Can I keep this cowboy? LOL.

Seriously, Hedlund writes such amazing stories. She keeps the romance hot, and still clean. Girls, you need a fan nearby! A Cowboy for Keeps is sure to give romance readers everything they want in their hunky hero!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was super excited for this book and it does not disappoint! A Cowboy for Keeps is the first book in Jody Hedlund’s Colorado Cowboys series. It took me a little longer to get into A Cowboy for Keeps, but once I started I was hooked. As always, I love the characters and the plot.
Greta Nilsson was just trying her best to care for her sister, but she was tired and things were not going her way. She had traveled to Fairplay Colorado as a mail order bride in order to meet her husband to be. But upon arrival she found that the man she was promised to had died. She finds herself homeless and penniless with her sister, Astrid to care for. Wyatt McQuiad was struggling to get his new ranch up and running. He ends up in the most unlikely of bargains with the mayor. The mayor will invest in a herd of cattle for Wyatt if Wyatt agrees to marry and start a family with Greta. After all, the mayor has agreed to help Greta, and Wyatt is the perfect man.
Greta was working so hard to care for her sister, but it was also tiring. When she marries Wyatt, she tries her best to make sure that she is useful. She is worried that if she doesn't do her part, he will ask her to leave, after all they don’t really have a real marriage. I really liked Greta. She was a hard worker and she really cared for her sister. She was scared of being a burden, so she tried to earn her keep. She was a character who I could relate to, because I too want to be useful and help others. She was strong and stubborn. But she had to learn to trust Wyatt and to understand that she cannot heal her sister. Greta had to learn to trust God and his plan, letting herself learn to love.
Wyatt was such a strong guy. He had left home a couple of years ago and he was trying his best to get himself going so that he could have his mom and siblings come. He was kind of gruff, but he was also a sweetheart. At first he didn't know what to do with Greta and Astrid, but the more time he spent with them he began to see them as his family. He was the type of guy who wanted to do everything himself, but he had to learn to accept Greta’s help and maybe learn what it meant to love her. He had to see that God was in control and that he couldn't control his life, no matter how hard he tried.
As always, I love the characters that Ms. Hedlund writes. Astrid and Judd were such fun characters! Astrid was super sweet and mischievous and although she was sick, she was fearless. I found Judd, Wyatt’s right hand man, to be such a nice guy and I adored his relationship with Astrid. Greta and Astrid became Judd's family too. Judd was super helpful to both Greta and Wyatt. The Mayor was kind of conniving, but I also sort of liked him. He wasn’t the worst.
Two of my favorite quotes were from Judd, he reminded Wyatt that even life was hard you could still make things work. “Things always go wrong. Just the way it is in a broken world.” and “We can call it rubbish and throw it away. Or we can pick it up and fix it as best we can.” Judd helped Wyatt see that even broken things can be mended.
Greta and Wyatt had to figure out how to make their marriage work and how to save his ranch. There were people who wanted Wyatt gone and they had to learn to work together no matter their differences. I loved A Cowboy for Keeps! It was super interesting and so romantic. Great and Wyatt were such a cute couple! I would definitely recommend this book and I can't wait to read the next book!

First sentence: "Stop or we'll shoot!" A dozen feet up Kenosha Pass, three robbers with flour sacks over their heads blocked the way, their revolvers outstretched.

Premise/plot: Greta Nilsson is taking her younger sister, Astrid, to Colorado in an attempt to manage--possibly cure--her consumption. She is going as a mail order bride. However, the stage coach she's traveling on is robbed, and the man she's supposed to marry is believed to be dead. So what's a young, desperate woman supposed to do in such a situation? Mr. Steele (who lives in the town and was traveling back home on the stage coach) has an idea. He approaches, Wyatt McQuaid, a local rancher (or would-be rancher) with a proposition. If he will "do the right thing" and marry this stranger who's awfully pretty and sweet, he'll help Wyatt pay for the cattle he (desperately) needs to make his ranch a success. The two wed that very day...

But Wyatt feels the only decent thing to do is to keep the relationship platonic for a couple of months until they know they will suit. He wants her to have the freedom to leave with Astrid if she decides thats for the best. She's a bit confused as to why he is leaving their marriage with a big old question mark. But maybe he knows best?

