Didn't connect with the writing and story set up.

I think another set up from Maisey could work for me but I can also see why people love it.

The OG Queen of cowboy romance. You can't go wrong with a Maisey Yates book, particularly if you are looking for a grumpy sunshine romance.

I loved this title. Everyone thinks Bea is a flighty younger than her years woman child. Dane was injured while bull riding. Be a has had a crush in Dane since forever. So when Dane gets hurt she jumps at helping him heal.

This book is a. Enjoyable read. I highly recommend this book.

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

UNBROKEN COWBOY takes us back to Gold Valley, Oregon and is the fifth book in the GOLD VALLEY series. It was nice to be reunited with characters we’ve met before and returned to the winery and the Get Out of Dodge dude-ranch. This is Dane and Beatrix’s (Bea) story, and it didn’t disappoint. She’s loved him from afar since she was young.

When Dane is seriously injured by a bull he was riding in a competition, he returns to Gold Valley to heal. He stays at the house where Bea was raised until she moved out to a cabin on the property many years ago. The house is now owned by Dane’s sister, but she lives with her husband, Wyatt, at their ranch. Bea helps Dane to heal, and things take an unexpected turn when they become so much more than friends.

There are a lot of heat-up-the-sheets moments in between Bea rescuing animals, working part time for the local vet, and taking classes online for her vet tech certificate. Dane goes to work at the dude-ranch doing jobs that don’t tax him due to his injuries.

As we get to know the characters and learn of their attraction, both Dane and Bea are running scared since this is only supposed to be a fun interlude and nothing serious. The interactions between family and friends keep the story moving, and everyone seems to have an opinion when they find out Dane and Bea are in a relationship.

Things that happened in previous books resurface in this one and enhance the story-line. There are nice descriptions of the land and the rescued animals. Bea’s rescued raccoon, Evan, is like a pet, and we’re privy to his antics. The story has a nice flow to it and a happily ever after that we learn of in the epilogue. An excerpt in the back of the book for the next book in the series, COWBOY TO THE CORE, whet my appetite for more.

I’ve read books in several of Ms. Yates series, and I look forward to reading more.

Ever meet a character you immediately recognize as someone you would cherish as a friend. Well that’s Beatrix Leighton. If you’ve been following Maisie Yates series Golden Valley then you’ve already met Bea. Delightful, caring and with the patience of Job. But in UNBROKEN COWBOY Bea finally meets up with a person in need that is bringing this woman of enormous caring and patience to her maximum. In short her fuse is about to ignite. Just what could do that do this amazing character – not what but who. Dane.
UNBROKEN COWBOY is actually a story about expectations. Each of us has dreams and expectations of our future which is driven by those dreams and hard work. There is also the gamut of trying to meet external expectations of friends, family and people that are part of our social circle. When born in to wealth one expects those dreams and expectations to be met – hopefully with success. But when success is beyond your reach the problem is learning to live with others reactions. It’s hard enough meeting the expectations of others but often times you are your own worst enemy. How about when you are considered nothing more than poor white trash and expectations are nil. When you finally achieve some sense of personal success you can’t help second guessing some of your decisions.
So in UNBROKEN COWBOY we are reacquainted with Bea and Dane who have appeared in prior books in this series by Maisie Yates. They have been characters on the fringe of activity in many stories. The irony is that both Bea and Dane see themselves as living on the fringe. Bea’s family has had wealth and yet for her their lives was unsatisfactory. She didn’t fit their mold so to speak. She wasn’t a great student, had no business acumen and was most happy watching the action from the sidelines. One big exception was Bea’s habit of extending a caring helpful hand whether or not asked for it. And she has a special affinity with animals of all sorts.
Dane’s family has had to catch some lucky breaks to get out of their family mold. His sister Lindy is now owner operator of a successful vineyard. She has opened her home to Dane offering him a place to recover from devastating injuries from an unfortunate bull riding contest. Dane had sort of coveted his bull riding skills and carefree lifestyle. He earned a good living and wasn’t looking for anything even remotely resembling roots. But here he is in Golden Valley working at odd jobs and working tirelessly to get back in shape so that he could return to his bull riding career.

In Gold Valley, Oregon, forbidden love just might be the sweetest… Dane Parker traded in his trailer-park roots for glory as a bull rider. But when a serious injury sidelines him for months, it’s the first time he can’t just pull himself up by his bootstraps. The last thing he wants to deal with is sweet family friend Bea treating him like one of her wounded animals—or the unexpected attraction that suddenly flares between them.
This was a sweet read that I really enjoyed. I liked both main characters and read through it rather quickly. I highly recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

I read this one a while back, but don't appear to have written up my thoughts—my bad!

