This book is book two in the Dark Horse Cowboy series.  Reading the previous book isn’t necessary as the author provides enough back story for the reader to be able to follow and understand the plot of the book.  If the reader hasn’t read any of June Faver’s books, let me say that her books are sweet and romantic.  The sex scenes are short, but that’s ok in my opinion, because her books move fast, are entertaining, and are just so good.

I was lucky enough to read the first book in this series about the youngest Garrett brother, and now I get to read about the oldest Garrett brother Colt.  I love that the reader gets to revisit with previous characters and catch up with them, and find out what’s going on in their lives since the last book.  I like revisiting characters, especially ones that I like.

Her stories are based in the south, Texas to be exact, where men are gentleman, and the food is plentiful and delicious.  I love food almost as much as I love romance.

Colt and Misty’s relationship stated off a little rocky, but they managed to keep their relationship a float and thriving despite obstacles set in their way.  I love that Ms Faver allows her characters to have insurmountable obstacles hurtled at them, but because their relationships are based on true love, they make it through their tough times stronger than ever and even more in love.   I don’t see very many relationships last anymore, so I love it when true love lasts in the book world.

Take a chance on this series; take a chance on this author.  Her books are a great way to spend an afternoon reading about love.

Could not get into this story it was slow and predictable. Thanks still to NetGalley for letting me review this book

First, thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title. Access to review copies is always appreciated.
Unfortunately, I have chosen not to finish and review this title. I was not able to connect with it, and instead of finishing a title I was not connecting with, I have chosen to move on to another title.
Again, I appreciate the opportunity and look forward to the next title.

Colt has accepted his responsibilities are to his family and their ranch. That all changes in a second when he bumps into Misty. He isn’t quite sure when she hasn’t fallen to his charms like every other woman in their small town. Hardship falls on Misty and her little brother and a Colt will do everything he can to protect her as her world slowly falls apart. Misty never expected the strong cowboy to save her but she is willing to let him help as her feelings slowly develop. Being strong and independent is hard when all you have done is cared for your family until you find the one who lightens the load and simply lets you breathe. Great story!

This was not for me. The writing didn't really flow as well as I would have liked it to, and the romance between Colton and Misty happens very quickly. I'm normally okay with insta-lust, but he's had like 2 conversations with her, and he's going to marry her? A little much for me. Misty's character was strange. She went to college, and had to drop out, but then seems like she doesn't understand how normal things work. Checking account, or handling money seem too hard for her. A 22 year old should know these things. I didn't realize that the suspense part was going to be such a big part of this book. It was better, in my opinion, than the romance. Although this was a first for me from this author, I would read her again.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.

This is also NEW to me author and books!! Now, I love love love cowboy romance, something about them just gets me. The manly-ness of the man and the rouged nature, gah this book gave me all the feels. From the hero being swoon worthy to the heroine being the damsel in distress but a strong soul. I would highly recommend this book!!

Eldest son Colt Garrett is the biggest, strongest and steadiest of the Garrett brothers. Colt accepts his responsibilities, knowing his future is tied to the land. Colt has stayed centered—but when he falls in love, he falls hard. He is mesmerized by Misty Dalton, the younger sister of one of his brother’s friends. Misty Dalton has held together a family plagued with problems since her mother passed away. But when the threats to her family turn deadly, Misty turns to Colt. If anybody wants to hurt Misty, they’re going to have to go through the toughest of the Garrett boys first.
I really tried getting into this story, I really did. Unfortunately I really just had a problem in Colt’s POV and found myself struggling. DNF.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

While Hot Target Cowboy is the second book in the Dark Horse Cowboy series, it's the first book I've read in that series, as well as the first book I've read by its author, June Faver. Enough details about the plot of the first book in the series were mentioned, so that it worked just fine as a standalone read, and while it wasn't a great read, it wasn't a bad read either, and it gets 3 stars from this reader.

