{ He didn't want to protect her, no. He wanted to strip her bare. Wanted to see what was beneath all that reserve of hers. Wanted to see Olivia. The woman she was, not the woman she showed the world. }

4.5 stars. One of my favorite romances of the year, hands-down; stayed up all night reading it. So much to say and sooo many things I want to quote and excerpt. I always find that the reviews that are the hardest for me to write are the ones where I really adored the book ... and that's definitely true again here! I feel like bursting and gushing and don't know where to start, so it leaves me scrambling lol.

Both leading characters were fantastic and have secured spots on my favorite heroes, heroines, and couples lists. They were very complex, but in a way that felt authentic, not forced. Both Luke and Olivia play a stereotypical role—him, the easy-going charmer, her, the uptight good girl. Their respective histories and past experiences have shaped them into showing that side of themselves, and while this is (obviously) so often the case, Yates did it so well and authentically.

It makes sense that Olivia has boxed herself into this role, because of what she went through with her twin sister and the family dynamic; she won't let herself feel, won't let herself go, is terrified of experiencing too much, of being overcome. At first I was a bit wary, because she comes off a bit priggish—I knew from the book summary that she was a "good girl," but that can manifest in a lot of ways. Here, it means that she is straightlaced, uptight, restrained to a point that is beyond-healthy, constantly focused on projecting a certain image and following a predetermined path. I was kind of surprised that she made it onto my Favorite Heroines list, but you feel for her so much as you get to know her, and she undergoes a really wonderful transformation. I loved seeing her come into her own and let herself go after what she wanted—after first allowing herself to acknowledge what it was, in fact, that she did want. You want to see her let go, you want to see her let go of the judgment and the restrictions she has placed on herself and others, and the character development that she undergoes is fabulously portrayed and wholly believable.

When it comes to Luke, it makes sense that he has worked so hard to not let himself be too affected or attached to anyone. He grew up with a single mother who constantly struggled with depression, and when he was 16, she died by suicide, leaving him alone in the world. I was predisposed to feel for Luke as soon as I discovered this piece of his story, because I have battled depression myself. I so appreciated that Yates was able to incorporate this aspect into his character, without making his mom be a selfish bad guy. So often this happens, especially to justify the feelings of the character left behind, and it is so SO wrong. I really admired Luke's ability to keep inside himself both his love for her, as well as his feelings of loss and anger over her death. It left a huge mark on him and shaped him into who he is, traumatizing him in ways that are tied to relationship obstacles in the book, and that's totally legitimate, but it never felt like the mom was being vilified.

I loved his passion for the land and his devotion to the ranch and the Dodge family. And of course absolutely adored his feelings for Olivia, which have been there for years, but which he has always ignored. He seemed to understand her, and the puzzle that she was, even if not necessarily knowing the reason why. He liked her because of her contradictions and complexity, and so his feelings ring as as so true and honest, because of this; he doesn't have an idealized image of her, he sees her just as she is, and he wants more of it. I love that he never pursued her prior to when the story takes place though, and in fact has always sought to annoy her a bit—and succeeded tremendously! Everyone likes Luke ... except for Olivia; and Olivia is polite to everyone ... except Luke. There is something about him that has always bothered her, because his behavior towards her and that simmering connection has been there for so long.

COUPLE NOTES:
· The eBook version I read is an anthology and has one of Yates's Copper Ridge stories included—which I didn't realize though, so when the natural progression of the story was happening and we were only at 50% and then 60%, I was soooo confused.
· Much bigger age difference than you normally find in CRs: 11 years (she's 25, he's 36).
· For those who despise love triangles in romance books, don't be put off by that here and the Bennett factor; I'm just like you, but was not bothered by it, because the feelings aren't messy in that sense—I'll leave it at that.

The chemistry between them was HOT HOT HOT! Wow does Yates know how to write sexual tension that practically leaps off the page. However, to note, that is NOT all there is between them (which is something that drives me nuts and I always pick up on). They are explosive together physically and that's how the barriers come down between them and their relationship starts to shift, but there's far more to their romance and connection than that. They ... just fit. So well. This romance is both a story of opposites attract and of kindred spirits, which seems contradictory, but is 100% true nonetheless.

{ The man who made her feel safe, but not overprotected, all at the same time. The man who made her feel like she was something precious and special, to be treasured, but also to be lavished with passion. Luke seemed to understand that she was a controlling, controlled, crazy person. And he seemed to not mind it so much. }

*This review is of the published version because apparently at some point (long after publication) I forgot that I already had this as an ARC (so typical of me), and bought the eBook. However, I was provided an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher, so still want to call that out.