Lots of other reviewers have already summarized the plot, so I'll just add a few reviewer comments. Yates consistently provides books with well-drawn, interesting characters whose lives are turned around when they fall in love and learn to embrace what falling in love entails (for Yates): caring, long-term commitment, and supporting your loved one as they drag their past emotional baggage into their new romantic relationship. Both the introverted, sexually inexperienced caretaker Bea and the surly, "broken" (physically, due to a bull-riding accident) Dane have past baggage (bad parents), which makes them each wary of making any sort of commitment, even after the clothes start to fall. Interestingly, the "player" Dane is the one who overcomes his doubts first; Bea opened the story trying to do something to shake up her life, but still protects her heart by telling herself that any involvement with her long-time crush Dane is only temporary. "Unbroken" can mean wild, when talking about horses, but in this case, it definitely refers to emotionally repaired—and romantically, heterosexually paired.

This 5th book in Yates Gold Valley series is a beautiful, heart-warming “little girl grown up” romance. Dane Parker is a bull rider who has been sidelined by a serious injury and has come back to his childhood home to recuperate. Bea Leighton, the sweet little girl next door, is living in a small cottage surrounded by the wounded animals she has adopted to rehabilitate. When Dane returns, she makes it her mission to help her childhood crush recover by soliciting his help to open an animal sanctuary. Not surprisingly, as they spend time together and Dane realizes that Bea is now a fully-grown, strong, vibrant woman, the attraction grows. This book is about being broken (both externally and internally) and the power of love to heal each other. They have both been abandoned by their fathers and see marriage as a sure road to infidelity. Dane has pursued a rodeo career to prove something to his father. Bea is a nurturer who feels that caring for people is the way she connects with them, and, if they don’t need her, they’ll leave. Can they get past the walls they’ve both built to have their happily-ever-after? Although this is part of a series and features many characters from previous books, it can be read as a standalone.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from HQN through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I feel like I was waiting forever for Bea's book!

(Okay, so it was only 4 books and Maisey Yates writes crazy fast, somehow. But still. I. Needed. Bea's. HEA!!!)

Bea and Dane's story was all I could have hoped for and more--I mean, I definitely didn't know to hope for an underwear-stealing rescue raccoon, but goodness, was he a lot of fun to read about. I enjoyed the heck out of seeing Bea come into her own and not only giving grumpy and in denial about his future prospects Dane the business, but also figuring out her own future and starting to act less like an invisible person and more like a grown-a$$ woman at last.

Their breakup/black moment nearly killed me, but since they were just as miserable (and they both owned the mistakes they were making and made things better) I'll forgive them for putting us all through that. But darn you, Ms. Yates, for those happy tears you made me cry in the epilogue... ;)

Though this is the fifth book in the series, it should work well as a standalone. Do yourself a favor, though, and read all the rest of them too--Ms. Yates has peopled this series with a wonderful cast of characters who do their best to make every book a heck of a lot of fun to read.

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I feel like I was waiting forever for Bea's book!

(Okay, so it was only 4 books and Maisey Yates writes crazy fast, somehow. But still. I. Needed. Bea's. HEA!!!)

Bea and Dane's story was all I could have hoped for and more--I mean, I definitely didn't know to hope for an underwear-stealing rescue raccoon, but goodness, was he a lot of fun to read about. I enjoyed the heck out of seeing Bea come into her own and not only giving grumpy and in denial about his future prospects Dane the business, but also figuring out her own future and starting to act less like an invisible person and more like a grown-a$$ woman at last.

Their breakup/black moment nearly killed me, but since they were just as miserable (and they both owned the mistakes they were making and made things better) I'll forgive them for putting us all through that. But darn you, Ms. Yates, for those happy tears you made me cry in the epilogue... ;)

Though this is the fifth book in the series, it should work well as a standalone. Do yourself a favor, though, and read all the rest of them too--Ms. Yates has peopled this series with a wonderful cast of characters who do their best to make every book a heck of a lot of fun to read.

