As always, I appreciate the opportunity to read and review one of your titles. Unfortunately, this title didn’t work for me and I have chosen not to review it.

Please also let me extend my apologies for this being so incredibly late (as I am guessing it’s more than obvious I didn’t review at this point) as I like to hold negative or DNF reviews until a title is no longer available on NetGalley, and sometimes posting once it has been archived slips my mind.

Sweet, satisfying series end…

This has been a wonderful series following the Monroe brothers as they bonded with their adoptive father and grew into the strong men they now were. Finn was the last brother to get his story and I wasn’t prepared for how bittersweet I felt about it…

Finn was the youngest but may have had the biggest chip on his shoulder starting out. Seeing him come into his own, fully invested in his larger family, gave me all the smiles. When Jessica landed in his office she was distraught and he was soon all in to help her. So many obstacles they had, many of them dangerous, as they dug for the truth about her aunt. Along the way romance bloomed and it was steady, almost old-fashioned, except for the occasional heated moments, of course…

These stories were old-fashioned, with their focus on family and heritage, yet they were also very modern. The women were strong, partners, equals, and stood shoulder to shoulder with their devoted, steady men. No matter what came at them they were family.

Luckily, that held true here as the series came to an end with an unexpected twist… I secretly hope Aunt Nola comes back in another book and maybe expand on Mac’s quiet background romance? Pretty please?

I always love a R.C Ryan book and this one is no exception! Great story line and humor speckled into the story to not be too intense. I was intrigued to find out what happened and was drawn in immediately

Two stars: A book that starts out with a strong mystery but quickly falters with stupid decisions.

Finn is happy that he survived childhood, thanks to his adoptive father, Mac. Now days, Finn is small town lawyer as well as a rancher. He enjoys being close to his brothers and Mac. Finn’s world is suddenly turned upside down when a pretty young woman walks into his office with a big problem. Jessie’s beloved aunt is missing after a sudden whirlwind marriage to a man Jessie never met. Now Nola is nowhere to be found, and Jessie can’t convince the local law enforcement to help. Then the private investigator Jessie hired mysteriously dies before he can impart the information he uncovered to Jessie. Desperate, Jessie appeals to Finn for help. Finn finds himself pulled into the strange case, but the two quickly learn that someone is willing to go to great lengths to prevent them from learning the truth. Will they find Aunt Nola in time?
What I Liked:
*Born to Be a Cowboy is a book that starts out with a small town, cowboys and a suspenseful case. I was immediately drawn in by the mystery of what happened to Aunt Nola, plus I wanted to learn more about Finn and his troubled past.
*It isn’t often that I find cowboy romances with a suspenseful story line. I was pleased to find that this one had a strong mystery. The more Finn and Jessie poked around, the more dangerous things became. I was eager to learn the truth behind the case.
*I loved the strong family bonds in this one. I hadn’t read the two previous novels in this series so I wasn’t familiar with Finn and his brothers. The book opens with a heart wrenching scene as young, belligerent Finn tries to prove to his new adoptive father that he can do everything on his own, until he can’t. My heart immediately went out to Finn and his brothers, I wanted to know more. I liked that the brothers found a home with Mac, and I especially loved that they all were a tight knit family. I especially enjoyed the cozy scenes at the ranch when the family gathered for meals. It was delightful to see how the brothers were always there for each other.
*This is the third book in the series, but it reads as a stand alone. I had no trouble jumping in. I only wished that I knew more about the other two brothers and the stories behind their relationships.
*The book ends in a good spot. All the major questions are answered and the story concludes with a nice happy moment which is a relief after a bunch of ridiculous drama.
And The Not So Much:
*I thought the romance was too hurried. It felt way too much like insta love. I wanted more buildup and chemistry. I didn’t enjoy it. In my opinion it didn’t feel genuine. Finn is supposed to be this rough, tough man with a troubled past, but that doesn’t come through. Instead his character felt like a man written by a woman, if that makes sense.
*The mystery was interesting until the final third. Then things got ridiculous. I was so frustrated by Jessie and her stupidity. It was absolutely foolish the way she dropped everything and practically ran into the arms of the villain. Her common sense and intelligence went right out the window. I was disgusted. Things went downhill from there. I could barely skim the final portion I was so irritated by the dumbass decisions.
*After the silliness of the mystery is concluded, the reader is treated to another frustrating mess. The author throws in a pathetic romantic stumble. I don’t know why she decided to make a further mess of the story by adding this pitiful excuse for why they supposedly can’t be together. Ugh!

