It’s not so much that Luke Hollister is a particularly smooth talker – it’s more like Olivia Logan is particularly susceptible to his brand of cowboy charm – even if she can’t admit it, not even to herself.

But then, Olivia has a long and sad history of not admitting what’s important to her to herself or to anyone else. She has become so invested in being a “good girl” for so many sad and bad reasons that falling for Luke’s charm is the furthest thing from her mind.

Until after it happens, and she’s forced to realize, at least in the privacy of her own mind, that he’s just what she’s been waiting for all along – even when she was pining away for someone else entirely.

This author has a knack for getting her heroine’s into really angsty situations, and Olivia Logan is no exception, even if some of her angst, or at least the layers on top, are mostly of her own making.

In the Copper Ridge series, which takes place just down the road from Gold Valley, Olivia Logan was one of the secondary characters. As her friends and co-workers met and fell in love with the men of their dreams, Olivia was absolutely certain that she had already found the man she was destined to spend the rest of her life with.

The fact that it was obvious to everyone that Olivia Logan and Bennett Dodge had absolutely zero chemistry didn’t seem to matter to Olivia. She had convinced herself that Bennett was the perfect man for her. And it turned out that Olivia’s father had convinced Bennett that Olivia was the right woman for him.

This is not the stuff of which dreams are made. Occasionally it IS the stuff of which nightmares are made.

After a year of extremely tepid dating, Olivia expected a ring. Bennett wasn’t ready. It’s dubious whether Bennett would ever be ready, but Olivia wasn’t ready to admit that. She broke up with Bennett in the hopes that her absence would make him realize just what he was missing.

Instead, Olivia discovered exactly what she was missing, in the person of Luke Hollister – a man who delighted in getting her just a little bit riled up every time they met. Sort of like the way that little boys tease the girls they like but don’t know what to do with yet.

Luke wasn’t interested in relationships, and Olivia wasn’t interested in anything but. But without Bennett to fill in the empty spaces, Olivia discovered that being a good girl was kind of a strait-jacket, and that Luke was the perfect person to help her out of it. And everything else she might possibly have on.

If she’s willing to take a risk on not being perfect, on getting hurt, and on saying (and doing) what’s really in her heart.

Escape Rating B+: As I said earlier, Olivia has been one of the secondary characters in Copper Ridge, and in the author’s Copper Ridge series. She has not been one of the more likeable characters, but up until now, we didn’t really know why.

What we do know is that she’s just a bit socially awkward, and not for any of the usual reasons. Olivia has been so invested in being the “good girl” that her parents expect her to be that she has done her best to live a completely disciplined life and remove any and all temptations to stray from the straight and narrow. And she’s pretty judgemental about anyone who does stray from that straight and narrow.

Olivia is a twin, but her twin sister is not in the picture. Vanessa didn’t just stray from the straight and narrow, she ran headlong away from it, into sex and booze and eventually drugs. As happens in so many families, the more that Vanessa turned toward the “dark side”, the more that Olivia felt obligated to become her opposite, the “good girl”. And now that Vanessa is who-knows-where doing who-knows-what, Olivia is kind of stuck in her role. Not only does the entire town expect it, but so do her smothering, overprotective parents who are desperate to hover over the child they still have in their lives.

Marrying Bennett Dodge was part of the life that Olivia was expected to have. It’s only once Bennett is out of her life that she’s able to look at what she really wants – even when she herself doesn’t want to see it.

Not that Luke is much more self-aware. Just as the loss of her twin is at the heart of so much of Olivia’s behavior, and so much of her internal conflict, Luke Hollister is also hiding a deep loss that he hasn’t been able to get past. It’s their traumas that finally bring them together, and nearly tear them apart.

The lesson at the end of the story is both sad and beautiful. You’ll see.

Smooth-Talking Cowboy was incredibly sexy! I love Maisey Yates books and this one didn't disappoint!

Wooow...i love LUKE so much its ridiculous <3

After finishing this book I can officially say I’m addicted to Maisey Yates books. To say that I love this couple or better yet Luke Hollister is such a understatement of the year (and yes I know it's ONLY February)…It was just that good.