Will these two get their happily ever after? Will their marriage of convenience prove a love match?

My thoughts: Halfway through this novel--there about--and I'd have sworn on a stack of Bibles (not really) that this would be a five star read. It was DELIGHTFUL. I didn't have any doubts that I would end up loving--no adoring--this book. It seemed like a sure enough thing.

I honestly DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

You've probably heard the line about throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. It's like the author was throwing EVERY possible plot device or cliche at the wall to see what would stick. And possibly the things that didn't stick were wildfires, arson, earthquakes, avalanches, kidnapping, and flooding. But the truth is TOO much ended up sticking. And instead of their being just the right amount of tension--will they, won't they--in this romance, it's a ridiculous mess.

absolutely love western historical fiction, especially set during the Civil War era, and this book did not disappoint! This story truly had it all, from a mail order bride to a marriage of convenience. I loved how Wyatt was strong and capable, but still had a soft, vulnerable side. Greta was a perfect heroine, being a devoted sister, smart, industrious, and loving. The romance between the two was a slow burn, very appealing and the perfect amount. The details were spot on and made the story come alive, especially the beautiful Colorado setting. I truly can’t wait to read about the other brothers in this series, and I hope Judd is in all the other books! I loved him

I think this may be her first venture into Westerns, but she brings her wealth of excellent writing to this genre. I enjoyed the storyline, the characters, and the narrative. I am looking forward to future books in this series!

This is a lovely Christian, Historical Romance. My rating 4.5.

Greta agreed to move west to Colorado as a mail order bride. She is willing to marry a stranger in hopes that the weather in the west will help her little sister, Astrid. A day away from her destination the stagecoach is robbed. Then she arrives to learn that her fiancé is believed to have died. The mayor in town, who wants more families in the community, decides that the best plan is to have Greta marry a local rancher, Wyatt.

Wyatt is struggling to make his ranch successful, and he has not thought about finding a wife and growing a family. He is competing with a brutal neighbor who is willing to kill Wyatt’s cattle rather than allow him to succeed. Wyatt wants the mayor to invest in the future of his ranch by financing the first herd of cattle. The mayor makes a deal agreeing to invest if Wyatt will marry Greta.

Both Greta and Wyatt come to the Judge with doubt and concerns, but they agree to get married. Greta manages to find ways to contribute to the household. But Wyatt worries about his cattle and Greta worries about Astrid’s health. As they face hostile neighbors and fragile health issues, they begin to find a mutual respect and attraction. Will they be able to move beyond their doubts to begin to trust each other and most importantly to trust God’s love and plan to prosper them?

Greta and Wyatt are wonderful and compelling characters. Greta showed sacrificial care for her sister which was lovely. Wyatt too showed a great caring for Greta and Astrid as did his friend and ranch hand, an older cowboy who became close friends with Astrid. The self-doubt that the characters struggle with is a realistic human flaw that allowed the author to show the depth of God’s love and grace in a gentle fashion. I found myself drawn into the story and eager to keep reading as I rooted for Greta and Wyatt. I recommend this to fans of Christian, historical romance.

Source: NetGalley 2020.

I wanted to hug these characters created by Jody Hedlund. ❤ The characters had struggles, triumphs, faith, friendship, and love. You can read it as a standalone, but it is the first book in Hedlund's newest historical fiction series, Colorado Cowboys. I can't wait to read the next book!

Jody Hedlund did a great job with this book. It has wonderful characters with a storyline that keeps the reader turning pages to find out what happens next in the lives of Greta, Astrid, and Wyatt. I loved both the historical setting and the ranch in Colorado. This a cowboy story with elements of faith, hope, and love all throughout the book. This is fun, entertaining reading, and I’m looking forward to this author’s next book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book is an excellent entry in what's sure to be a really fun--and romantic--series! Greta and Wyatt decide to enter a marriage of convenience after mail order bride Greta arrives in Fairplay to learn her groom died while returning home from the West Coast with supplies to furnish their future home. Wyatt and Greta both have their own, slightly selfish reasons for consenting to the marriage, but they end up making a good team ... and feelings, of course, develop.