Born to Be a Cowboy is a book I wanted to like, as I was drawn in by Finn’s troubled past and the mystery and suspense. Unfortunately, the insta love romance was not for me. Then the book falls off the train track during the final portion when Jessie decides to act like a complete imbecile. The final chapters are ridiculous. This is a book I can’t recommend as I was irritated by too many things. Skip it.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

Everytime I read a book from this series, I always get hungry. I don't know if this author was a cookbook author before, but she sure knows how to describe food. Yumm!! Anyways, we are here to talk about the youngest of the Boys and his name is Finn Monroe. He was the quiet one of the bunch and his quiet, peaceful world is about to be turned upside down when Jessie enters his office asking for help. Jessie is afraid that her aunt is in serious trouble and she has traveled from another town to enlist Finn's legal counsel.

The story starts off with Jessie busting into Finn's office seeking help for her aunt. I instantly felt chemistry and I like the touch of mystery and thrill throughout this story. Jessie's aunt has been swooned by a sweet talking cowboy and Jessie thinks that she is in trouble. She has traveled hundreds of miles to enlist Finn's help and Finn is willing the help her. After a couple of brushes with death, Finn invites her to stay at his family's ranch to be safe and until she finds her aunt. As many of you may know, I love this mixed family and the love practically jump off the page. This is the 3rd installment in the series and this family is still going strong.

I liked the chemistry between Finn and Jessie because it wasn't overly sexy or cliché. It was natural and I liked how their romance bloomed into something explosive and their night in the cabin was hot. Though I liked them as a couple, Jessie was little annoying to me. She made very stupid decisions and when things go down, she doesn't think properly. Finn is hot, of course, and he is smart and strong. He wasn't an alpha and he was toned down from the rest of his brothers. He is the true hero of this story and he alone kept me going. This story also digs a little deep with Finn being the youngest of the boys and being separated from his brother at a young age before they found Mack's ranch. It really gave him depth and allowed me to relate to him on a personal level.

I genuinely enjoyed the book because it had twist and turns along with the race for time. The romance was good, but it didn't blow my mind and that's okay because the plot was solid. I would have to give this book a solid 4 because it was good and the family dynamic is unbelievable and it saves the day. Go pick it up!! Great Series.!!

I absolutely loved this series. I love hope Mac took these boys in and how Mac and his faithful hands made a family. I was very surprised by the ending. It is not how I would have expected it to end with Mac finding his long lost sister.

I highly recommend this book.

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

Didn’t expect a mystery romance novel. Love a book that catches my interest early on. Also like when a story has a supporting large family behind the main character. Surprisingly better than I expected. I will check out other books in this series and by R. C. Ryan.

Born to be a Cowboy is a sweet, feel-good romance between lawyer Finn Monroe (who also works at his family's ranch) and accountant Jessica Blair. Jessie's aunt has disappeared after marrying a mysterious cowboy, and while the aunt is supposedly just enjoying an extended honeymoon, the lack of communication makes Jessie suspicious. Unable to get local law enforcement to take her seriously, Jessie investigates her aunt's new husband on her own, which then leads her to Finn's office. 


The mystery itself is a bit cheesy. When the villain is revealed and the action ratchets up, one can almost picture him in a TV show like Dallas, twirling a gargantuan moustache while grinning evilly at the camera. The events that lead to the climactic confrontation are due to Jessie making a really stupid decision. She does redeem herself somewhat in that she wasn't fully a damsel in distress, but she shouldn't have placed herself in that situation in the first place. 

Still, I love the dynamic between Finn and Jessie, and I love how well they worked together. Finn was protective without being annoying about it, and apart from that one stupid decision, Jessie was overall a very smart and capable heroine. I love that she's an accountant, and that her finance skills turn out to be useful at the ranch.

I also love the family element. I haven't read the earlier books in this series, but I love the way Finn, his brothers and their adoptive parents are so affectionate and loyal with each other. They're the type to show up when someone in the family needs help, and I love how they all banded together to help Finn and Jessie. I also like how warm and welcoming they were to Jessie when she arrived -- even though she was supposedly just a client to Finn, they immediately treated her as a daughter / sister and made her feel at home. Finally, I love the fierce bond between Jessie and her aunt. Part of Jessie's reluctance to fall in love herself is that she's worried that her aunt would be lonely without her, and I found that really sweet.