I'm a sucker for HEA for everyone who ends up with someone who they loved for a loooong time without even realizing it.

To tell you the truth I wasn't a fan of Olivia and her obsession with getting engaged in the previous book in this series. It seemed rather strange to push someone when you can feel they are not ready to devote themselves to you for a life time. And as we get to know her more we finally understand what is behind that rush. Her attraction to Luke has made her see all her past mistakes and decisions and when she finally decides to let her guard down – magic happens.

"She wanted to be this woman. This woman who had Luke Hollister, at least for now, body and soul. That was the woman she wanted to be. Hers. His."

Now let's talk about Luke - that man can have me and my heart and everything else any damn time he pleases. I fricking love everything about him. The way he’s loyal to his friends, how he denied his attraction for Olivia even if at time he didn’t know that he was doing just that. And when he got the chance to be the first man to have her he jump on the opportunity even when he felt she deserves someone better than him.

"But he wanted her. Wanted her more than he wanted to take his next breath, and considering the wanted to live for a good while longer, that was pretty dammed bad. "

And when they finally admitted they wanted and love one another – PURE MAGIC <3

»You're not just a pretty girl. There are millions of pretty girls. But there's only one you. and you have had me, had my heart, for a hell of a long time.«
»I've loved you for years, woman. I'm just finally awake. Marry me. So that I don't lose you again. Marry me, Olivia, be my roots. Be my family. Be my home.«

So if I could I would give this book 10* but since I can’t (bummer) I’m giving it (I think maybe my easiest)5* <3

***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***

3.5 ⭐️
The “good” girl and the bad boy- when he really isn’t all that bad.....
It took me a while to warm up to Olivia as a romantic character. I struggled with her goodie two shoes/superiority complex as she tried to manipulate her ex boyfriend by making him jealous. I eventually came around to liking Olivia once she took some of the blinders about herself off.
I had an easier time connecting to Luke in the beginning and also an easier time seeing what made him tick.
I liked these two together. They balanced each other well and the idea that feelings had been there and resisted made it that much more fun.
While I enjoyed this story, I struggled a little with some of the hints at future books that just seemed a little out of place. Comments that characters made that are never resolved here, but definitely leave questions.
The kindle formatting of the ARC copy also left a little to be desired. There were times, especially with dialogue where it was a little difficult to know who was speaking.
Over all - this is a good book and definitely worth reading. Luke is a crush worth main character and I am looking forward to getting to know the Dodge family more in future books.

I have always considered myself to be someone who is not a fan of cowboy romances. I'm not really sure how that came about either. I think that because I live in Texas, I feel like people expect me to like cowboys and I've always favored nerdy artist types instead. Anyway, when I saw this one available for review there was just something about it that grabbed my attention. The good news is that I am now changing my stance on cowboy romances. I have become a fan and it is all thanks to Maisey Yates.



This is the story of the good girl who had her life all planned out until the one day that life didn't follow her plans. When her long-time boyfriend, Bennett, failed to propose, Olivia's life is upturned. In order to attempt to get the results that she wants, Olivia agrees to pretend to date Bennett's friend Luke to make Bennett jealous.



Luke Hollister is looking to put down some roots. When he discovers that Olivia's dad owns a piece of land that he would like to buy, Luke proposes a deal to Olivia; he helps her make Bennett and she puts in a good word with her dad for the land.



Smooth-Talking Cowboy incorporates several of my favorite tropes. There is a little bit of a love triangle, along with the fake boyfriend, enemies-to-lovers, childhood friends thing going on. I loved that Luke and Olivia have history, but one that they need to work through.



The chemistry between Luke and Olivia is off the charts. I usually roll my eyes at virgins in love stories now, but it really works here for Olivia. It absolutely fits with her personality and her relationship with Bennett.



The side characters were every bit as engaging as the main ones. I am already rooting for certain characters to be featured in upcoming novels from Maisey Yates.



Thanks to the author and publisher who provided an ARC for free. And thank you, Maisey Yates, for making me a cowboy romance convert.

