This book is a good fit for readers who enjoy romance novels about the allure of forbidden love, personal growth, and the complexities of relationships between brothers' best friends and younger sisters.

Lessons on rebellion might be exactly what she needed. Getting lessons from the man she always wanted could definitely become everything she imagined.

The Last Real Cowboy by Caitlin Crews is the third story in her Cold River Ranch series, set in Cold River Colorado. It’s a best friend’s sibling trope romance with two of the local ranching families, the Everett’s (of Cold River Ranch) and the Kittredge’s (of Kittredge Ranch) center stage while Brady Everett discovers that Amanda Kittredge isn’t a teenager anymore.
Amanda Kittredge, 22, is all grown up and desperate to get out from under the thumb of her older brothers Zack, Riley and Jensen. She also wishes that Riley’s best friend Brady would notice her, and not just think of her as Riley’s little sister. She’s been noticing him ever since she was a teenager but he continues to treat her as if she’s still in high school. In fact, he tends to lump her in with his niece Becca who is 16. Well, she’s had enough and to prove it, she decides to move out of the ranch and take an evening job at the Coyote, the seedier of the two bars in town. She already works at a coffee shop full time, and she’s been saving money to move out. And she’s rented the apartment above the Coyote too. Her brothers are furious but unable to do anything about it.
No-one is more stunned to see Amanda tending bar at the Coyote than Brady. This bar is his hideout from his two brothers, Gray and Ty, with whom he has inherited the ranch after his emotionally abusive father died the previous year. Which is not to say that he doesn’t get along with his brothers most of the time, just that they have different ideas about what to do with the ranch and Brady, who’d spent the last several years as a businessman in Denver, has struggled with bad memories during the time he’s been back. The Coyote is where Brady usually picks up women (sometimes even the bartenders themselves) but the last thing he expects is to see is Amanda, dressed up like a hot bartender (because she is in fact a hot bartender) and his world gets turned upside down.
Things get more complicated when Riley expects Brady to keep an eye on Amanda and warn off any would be suitors that might approach her at the Coyote, while Amanda, seeing that Brady is finally aware of her as a woman, takes this opportunity to convince Brady that he should be the one to teach her about sex, since with all her protective older brothers she’s never gotten the chance to even date anyone. And Brady, despite the knowledge that he’s betraying Riley’s faith in him, can’t resist Amanda, leading to a secret, passionate affair. But he’s not planning to stick around and he knows Amanda deserves better than him and that once he’s gone, she’ll find the right person to be with. But what if he decides not to leave?
This story delivered pretty much what I expected. It’s a stereotypical small town in the American west, a stereotypical cowboy romance, the expected ‘brothers are going to be mad that their friend is interested in their younger sister’ trope. I liked Brady and Amanda as characters and while Amanda’s story arc is straightforward (her rebellion, getting Brady to notice her, aiming for an HEA), Brady goes through more of an emotional upheaval dealing with his past, his poor relationship with his now deceased father and how it’s still impacting him now. I appreciated how Amanda sticks up for Brady, not just against her brothers (to be expected) but also against Brady’s family who she rightly calls out for how they’ve mistreated him. Interestingly while things are hot and heavy for Brady and Amanda for the first two thirds of the story, the last section is where there is less of a sex focus and more of a relationship focus, leading to their eventual happy ending. This is the end of the Cold River Ranch series and leads into the Kittredge Ranch series, where Amanda’s brothers will get their own headaches as they deal with their own love lives. It's an enjoyable read with no big surprises, and there are good odds I’ll read more about these two families.

This review will be posted at All About Romance and feedback updated with the link.

Book 3 of the Cold River Ranch Series follows Amanda and Brady. Amanda is Bradys best friends little sister. She knows nothing should or could come of her feelings for Brady but, what if a little fun was ok? Brady doesn't want to be home, working the family land or dealing with Amanda who is no longer a child. Will he risk his relationships to give in to Amandas' advances, if he does will it ruin everything? What do you think?

