This one fell a little flat for me. Not invested in the characters. There are much better cowboy romances.

This is a cowboy romance. I have to say I love this book so much. This is not like the other cowboy romance books I read recently. I love that is was also about saving the wolves, and there is a zoo in the book. So, there is a ton about different animals which I really loved. I also loved that the two people that fall in love had so much to get over. The characters in this book are very develope, and I fell in love with some of the characters. This is not your everyday cowboy romance. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Sourcebooks Casablanca) or author (Erin Marsh) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Wild Cowboy Country (Wild Cowboy Country #1). By Erin Marsh. Sourcebooks Casablanca. 2020 (ARC eBook).
Clay Stevens loves the cattle ranch he inherited from his late grandfather. He’s hardworking and capable, and trying to utilize the land to its best advantage. But to hear the community of Sagebrush Flats tell it, he never steps away from the computer, he wants nothing more than to eradicate all wolves and he’s guilty of every other loathsome thing that is to expected of a no-good Stevens. Clay and his nephew, Zach, have heard it all; and the town’s vitriol doesn’t let up when Zach accidentally causes injury to a litter of Mexican wolf pups and the town’s darling, Rocky Ridge National Park’s ecologist Lacey Montgomery. As Zach performs community services at a nearby zoo that Lacey is volunteering at while on sick leave, Clay and Lacey begin to settle their differences, but then wolf sightings on Clay’s ranch begin to increase, threatening his stock.

Clay and Lacey are a lot alike. They’re smart and stubborn characters and the building of the romance was done well as the two begin to reconcile what they thought they knew of each other with who they actually are. The unique snippets from the perspective of some pesky zoo animals offered some light-heartedness to the story. Overall, this read was an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.

A good start to the Wild Cowboy Country series. I enjoyed the story and the characters; however, I must say I did feel in part I was missing something with some of the support character. Overall, this is a good book and I look forward to reading more of the series.

‘Wild Cowboy Country‘ is a bit unique in the Modern Western Romance genre in that you’ll not only discover a sexy cowboy falling in love but some pretty amazing, often endangered animals being reintroduced to the wild or at least playing a large part in the plot. It didn’t take long for me to be totally hooked on this new series, and I’m betting that you’ll want more, too.

Before the actual review gets started let me clear up something that may confuse some readers, for ‘Wild Cowboy Country‘ does indeed at times read as though we should know certain people, animals, or events. That’s because this new series, under the Erin Marsh pen name, is set in the same town as Laurel Kerr’s ‘Where the Wild Hearts Are‘ series – same writer, two pen names. I’ve read the Laurel Kerr stories and would highly recommend them for they are good stories, and you’ll understand the underlying connections between the two series a bit better. Do you have to in order to enjoy this one? No, of course not. But a good story is always a treat so if you can I’d check out ‘Where the Wild Hearts Are‘ as well.

There are divisions in the small town of Sagebrush Flats, and Clay falls strongly on one side, Lacey firmly on the other. There are reasons, small towns being what they are – where everyone knows your business, even if they get it wrong. But right now the town’s golden girl, Lacey is determined to reestablish endangered wolves in the area, and some ranchers, Clay included, want nothing of wolves around their animals, endangered or not. A line is drawn in the sand for both sides. A standoff of sorts, until teens thinking they’re ‘helping’ the situation (or just getting into trouble) will cause major damage that not only gets the rare wolf pups hurt, but Lacey is injured as well.

Because ‘Wild Cowboy Country‘ isn’t your usual ‘cowboy romance’ I’m not going into any more details – you really need to fall into this world on your own. I’ll not steal one single chuckle, gasp, laugh, or tear from you as you get to know an amazing couple and the animals in their lives. I can say that you’ll enjoy yourself completely and be wishing for more. I had a blast, got to know Clay and Lacey well enough to understand their differences and celebrate when they found a way to merge their ways of thinking. If you’ve read the ‘Where the Wild Hearts Are‘ series, get ready to visit with some familiar faces.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Sparks fly in Erin Marsh’s immensely enjoyable contemporary romance, Wild Cowboy Country.

Clay Stevens has got a lot on his plate. Times are tough and he is putting his all into reclaiming his grandfather’s land and using techniques to bring water to the dry landscape that can hopefully give his business the boost it so badly needs. Clay is pinning all of his hopes onto this project and he hopes that nothing and nobody will come between him and making this objective of his a reality. Unfortunately for Clay, conservation officer Lacey Montgomery has got other ideas. Clay is obviously not best pleased that Lacey wants to derail all of his well thought out plans, but little does he realize that Lacey could be the one person capable of turning his entire life upside down.