4.25 out of 5 Stars

Smooth-Talking Cowboy was a fantastic romance between a woman who always does the right thing and the man who brings out her wild side.

Olivia Logan has always been seen as a good girl who would never cause a scandal in her life. So when she's spotted out with bad boy Luke Hollister, no one knows what to think. Olivia however is determined to win back her ex and believes making him realize what he's missing is the first step. Luke is more than willing to play along as he has his eye on a property owned by Olivia's father and needs her to put in a good word for him. Olivia and Luke never expected anything to come from their fake courtship, however they're both soon falling hard and left to decide if there's anything real between them.

Olivia has spent her entire life trying to please her parents, never wanting to do the wrong thing for fear of causing them more grief due to her twin sister Vanessa's behavior. When they were teenagers, Vanessa went a bit wild which caused her parents to focus their attention on Olivia to keep her from acting out as well. Olivia was held to a much higher standard than her sister which did cause me to dislike Olivia's parents as that was in no way fair. Olivia developed a number of issues because of it and as a result didn't really do anything with her life.

Luke has lived in Gold Valley since he was sixteen and has only worked on the Dodge ranch in the twenty years since then. As the ranch is now going in a different direction after one of the Dodge children took over, Luke has become more interested in the idea of owning his own ranch. While Luke is close to the Dodge family, he has always felt like a bit of an outsider despite knowing them for two decades. Luke does have a bit of a tragic past which is what has led to his issues with women, but based on his experience I find that totally understandable.

Olivia and Luke have always had a bit of an antagonistic relationship. I loved all of their banter and watching them snipe at each other. Luke is the one person who voices the thoughts Olivia tells herself she doesn't have which leads to her avoiding him when possible. Luke though really helped Olivia open up and realize that it's ok for her to want more from life. The fake dating trope is one of my favorites and I adored when their fake relationship started. Watching them fight their feelings for each other was wonderful and it was great when they finally gave in. The two have tons of chemistry and their physical scenes are incredibly hot.

There aren't too many side characters in Smooth-Talking Cowboy, but I mostly enjoyed the ones we did see. Olivia's coworkers from the winery appear and it was so nice seeing some of the characters from the Copper Ridge series again. We also see a lot of the Dodge siblings, which includes Olivia's ex Bennett, as Luke works on the Dodge ranch. I wasn't a huge fan of the Dodge family as I didn't like the way they treated Luke, but over the course of the book they did become slightly better.

Smooth-Talking Cowboy ended up being a great first full-length book in her new Gold Valley series and I look forward to reading more books set in this town in the future.

The chemistry between Olivia and Luke sizzles from the start, building to a conflagration big enough to consume all of Gold Valley... not that Olivia can see anything except her ex-fiancé and the life everyone expected them to have.

Luke's not nearly so shy, and he's definitely not blind to her attractions. In fact, she's burned bright for him since she became legal. And, she fun to pick at and verbally spar with too.

But, after watching her trip all over herself for a guy that's not keen on committing to her anytime soon, same guy that's been lime family to him while he's worked nearly 2 decades on the man's family farm, Luke offers to help. He'll take her out so her ex can see her on a date with someone else, get jealous if he really cares. Who knew she'd be so good at darts or that an innocent kiss would undo all that prim and starch that Olivia works so hard to maintain?

Tired of being good and proper, Olivia has to decide if she's gonna let the blaze consume her or put up a higher wall.

Both Luke and Olivia have some major issues, but its up to each whether to tackle them head-on or let it freeze them in time, emotionally incapable of moving forward.

Maisey Yates, you totally rock the sizzling cowboy romance genre! I loved this book, can highly recommend it AND read it in one sitting. Reading a book in one sitting is a tall order for this busy working Mom but Maisey Yates stories make it worth every page!!

I read and reviewed this ARC completely voluntarily and when its released will definitely be recommending it....

