see the series end.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book.