This series is centered around the Garrett family. Big Jim Garrett and his sons own and operate a large, prosperous ranching operation. His eldest son is Colton, whose brother Ty, a country western singer was featured is the first book in this series, and who youngest brother, Beau, will probably be featured in the next. We first meet Colton as he's arriving late to meet his father at a stock auction, where a very pretty, wide-eyed, dark-haired, leggy young woman catches his eye, and he starts following her, surprised that in their small community, he has no idea who she is--but she knows who he is. Beau informs him that she's Misty Dalton, age 22, 6 years Colton's junior, daughter of a neighboring rancher, and then it's both insta-lust and insta-love, at least for Colton, and since neither of these two tropes really thrill me, this is where I began to take issue with this novel.

Misty's family, the Daltons, fell on hard times after the death of Misty's mother, an event that led their once hard-working father to lose himself in the bottle, and caused Misty to drop out of college to care for her ailing father and try to raise her two brothers, Joe and Mark. Now, her father is dying and in hospice, she's nursed him as best she could for the past 2 years. Brother Joe is supposed to be running their ranch, but couldn't care less, and the bank is set to foreclose on the Dalton Ranch for nonpayment, and, following her father's instructions, Misty is selling off their horses and some of their cattle at the auction, hoping to make enough money to stop the foreclosure and save the ranch.

When Joe is found murdered in his car on the same night that Misty's father dies, Colton steps in and takes Misty and her youngest brother, Mark, to stay at the Garrett ranch, a move that doesn't set well with Big Jim, or Colton's brother, Beau, both of whom look down on Misty and assume she's just a gold-digger from a poor family, trying to get her hooks into Colton, heir to the wealthy Garrett ranch. Leah, married to Ty Garrett, is living at the Garrett ranch while her husband is on tour and while their dream home is being built on ranch property. She is quick to befriend Misty, remembering here own cold shoulder when first introduced to Big Jim, and to defend her when Big Jim and Beau are rude and obnoxious to her, always thinking the worst.

While I found myself liking handsome, good-hearted, kind Colton, for coming to Misty and Mark's rescue, and taking 12-year-old Mark under his wing, it was Misty that I found myself having problems with. At 22 years of age, Misty is just too clueless to be believed, she's never had a a bank account or checking account, is so clueless about finding a job that Leah gets her a job working as her replacement at the office of a local lawyer. She also seemed clueless about the workings of the Dalton ranch, its size, its holdings, or its worth. As ranching families go, she grew up on one, and her ignorance and naivety just didn't make sense. I couldn't accept that she had been away at college for 2 years and still had no idea how to handle money, but did manage to lose her virginity somewhere along the way, and was quick to climb into bed with Colton without really knowing him. The few times these two characters did have sex, it was pretty mundane and far from steamy. Their relationship seemed to be built on Colton's admiration of her looks, his protective nature, his lust, and little else. They certainly didn't really ever have a meaningful conversation or learn much about each other. As far as romance goes, theirs simply didn't work for me.

What did work for me was that this all-too-quick romance, turned into a pretty good murder mystery/suspense novel, with plenty of suspects and plenty of clues. The murder of Misty's brother. Joe, and attempts made on the life of Paco, an old man who'd worked for the Dalton's since before Misty was born, the disappearance many years ago of one of Joe's running buddies, Joe's secretive nature before he was murdered, the elusive bank president, who lies to Garrett and runs away rather than let Garrett get the Dalton ranch out of foreclosure, and eventually, Misty's abduction kept this story moving along and kept me interested until the HEA ending.

As I stated at the outset, this wasn't a bad read, it simply needed more in the way of character development, especially for Misty, who's thoughts and behavior made her seem more like a teenager than a grown woman. I would have also appreciated seeing some depth to her relationship with Colton, and some understanding of why he was so taken with this childlike damsel in distress. All in all, I preferred the mystery/suspense aspect of this novel far more than the inexplicable romance between its main characters. It's not badly written, it was just in need of some depth.

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

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars
M/F Romance, Mystery
Triggers: Murder, attempted murder, kidnapping

While this is the second book in the series, I believe you could read them as standalone books.