We met Olivia in the last book of the Copper Ridge series and she helps to bridge over to the Gold Valley series. She is the prototypical "good twin." Her sister went deep into the dark side so Olivia did her best to always conform to expectations. When she didn't, her parents laid down the law. She's always done what's expected of her. At least until she broke up with the perfect boyfriend. The impetus was not so much that he didn't propose as he didn't think he was going to do it any time soon. Frustrated, she ended things hoping that he'd see how much he missed her. So far that plan's not working and now she has a flat tire. And who is it that (reluctantly) stops to help her? Her ex's nearly-brother, Luke, the man with whom Olivia has such an antagonistic relationship.

Luke doesn't much like Olivia. She's a golden girl who has never known hardship and has always gotten everything she wanted. He grew up with an alcoholic mother and was more the parent than the child for most of their life together. He just doesn't see what they would have in common. Except that he wants to buy a piece of land her father listed but refuses to let go to just anyone. And Olivia needs some help prompting her ex. Fake relationship? Sure. Except it doesn't stay that way for long.

This was a good book except that Olivia was a little too good. Not good at what she does (wish we had gotten to see her more at work) but goody-two-shoes. And it causes a lot of angst. Like, a lot of angst. And Luke is patently unmovable... until he's not. A pretty good book and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.



Three and a half stars

This book comes out February 20

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Girl dumps boy she had hoped would propose to her, but he won't, meets boy she wants to use as a revenge to get previous boy jealous. Falls in love. It seems like a simple story, but nothing about this story is actually simple: our heroine has known Luke, the smooth-talking cowboy, most of her life, and he's known her and noticed her since she was in her teens. Both think the other to be ridiculous: he thinks she's stuck up and rigid (well, she is, even she admits it), and she thinks he's too smooth-talking and not enough substance (and he admits he is, too). But they're perfect to pull off the revenge act where he will pretend to be her new boyfriend so her ex- will get jealous and finally propose -- which is what she was trying to maneuver him into in the first place.

One hitch: the pretend romance turns out not to be pretend.

Without giving away any of the twists and turns, lots of hot romance ensues, boy gets girl, and even gets ranch. The happily ever after happens rather abruptly in the last chapter after a lot of insight and deep-seated introspection on all the characters' behalf throughout: I would have liked to see the last twist towards the happily ever after get more of that introspection itself, to help with the resolution.

Maisey Yates writes clever, wicked prose and dialogue; her characters have sass and wit. It's something I love about her books, and this one is no exception.

Pub date 20 Feb 2018

Another great book from this author, I love her work and all the cowboys!! This one deals with learning how to let love in and also how to let go of everything you thought was what you wanted and embrace the love you have always been looking for. I just loved Luke, he was honest to a fault and you always knew what he was feeling. Olivia was such a good person and it took her a while to get what Luke kept trying to tell her, she was amazing and strong. I really liked this book and can't wait for more.

Smooth-Talking Cowboy by Maisey Yates is a sexy cowboy romance. I was enticed with the bad boy image that one particular cowboy had. Yet inside, he was a good man. He worked hard and played hard. Luke has always wanted one person...Olivia. Yet she's the one person he can't have. He feels underserving of her. His life is dark and empty. There's nothing he can give her or so he thought...

Olivia is this straight laced kind of woman. Or so I originally thought. She carries her herself in a way that scares off most. So stiff like. But inside, she's as wild as that sexy cowboy, Luke. Luke ignites a passion in her. Olivia always that Bennett was the one. But he never lit her up the way Luke does. One touch, one kiss, and that attitude has Olivia feelings things she shouldn't. She wants Luke. Her barriers are being broken and she's not sure what to do. All she knows is what Luke makes her feel...

Smooth-Talking Cowboy is exactly that. Luke knows how to smooth talk any woman but Olivia. She heats his blood up in ways no other woman has. Olivia is different. His words only frustrate her not smooth her over...yet this cowboy ends up smoothing his way into her heart. Maisey Yates made me fall in love with this novel of hers. I wanted to keep these characters. I want to hear about what comes next for them. They were that good. I enjoyed their banters and their fights. I love their chemistry too. Hot and instant. Overall, this was one addictive romance title. I recommend it to all.