Determined is Lacey Montgomery’s middle name. The feisty officer has plans to introduce wild wolves on Clay Stevens’ ranch and nothing and nobody is going to stop her from achieving this aim – not even a brooding rancher who is making her feel things she hasn’t felt in a long while. Lacey should focus on her objectives and forget all about Clay. The wolves are her priority not the sexy rancher she simply cannot stop herself from thinking about. However, fate seems determined to push her and Clay together and when resisting temptation proves absolutely impossible, they find themselves with no other option but to succumb to the attraction that
has flared between them.

But when a devastating accident threatens to jeopardise everything, can Lacey and Clay find a way to be together? Or will old wounds and community factions put paid to any hope they might have of a future together?

Wild Cowboy Country is not your typical cowboy romance, but it’s a touching, tender and heart-warming tale about starting over, courage, bravery and healing that is so poignant and captivating that once readers start reading it, they simply will not be able to put this book down.

Wild Cowboy Country features two brilliantly nuanced and flawed characters readers will just fall in love with and they will be rooting for Clay and Lacey and hoping that they get their much-deserved happy ending.

Erin Marsh was not a writer I was familiar with prior to reading Wild Cowboy Country, but I shall certainly be adding her name to my auto-buy list.

I found Wild Cowboy County to be a unique slow burn, small town, enemies to lovers cowboy romance.
The characters are varied, well developed and multifaceted. Whilst on the surface Lacey and Clay appear to be quite dissimilar they have a lot more in common than it first appears.
Lacey is a charismatic, charming, intelligent and likeable heroine. She’s very good at getting other to see her point of view, and be swayed to her way of thinking. She’s got quite a big heart and is quite the optimist.
Clay’s father financially ruined many of the townspeople and he’s had to pay the price with their prejudice towards him and his young nephew Zach. Both Clay and Zach had difficult upbringings, and face their fair share of demons. Under Clay’s gruff exterior is an intelligent and innovative cowboy, with a heart of gold.
At times I felt like this title was part of a series, and I’d missed a couple of titles, when previous couples were referenced.
Overall though I found this title to be an enjoyable and well written romance, and I will be looking to read future titles by Erin Marsh.

Clay Stevens wants to reclaim his Grandfather's land using the latest technology to bring in water. His ranch manager keeps putting up roadblocks and fighting him on everything. The only problem Clay has is the wolves bothering his cattle.
Lacey is a conservation officer and out to keep the wolves protected. She believes the ranchers and wolves can coexist.
Then Clay's nephew and friends cause a landslide that dangers a wolf and her pups which puts Lacey's life in danger.
The town already hates Clay and his family because of what his dad did to the town and he needs to prove he is not his dad. Including convincing Lacey's family. Lacey agrees that he is not his father and her family is not happy when they start spending time together.
I gave this a 5 star review because this book was so different than others. Lacey also helps out at a zoo where they take in injured animals and keep them there for breeding and the public to learn about animals. But the funny part is you are sometimes in the minds of these animals and what they are thinking. I laughed out loud several times.

When I read the book description of ‘Wild Cowboy Country’ a little while ago, I knew this was a book I wanted to read. I love Cowboy stories, and I love romance… So how could I not want to read this book? This was my first Erin Marsh read.

In ‘Wild Cowboy Country’ we meet Clay Stevens and Laney Montgomery. A view year back Clay inherited his grandfathers land, and he is determined to make it work. Unfortunately everyone in town only hears Clay’s last name, and are convinced he is just like his dad. Clay’s plans to make his place thrive get even more complicated when wolves are seen on his land.
Laney is the towns sweetheart and a conservation officer. She is determined to save the almost extinct wolves. And she isn’t afraid to tell Clay what she thinks.

‘Wild Cowboy Country’ is definitely a very nice, slow romance with a little suspense put into it. And I definitely enjoyed reading it. The two main characters Clay and Laney are both very different. They have been ‘fighting’ for years without ever really talking with each other. When they are forced to talk, due to a little accident caused by Clay’s nephew, they find out they are both not half as bad as they think.

I really enjoyed getting to know these characters. It was kind of sad to see how people treated Clay, only because of his father. He never got a chance to prove himself, and I loved how he still kept fighting to make things better.
Laney’s character was also fun to get to know. She was tough and hardworking and really fought for what she believed in. When Clay and Laney got closer and closer it definitely made me swoon.

The romance between Clay and Laney was very sweet. Their chemistry wasn’t one that flew of the pages in my opinion, but it was nice enough to keep me hooked and rooting for them. The suspense part was definitely fun too because I just didn’t expect it.

‘Wild Cowboy Country’ was a nice romantic read that kept me hooked to its pages.