Colt is the oldest brother and doesn't really believe that he'll find someone to love. He is looked up to by his brothers and despite wanting to find his forever person, feels that the ranch takes up a lot of his time.

Then you have Misty. Growing up with an alcoholic dad and an older brother who liked to run with the wrong crowd, Misty has tried her very best to keep it all away from her youngest brother. Despite starting college on a full ride, when her dad got sick, she dropped everything to come back home and take care of the family. I liked that she was willing to do whatever for her family but thought also that she was incredibly spineless at times too. In my head, if you're taking care of your grown father, bailing out your older brother, and making sure that your younger brother is attending school, you'd be able to do more than what Misty shows she can handle. It was somewhat confusing.

Colt is dependable and a knight in shining armor for both Misty and her brother. He knows what he wants and he wants Misty. I think the other issue I had for this story was Colt's dad. He thought that Misty wasn't right for his son, but it was never truly portrayed that he came around. One day, it just seemed that he did and that was that.

The drama and angst in this story was plentiful and I enjoyed the mystery aspect a lot. I think that if Misty's character had been stronger and more developed, this would have been a much stronger story, but overall, I did enjoy it.

There is just something about a strong cowboy who steps up and protects the woman that he loves. I so enjoyed reading Colt and Misty's story and cannot wait to read more books in the series. This family is amazing.

This book started out as a romance but then turned into a murder mystery book along the way. Sometimes it would go back to a romance, but then the next scene there would be another murder. Colt was falling for Misty and when the story opens with him buying some of their horses he gives Misty’s younger brother a job on his ranch to take care of his horse that he bought. This brings Colt and Misty closer together, but not soon after is when her older brother is killed. Now is when the whole murder mystery part of the story begins and as much as you want the two of them to have a romance they have a murder, his father who does not like her, and a few other issues. I liked the characters and I did like the way the author ended the story.

This cowboy romance is a gripping read that warms the heart. Colt and Misty are strong characters that easily enthrall readers with their sweet romance which grips emotions and has them empathizing with the heroine when she faced with a deadly threat and heartache. The chemistry between Colt and Misty sizzles with desire and passion and Colt takes on the protective knight when he comes to Misty’s aid which makes readers pulse pound in excitement.

The story has quite a bit of emotional turmoil as Colt must face his family and their opinions while helping Misty with her troubles and the steady faced plot is full of suspenseful events and some excitement as danger stalks Misty and her family. Some of the dialogue between Colt and Misty is a little on the cheesy side and while Misty’s characters is strong, she’s a bit too naïve. Overall, the author has created an intriguing family atmosphere that catches readers’ attention and ensures that they want to get to know the whole family in this romance is a heart-warming read.

Although the story seemed promising, I just did not feel much of a connection between the hero and heroine. And putting the wrong university in Norman, OK, is a jarring mistake that should have been easily spotted and corrected. Another thing that felt wrong to me was that Misty wanted to be a librarian but had to drop out of school due to family problems, however nowhere is it stated that this is not an undergraduate degree but a graduate one (and one that today is more often called information science rather than library science). Admittedly such things will not matter for most readers, but they were enough to throw me out of the story.

This is a good story with romance, family dynamics, intrigue and mystery. I enjoyed reading it! Yes, I agree with some other reviewers that the heroine Misty could have been written as a stronger woman, but it did not bother me as much. I enjoyed all of the family dynamics in the book. And I would definitely read other books by June Faver.

I received an advance copy of this book from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest opinion.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

This author is relatively new and this is the second book from her that I have read (second in this series as well). I loved the first book and this book I think, topped the first one. The characters that she has created for her series are so realistic.
The series revolves around the Garretts. Most of the prior characters play nice sized roles in this book as well. I appreciate that as they are like old friends that you don't want to lose touch with. Seeing the continuation of their stories just helps to ground you into the current story.