This is the third installment in this series and finishes out the Everett brothers and intertwines their family with the Kittridge family. Amanda is the younger sister of Brady's best friend and she has always had a crush on Brady. He has never looked at her as anything other than a kid until he has his eyes opened and realizes she has grown up suddenly or not so suddenly. Amanda cannot take living at home any longer and moves into town and goes to work at The Coyote so she can rent the apartment above and all bets are off when her brothers find out but she can certainly stand up for herself. When Brady decides he is going to look out for her she calls his bluff and they strike up a bet. Suddenly he is teaching her all she wants to know while still trying to keep his heart out of it. He does not feel he deserves love. Two strong willed individuals can only mean they will spark and explode. Will they survive themselves and the outcome of their respective families?

At this time, as I am guessing is obvious by the publication date that was literally years ago, I have decided not to review this title.

Technically, I made this decision a while ago, but was not as prompt with sending feedback as I should have been. My apologies for the delay, as well as clogging up your inbox with this very late review response.

As always, while incredibly late, I thank you for the opportunity to read and review one of your titles.

Laura

I'm currently clearing out all of the books that were published in 2019-20 from my title feedback view!

This is book 3 in the Cold River Ranch series. Amanda is trying to be independent, but when her brother's best friend comes back into the picture, she can't help but see if her crush can go somewhere. Brady isn't so sure that he wants the crush to go anywhere, but can he actually resist?

This is the 3rd book in the Cold River Ranch series and I want to pick up the first 2 so I can re-read this again!
It can be read as a stand-alone, however I'm the type that needs to read them all in order or I get thinking about what I missed if other characters are mentioned. Needless to say I will be grabbing all of them - the first is a CHRISTMAS BOOK - my absolute FAV!

As I was reading this, it hit all the marks of a good story for me - fun, twists, romance, rivalry - and an easy read, which is what I wanted to have in my hands when I picked this up.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review. Please excuse my tardiness in posting my review as my TBR continuously grows and I keep finding so many book with so little time!

So much gratitude for this copy shared with me, always xo

The Last Real Cowboy is kinda like riding learning to ride a horse, the tempo can be all over the place. As can the characters in this book, but rest assured whatever emotion they are experiencing you are going to hear about it. Sometimes this is good (especially for those one-on-one times), sometimes it can lead to long-winded and unnecessary soliloquies.
Amanda and Brady are the youngest members of their families and their petulance can delve into whininess, but this leads to character arcs that begin to demonstrate growth and maturity late in the third act. Perhaps too late, as it is hard to buy them as a couple when there is not enough drawing them together (aside from the physical attraction). As main characters, they are a bit underwhelming. They have secondary character personas that don't meet main character expectations. Brady is touted as a renaissance man, perhaps a fish out of the water, but aside from a few mentions of his business prowess, his backstory is thin. Same with Amanda, there is a hint of her rebellious nature, but aside from moving out of her parent's home, there is little else to support this claim. However, it is the long monologues that provide some satisfaction and HEA.

This is the story of Amanda, the only girl in the Kittredge family, and Brady, the youngest member of the Everett siblings. Each one struggles to find their place in their respective families and the community. Amanda has had a crush on Brady for years while Brady regarded her as her best friend's baby sister. Things are about to change!

I found The Last Real Cowboy entertaining, with a strong plot and great characters. However,, there were times when I found the verbiage somewhat stilted, where a paragraph was made of numerous phrases, instead of complete sentences. Also, I found myself scanning entire paragraphs because the information they contained was superfluous and unnecessary. With that said, I rate this novel a 4 star book and worth reading!

Caitlin Crews third book, The Last Real Cowboy, in the Cold River Ranch series was the perfect ending to what was a thoroughly enjoyable time spent with the Everett brothers, Gray, Ty, and Brady and their wives, Abby, Hannah, and Amanda.

