Hello

Apologies for the late notice, but I have decided not to review this title. While I am certain it's obvious by now, I wanted to also clear this off NetGalley, so it's not showing as open for either of us.

Thanks,
Laura

3.5 stars rounded up.

Claire Kowalski is determined to find her Prince Charming, but after giving her heart to Ford Jarvis two years ago only to have him leave anyway, she’s not so sure she’ll find him. Now Ford is back in her small town of Big Verde, Texas, and Claire is determined to learn from her past mistakes, even though he still knows exactly how to get under her skin and becomes irresistible when her need for his help means spending quite a bit of time together.

Ford had no plans of returning to or remaining in Big Verde but when the Kowalskis need help, he can’t turn his back on them. He’s not thrilled at the reminders of the home and family that he’ll never be able to have, but he’ll stay on the ranch temporarily, just long enough to help Claire get things back on track. But in teaching Claire the ins and outs of being a ranch foreman, Ford finds his feelings for her are just as strong as they ever were and he begins to question everything he ever believed about what he wanted and could have in life, leaving him to finally fight to have a permanent home with the only woman he’s ever loved.

I must admit, for the first half of this book I could barely tolerate Claire. Her hostility toward Ford was understandable, but she complained about him treating her like a child when she did nothing but act like one. She knew about the experiences of his past and knew that a flood would be triggering for him, yet she still continued to give him a hard time about trying to keep her safe in the flood and brought up near-constant reminders for him. Her pomposity in the beginning made it hard to like her and her penchant for risk taking, which I think was meant to make her more dimensional and interesting somehow just didn’t have that effect for me. For a long time it was hard to see her as anything more than a spoiled princess and Ford was just sort of flat, with lack of emotion being his only characterization. All that said, they both grew on me. Claire really stepped up both with her family’s ranch and her ideas for diversifying it and with summoning the nerve to show Ford affection and love, even knowing that he’d probably still leave. Ford had a lot of baggage to deal with and was bogged down by his fear of failing someone he loved again. I would’ve loved to see more communication about this between him and Claire, though we did at least get a little bit near the end, it just seemed a bit short. Much of this story did seem to be rather unnecessarily drawn out and rather slow-paced, and the depiction of cancer treatment and battle was extremely difficult for me to read having just been through this situation personally. Overall, however, I was satisfied by this story and charmed by the supporting characters and the small-town setting that left me wishing I lived in a place like this.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I don’t read a lot of cowboy romances, but I had Book 2 & 3 of the Once Upon a Time in Texas series on my Netgalley shelf and my mood was right so I decided to dive into them. I was immediately drawn into ranch life on Rancho Canada Verde in the small Texas town of Big Verde. This small town and it’s quirky band of citizens stole my heart and I flew through both of these addicting books.

Cowboy Come Home is a steamy second chance romance between a sexy, commitment-phobe cowboy and Big Verde darling that he left behind. Since I hadn’t read Book 1, I did feel thrown into it a little bit and there were many characters to keep track of at the beginning. Also, the romance did seem to take a backseat to another plot line but I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything and I was 100% invested in all aspects of the story. I would have liked to have seen more romance, but I still loved the book as a whole!

Carly Bloom writes with so much humor and wit and I constantly find myself laughing and smiling, but there is plenty of heart and steam too! I hope there are more Big Verde books on the horizon!

Thank you so much Forever Pub and Netgalley for the gifted copy! All opinions are my own!

Cowboy Come Home is the second novel in Carly Bloom’s Once Upon a Time in Texas series. It’s a second chance romance between Claire Kowalski and Ford Jarvis, who has recently returned to Big Verde. Ford doesn’t plan to stay long, but with each day that passes, he seems to find more reasons to stick around.

Ford believes the men in his family are cursed and thinks that Claire deserved better than him (always a catnip trope for me). If you enjoy couples who just can’t seem to stay apart and pretend they’re just friends even as they keep accidentally making out, you’ll definitely enjoy these two. There are also plenty of delicious steamy scenes between the two.

As a queer reader, I will say I didn’t enjoy that a joyous moment for two queer side characters was upstaged by homophobia. It didn’t feel as though it served a larger purpose in the plot, beyond reminding the characters and the readers that homophobia exists. Similarly, Bubba’s frequent ignorant comments about queerness being played for laughs didn’t sit well with me.

I think fans of small town romances and cowboy romances will find a lot to love here. There’s a strong sense of community—especially seen here in the way they help each other after a major flood.

This book was a great read. The characters were great and they had very steamy chemistry. This is more of an adult book.

Nothing says summer than a Cowboy! This novel was amazing from start to finish! I loved the characters and their love story. I will definitely be looking into this author and their other novels! Highly recommend!

I love Claire- she is definitely the type of friend you need in your life. She's loyal, trustworthy, and willing to just be there when you need her. Ford was just the man to ride into her life and bring her her HEA.

Carly Bloom delivers just the right amount of humor in this cowboy romance. Claire and Ford are so stubbornly adorable that you want all of the banter and bickering, but you desperately want all of their heated kisses more.