She has put in enough suspense that it will keep you glued to your e-reader. The plot was wonderful and flowed smoothly. I was able to picture the action just like it was a movie playing in my mind. I was totally enraptured with this story right from the beginning. I can't wait for more stories. I have fallen in love with the Garretts.

This was my first book by June Faver, and it was a fun one! Even though this book is the second in a series, it stands entirely alone. If you missed the first, you'll want to go back and read about Colt's brother Ty. But Colt and Misty are the stars here.

The theme of family is a strong thread throughout this story. There is also a mystery which adds some excitement, plus plenty of steamy loving. Colt sees Misty at a livestock auction where her family's stock is being sold due to severe financial troubles. Colt, the eldest brother in his family and usually steady as a rock, is instantly smitten. When Misty's brother is murdered, he takes her and her young brother Mark into the bosom of his family.

There is some conflict here. Colt's father and younger brother think Misty's a gold digger. He knows what he wants, though, and what he wants is Misty. Their relationship quickly becomes intense; true love often is. The closer they get, however, the closer the murderer comes and threatens all they hold dear. This is an entertaining contemporary romance, and I look forward to reading the rest of the Garrett family's stories.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Dark Horse Cowboy #2, I never thought I would fall in love with Colt as much as I did. Reading the first book, which isn't necessary to enjoy this one, Colt comes across as cool, comprised, and hard well Colt is but after one dance and one day with Misty Dalton he proclaims that she is the woman he's going to marry. Colt falls head over cowboy boots for Misty and will do just about anything for her, which has his father and his younger brother worried about her.

Misty dropped out of college to take care of her father when he got sick and has been running her family's ranch ever since but now the bank foreclosing on the ranch and Misty is more determined than ever to save her birthright even if it means selling off everything that's not bolted down. After selling of the horses Misty older, selfish, brother is murdered and then her father's health gives out that same night. Misty at a loss of what to do next allows Colt to help, he takes her and her younger brother home until they can figure out who killed her brother and when her ranch is safe. Misty not wanting to rely on Colt's charity for long takes a job and Colt comes up with a plan to help save her ranch. The murder of Misty's brother was only the beginning and before Misty and Colt can have their HEA they need to catch the culprit.

Overall, great read. I loved the insta-love on Colt's part being such a tough cowboy he has a soft spot for her and her little brother. I liked that as much as he wanted to protect Misty he still let her do things for herself even if he didn't like the idea and I liked that Misty could stand up for herself and even though she didn't want Colt's charity she was able to accept his help but didn't come to rely on him for everything. I love Big Jim and we did get a couple of pages that were from Tyler and Leah's POV (character from the last book) and that was nice to see Colt and Misty's story from that perspective. Beau, Colt's younger brother, was a bit of a pill this book and that kinda pissed me off but I know he's going to get his just desserts in the next book. The suspense part of the book was good I thoroughly enjoyed it, it kind of zig zagged a bit the first half of the book not knowing where it will lead but the conclusion was great.

I enjoyed this hot and fast romance between two very opposite families. On one hand you have the popular guys that everyone in town knows and loves and then you have the messed up family that keeps having rotten luck.

This is the second book in this series by this author. This is a nice romance story with added drama and mystery thrown into the mix. I really loved the characters, they have fab chemistry between them. This is a good contemporary romance read. this book will keep a hold of you and keep you reading till the end. I can't wait to read more in this series and by this author again in the future.



Highly recommended read

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

Nice romance with a bit of drama and a mystery thrown in. Lots of dead bodies keep showing up and it is not too hard to figure out who is behind this after a bit.

Sometimes it is nice to have a love at first sight story without the interference of an ex or a family member! I kept waiting for Big Jim to try and buy off Misty but he resisted getting involved and finally came around.

The only reason I did not give this a five star was Misty was just a bit too sweet and a little "damsel in distress" but I could see her slowly grow as she got her first job and build a little courage.

I had not read the first book with Leah and Tyler but that sounds like an interesting story and would like to read their romance. Hope Beau will meet his match and see what his brothers have!