Brady and Amanda’s story in The Last Real Cowboy was rife with emotions, tension, and outstanding romance. The banter between the Everett brothers was touching, often times heartbreaking, but as the brothers resolved their last issues, surrounding their animal of a father, became downright heartwarming. The banter between Brady and Amanda’s (and Amanda’s with her own brothers) four brothers, Zack, Connor, Jensen, and Riley, was off the charts…there’s nothing like familial banter to bring out the hilarity in a story.

All in all, this has been a story that’ll join the other two in the series that stayed with me long after I finished reading it.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

I loved the characters and the storyline development of this book. It was absolutely one of my favorites so far and I can't wait to delve in to the next one that this author writes. The storyline was simple, enjoyable, and entertaining. The characters were complex while being completely entertaining.

This book was so entertaining. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and was involved until the end. The characters were complex and interesting. I found the story to be well paced and engrossing throughout the whole book. I was invested in the couple throughout the book and felt all the emotions through both the highs and lows of the story.The side characters were such an integral part of this story as well. This is the love story i needed to read at this time. If you want an entertaining and well written book this is it for you

THE LAST REAL COWBOY - Caitlin Crews

#3 in the Cold River Ranch romance series

GREAT CHARACTERS - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - Brady is the youngest Everett brother, the one who escaped to Denver, went to college, and became successful. Although he's resentful about coming home to the ranch for a year, he agrees. Amanda is their neighbor, and she's cute and attractive. But she also has 4 older brothers who think of her as a child, and the rest of town thinks so too. But Brady sees beyond that and sees the woman beneath.

Writing - 4 stars - As always, with these later works, Crews captures my attention with a warm introduction to attractive and appealing characters. There's some action, but most of the book is about the relationships and interactions.

Characters - 4.5 stars - Brady hasn't been very nice in the first two books in this series, but now we finally get to know him better. He wants to be a loving family man, but he's convinced himself that he's as bad and destructive as his father was, thinking he doesn't deserve happiness. Along comes Amanda, the cute and happy baby sister of his best friend. And he can't help but be attracted to her sunshine and warmth. I love Amanda who has a tough core inside a totally nice exterior.

Title - 3.5 stars - I'm not sure why Brady is considered the last real cowboy. He's definitely a cowboy and realizes that he really is a cowboy as opposed to the financial whiz persona that he is in Denver.

Cover - 4 stars - A good-looking cowboy who looks a lot like I pictured Brady in my head. I like that he's wearing a shirt and not walking around with naked abs like many romance covers have. Nothing wrong with naked male abs, but this seems much more realistic and just as sexy.

Overall - 4 stars - This is the 3rd (and final) book of the Cold River Ranch series, and I liked it very much. Brady is a good hero--strong yet vulnerable, loving yet unsure of himself. He's a natural cowboy who escaped out of his element, but now he's back and is finding himself more comfortable than he expected in his rancher role. Amanda is adorable, and I loved how strong and protective she was of Brady. She's independent, but she's struggling against the smothering of her over-protective family. Brady and Amanda made a cute couple, and their problems made sense because of the perceptions their families. It was difficult to watch how badly Gray and Ty treated Brady, and I was so happy that Amanda defended him. And, of course, it was great that Brady insisted on getting the blessings of her crazy brothers. Now that we've been introduced to the Kittredge's, I'm looking forward to reading the related spin-off series about them.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The cover is nice! I mean a gorgeous cowboy & beautiful sky. Can't really wrong there.

This was my first book by the author, so I wasn't too sure of what to expect.
Their writing style is great.
The storyline flowed easily and was easy to follow.
The characters were well-developed and easy to relate to in some ways.

I'll definitely be looking out for other work by this author.

A wonderful conclusion to the Everett brothers' stories and a nice introduction to the Kittredges.

I really liked that Brady's journey was also about finding his place in the family and facing his family issues. That was as big a part of the story him falling in love with Amanda.