I especially enjoyed experiencing the friendships between men - all of the teasing and friendly taunting to get a rise out of each other. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at their antics.

A Favorite Quote:
"Hey, I'm sorry if I'm flip and irreverent. It's what I do when I get nervous. Which is very unfortunate. You deserve a friend who can provide real comfort instead of just farting out of her mouth."
We all have this one friend and we love them for it.

Things that made me laugh:
The backstory of Ford's name
The "Sunday safety pin"
Claire's sparkly show chaps
The characters have a book club and there's one reader who didn't finish the book (that's real life y'all)

What I loved most about COWBOY COME HOME is that it's not just a second chance romance. It's about family and finding a place to belong. And it's about community and taking care of each other, and you can't help but feel like you're a part of it all.

I loved it!!!

Told from two perspectives, we have a ranch in trouble, a broken heart, a ton of cattle, plenty of superstitions and a cowboy back on the scene and believing himself cursed when it comes to matters of love. And if that’s not enough to get you intrigued, we can add in friends and family, a tough yet sweet heroine with guts and determination to burn and chemistry that steams up the pages.

Claire is twenty-nine, an only child, and the sole heir to the family ranch. But the ranch is in trouble and while Claire holds the ranch dear, she’s not quite experienced enough to be the boss in charge, and her father is aging. Enter (or re-enter) Ford. The cowboy who broke her heart years ago, brought in by her father because he’s the man for the job. And, hopefully this time he’ll stick around for more than a bit.

Ford loves Claire to death, but he’s convinced that he’s no good for her – in fact, he’s not cut out for love and romance of any kind. That’s why he left her years ago and took work, hopping from job to job and place to place, never allowing himself to get too involved. But, he never forgot Claire, and never let go of his belief that he’s cursed.

When you add in the ‘second chance’ elements here – pulled by their chemistry, and the perspectives of both of the characters, with Claire’s near frenetic determination to save her family’s ranch – the two must work together. But she’s constantly denying the pull, he’s determined to avoid her whenever possible, and when the two do meet – the sparks, and the dialogue is witty, sharp and pointed. Slowly but surely, they start to trust one another on a personal level, and the flames burn hot and fast. But with Ford struggling with his own issues while seeing the supportive friendships, camaraderie and love from friends and Claire’s family – it makes him want. Not just Claire, but the whole picture. If he can only trust in himself, even half as much as Claire seems to trust him – things would be better than good – they'd be explosive and for keeps.

A lovely story full of superstitions surrounding ranching and cattle, the business, friendship, family, examining loyalties and taking chances – as a couple that was meant to be shows passion, commitment and plenty of hope as they move forward.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aU4 /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

My favorite book in the series so far!

Claire and Ford's story was as little angsty, a lot of fun and extremely hot. I loved them together--their bickering, their unmistakable chemistry and that undeniable connection that shined through the page with their every interaction. I loved that the author didn't make it easy for these two to get together. Both were stubborn and had their own hang-ups (Ford) and assumptions (Claire). Neither one trusted what they felt, which made for some great introspection from both of them. Plus, their candid yet guarded conversations, paired with their flirty banter, were an amazing way to showcase how deeply their connection ran despite their continued efforts to convince themselves that their relationship was just "friends with benefits".

In the end, every element the author brought to the mix made the story flow seamlessly for me. I love it when a book has me laughing one minute and crying the next, it just makes me that much more invested in the story.

All in all, a wonderful story and a fantastic addition to the series!

I really liked this one! The world building is fantastic here and I always look more from it. Definitely recommend.

4.5 stars

After I read and loved Big Bad Cowboy so much, I was sure that Cowboy Come Home would be another amazing book. Carly Bloom did not disappoint!

Claire and Ford were hinted at previously and their second chance romance was so sweet. Claire was a smart, capable heroine who is someone I'd love to have as a friend. Ford was frustrating a couple times but he didn't have the best example of relationships and how to make a real commitment. I did really like, though, how he believed in Claire and never doubted her abilities.

In addition to the excellent romance there was lots of laughs, small town fun, and some great moments with the book club group.

I am so glad I found a new favorite author!

Cowboy Come Home is my first Carly Bloom book but certainly not my last!

I don't often read cowboy romances (definitely going to change that!) but I've seen Bloom's name around romancelandia for a while now so when I had the opportunity to request one of her books, I jumped on it. And thank goodness I did because this book was excellent. I really enjoyed dipping my toes into the cowboy romance genre with this one.

Bloom is a fantastic writer and I was immediately drawn into the story and second chance romance between Ford and Claire. Cowboy Come Home was a fun, sweet, and easy-going read; and even though this was the first book of Bloom's I'd read, it felt like 'coming home' with the way readers were immersed in each of the characters' lives (including the many side characters). There are several characters who I look forward to revisiting in Bloom's other books and hope to keep an eye on in Bloom's future books.

I can't wait to read more from Bloom in the future and would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cowboy romances, and/or fun, second chance contemporary romances!