Olivia has always strived to be the perfect daughter. She's done what she believes her parents wanted and made them happy. Even to the extent of dating the man that would make them happy. Well Olivia is getting a little tired that her boyfriend of one year has proposed yet. Well she thinks she might need to take matters into her own hands. And low and behold Luke seems to appear at just the perfect time.

Luke, a hard working cowboy. He's striving to fulfill his dream of land and building his own home on it. He's one that enjoy's life and doesn't always follow the rules. He's a good friend and loyal too. So when he finds Olivia with a flat tire one the side of the road one day he finds himself lured into helping her with plot. Olivia asks him to help her by pretending that they are now dating to make her now ex jealous. So Luke being the nice guy that he is decides why not.

Well here are two opposites who couldn't stand each other now find themselves attracted and drawn to each other. As their charade and ploy plays out, things begin to change and shift between them. They new there was something there, sparks and chemistry but now it has to be confronted and explored. As they begin to make the relationship real and work on trust, communication they find themselves in love.

Enjoyable western romance and loved the small town feel of Gold Valley.

I really liked this one, it was a great introduction to a new series with great characters! I was a little unsure of how the relationship between Olivia and Luke starts, trying to make her ex jealous, but it moved along a little better than I was expecting.

Always enjoy her series. Very enjoyable read for her new series; looking forward to seeing what the rest of the books entail.

Love this series so far. Very sweet romance with just the right amount of heat. Can't wait to start on more books by this author.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Luke and Olivia Logan have a very fierce attraction. They both were going along with the plan but when they have steamy moments.

This book was good and well written. Looking forward to more from this author.

This author is hit or miss for me. This one was a miss. I'm getting tired of her innocent virgin heroines and old experienced cowboys. It's to the point where even now some of her friends in the book even say to her "same thing happened to me". It's especially annoying when the heroine is the one who falls in love and all of a sudden becomes wise and all knowing while the hero flounders around like an idiot until his big realization. I can already see the series is going to continue with the Dodge brothers and I'm not sure I want to continue unless this changes back to more of the early Copper Ridge style

Ok...this was a pretty good book. I usually don’t read a lot of contemporary cowboy romance because it is so far removed from my life. I just can’t really relate. But it’s a good romance and a well written book. It is my first Maisey Yates book and I’m glad I took a chance on it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This book falls into the fake relationship trope, and the author really does make it super fun! The characters really evolve throughout the book. The main character, Olivia Logan, has just broken up with her boyfriend Bennett Dodge, who everyone in town thought they were going to marry. He kept putting off proposing, so Olivia broke up with him. She sort of broke up with him thinking it would force his hand a little, but it didn’t. Olivia tried to make him jealous with going out with Luke Hollister, who has always rubbed her the wrong way. It’s like they can never really have a civil conversation. Of course, their plan to make Bennett jealous goes awry.

What seems like kind of a lighter read, really contains a lot of character development, detailed settings and a satisfying ending. The dialogue is smooth and well thought out. There are some laugh aloud moments, along with some scorching hot attraction. I’m a new fan of Maisey Yates.

This was my first book by Maisey Yates and I am obsessed! Her writing is amazing and she has me hooked from the very first page. Luke Hollister is everything! I can't wait to read more by this author.

Here I am again, with another Maisey Yates review under way, having thoroughly enjoyed the first in the Gold Valley series (an offshoot of the equally marvelous Copper Ridge series, the series that started it all, the ur-series!), Smooth-Talking Cowboy. Every time I read a Yates romance and add it to the love pile, I get to think about what it is that Yates is doing in the genre. There is nothing new or unfamiliar to Smooth-Talking Cowboy. It’s signature Yates and many of the tropes Yates likes to employ show up. I’ve met these hero and heroine types in previous romances and I liked them, just as I liked these two.

Olivia Logan is a town princess. Her family are founders; they’re not extravagantly wealthy, but comfortable, supportive, loving, and the apple of everyone’s eye. When the novel opens, Olivia has not too long ago broken up with her boyfriend, the town vet, Bennett Dodge. Olivia had long envisioned how her perfect self would have the perfect life and she pressured, prodded, and pushed Bennett to propose to her. When Bennett hesitated, she broke up with him, with the hope that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Bennett’s supposed to come back to take up the mantle of providing Olivia with her perfect life: a husband, family, home, made to order for a town princess.