+

Thank you to Forever Romance for an egalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

+

This review will go live on my blog Jan 15, 2020, 8 am ET.

This was an enjoyable book, particularly in the beginning. There is a little mystery and suspense to the story, although it was very easy to predict - but still, it gave some more interest to the plot and I enjoyed reading it even if I could see some of the "twists" coming.

What I liked about the book: I loved Finn and his whole family! This is the last book in the series, but the first one I read, and while it can definitely be read as a stand-alone, I enjoyed all the characters and would like to read more about their stories, and I think doing so would make this book even more enjoyable. I loved the Montana setting, and I liked R.C. Ryan's writing.

What I didn't like: I was loving this book up until about 70% of the way through, and then Jessie was just... so stupid in some of the choices she made throughout the rest of the book. I don't want to spoil anything so I can't really say more but I was shaking my head at her pretty hard the last 30% of the book.

Overall, this was a romance with some action and adventure as they try to track down a smooth-talking criminal who's been flying under the radar of the local police, and they try to save Jessie's aunt. I would recommend it and would read more books by this author!

Thank you NetGalley and Forever publishing for my advanced review copy, all opinions are my own.

Received in exchange for a honest review.

Finn shows us faith in someone when no one else does. He shows that he believed Jessie even when others didn’t. Finn was a serious but sweet cowboy. He and his brothers were adopted and he shows how grateful he is for this. His life turned around at that moment and he has never forgotten that. THe group of men that call them his family are fun, hardworking, understanding and loving. The social worker is family as well and you just fall in love with this group.

when Jessie comes into his office, he is skeptical at first but listens and searches for the truth. He feels a pull towards her as she does him but fights it at first so that he may do his job. Only the attraction can’t be fought as he learns more about her and the situation. Jessie’s only family is her aunt and she loves her like no other. Her aunt raised her and made her who she is and Jessie knows that she would never just walk away. Nor would she make ll the changes on the ranch. As Finn learns more, the danger to her aunt and everyone else increases and we see a nefarious plot playing out.

Jessie is smart and sweet. She is also tough as nails when needing to be. She loves her aunt fiercely and leaves no stone unturned when it comes to protecting and helping her. She also is attracted to Finn and as they get to know one another the attraction becomes more. She sees the good honest man he is. As he sees that in her. No matter what they feel though, her obligation is her aunt. You can tell that her aunt will come before herself no matter what.

The story is fun, flirty, loving and sexy. You fall in love with Finn and how he grew up and is with his brothers and Jessie. The story of helping Jessie is heartwarming but also intriguing. You can’t wait to see where they will go next and when he will give into his attraction. As the danger heightens so does the danger around them to others. You can kind of see the connection to what is happening with Finn’s family ranch but wonder. The threads of connection are intricately woven and you just fall more in love with the story and this family as it fleshes out. The romance is a slow burn and you feel for both of them for they are in a tough situation. I love Finn for all he did to show Jessie his love and respect for her.

A wonderful story from beginning to end that has you smile and want more.

When Jessie desperately begs for Finn's help in locating her lost aunt, he knows he needs to focus on the case at hand and not how attractive she is. He vows to honor the code of lawyer-client relationships, even if it goes against the very core of what he feels as a man. Jessie, distraught over the recent disappearance of her aunt, can't help but be drawn to Finn's magnetic personality, his capable skills as a lawyer, and his incredibly warm and loving family. When Finn uncovers just how much danger Jessie and her aunt are in, he and his family will stop at nothing to help them. Because it's not just her aunt's life on the line, but also Finn's heart...

Thoughts:
I really enjoyed the conclusion of this trilogy. Finn and Jessie are likeable characters and the Monroe family are easily to love. It was nice to see how the series' previous two couples are progressing in their lives, and how their current predicament ties into the family history was just an amazing plot twist. Lots of loose ends were tied up, parallels were made, and happy endings came to fruition. Was it a bit cheesy at times? Sure, but it was worth it!

I read this book as a stand alone, but now want to read the previous books. Wonderful characters, and an intriguing plot made this a terrific read.