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Unbroken Cowboy by Maisey Yates is the first book I have read by this author. It is the fifth in the series Gold Valley.
We meet Dane Parker, bull rider, who has been injured and is unable to pretty much take care of himself. Then along come Beatrix Leighton, who has been in love with Dane FOREVER, but he is clueless to this. Dane has lots of trouble with Bea helping him. Part of this come from his “trailer-park roots” and the fact that she is from a very wealthy family. There is lots a back and forth and conflict between both main characters. Will they work it out? Will Bea get her HEA? Only way to be sure is to read the book and find out on your own!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for a honest opinion.

Every time I think that Maisey Yates simply can't write a novel I could possibly enjoy more than I enjoyed the previous one, she proves me wrong, and that happened again with Unbroken Cowboy, the fifth novel in her Gold Valley series, which features a character whose story I've been waiting to read since I first encountered her in Ms. Yates' previous Copper Ridge series, Beatrix (Bea) Leighton, an odd, quiet, and endearing character after my own heart, one who loves to mend and heal broken things, like the injured animals she finds, but in this novel, the broken one most in need of mending is Dane, the professional bull rider that Bea has been crushing on and fantasizing about for the past decade. I was hooked from the very first page, and since I feel the same need to mend and heal the broken ones, this novel was a 5-star read for me all the way.

Everyone who meets and/or knows Bea loves her for her quiet compassion, her helpfulness and her quirky nature, but they really don't know who she is or why she's the way she is. She's an odd duck in the Leighton family, never really fitting in, yet the reasons why she's the way she is--never been kissed, never dated, and still a virgin at age 24, are part of a secret she's been keeping since she was 16 years old, a secret that makes her as broken as the creatures she tries to heal, except that she doesn't see herself as broken--she sees herself as fiercely independent, as someone who has carved out a life that suits her perfectly, living in a home that suits her perfectly--a small cabin in the woods on Leighton property, and work that suits her perfectly, helping out part-time at the local veterinary clinic and studying to get her certification as a veterinary technician.

When Dane is repeatedly trampled, stomped, mauled, and nearly killed by a enraged bull after being thrown, he returns to Gold Valley to recuperate, moving into the currently vacant Leighton home, not far from Bea's cabin on the same property, and Bea becomes his caregiver. This is as close to Dane as she's ever gotten, something she's dreamed of for years, but Dane is in serious pain, angry and resentful at being away from his career, and at first Bea treads carefully around him. After being home for 8 months of waiting for his broken body to heal, the longest period of time he's been home since he left at age 18, and desperately wanting to get back to the PBR, where he's a celebrity, he has yet to come to terms with the fact that he'll never heal well enough to climb onto the back of another bull again--and since his whole identity is wrapped up in bull riding and his quest for fame and glory, all to try to prove his worth to the father who deserted him years ago, what will he be if he loses that?

After Dane's 8 months of enforced celibacy, when Bea's hilariously devilish, rescued raccoon and notorious underwear thief, Evan, makes off with her lingerie, she and Dane are hot on his trail, Dane falling behind because of his injuries. When he finally catches up to them, Bea, is in the stream trying to collect her floating undies. She's oblivious to the fact that the white dress she's wearing has now become transparent and it's at that moment when Dane finally sees her as a desirable woman instead of his little "sister, " and that vision is something he cannot erase from his memory or his libido. This is both a good thing and a bad one. When Bea's fantasy of a relationship with Dane begins to become a reality, she soon learns that the reality of becoming intimate with a man is far more than she ever imagined, and Dane, who's been womanizing his way around the rodeo circuit for years, one-night-stand after one-night-stand, now needs to figure out how to actually be in a relationship with a woman, and while these two characters initially seem like an odd pairing, they do have more in common than either of them ever realized, and although they agree to a no-strings, short-term fling, and it's one heck of a steamy one, they both get far more than either of them bargained for.

If you think you know where this relationship is going, think again, because Ms. Yates' had quite a few cards up her sleeve that I didn't see coming, and she created two fully-developed characters at a pivotal point in their lives, who have an easier time in bed than out of it, and neither one seems to know exactly what to do about it. She had me in tears for most of the last third of this novel, had me wanting to shake some sense into and yell at both characters, and when an author can do that to me, get me that involved in the lives and emotions of her characters, it impresses the heck out of me, and this novel did exactly that.

Unbroken Cowboy is a beautifully written, sweet, sexy, funny, sad, heartfelt, and deeply engrossing story about how two broken characters, who don't even realize how broken they are, can help support and help heal one another. It's an excellent, deeply moving, and sometimes heartbreaking read on so many levels, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

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

Unbroken Cowboy by Maisey Yates is another entertaining and sexy romance set in Gold Valley, Oregon.