Wild Cowboy Country by Erin Marsh is a cowboy romance, but a little different than they usually are. Lacey Montgomery is a park ranger, and mad about wolves . . . always has been. It is an unpopular stance in a ranching community but she has managed to sway nearly everyone to her side. Clay Stevens has nothing against wolves unless they come onto his property and kill his cattle. His nephew, Zach, could care less. When Lacey discovers her wolf cubs are in danger, everything changes for a lot of people, mostly directly Zach, who didn't run but stayed to save both the cubs and Lacey. These simple actions snowballs into a flurry of people changing their minds about a lot of things and a lot of people in their small community. Well worth reading on.

Lacey and Clay are both strong, opinionated people. Lacey has the personality to gather people to her side through her kindness and energy. Clay is much quieter, and sadly, used to people questioning his every move and believing the worst of him. Once they start talking, Lacey and Clay discover they have more things in common than not and Clay needs Lacey's sunshine in his life. Plus, she is opening pathways to his nephew, Zach, that he never hopes to see. Ones he can't lose. These developing relationships: Lacey-Clay, Clay-Zach, Lacey-Zach, and many at the zoo, almost overide the blossoming romance. It is a gratifying read, both in terms of wolf-recovery and awakening feelings. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of Wild Cowboy Country by Net galley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #wildcowboycountry

This is a great book. I love the story. I thought it is well written and it got me excited to read the next book in the series.

I do recommend it.

I’m such a fan of this author as I have read her previous series under her other name! I enjoyed reading Clay & Lacey’s slow burn/enemies to lover! *These are my favorite tropes!* Clay is our sexy grumpy cowboy hero who is trying to make better but gets a distraction in the form of wolf pups & Lacey! Lacey is our optimistic loving heroine do gooder! I loved watching these two come together despite all the obstacles the endure! They had some serious chemistry! I also believe that when Lacey got a head injury it was well done! I also adored that Erin kept with the cute animal thoughts in this book as well! It was such a wonderfully sweet story and I look forward to more coming from Erin!!

Wild Cowboy Country is the first book in Erin Marsh’s Wild Cowboy Country series, but the story feels like there are events and character that the reader should be familiar with before having read this book. I couldn’t help but wonder if there is an interconnecting series that the author should have advised readers to read first. I did enjoy this book but kept thinking I was missing something. Overall, an OK start to a new series, but there were timeline gaps.

WILD COWBOY COUNTRY has a lot of animals with human-like thoughts and actions as they relate to themselves, the other animals, and the humans who care for them. The honey badgers and wolf pups are adorable and funny. The zoo animals really steal the show and seem to be a good judge of character.

Zach is a troubled teen with a secret love of animals. He lives in the small town with his uncle, Clay. Zach gets into trouble but takes responsibility for it, unlike his friends, and ends up being assigned community service at the zoo thanks to Lacey, a conservation officer. (Though she is hurt while trying to save the wolf pups, she speaks up on Zach’s behalf.) There’s bad blood between Lacey’s and Clay’s families, but their attraction makes animosity difficult.

The story has multiple story lines going on that weave together nicely. Watching Clay and Lacey get closer one minute and further apart the next gives the story a hearty conflict and depth of emotion. Clay and Zach’s bond plays off Lacey’s and Zach’s bond, and the three of them provide some warm family moments. The story is rich in emotion and description, in particular the ranch, the zoo, and the animal life enhance the storytelling.

Erin Marsh is the pen name of Laurel Kerr, who has written two books in the WHERE THE WILD HEARTS ARE series. WILD COWBOY COUNTRY is supposed to be a new series and debut novel by Ms. Marsh, but it continues the series by Ms. Kerr in the same town, with the same businesses, characters and animals at the zoo. At the end of the book, the author states, “As I conclude my debut series…” which was a major disconnect for me. I would have preferred the same author for the series or let readers know they are connected. All in all, WILD COWBOY COUNTRY is a satisfying, emotional read.

Wild Cowboy Country is a bit different than the standard cowboy romances, at least the ones I've been reading. It seems to be a common thing for the land to be a big focus, but Erin Marsh goes a different way. Oh, the land is still important, but so are the animals, including the animals that aren't necessarily good for ranches. In this case it's wolves that give our couple a common goal. The story has a small town vibe, and since Clay and Lacey are on opposite sides, we get a bit of enemies to lovers romance. The characters are likable and well developed, and the story has a good pace and between the romance and the animals, it held my interest all the way through.

What a different story than I imagined reading. I love cowboy romances. A guilty pleasure for sure. But these cowboys in this new series by Erin Marsh have more than romance on their minds. They have a common goal - that of saving the wolves on their land.

One thing I found intriguing about this book is that the various wolves in this story have their own points of view. I loved that! Only in a couple of the books I have read in years past have done this.