Greta and Wyatt are both likeable characters (though Greta's independence and stubbornness did grate on me at times), and I really loved Greta's precocious sister Astrid and Wyatt's crusty ranch hand Judd.

While I didn't find myself fully immersed in the novel at all times (largely due to some personal circumstances, I'm sure), I did enjoy every second I spent reading. And while I did anticipate a fairly major plot point well ahead of time, I certainly didn't expect it to resolve in the way that it did. If you like marriage of convenience and/or cowboy romances, you'll want to check this one out! 4 stars.

I do enjoy mail order bride stories and when I saw that Jody Hedlund had written one... I had to read it.
When Greta arrives in Colorado as a mail order bride she finds her groom has died. Now, what will she
do? She had been robbed on the stagecoach on her way here and so her story begins.. When Wyatt
hears she has arrived he is persuaded to offer to take his best friends place. Then their real story begins.
There were secrets, surprises and I always enjoy when younger kids are involved. I really enjoyed this story.

At the end of a mentally trying day, I sat back and opened this book. The first thing I read was the opening scripture in Psalms. In black and white was a direct answer to a prayer I hadn’t found the energy to pray.

As I continued to read “A Cowboy for Keeps”, I found myself getting pulled into the relatively low key, easy going story of Wyatt & Greta. Brought together more by chance than plan - it felt unhurried and almost a sense of calm. Given the concerns about her sisters health, and the typical struggles of carving out life in the West, I felt a sense of peace in the story.

I really enjoyed the subliminal messages, and the goodness of both the main characters, and that they would win the day was rewarding. I actually appreciated the different style of the author. Given the tense climate in the real world right now, the escape to one less so was welcomed.

A wonderful story of love blossoming in a marriage of convenience a tale so often told, and one worthy of your time in reading.

I received a complimentary copy. This is my honest review.

A sweet beginning to Jodi Hedlund's McQuaid family series, "A Cowboy for Keeps" brings together two people who, in their own way are in dire straits, but together they make each other stronger.

Greta Nilsson left her home, partly because she felt like a burden to her sisters-in-law once her brothers went to war. She also left to find a place for her little sister to heal from the consumption that sucks a little more of her life away with every coughing fit. She accepts a proposal of marriage from a man she's never met, but has corresponded with. Could the Colorado air be the answer to the restoration of her sister's health?

When Greta and Astrid finally arrive in Fairplay, Colorado, they've already endured the robbery of their stagecoach which has left them completely destitute. Unfortunately, the news only gets worse. They learn that Greta's intended is dead, and they have nowhere to go. Beautiful Greta's only job offers come from the saloons and bawdy houses of the town. Isn't there anyplace she can work that won't compromise her character?

Wyatt McQuaid's ranch is struggling. He chose his land well but his neighbor says he stole it from him and spends his days making life miserable for Wyatt. Buying cattle in town, Wyatt is stunned when the mayor offers to invest in a herd for him if he'll marry his friend's mailorder bride. On the one hand, he needs the cattle but his tiny cabin doesn't need a wife in it! Once he meets Greta and Astrid, though, he decides that helping them might gain him more than just cattle.

I liked so many things about this book. Greta was so much more than just a pretty face. She knew how to work HARD and it became pretty apparent early on that her business acumen would be beneficial to Wyatt's ranch. Astrid was a little pill! Even though she was very sickly, she also had a knack for getting into trouble - starting right at the beginning, when she told the stagecoach robbers that her sister had money they could have. Wyatt was also a hard worker, but he also had a gentle side that was compelling. I also liked his side-kick, Judd. I kind of hope he gets a "love interest" somewhere in the series!

Romance readers who like cowboys will love this one. It's a sweet romance, but the attraction between Wyatt and Greta fairly sizzles. It also has a touch of mystery for those who like that. All in all, this was a fun, fast read, and I enjoyed it immensely. I look forward to the next book in the series!

I received this book free from the publisher via NetGalley, but every opinion here is my own!