Beatrix Leighton grew up in a wealthy household but felt more at home with animals than her family. Taking care of injured strays became a lifelong habit, so much so that she lives in a small cottage off of her former sister-in-law Lindy's successful winery where she's created a sanctuary of sorts for animals needing a home while she works at a local vet clinic and takes online courses. She's also become a de-facto caretaker for Lindy's brother Dane. The minor inconvenience to that is the crush she's had on Dane since she was a teenager.

Dane Parker is still recovering from a bull riding accident that left him with multiple injuries and in chronic pain. He lives in the big house on his sister's winery and still dreams of getting back onto the rodeo circuit. But having just progressed from a wheelchair to walking again it's a daily struggle to keep moving. That Beatrix has adopted him like one of her strays hasn't escaped him. She sees past his facade and challenges him not to be afraid to admit his weakness. But he's never seen her as anything other than a pseudo younger sister – until he catches her in an amusing incident involving a raccoon and stolen underwear, and realizes that she's a very grown up and attractive woman. After several months of self imposed celibacy, the emotional awareness that sparks between them leads to a secret affair, one that Beatrix may have longed for in her secret heart but never expected to become a reality. But with both of them harboring emotional baggage and reasons not to commit, can they find their way to a forever happy ending?

As the fifth story in the Gold Valley series, there are plenty of other characters present but the author does a great job of explaining who they are without too much preamble such that every novel reads well as a standalone, and makes you intrigued enough to want to read more set in this world.Like all her characters, Beatrix and Dane are complex, both having experienced emotional upheaval in their childhoods that affects them as adults. For Beatrix it was growing up in a rich household with parents who cheated on each other, and the discovery that the man she believes to be her father is not biologically hers, and that her real father chose money over her. She doesn't think much of marriage as a result, and finds that caring for animals is less of a risk to her heart ( her crush on Dane notwithstanding).

Dane on the other hand grew up very poor with a father who abandoned him. He made something of himself by becoming a successful bull rider (for reasons even he doesn't like to acknowledge) and with that taken away from him he feels angry, bitter and often useless. It's not surprising that Beatrix sees him as another of her wounded creatures and she sets about finding ways to help him build up his self esteem and confidence.

I love how Beatrix and Dane go from a wary friendship to lovers with abandon. Their love scenes are steamy and lead to intimate conversations that reveal their past hurts. As they forge that emotional connection, they have to contend with the future and whether they are ready to take steps forward together or will go their separate ways as Dane's recovery continues. There are some other familial reckonings too. After a few ups and downs and some soul seraching, they get a very satisfying happy ending. I'm looking forward to more Gold Valley adventures!

This review has been posted at Harlequin Junkie and feedback updated with the link. It's been posted at Amazon and and goodreads.

Unbroken Cowboy
Maisey Yates
Dane Parker is injured while riding a bull and goes to his sister’s Winery to recuperate. He is grouchy and surly and in a lot of pain. Beatrix Leighton has been in love with Dane since she was little, but he never noticed her. Bea’s brother was Dane’s ex manager and his sister’s ex- husband, so he never really “saw her”. He thought of her as a young girl, not a woman until one day at the lake when he saw her in a wet sun dress. Soon he began to look at her differently.
Besides being injured and wanting to go back to the rodeo, Dane has abandonment issues with his father leaving them when he was younger. He went into bull riding to prove something to his father. He was good at what he did, was on TV and made a lot of money. Bea also had parental issues of abandonment. As a result, she usually blended into the background and preferred the company of animals to people. Bea makes it her mission to take care of Dane. He doesn’t really want her help. Bea realizes this and to give him purpose, has him help her set up her animal sanctuary. As they spend more time together, both begin to heal, Dane physically and emotionally and Bea emotionally as well as developing self- worth.
This story tugs at your heart strings as we go through two people trying to find their place in the world and happiness. As we read, we are on the journey of self- worth for both characters. Along the way, they both provide support and encouragement for each other. This was the first book in this series that I read. I look forward to going back and reading the other books in this series.

I had not idea that I would enjoy a cowboy romance but I wanted to give it a te and was not disappointed. Maisey Yates has a unique ability of creating characters that are mesmerizing and it kept be riveted to my book until the last page.