You know what they say about best laid plans going astray? Well, Olivia strays into dangerous, bad-boy, older guy territory with Luke Hollister. Luke is an employee of Bennett’s ranch-owning brothers. He’s been there since he was sixteen. His background is a mystery; his eyes, green; his charm, legendary; his lady-prowess, prodigious. He and Olivia strike their devil’s bargain: he will help Olivia make Bennett jealous in her come-hither-future-husband campaign and she’ll put in a good word about Luke to her father, Cole, from whom Luke hopes to buy land to start his own ranch.

We meet Luke and Olivia when their worlds are changing and neither likes change very much. While their verbal sparring and “town” roles (flirtatious antagonism is what I call what Yates does with her hero and heroine, at least initially) seemingly identify them as “opposites”, they have this abhorrence of change in common. Luke’s old patron and father figure, Quinn Dodge, has retired with a new wife in a new town and left the ranch, Get Out of Dodge, to his three sons, men Luke is close to but who are making changes to the ranch that don’t interest him. Olivia, of course, called her whole plan for life into question when Bennett didn’t propose. Their bargain appears expedient: they will fake-relationship their way into getting what they want. Win-win, right? Wrong, says Yates, because there’s this pesky matter of attraction, an attraction that has simmered beneath the surface of their masks, princess and bad boy, for a long time. Yates loves to show us how love is not an experience we run toward but away from: because it cracks us open and makes us reevaluate everything we’ve known about ourselves. It is that person with whom we share an undeniable connection, which we often mistake as “mere” physical attraction, easily dismissed because shallow. But it isn’t shallow when it calls out vulnerabilities, half-glimpsed, hurtful truths, and difficult revelations.

And having read Smooth-Talking Cowboy, I thought all over again about what Yates does that matches with my sensibility, with my big Truths. Yates takes romance tropes, the virginal, good-girl princess, like Olivia, and the charming roguish womanizing bad boy, the man without a past, without roots, who comes riding into town, Luke, and strips away the stockness of their characterization, peels away the tropishness of their masks. Love cracks them open and the truth of themselves spills out: it spills out when their attraction leads them to the make love and when making love forces some long-buried truths from them. I like that for Yates the physical revelation of connection interweaves with the psychic. The physical isn’t mere, it’s essential to the cracking open of the self to the other, which heals and allows for love and connection to take form and create a marriage. And I love that this is always how Yates’s romances end. And why I’ll keep reading them. With Miss Austen, I’ll say that Smooth-Talking Cowboy is proof of “a mind lively and at ease,” Emma.

Maisey Yates’s Smooth-Talking Cowboy is published by HQN (Harlequin Books). It was released on February 20th and may be found at your preferred vendors. I received an e-ARC from HQN, via Netgalley.

When a plan to get back an ex turned into a recipe of disaster but finding love in the process: this is Olivia Logan and Luke Hollister’ story.

Knowing each other for a long time but never being more than acquaintances, they were not meant to be together. Very different, from their attitude or way to see things, complete opposite.

Olivia was the sweet girl of the town, always doing the right thing, quiet, never out of control, a woman who had planned to have a family of her own and being the one that her parents needed to be.

Luke was more wild, rough, a little too charming for his own good. The Guy with no string attached, enjoying things life has to offer, being happy working in a ranch,but missing something; having his own land and working there.

For two opposites, the air was charged with electricity, something very strong that they can’t deny. When they teamed up with two different goals, a plan that should turn into a win-win situation, the matter of the Heart happened and created more confusion, overwhelming feelings, being addicted to each other’s, just unexpected.

They couldn’t help to argue, Luke was having fun to drive her crazy, she was just hopeless in here. A bit overwhelmed by the crazy turning events.

Olivia was totally oblivious to the obvious, realizing the one she should be with was right in front of her, a bit blindsided for something that wasn’t very real.

It took just a plan and hot and charming cowboy to mess everything. These two used to have their own way but when the lines were blurred, all bets were off. They challenged each other and giving more of themselves than they used to be with their lovers and family, and it was really good. The banter was pretty great and these two were totally briginning the heat.

It was very smooth and sweet, and watching these two falling in love faking a relationship for two different reasons was really fun to read. I do like how the author writes about cowboys, stubborn women and their family. The cowboy charm was definitely working. It was for sure slow moving, but well developed. I enjoyed reading this first installment, and it won’t be my last book in Gold Valley for sure!