A Cowboy For Keeps by Jody Hedlund – 4 Stars

I do enjoy my mail order bride stories. I know they aren’t very deep…but interesting. This one is based on Fairplay, Colorado. Greta has to travel there with her sister to leave a city where no one would marry her because her sister was a prostitute and died leaving her with a daughter that no one wanted to take on if they married her. The entire city was talking about it so she left town, got a ticket for a mail-order bride for a man when she arrives, she finds out has died. The Mayor in the little town says he’ll help her, he does by telling Wyatt that help invest in his herd of cattle to help him out if he’ll marry and start a family to help change the reputation of the city….more families….less men who are troubled and hang in saloons eventually. It was a fast read, interesting Jody Hedlund can always weave a story, I always trust her books….I liked it.

I received this book free in the kindle format from NetGalley.com my opinions and comments on this book are my own and freely given. #ACowboyforKeeps #JodyHedlund #NetGalley


Description From NetGalley.com:
Greta Nilsson's trip west to save her ailing little sister, Astrid, could not have gone more wrong. First, bandits hold up her stagecoach, stealing all her money. Then, upon arriving in Fairplay, Colorado, she learns the man she was betrothed to as a mail-order bride has died. Homeless, penniless, and jobless, Greta and her sister are worse off than when they started.

Wyatt McQuaid is struggling to get his new ranch up and running and is in town to purchase cattle when the mayor proposes the most unlikely of bargains. He'll invest in a herd of cattle for Wyatt's ranch if Wyatt agrees to help the town become more respectable by marrying and starting a family. And the mayor, who has promised to try to help Greta, has just the candidate in mind for Wyatt to marry.

A Cowboy for Keeps by Jody Hedlund is an entertaining historical romance. The author plays around with several familiar tropes including the marriage-of-convenience. While some predictable situations occurred, Greta’s devotion and determination to help her sick sister added originality and depth.

A Cowboy for Keeps includes Jody Hedlund’s trademark romantic tension. I enjoyed watching Greta and Wyatt’s relationship grow. As they shift and adjust to their new life together, both characters learn life lessons. Greta’s learning to trust in God reminded me to do the same. I appreciated the theme of a person being valuable, not an object to be bartered with. With the romance, an entertaining storyline, and themes to contemplate, I enjoyed this novel and did not want to put it down.

A Cowboy for Keeps is the first installment in Jody Hedlund’s Colorado Cowboys series. Returning fans of Jody Hedlund will likely enjoy this novel. For readers not familiar with Jody Hedlund’s books, this is a good place to start. 4.5 Stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

I often find myself thinking that I don't really like western/cowboy stories too much... but then a book like this one comes along and I find myself realizing, hmmm... maybe I do. Or at least when they are written well anyway... and Jody Hedlund writes them well!

First of all, there is just something about a marriage of convenience story, isn't there? Perhaps it's because it's more unheard of these days, or perhaps there's something fascinating about an upside down love story- the marriage agreement before the falling in love, it's all very intriguing. That is certainly the case for Greta and Wyatt when they find themselves agreeing to marry each other as a solution to both of their struggles. What follows is a slow burn romance between the two that is hard not to fall in love with yourself.

As the first book in the Colorado Cowboys series, it was a great start. I cannot wait to read more. Whether you're typically a fan of these western type stories or not, don't let that keep you away, it's certainly one not to be missed.

**Book received for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Blame The Mandalorian, but I was in the mood for some gunslingers. A Cowboy for Keeps brings a little of that Wild West showdown to historical romance with a cowboy (Wyatt) who's both tough when it's called for but tender with his unexpected new bride and her ailing little sister.

The secondary characters, especially Judd, were each interesting in their own right, even the villain. Wyatt's self-doubt is both relatable and endearing, and Greta's notion that she's a burden is understandable (though it seemed to hang on longer than natural or necessary).

Astrid is one of the more memorable child characters I've read, and I smiled each time she launched into a question or comment with her trademark "W-e-l-l-l-..." I could almost hear her childish voice.

The chemistry between Wyatt and Greta is palpable, making for some good romantic tension. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, when Wyatt's brothers and sister make their way to Colorado.

Greta accepted a request from Colorado for a mail order bride hoping the climate would be better for her little sister with consumption. When she arrived, however the prospective groom was missing. A fellow traveler who lived in the same town, arranged for Greta to marry Wyatt, a struggling local rancher. It was an odd way to start a marriage, but Greta didn't have any choice stranded in a small mountain town in Colorado with no prospects. What transpired was a love story mixed with trials and missteps along the way.