All romances are about love, but Yates somehow makes the reader know that this is TRUE love. Smooth-talking Cowboy is a perfect example. Luke Hollister is the man who has picked at Olivia for years, but between them is true love for each other, even if they don’t quite realize it. There is the issue of Bennett, Olivia’s former boyfriend, and her fears that have ruled her life, and the fear that has ruled his life. But when there is true love, all those issues can be overcome.

I love Maisey Yates stories. They leave me with a smile on my face and sweet thoughts in my mind.

The fake relationship trope is one of my favorites, so I was pretty excited to see what Maisey was going to do with it.

I had liked Olivia from the snippets of her we got in the previous series. It was good to see that there was something more to her somewhat stiff and proper appearance. I loved her backstory and enjoyed seeing her loosening up even more. Luke is charming and of course there’s a story for him as well. Together they have excellent chemistry and the button pushing kept me amused.

Plot wise, it wasn’t as angsty or miscommunication-y as I was expecting. Of course there’s the push off conflict, but it was resolved quickly and so satisfyingly. And the epilogue was adorable.

Overall, it was a great start to a new series. I can’t wait to see who gets books, but I’m hoping Lindy and Wyatt set up next.

**Huge thanks to HQN Books for providing the arc free of charge**

Olivia's story was great! She and Luke were great characters and I am looking forward to seeing where this new series goes.

I highly recommend this series. You will not regret taking the time to read it. But when you read this book make sure you don't have anything pressing because you will not want to put it down.

Olivia's boyfriend does not want to get married. So she tells him it is over, Then she devises a plan to make him jealous Luke is like a brother to Olivia's boyfriend. but he goes along anyways. This is when fireworks hit the fan, but you will have to read to find out what happen.

Thank you harlequin and netgalley for allowing me to read this book for an honest review..

4 Opposites Not So Opposite! Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
Maisey Yates is the real deal. When she writes about Cowboys, they jump of the page with all the authenticity of a flesh and blood man. She understands how to show the depth in a man who may not seem like a deep thinker... but remembers still waters run deep. Her skill in presenting all of this rings true, touches the heartstrings while also providing the right amount of conflict.

We have Luke and Olivia. From first glance, they wouldn't seem to be a match in any way.

Luke was from a family that was a wreck. When he was able to escape it, he answered an ad to work on a ranch in Gold Valley. The owner saw this raw angry 18 year old and gave him a chance. Luke grabbed that chance and ran with it... Being the best on the ranch; the hardest worker, the one who stayed when the Rancher's sons left.... Luke was the heart and soul of it and now the sons are back turning a solid rustic western tour experience into something else... something more upscale. Luke is not feeling it...and the pull to have something of his own is getting stronger.

No one knew Luke's background. He kept it to himself. His loss of his mother killed him. She was the only goodness in his life and she made sacrifices to make sure he would have a chance... and the sacrifice she made weighed heavy on him. But maybe now was the time to put to use all the good she left behind to show her he understood. There was land he was interested in... and now was the time to go for it. The owner had been sitting on it for a very long time...But Luke felt if presented in the right way, the owner might hear him out.

Olivia made a bad decision. She didn't mean to... but the outcome was not what she thought would happen and now she was stuck with it. Her newly Ex Bennett didn't like being pressured to "Put a Ring On It" and told her so...So that was that...But it still hurt like hell. They had been together forever it seemed and it was the next natural step to take...but for some reason he wasn't ready. Olivia thought by laying it out there, he would see what he was missing...Unfortunately, it seems she is the only one who is feeling the loss.

Now Olivia is planner, a careful person always trying to do the right thing. She was a twin and right from the start she and sister were close... just like most twins. But then as they started to age, her sister was the risk taker, the one who liked to break all the rules. Olivia felt her sister slipping away from her... and it hurt. She wasn't comfortable doing all the things her sister would go off and do with her new friends...And the parents would pressure Olivia to "Be Good" always...It ended up causing the twins to become distant... and that hurt Olivia.