Amanda, like the other heroines in the series, has a strength about her. She is going after what she wants, and in this case it's her older brothers' best friend Brady. She's independent and looking to spread her wings away from her brothers trying to control her life.

The middle of the book felt a little bit long, but overall their story was great. Brady and Amanda were sweet together and I liked getting to know her brothers. I can't wait to read their stories!

This is book 3 in the Cold River Ranch series by Caitlin Crews and I want to say that I am glad that I am finished with this book. This has to be my least favorite installment because their characters were not written very well. Now let's not get ahead of ourselves, let me tell you about the story first before I give you the lowdown about this story. Brady Everett is the youngest of the bunch and after their father passes away, Brady is back to pick up the pieces. Brady has agreed to work on the ranch for a year before deciding what to do with his share of the Everett land. One of the major disadvantages of living in a small town is not being seen as a twelve year old when you are 22! Amanda just wants to be seen as adult and to be independent away from her overbearing brothers and their protective grasp. Amanda has been watching Brady since forever and she just wants him to see her as a woman. Will Brady ever see her as a woman and not his best friend's pesky little sister?

Amanda is a virgin and she only wants one man to have it and that is Brady. Brady knows that this is a bad idea, but he can't resist this feisty, beautiful girl who has grown into a full fledge woman. While Brady and Amanda heat up the sheets, Brady's brothers are building their families and treats Brady like an outsider. Riley, Amanda older brother, asked Brady to look out for Amanda after she decides to move out on her own to have independence and she also gets a job at a risky bar in town. Feelings start to form and Brady is genuinely afraid that he will end up like his father, not able to hold on to a relationship and a violent drunk. The entirety of the book is them messing around while Amanda develops genuine feelings and while Brady fights his inner demons.

The overall story was okay and it really did not make me feel anything. There was so much monologue and I honestly had no idea what the characters looked like. I felt like I barely knew the characters and I was not rooting for them at all, which is horrible for the main couple in the story. This installment, like the others, are solely dedicated to the father, even though we never met him. I did not feel the chemistry between the characters and I was more intrigued by Riley and his ex wife more than anything else. I feel that Amanda had more character development than Brady and she was strong and I loved how she stood up to her brothers and Brady's as well. Brady as the hero did not carry this story, which is unfortunate. The ending felt a little rushed and I was glad when I was finished with the story.


As I said before, this story was okay and I wouldn't rush to read it. I will give this story 3 stars at best. I was more interested in Riley's love story than Brady and Amanda's. I believe that their story will be soon released and I will take a chance and read their story because it intrigued me.

Really enjoyed this book. I actually read a later book in the series first then came back to this one. They both read well as a standalone. I'm finding this author's characterisation very thorough and meaningful, and am enjoying her writing very much. I'll continue reading books in this series.

I thought this was a good read! The writing flowed well, and I liked Brady and Amanda together. I couldn't imagine being in Amanda's situation. It was frustrating reading it, so living it would be crazy. Her brothers (not even her parents) were the most overbearing people ever. Treating her at 22 like she was 13. I cheered for her along the way, because I loved that she was gaining her independence. Brady was fighting a lot of demons, and didn't feel like he deserved a happily ever after. His brothers didn't help any, and it was sad to see them treat Brady the way they did. When Amanda comes to his defense in the middle of all his family, I was SO happy. It was about time they got their eyes opened. I was also a little disappointed in Abby during that argument. She acted like Brady and Amanda were horrible people, and that Amanda didn't know what she was talking about. It was nice to finally see everything come to a head, and the brothers get to move on. After that I did get frustrated with Brady. I get that he was trying to help their situation, but it was hurtful to Amanda, and he NEVER asked her what she wanted to do. There are 2 people in a relationship, and it's not fair for one person to make all the decisions. They do eventually get to their HEA, and the ending was sweet.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.