Before a bull tap danced all over him, Dane Parker was a successful bull rider. Before that he and his sister were struggling to stay afloat in a trailer park. Now she's the owner of a winery and he's struggling to move every morning. And everyone keeps giving him these pity-filled looks. Even Bea, his sister's former sister-in-law. But is she just considering him another one of her wounded animals?
Beatrix Leighton has had a crush on Dane since his sister married her brother. But she hasn't been able to articulate that. She's just not that good with other humans. Slowly, however, she learns to be like that with Dane.

Three stars
This book came out April 23rd
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and publisher
Opinions are my own

The Story in 4 Sentences or Less: After a bull riding injury keeps him close to home, Dane Parker is struggling to find a life outside of bullriding and he doesn’t want to have to deal with family friend Beatrix Leighton. Bea has been in love with Dane for years but to her frustration he’s only seen her as another sister, until she gets him to help her start her animal sanctuary and sparks fly.





Like It? Hate it? Love it? Why? Dane and Bea had a fair amount of issues individually and add in an attraction years in the making and well things get a little complicated, and frustrating.

I loved Dane, prickly, surly, bitter cowboy that he is, all he could see was bull riding, that was his whole world, his identity is wrapped up in this career that has come to a screeching halt and yeah, I got why he was so angry. If anyone needed some TLC it’s this guy but getting past all that grr isn’t easy. By the end though, Dane had found a new purpose and a real reason for living so all in all he had a really great character growth.


I had a little trouble with Bea though. Innocence doesn’t really work for me in a contemporary romance but she was impossible not to like. She’s an animal person (yay) and is a kind and caring. I could really understand her determination to step out on her own and make her own way with her life. She definitely has a saint’s patience with Dane which is a huge plus cause with all his surliness he could try anyone’s patience!

There’s a bit of drama involved in the plot of Unbroken Cowboy that livens things up a bit but it isn’t overdone. I enjoyed the added conflict to give Dane some perspective and Bea another reason to fight. I think some of the conflict was resolved too quickly for my tastes but overall, I enjoyed this book. It’s hard not to, Maisey Yates writes some good ones I tell you. I know I need to really buckle down and catch up on the ones I’ve missed along the way but it’s easy to pick up any book and follow along.

Click It or Skip It? Click It. There’s always something to love about this author.

4 1/2 STARS!

Unrequited love finally pays off! Dane has had his head buried in the sand for years where Bea is concerned, but she finally gets his attention ... attraction, drama and chaos ensues! I always love a return trip to Gold Valley where the characters are always filled with goodness, and this one was especially sweet!

When a major injury sends bull rider Dane Parker home to Gold Valley, Oregon to recuperate for months on end, he's ready to pull his hair out. He lives for the adrenaline that danger and excitement brings, so to be laid up barely able to leave the house is driving him insane. When family friend Bea needs a helping hand, he jumps at the chance to have something to do ... even if it is for the little busybody who has been nagging him non-stop!

Beatrix Leighton has been in love with Dane for like forever, but he's too blind to see it. To him, she's an additional sister that he can pester but who's always there offering help if he needs it. She'd give anything for him to see her differently, but her family has taught her that love isn't all it's cracked up to be anyway, so maybe she's not missing out on much.

3.5 When Fantasy Becomes Reality Stars
* * *1/2 Spoiler Free
Maisey Yates has taken the awakening of two people from their years'-long assumptions of just who they are.

Beatrix Leighton has always been the caring one...the one to look out for those she saw who needed her...the critters and wounded animals. She was someone who didn't want attention; she hides and stayed in the background. She was seen as a "little sister" to the older brother of her sister in law. Bea fell hard all those years ago. It was easy to love a man she wasn't around...he could be seen as the perfect cowboy/bull rider. As long as he was on the circuit, Bea never had to challenge her deep wishes for this man...the perfect fantasy.

Dane Parker knew who he was...he conquered bulls and rode them like a champion. He had the muscles, the determination, and focus to make those 8 seconds work to his advantage...At least he did until he was taken down by a serious injury which sends him home to heal. It also causes Dane to doubt his rodeo future.

It is Dane's sister knows this healing process will need someone to assist Dane and Bea is the perfect person to do it. Only Dane doesn't want any help but sucks it up because he knows he needs it. He sees Bea as his sister's little bestie...never thinking of her as an actual woman.

Until he does...

This is a story which takes a long look at how we can get locked into our assumptions of how we have categorized people. Having an idealized vision of Dane, a fantasy which was safe to hold on to...was something Bea had to let go of. Here he was, needing her even though it took months for him to realize the depth of his feelings. Dane had to let go of the idea Bea was this little sister...and when he did, all her beauty, strength and heat drew him to her.