After brothers Ben, Sam and Finn lost their parents, they went to live with their uncle, who was abusive. Eventually the abuse was brought to light by a teacher and they were put into foster care- still to be abused, but now seperated. So they ran away and ended up on the Holler
Creek, Montana ranch of Mackenzie Monroe, who had recently lost his wife and son. He adopted the hooligans and with the help of friends and his ranch hands, raised them to become impressive men.

This book is about Finn, the youngest. After Mac told him that he was smart, that brains win over brawn he thought that he could be as smart as Zachariah York, a lawyer, who lived at the ranch. Zachariah became his mentor and Finn did became a lawyer. One day into his office walks pretty Jessica Blair, another orphan who had been raised on a ranch near Arvis, another small town not far away, by her aunt Nola. Nola seems to have suddenly married a "smooth-talking cowboy", and has disappeared. Jessica took her concerns to the police, but they brushed her off. And this is where I have a problem with the story and only gave it 4 stars. If the ranch had been in the family for generations, then the police chief would have known both Nola and Jessica and would have been suspicious of the sudden wedding, too. After the police brushed her off, she hired a PI, who died in a hit-and-run right after telling her that he had news, and his briefcase had disappeared. Finn takes her case and then both Jessica and Finn's lives are threaten. Finn's family rallies around to help and he falls for her (the feeling is mutual), but his ethics about client-lawyer privilege keep them apart- until it doesn't.

This book has handsome cowboys with ethics, mystery, intrigue, danger and a HEA. I read an ARC from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

In my favorite of the Montana Strong trilogy, Finn Monroe gets his happily ever after.

Finn's story was more sensitive to me because, although a fantastic attorney, a well as doing more than his fair share at his family's ranch, there is a piece of him that remains broken. As a child, Finn and his brothers Ben and Sam led difficult lives and had experienced abuse. Mac Monroe not only took the boys in, but gave them his name, his love and his legacy.

His most recent case is with new client Jessica Blair. Her appeal is that her aunt is in trouble and that no one believes her or will assist her. Finn is a bit skeptical himself, but is willing to at least look into things. It doesn't take very long until something happens to Jessica and it soon proves that danger is close on Jessica's heels.

Meanwhile sparks begin to fly between Finn and Jessica. At first Finn is very reluctant to act on his feelings. If not for his own reluctance to believe that he could actually find the bliss his brothers have, his professionalism is very important to him.

This final story in the trilogy has the same level of suspense that the first two books have, and I enjoyed finding out what happened to Jessica's aunt. I also loved reading the "Aha" moment when Finn and Jessica "knew". To me, when reading a romance that is key.

I think any reader picking up this book should grab the first two books in the series, Cowboy on My Mind and The Cowboy Next Door and read them all in order. I recommend all three of these books and have found them to be a great reading experience and a nice escape on a cold winter day.

Many thanks to Forever and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.

One-time hellion turned ranch town lawyer and a woman in distress find themselves on a harrowing adventure when he takes her case. First time with the author and the series, but won’t be my last.
Review

Born to Be a Cowboy is the third, and I think, final book in the Montana Strong series. Finn is the last of three brothers adopted by Mac Monroe and, though standalone, this one wrapped up a few series threads, too. So, you can read it standalone, but there are some series mini-spoilers as well.

Finn Monroe grew up tough and mean until he and his older brothers landed with Mac Monroe on his ranch after the ran away from the last intolerable foster care situation. Mac’s big heart and patience won them over and, now, as an adult, Finn is a successful lawyer of their local community following in the footsteps of his mentor, Mac’s friend. One day, a distressed woman enters his office asking him to take her case when the police can’t help and her private investigator met with an accident. Her aunt who raised her has gone missing after quickly falling for one of her ranch hands, getting married, and now he is directing affairs from a distance. Finn is skeptical about her claims that something isn’t right when it might just be a case of sour grapes that someone else has replaced her with her aunt. But, his instinct tells him to believe her. His brothers and family tease that it doesn’t hurt that she’s gorgeous.

Jessie barely hires Finn to help find her aunt when she wakes to her motel burning down around her and he has moved her out to the family ranch and she’s re-settled in the midst of the warm-hearted, generous Monroes. Their unique family not by blood by choice resonates with her since that is what she had with her aunt. She has been living happily as an accountant away from the ranch, but always saw her Aunt Nola’s ranch as home. Now, Nola is missing and odd things are happening quickly not the least are the fatal accidents and near misses to anyone looking into the matter. Finn is determined to stand by her and get to the bottom of things. He’s attractive and protective, responsible, and has definitely lived down his past. She’s falling hard. Now if they can only survive to find her aunt.