But...this is a cowboy romance. We have Clay Stevens who is working hard to reclaim his grandfather’s land. His work on bringing water in with the difficult circumstances that he must deal with is interrupted when conservation officer Lacey Montgomery brings rare Mexican wolves into the picture. These wolf pups are the last thing that Clay needs to deal with. There is a side story to the wolves and the romance that is sure to develop. Lacey is working through a brain injury which was as a result of a concussion, so she is seriously dealing with the after effects of that.

Meanwhile, Clay has other duties, one involving the responsibility for his nephew Zach. Zach is a troubled teen, and one thing I really enjoyed about him in this story was his connection to Lacey (and the lobos). I loved how perceptive Lacey was as toZach’s behavior. So, this first book in this series is well-developed and does an excellent job tying all these stories together.

Readers can gain great perspective when there is an Author’s Note that often accompanies some books. The one here is eye-opening and explains how Erin Marsh wrote Lacey’s character and how she dealt with the effects of her concussion. Other areas of Ms. Marsh’s research while writing this book are noted, helping me appreciate this book all the more.

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

I thoroughly enjoyed Lacey and Clay's story! It was fun seeing them learn they had more in common than either expected and that an attraction could grow from being adversaries.

The themes of family, loyalty, and community also run through the story. I felt for Clay's experience as an outcast in town, his nephew Zach's difficult start to life, and Lacey's family tragedies.

I also enjoyed getting to return to the town of Sagebrush Flats and to revisit characters from the Where the Wild Hearts Are series the author writes under the name Laurel Kerr. She is a great storyteller and I am hoping for more books in both series!

This book had everything I love in a romance. Small-town drama, interesting family dynamics and an amazing romance (plus some adorable animals!).

I loved the enemies to lovers situation between Lacey and Clay and it was so much fun seeing how they became closer as their feelings for each other developed. The pacing of their relationship was great - slow enough to build the tension but fast enough to keep things interesting. Although I was a little worried about the conflict at first (I don't typically like books where one character immediately choses not to believe their love interest when something bad happens), I think it made total sense for their relationship, especially because of their history. I also enjoyed the dynamic in the town, where everyone is against Clay due to events that took place in the past. I feel like maybe that could have been expanded on a little more towards the end of the book, especially how the whole town came around to him in the end, but that's the only thing I would change about this book.

Aside from the main romance, I adored the side-plot with Clay's nephew Zach. It was so heartwarming and left me with a smile on my face. I also LOVED how much the animals were included in this book - even to the point where we get the perspectives of the animals during some scenes. Those parts always made me smile and it was a clever way of storytelling that wasn't overused and added a lot to the story, in my opinion.

This was my first book by Erin Marsh and although I was expecting to enjoy this just based on the premise, I wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did. These kinds of small-town, family-centric romances are some of my favourites and I would 100% recommend this if you typically like this kind of romance too.

*I received an ARC copy of this book on NetGalley for review (thank you!). All opinions are my own!*

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Romance

This is not your typical cowboy romance. Sure, it has a sexy man who wears a cowboy hat, rides a horse, and lives on a ranch, but there is so much more.

Clay wants to bring the ranch into the new century. He has some amazing ideas on how to do that, but given that his family, or rather, his father scammed a bunch of townspeople, nobody is willing to hear his plans out. Clay knows it's an uphill battle and the lobos are just part of the battle. His stock is very important to his ranch and with them being killed by wolves, he has to protect them. But that puts him in direct conflict with the town it girl.

Lacey loves her life. She also really loves her wolves. She has convinced many ranchers that they can coexist with the lobos and she's going to continue to fight for them. When she comes across some kids who are dangerously close to a den with new pups, she tries to get them to leave. However, when they damage the den, she jumps into action, becoming injured in the process.

Clay and Lacey are kind of thrown together. But their attraction is one that just can't be ignored. With Clay's nephew on the hook for damaging the den, everyone treks to the local animal rescue to help raise the baby lobos.

This story will get you to see the good in people. You'll love the animal interactions and want to see this couple, that is kind of like a pair of star-crossed lovers, win. It's has funny parts, serious parts, and steamy scenes. It'll warm your heart to see everyone involved.

A gorgeous read that had so many strands to it not only have you got the romance between Clay and Lacey You have her trying to reintroduce wolves to the area You have Clay's problems with the town after his father scammed so many of them You have Zack Clay's nephew who continually gets into trouble but who in the end shows his true colours A extremely well written book that kept me engaged throughout Looking forward to more books from this talented author

Clay and Lacey start off as enemies after all she wants to introduce wolves while he wants to use modern methods so he can use heavier stocking and if that isn't a recipe for a clash I don't know what is Zach creates plenty of drama but when push comes to shove he is the one to save Lacey from a landslide and slowly the town has to rethink its opinion of Clay and his family