This is part of a series and I was able to read without reading all the others before it.

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

Maisey-Yates romances breed like bunnies. Yet another one on the recent horizon, fifth in the Gold Valley series, Unbroken Cowboy, features two of my favourite sequel-bait characters from previous books, animal-loving Bea(trix) Leighton, and bull-trampled rodeo star-no-more, Dane Parker. Because, like Betty Neels, I read and review every Yates romance, my review will always be tainted by my mood, whether Yates’s brand of theme and ethos work for me “in the moment,” or not. When they’re published as close together as Yates seems to produce them, I tend to feel less well-disposed. When a whiley-while goes by, then I’m eager to immerse myself in her world. If my introduction to Yates had been Unbroken Cowboy, I’d have been all in with enthusiasm and praise. As it’s one of many and followed by the recently reviewed, Need Me, Cowboy, I read it more for because she’s Yates and I read’em all. No surprises here. In “yatesian” fashion, hero Dane and heroine Bea experience personal transformation, in this case, as the title suggests, from brokenness to wholeness. The glue that brings their resurrection about is the mystical power of love.

The novel opens with Dane’s literal brokenness. Dane was trampled by a bull, sustaining injuries so grievous, they put him in a wheelchair. He physio-ed his way to walking with a limp, but his injuries are permanent and he’ll likely never see the bull ring again. His bodily “brokenness,” however, is a reflection of his broken spirit. When we meet Bea, she appears the stronger. Bea has loved Dane forever, living under the shelter of his little-sister affection for years. She knows she’s never been in Dane’s radar as a woman and plans to take her love-secret to the grave. For the time being however, as Dane is “stuck” in the big house on the property where Bea has her cabin, she is his annoyed-to-his-surly-‘tude caregiver: “She never lost her cool or brought harm to any being. But she was close, very close, to administering grievous bodily injury to one extremely irritating cowboy who was — no doubt about it — the worst patient she had ever tended to in her life.” Dane’s retort to her ministrations tells us all we need to know about Bea: ” ‘Your problem is that you’ve never met a stray you didn’t like.’ ” Bea works at the local vet clinic and, from the vantage of her hermetic cabin, takes in injured and abandoned wild animals (Evan, her raccoon, figures prominently and provides much-needed comic effect to this angsty romance).

Bea and Dane’s contrast between where they are in life seems, at first, to be in Bea’s favour, her strong sense of purpose and place in the world and Dane’s loss of purpose, his success and fame in the ring. But as Bea coaxes Dane back to life, slowly and surely and beautifully, by giving him an old dog to walk and care for for example, chinks appear in Bea’s armor as Dane dons a new one. As is Yates’s wont, deleterious parental figures are at the heart of her hero’s and heroine’s inner woundedness. And her usual reversal happens: love is the crux, focus, blessing and frightening new state that sends hero and heroine into a tailspin of crisis emotions and erratic behaviour. When Bea and Dane become lovers, Bea is empowered by her new-found sense of identity as a lover, woman, sexual being. But when Dane the fantasy becomes the flesh-and-blook man who wants commitment and connection, Bea’s insecurities and fears come to the foreground. Dane, on the other hand, is renewed by his new-found ability to care, slow down and just be with another person in place of chasing the crowd’s applause and approval. Yates’s courtship dance is always fraught, with a back-and-forth movement between approaching the other and/or running away from.

It’s a dance that Bea and Dane trip to, limp in, and finally take beautiful, smooth, long strides. Their HEA is lovely. The journey, however (sorry about all the mixing of metaphors) bogs down. There’s a point in the narrative where Bea and Dane become Yates’s mouthpieces for her view (and I’m sympathetic to it, hence, why I keep reading her) of love as a means of personal resurrection by admitting love, care, and need are what we’re made of: what are necessary to give and ask for if we’re to live a complete, full, and fulfilling life. At a certain point, Yates’s theme is the strongest voice in the narrative. It broke my concentration and immersion in Dane and Bea’s journey. With Miss Austen, we concur that Unbroken Cowboy offers “real comfort,” Emma, but didn’t rock our world.

Maisey Yates’s Unbroken Cowboy is published by HQN Books. It was released on April 23rd and may be found at your preferred vendor. I received an e-ARC from HQN Books, via Netgalley.