Olivia thought she knew who and what she wanted, she had her life all planned out. But when things aren't going her way and she makes an ultimatum - she starts seeing things differently. With things not going her way - she sets sight on meeting her goals with a new plan - one that involves making her ex jealous with a new man - only it's not working exactly as she thought it would, because there's more going on between her and Luke than a simple plan.

Luke doesn't know why he's drawn to Olivia, he doesn't understand his feelings and yet he knows something in her calls to him. But Luke also is looking for something else - something that will bring him his own happiness - land to make his own - to give him something to be proud of. So even though he gives in to Olivia's plan with one goal in mind - he's always had that feeling of something more - he just didn't grasp it.

I really enjoyed aspects of this story and getting to know both characters - there's a lot of things unknown about both Luke and Olivia that come out within the pages, things which give insight to their character and lend answers to the why of who they are in some ways. Luke had a rough past, one that has colored the present a bit, and one that he's held close to his chest. Olivia's life has been affected by her twin sister in many ways - it's made her do things she maybe wouldn't have done if things were different- if she didn't feel that she had to act a certain way.

I really enjoyed the push and pull between these two - the dislike that really wasn't hate. There's quite a journey for both of these two during the story - and it's about more than seeing each other in the right light for the first time. It's a story with more than a blooming romance - it's one that will pull you right in and leave you curious - while giving you just the right about of emotions an steam.

I really like Maisey Yates. This is a two for and both are well done. I have to say I liked the second story better than the first but they are totally different scenarios. Now on to the next.

Luke came to Get Out of Dodge Ranch when he was 16. He lied to get a job as a ranch hand and has been happy there until the brothers returned and started making changes. Now he is looking to start his own ranching operation.

Olivia broke up with her perfect boyfriend under the impression that it would spark a marriage proposal. Now she is devastated and hoping that a little jealousy might do what her bluff did not. Small complication. She has more chemistry with her fake date than she ever had with her ex.

I love that the characters are accepted for who they are. Their flaws make them both special and more like real people. This new series has so much potential. The women are a tight unit who look to each other for support. I can't wait to see how the rest of their stories will unfold.

4.5 star

I was pulled right into this story. The story has laughs, secrets, and heartbreak.

This is Olivia and Luke’s story. Olivia wants to win back her ex but she needs a little help. She needs him to see her with someone else and see what he has been missing. Luke is just the man to help her out. He needs her help and she needs his help. They can work together and be able to help each other out. But what happens when the feelings around the pretend relationship are no longer pretend? Are they both falling for each other or is one still hung up on another? Luke is determined to get her to see that he is what she needs not her ex. He just might have a hard time getting her to see him for the man he is and not the man she thinks he is pretending to be.

I loved these characters and the side characters. I felt I could connect with the characters and the story was a great read.

I highly recommend this book.

Loved!

Everyone who read Christmastime Cowboy knew that Olivia's relationship with Bennett was missing something--I for one was beyond excited to see her get her HEA, and was so glad that it did not disappoint! (If you haven't read it, though, no worries--technically it's a different series anyway and everything you need to know about her prior relationship shows up here too.) Olivia and Luke were fantastic together, and obviously their relationship was a long time coming, even though both of them seemed determined to deny it as long as possible...

(Fortunately for us, that wasn't very long!)

I'll admit, I wasn't a huge Olivia fan in the beginning--at the book's start (and in the last book she showed up in) she was very prickly and proper and just didn't seem all that relatable. The more Ms. Yates brought us into her head, though, the more sympathetic Olivia became. Soon, thoughts like this made me an Olivia fan:
Luke made a very masculine sound of satisfaction and stretched out on the bed beside her, above the covers, still unconcerned with the fact that he didn't have anything on. She was a bit concerned by it. Because she couldn't concentrate with him like that. Not at all.
I hear you, sister.

Like every other Maisey Yates book I've read (how on earth does she write such awesome books with fantastic characters so quickly? Not that I'm complaining, mind), Smooth-Talking Cowboy managed to make me laugh, swoon, and reach for a fan in equal measures. The Dodge brothers (Olivia's ex and his two older brothers) are clearly being set up as future series heroes (one of them with Olivia's boss Lindsey--woot!), and I. Cannot. Wait!