The sister ran with the drug/dropout crowd at high school and after a situation, the sister was sent away. The parents thought they were doing the right thing... protecting Olivia and helping her sister...But that wasn't to be... the sister became more involved with drugs and Olivia became the poster child of control, ridged and always doing the Right thing. Olivia reputation is kind of being stuck up. She never drinks. Her biggest deal is playing darts... she is perfect never missing a bullseye.

So these two...From the start, Luke loved pushing this girl/woman's buttons. He could get her flustered so easily... and she would sputter and lash back... it was a hoot to see her get all worked up. Luke watched as Bennett, one of the rancher's sons, started hanging out with Olivia. He knew the deal. Luke would never be the man for a woman like her. He like to have his flings and then move on. All of his connections liked him, even after their times were over. Luke lived in the moment and that made Olivia crazy... How could anyone do that...

The perfect confrontation happens; Olivia is stuck on the road with a flat tire. In the past, she would call Bennett and he would come to her rescue. Now, because she made that fateful ultimatum, she can't call him. As she tries to decide what to do, a beat up red truck comes down the same road. She knows whose it belongs to and shutters...Really... It has to be Luke...

But then he passes by and doesn't stop.... WHAT!!!!

Olivia cannot believe it... and is pouting non stop... annoyed he didn't stop and annoyed she wanted him to...But then she sees the the cloud of dust with the red truck turned around coming back to her.
Luke pulls up and says he couldn't let her just wait by the side of the rode. Offers to take her to the winery where she works and will handle the car after. He opens the passenger door of the truck and Olivia holds her breath and climbs in...

These two cannot be together without Luke pushing Olivia's buttons and it gets her all stirred up. She really doesn't understand it at all. The day goes by for Olivia with her replaying everything that happened with Luke. She is very confused.

Somehow Luke and Olivia find themselves at the same bar in town. Luke is with the brothers at a table and Olivia is at the bar, nursing her Diet Coke. Luke walks over to the bar and stands next to Olivia. Olivia decides to be a grownup and offers to thank Luke for the ride/car fixin' with buying him a shot. Luke takes her up on it and thanks her by whispering in her ear Bennett is looking at them and is not happy. Olivia turns to look into Luke's eyes and sees a glint and dare...

This leads to another conversation at another time...Luke talks about how he has wanted to buy her father's land for some time now... He wants to ranch, have cattle and really work the land. He knows how and is dedicated to making it a go. Olivia knows her dad is tough... and doesn't promise anything but says she will see if she can get him a meeting...Luke says cool and he will do her a solid by taking her to the bar as a Date...to help her get Bennett back...

This is the hook but Maisey Yates gives us so much more. She gives us a woman who has be manipulated without even knowing it and now she is going to make her own decisions. She takes Luke's hand when offered and discovers the woman she actually is. Luke thinks he is just doing a solid for Maisey... but in the end these two learn they are the solid they both need. Their connection is lovely and they are a force to be reckoned with.

I told you, Maisey Yates is the real deal. You want authentic romance, sexy times and all of it with a real cowboy... not Mythical one...Than this is it.

A gifted copy was provided by HQN via NetGalley for an honest review.

Overall, I thought this book was an ok read. The story-line was interesting and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. I thought this book was cute and had some nice steamy moments. And while I found this book enjoyable for the most part, something was just missing for me. I think this will be one of those books that will be a hit for some and a miss for others.

I loved this story of Olivia and Luke! Olivia has always been a good girl but now that Luke is in her life that's about to change. Luke has demons in his past and he doesn't think he's good enough for Olivia. Watching them struggle to understand each other and get together was so much fun. I highly recommend this book!

Olivia sure can be a fierce one, “if you say bros before hos, so help me God, Luke, I will give you a paper cut with one of these pamphlets.” Luke sometimes has to put his foot down, “honey,” he said, “this is a tantrum. And I’m about over it. So either you get back into the truck, or I’m going to throw you over my shoulder and carry you back.” Olivia finds it hard to concentrate, "...he shifted, and her eyes were drawn to the play of muscles on his chest, the bunch and shift of his abs. “Eyes up here, kiddo. Focus.” I really liked this book, I fell in love with Luke.