Disclaimer: Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

My first cowboy romance and I liked it. I want to be part of this small town and this friend group! Enjoyed reading it

Cowboy Come Home by Carly Bloom is a Once Upon a Time in Texas novel. Claire Kowalski is looking for someone but it is obvious that looking on the Internet is not getting her anywhere. She had found the one, cone, but it turned out he didn't plan to settle down, so that left her out. Now Ford Jarvis was back, for six weeks at least, working on her father's ranch. She could stay out of his way that long, probably. She couldn't wait to get home to her little Airstream trailer, called Miss Daisy. Unfortunately a storm came up and she, unused to driving her brand-new Mini Cooper rather than the more practical pickup truck she had traded in drove right into a wash with water rising. She knew better. She got out and watched her lovely new car wash away. What to do? Luckily, along came Ford, having heard on the radio that her car had been found miles away and looking for her. They could not get to the other side of the wash and had no cell service so she could not let her parents know she was OK. Not that day, at least. Great, now here she was, stuck in a cabin with Ford Jarvis. Just what she needed?

This book is full of people with huge personalities. Ford was plagued by a curse, a curse, which kept him from settling down and had been passed down for generations. Amazing for a perfectly intelligent man is all other regards. Claire is creative and wants to keep her dad's ranch relevant. She is not really a rancher but a marketing genius that has already made Rancho Canada Verde a household name with her clever branding. She was also an outdoor girl whop climbed rocks and rode horses. When she heard her father was sick and considering selling up, she jumped in with both feet to save the ranch. This was not simple romance, but a touching story of family pride and setting long-term goals. Claire is in it for the long haul. Now, if only she could get Ford on board. What a terrific story. Good plot, interesting character, gorgeous setting. Everything is in place to make it a very satisfying modern cowboy novel. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of Cowboy Come Home by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #cowboycomehome

Usually second chance romance is a hard sell for me but I loved this one! Bloom's writing made this book an absolute joy to read and her characters and the bonds they share were heart warming.

I loved how there are so many different relationships explored in this novel; between lovers, friends, father-and-daughter, and I adored all of them. Claire is an amazing character and my heart hurt for all she went through -- and I truly wanted to smack Ford around the head a few times! And then kiss it better haha.

Their chemistry is off the charts! They sizzle in every scene they share together, even when one, or both of them are trying to deny their connection. When Ford comes back to the Ranch after leaving Claire she is determined to resist him, but it's a determination that doesn't last long in the face of Ford's caring nature.

One of my favourite aspects of this book is the sense of community everyone shares, the people in this town really do care for one another and in the face of a natural disaster they all come together to help. I really can't wait to be back here for the next one!

This book makes me want to read more cowboy romances!

The hero, Ford, is strong, troubled, and commitment phobic. He was scarred by an event that happened early in his life and because of this he finds it hard to commit. The heroine, Claire, is beautiful, strong, and capable of taking care of herself and her family. She puts her personal goals aside when her dad gets sick.

The steaminess level, (an open-door 4) was perfect. I loved the scenes where they were stuck in the cabin because of the weather. Oh my, what to do? What to do?

There was also a book club in this story. I usually read historical romance, so I loved that the book club read a Highlander romance; their discussion was so fun!

This is the second book in the Big Verde series and I loved these characters so much, I plan to go back and read the first.

I highly recommend this book to all romance readers!

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. If you want an entertaining and well written book this is it for you.

This book was a really fun and enjoyable read. The characters were relatable and had great depth. I definitely recommend it and will be ordering copies for my library.

Second chance romance is usually a hard sell for me but I absolutely loved this!

It does deal with some pretty heavy themes (caution for: grief, ailing parent with cancer, deceased sibling) but I felt they were all dealt with sensitively and with great care.

I have yet to read Big, Bad Cowboy but you can bet that I will definitely be getting to it in the future. This book takes place a couple of years after the first one but I wasn't confused at all going into it--even though the previous characters play a large part as secondary characters in this one.

One of the things I adored most about this book was the idea of family that runs through it. Ford is a man who comes from a very broken home, one that has twisted him into thinking he can never settle down. He thinks he is cursed, like his father who had a lot of kids with a lot of different women, and never stayed in the same place for long.

In contrast Claire is really close to her own parents, and her sense of home is very deep. The way she struggles when things go wrong was so heart-breaking and you find yourself really hoping she'll get a happy ending. She goes through a lot in this book but her determination and grit helps her to pull through and, honestly, I loved how she didn't need to rely on Ford for most of it, she could save herself on her own and, even though it was difficult for her, she carried on without him.

Ford was very frustrating. He makes a lot of mistakes and I actually think Claire forgives him a little too easily in places. I would have definitely held more of a grudge!

The TENSION between them though! These two were so tense right from the start. You could feel the sparks jumping off them. There weren't as many sexy times as I thought there would be, but what we did get was very satisfying and definitely hot!

I really enjoyed my time with this town and it's inhabitants, there are so many lovable characters and I found myself falling for all of them! I was so sad to leave and I'm also very, very glad Carly Bloom has another book coming out in this series soon, I look forward to reading more by her!