I love this author's stories and can't wait for the next installment in this series! I highly recommend this book to my fiction loving friends.



I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

This was an interesting story from an author I've just really begun to discover over the last year. I generally enjoy her stories, and so I picked up this one because of the author. Not because of the storyline, which, in a nutshell, is a marriage of convenience, a mail order bride, a cowboy in the west, and bandits in abundance. Kinda typical, and I'm not one for typical books.
But because I enjoy the author, I gave this one a try.

There was much about it that I liked, and much that I didn't like. The whole conflict seemed really minuscule, and overblown, and everyone overreacted to it in a way that seemed to only create drama, although it *did* further the plot and make the characters grow.

Astrid, though she was sick, seemed really incorrigible and a bit out of control. I get that she was pampered and such, because of her illness, but there were several times I would have scolded her if she had been my sister, and not bitten back the scolding. Most of the situations this child created were very dangerous, and they were all created through her disobedience.

Greta was a marvel with her work ethic, and I appreciated her being a hardworking, sensible female heroine without being a feminist, looking down on men, and thinking she was better than they were, because, with a strong female character, that is often the case. I appreciated how she was willing to share her earnings with Wyatt, simply because he was her husband, and he was willing to share his assets with her, because she was his wife -- which is how marriage should be, but often that is overlooked. Her sweet spirit and encouraging ways made her very likable and real, and I enjoyed that.

I could relate to Greta in her worries about burdening others, and I did learn from the book myself as she had several revelations about how she acted because of her fears, so that was good.

Wyatt (I am SO. SICK. of characters named Wyatt, 'kay?) was an interesting fellow. Afraid of failure, he makes some interesting choices and a good resolve and carries through. He's got gumption, that one, and it was nice to read about.

Judd was a dear, and one of my favorites, and his backstory would make a great full length novel.

The whole marriage of convenience thing was typical, and, though married, Neither Wyatt nor Greta took liberties with each other and tried very hard NOT to take liberties until halfway through the story. There were several kisses (some *forced*, in a manner of speaking, to fulfill a bargain made with the mayor) and the thoughts of both the characters were kinda detailed, but they were married, after all. There was a lot of noticing each other, of thinking and commenting on curves and muscles, and mentions of wanting a night of privacy.

I would say there wasn't anything too detailed, nothing that made me extremely uncomfortable, but it's also not a book I would hand to a younger girl, either.

Definitely a quick, enjoyable, at times humorous story.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read. I was merely asked to share my honest opinion and was not required to enjoy the story.

A Cowboy for Keeps by Jody Hedlund

Storyline 4 stars
Depth 4 stars
Faith 3 stars
Love Story 3 stars
Overall 3.5 stars

These two chicks on lit were very excited when we came across A Cowboy for Keeps. Jody Hedlund is one of our favorite authors, we love mail order bride stories, and we were eager to see her write a western! While we found a lot we liked, we found this story lacking compared to many of her other books.

Greta and her younger sister, Astrid are heading to Colorado in hopes that the mountain air will help heal Astrid's consumption. Greta will do anything to help her sister, including marrying a man she has never met. Surprisingly, after arriving she learns her intended has died and she is penniless and out of options.

Wyatt is having a rough go getting his cattle ranch up and going. He's going to prove to himself and his family back east that he won't fail. When the Mayor strikes a deal to help invest in cattle if Wyatt will agree to marry Greta, Wyatt reluctantly agrees. Little does he know that he might be getting more than he bargained for, will he lose his heart in the process?

One of the most refreshing parts of this read was Jody didn't hold back in writing of the harsh realities new settlers faced as they moved out west. In order to survive, you are better off sticking together. The love story is sweet and progressed slowly. However, the characters seemed to go around in circles with their emotions and it started to drag towards the end. All that to say, we are eager to see how the rest of the series plays out.

Westerns aren't often my thing, so I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. I'd read and enjoyed Hedlund's Lost Princesses series though, and was excited to try this one.

I am so glad I did! I loved reading this and can't wait to continue the series!