I adore cowboy romance and small town modern westerns. But, pair that with a strong suspense element, and I couldn’t be happier. Even though this is book three and my first time with the author, I settled right in and enjoyed this one thoroughly. I have no idea if the previous two stories about Finn’s older brothers, Ben and Sam, have suspense elements, but I want to go back for them anyway. I loved the emphasis on this family of Mac and his three old friends on the ranch adopting and making a family with these three hellion boys who are now good men and finding love.

There was almost an even split between the romance and suspense elements though both developed at an even pace along with the intro to the setting and characters which made it a good standalone even if it also wrapped up the story of the three brothers and Mac, too, in the end.

There was a strong emphasis on Finn and his brothers having a rough past and turning out good that came up often, but it was swift and not dwelt on so didn’t get annoying. The characters were developed, but the story also didn’t delve deeply there focusing more on Jessie’s case, the family life, and the romance. I liked that all the elements were in balance and the pace felt right as everything moved forward. Jessie pulled a stupid near the end heightening the danger for both of them, but it also made sense the way she had been strung so tight all along about her aunt.

As to the romance, it came along out of initial attraction to them working together and then finally giving in to wanting to be together even if they were lawyer and client. If I had a niggle, it was toward the end. After all that came before it, this late inning barrier pops up on Jessie’s end and would have stayed up if family hadn’t intervened. It was one of those things that a person does impulsively and on reflection during calmer times, regrets, but they won’t take the step to fix either. This pair were good together all along and made sense as a couple.

All in all, it was a straight-forward, heartwarming story of family, suspense, and slightly spice romance that I settled into easily. I can definitely recommend it to those looking for a good cowboy romance and love a suspense element as well.

My thanks to Forever for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a few books by R.C. Ryan before and I do enjoy this author's writing very much so I couldn't wait to read this book.
I very much enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and the story.

I do recommend this one.

Mystery and romance between Jessica and Finn. This was my first book by R.C. Ryan and I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series!!! Read and enjoy!!!

Bone to Be a Cowboy is an entertaining romantic suspense. Great plot with believable characters l. I highly recommend this book. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Highly entertaining, sexy, fun, action packed and emotionally thrilling adventure filled with exciting charters, witty dialog, heart racing twists and undeniable passion.... was a great read from beginning to end. Really enjoyed this down home small town romantic journey!

Born to Be a Cowboy is the third book in R. C. Ryan's Montana Strong series. I haven't read the first two yet, but I didn't feel the least bit lost starting with this installment. Though this story does not take place anywhere near Christmas and there's a strong suspense component, its strong emphasis on family makes it perfect for this holiday season.

Finn Monroe was a sullen, wild young boy who is now a respected attorney in his small town while also working at his family's ranch. When Jessica Blair comes to his office seeking help because she believes her aunt is in trouble, he's sceptical but agrees to help her. Though attracted to each other, Finn wants to be professional and fights that pull. When it appears that both Jessie and Finn are being targeted by danger, Finn begins to think that Jessie's aunt might really be in trouble after all. As things become more dangerous, the two are drawn even closer together. Will they be destroyed before they can find love?

This was a fun and sweet romance with some suspense woven throughout that made it exciting. Finn and Jessie were exactly what each other needed. They both had difficult childhoods and found love and comfort in family. The most touching moments in the story dealt not with their romance, however; it was the close and loving Monroe family that was its heart and soul. The pleasure and joy they took in each other's company at meals was a huge part of the story. I do believe I need to go back and read the first two books so I can once again enjoy this delightful family.

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

Although this was the first book I read in this series and there are a lot of characters involved, I found it to be entertaining, easy to follow, and captivating. Each time I had to put the book down to do something in the real world, I was frustrated as I really wanted to know what happened next. I thought the characters were robust and consistent throughout the story, and I really enjoyed what each character brought to the book. I felt like the plot and the subplots were weaved together well and were easy to follow, which is not an easy feat with all of the characters that are involved in this book. I loved the romance, the suspense, the unexpected twists and turns, and especially the family plots in this story. A couple of times I felt the drama was enough but then kept on going, but it was wrapped up well and didn't detract from the overall plot. (Sorry, no spoilers here.) I absolutely recommend this book and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series!