Also--a (literal) bonus to this book--one of the Copper Ridge Desire's novels is included! Rebecca's brother (from Last Chance Rebel ) gets his own HEA in Seduce Me, Cowboy :)

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

This is my first book from Maisey Yates and I just didn’t love it liked I hoped I would. There were a few things I didn’t like and a few that I did, but mostly overall I just think the author’s style didn’t mesh with me.

I liked that Olivia and Luke had known each other for a long time. I liked that they had a history and their relationship wasn’t the insta-love or even insta-lust type. When Luke wasn’t being too much of a playboy type and Olivia wasn’t being too uptight, they had some really good moments together and some really good converstaions. I liked that they trusted each other and their problems weren’t of the miscommunication type. They had okay chemistry, it certainly didn’t jump off the page for me but it was still there.

Like I said above, I haven’t read Maisey Yates before so I don’t know if this is a theme of her’s or not but it did not come across to me in the synopsis so I was a little surprised by it but I’m not really into the experienced older male/younger innocent/virgin woman trope. It’s just not my thing. I also really didn’t like Olivia’s virgin, I’m a good girl because I never indulge in physical activity like all the other stuts in town do attitude. View Spoiler » And I know there’s more to it than that, especially considering her sister and their issues, but it just felt like she really believed that a woman couldn’t have sex and still be a good person.

That was really the only huge issue I had with the book. The other things were little ones about writing styles that are probably more ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ problems that just kept me from loving it. I enjoyed this one enough and if you’re a fan of alpha males or cowboys and innocent younger women, then you’ll probably really enjoy this. It’s just not really my type and I’m not sure if I’ll read more of Yates’ books or not.

When I first learned that Maisey Yates intended to make Olivia Logan (a secondary character in her Copper Ridge series) the heroine of this novel, I had serious doubts that I would be able to buy in and, in the first half of this book, those doubts were reinforced. But then, Yates began to work her magic as she has done so many times before. Of course, there's a reason for Olivia's behavior. Of course, there's a reason why she's so desperate to win back Barrett and resist her growing feelings for Luke. Of course, there's a reason for the emotional barriers Luke erects between himself and others, why he only shows his easy-going charm and not the pain he hides inside, why he doesn't believe he's worthy of love. Of course, there's much, much more to this story. The evolution of Luke and Olivia, and their relationship, as their story unfolds is compelling, heartwarming, at times, heart-wrenching, sexy, sassy, and just plain fun. The chemistry between these two is incendiary! I fell hard for Luke and by the end of the book, contrary to my doubts, I opened my heart to Olivia and completely bought in to their happy ending.

Maisey Yates continues to solidify her place on my auto-buy list with this first book in her new Gold Valley series (which includes crossover characters from her Copper Ridge series). The second book, scheduled for release June 19, is Untamed Cowboy, Kaylee and Bennett's best-friends-to-lovers story with two more books to follow in August and September. I can't wait!

Smooth-Talking Cowboy is my first Maisey Yates book and while it took me a while to get into to it (I found myself putting it down repeatedly up until I got about 20% in), once I was into it, I was committed and couldn't put it down. Olivia was sort of a prickly character and until you get to know more about her past, it was difficult to like her. But once she opens up, it's really easy to cheer for her. I really liked Luke and it was really enjoyable watching him evolve and come into his own. They make such a sweet couple and are really proof that opposites attract and that you can know someone for years without really knowing them. It's a great story of nature vs nurture, a cautionary tale of what can happen when you let grief, loss, and fear run your life, and the beauty of embracing yourself and love. I loved how nuanced and layered all of the characters were and I'm really excited to see what's coming next in the Gold Valley series and will definitely be reading her Copper Ridge series as well. 3.75 out of 5 wine glasses.

So here is the thing I used to love romances that had cowboys in them but I had sort of fell out of love with that theme. I had tried a couple others lately and they just didn’t work for me like I had hoped, but that changed with Smooth Talking Cowboy. I really enjoyed this book and it has renewed my love for cowboys.

Luke and Olivia will work their way into your heart and you won’t want them to leave. This was a well-balanced read between angst, drama and romance. The chemistry between them was undeniably hot and didn’t lessen at all. It also didn’t fall victim to the first book in a series issues either, which is something that sometimes can take a really great book and make it just okay, luckily that wasn’t the case with Smooth Talking Cowboy.

I am so glad that I gave this one a shot because I am wanting to read the next book already. This book whore found a new author to read it seems and is excited for more from her in the future.