I've been reading R.C. Ryan books for a number of years now, and I can always count on a heartfelt, family-centric story, with a sweet and steamy romance. It's why she's a go-to author. And it's what I got here, in This Cowboy of Mine. It was a fun and easy read—one that I thoroughly enjoyed, even as I wished for a little more from it.

Kirby and Casey got off to a strong start—their meet-cute was quirky and different, and y'all, there's just something about a big, bad cowboy who is tender and gentle with animals. Oh yes, I most definitely swooned for Casey Merrick. You can't blame me for that.

Nor can you blame me for rushing through to the ending of This Cowboy of Mine. I had a sense of the direction it was going, and really wanted to know if I was right. Unfortunately, it lagged some between excellent beginning and fast-paced (and perhaps a little overmuch) ending, and although I love the Merrick family and their dynamic, it did feel like there was too much focus on that, and not quite enough on our lovers.

Having said that, I cannot deny that this was a book I like to call a "good time reading." And I wouldn't want to, either. There is a lot to enjoy about Casey and Kirby, and this story and series, and I look forward to reading more from one of my go-to authors for cowboy romances in the future.

I was excited to get back to The Wranglers of Wyoming series and the Merrick family. This is a great family and it's always fun to revisit them.

Casey Merrick is a vet and rancher. He's the middle child and he loves to be able to get away into the hills to clear his head and spend time in nature. When he encounters an injured wild horse, he knows he won't be able to get her home and the vet in him won't allow him to leave her. He finds a cave where he can stay with the injured horse and his horse Solitaire.

Kirby Regan has returned to Wyoming after many years away working in Washington DC. When she was small and her parents passed away, she came to Wyoming to live with her Uncle on his ranch. Now that he has passed, she wants to buy the ranch from her cousin and put roots down where she grew up. With a new job counting herds of wild horses, she sets out on her first outing, but when she injures herself and finds out there is an escaped convict on the loose, she realizes she's going to need to seek shelter, she finds the closest place she can - a cave.

When Kirby and Casey first meet, it isn't under the best circumstances. They finally get that all worked out and they end up finding that spending time together is really easy. As things begin to unfold after they come down from the mountain, Kirby finds herself in need of a place to stay, so the Merrick's take her in. She and Casey continue to grow closer, but will they allow themselves to give in to what is developing between them?

I enjoyed this tale and I definitely look forward to reading more about this family!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

I'm torn with my like for this book. I love re premise and thought the author has done a good job bringing these 2 characters together. They had an easy friendship but I had a hard time connecting them on a romance level.
There was suspense laced throughout the book but it was rather subtle until the end and the obvious storyline.
My biggest issue with the book was the overall happiness with the characters. They were a little to perfect for me.

I received a complimentary copy of This Cowboy of Mine in exchange for an honest review. This book had amazing potential. The plot setup was everything I could hope for. Casey was spending alone time hiking in the Grand Tetons near his family's ranch, while Casey was hiking the same area for her job counting wild horses. Their meeting was definitely unique, and kept me engaged and wanting more.

However, once the couple came down from the mountains this novel took a nosedive. The relationship between Casey and Kirby was lost in an entire tribe of Casey's family that all lived on the ranch, and in the same home with their private chef Billy. The remainder of the book was focused mostly on all of the relatives while they shared meals, took a family trip into town for shopping and running errands, and their constant meddling. There was only one small deviation from the family where Kirby and Casey snuck back to the mountains for a quick retreat alone.

The grand finale was also equally as disappointing, and not very realistic. Casey's extended family was just awful. If only the focus would have stayed on the couple and eliminated anything more than mentioning Casey's family, this would have been a 6 star book.

Kirby Regan has recently moved back to Wyoming in hopes of purchasing the ranch where she grew up. Her new job takes her into the wilderness to observe Mustangs. Veterinarian Casey Merrick has also ventured into the same wilderness in search of a Mustang he saved as a child. Caught in a snowstorm, Kirby is injured and seeks shelter in a cave where she finds Casey. Trapped together with a convict on the loose, will these two find love?

I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't. Due to the description, I expected a romantic suspense but found this book boring. I didn't sense any chemistry between Kirby and Casey and found the characters dull. The dialogue was dreadful, the family jokes weren't funny and I was so bored I struggled to finish the book.

# This Cowboy of Mine # NetGalley

Whoever posed for the cover is delicious. The physical look is backed up by the character of Casey. He is a yummy cowboy. I like the Merrick family. Casey's world changed in an instant when a woman charged into a cave during a blizzard, brandishing a gun. Kirby and Casey were looking for each other without knowing it. I liked their rapport. I still liked the frizzed great grandpa Ham the best. I hope Bo finds love again. The food cooked by Billy made me hungry. If your end looking for a feel good story about a family that protects its own, you've found it.

This Cowboy of Mine is a story about the strong bonds of family through good and bad, with the mystery of an escaped murderer thrown in to add tension to a developing love story between veterinarian Casey Merrick and Kirby Regan, who has returned to Wyoming hoping to buy her late uncle’s ranch. This is the second book in the author’s series about the Merrick family. It is well written, the dialogue runs true, and the family interaction between diverse members is a wonderful feature. This is a sweet romance with a heavy dose danger. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Highly recommend.

Kirby Regan lost her parents when she was young and went to live with her uncle on his ranch in Wyoming. After his death she decided to leave her job in Washington D.C. thinking her uncle's daughter would sell the ranch to her. While counting herds of wild horses for her job a snow storm blew in and Kirby was forced to find shelter in a cave. That cave was already occupied by rancher and veterinarian Casey Merrick. Casey had found an injured wild horse and was treating the horse while sheltering from the storm in the cave. I like how this author had her heroine and hero meet. Both characters are nature lovers and animal lovers so they fit well together. The threat of an escaped murderer injected suspense into the story and I enjoyed that aspect. It was entertaining reading about Kirby and Casey falling in love and getting their Happily Ever After.

I have been waiting for more about the Merrick family! Casey is the local Vet and the middle brother of the fourth generation of Merricks. He is passionate about animals, the outdoors, and his family. When he sets out in to the outdoors to recharge his batteries and reconnect with the herd of mustangs he has followed for years, he finds an injured horse and takes shelter in a cave over night to help the horse. Kirby takes shelter in that same cave after taking a bad fall and injuring her ankle while coming down the mountain after learning an escaped convict is on the loose in the area.

Kirby is sweet and loves the outdoors and Wyoming just as much as Casey. She is back in Wyoming after her uncle passed away with hopes of taking over his ranch. She has a job in the local branch of the Bureau of Land Management and is out taking a census of local wild mustang herds when she meets Casey. A series of events brings Casey and Kirby closer together. Through Casey, Kirby finds a sense of family that she hasn't ever had. And with Kirby, Casey find a new sense of home and connection. They are truly adorable together - especially with Casey's family teasing them and inadvertently keeping them apart.

I definitely give this entry a solid 3.5 stars of fabulous cowboy goodness. I'd still like to read more about the family and hopefully see Liz and Bo find some happiness and love again too!

The only thing I will say - is I didn't feel as much depth in these characters as I did in the first story in this series. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of them along the way - and hopefully find out more about what happened with the fire that killed Bo's wife Leigh.

I did receive this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.