A Cowboy for Keeps by Jody Hedlund is an excellent historical fiction that is the first book of what is sure to be an excellent new series: Colorado Cowboys. This book truly has it all: historical fiction, romance, suspense, a wonderful character cast, and an enthralling narrative that was addictive and entertaining until the end.

This book takes place in the small, up and coming western/gold mining town Fairplay, Colorado Territory 1862. Greta Nilsson makes a selfless decision to become a mail-order bride to a sight-unseen older gentleman in Colorado in hopes that by taking her younger half-sister, Astrid, with her to the clearer/higher altitude air and environment, she can help improve the overwhelming symptoms of her sister's consumption. After arriving, there is some confusion as the fact that the man she was supposed to marry has in fact passed away on route back to town. The town's mayor that has met Greta in route from Illionois on the stagecoach makes a deal with another single, younger man, Wyatt McQquaid, to marry Greta himself. The mayor comes to a deal with Wyatt who is in need of an investment partner for cattle for his growing ranch, while the mayor needs the establishment of young families to the area in order to encourage his own wife and family to move to the area themselves. What then ensues is initially a marriage of convenience for both Wyatt and Greta for different reasons, and what then follows is a strangers to friends to trusted love. There is so much more to this story then just that plotline, but the beauty of the focal storyline is what truly makes this novel special.

I truly, truly loved Greta, Wyatt, Astrid, and Judd. The character development was spot on. All characters were complex, realistic, like able, flawed, had their own strengths, weaknesses, and complicated pasts. It was wonderful to see their own respective transformations throughout the story and to see emotions, priorities, and outlooks change, inner strengths grow, and the characters being able to have the ability to find their own paths to happiness, satisfaction, forgiveness, purpose, and their faith again.

I also loved the stunning literary descriptions of the beautiful western landscapes. The author just has a way with words in her ability to create such visual images, colors, foliage, sights, and sounds as to make one feel as if they are actually there feeling the crisp air of the higher altitudes, the sun warming the back of their necks, the babbling streams in the background, and the grit of the dirt that clouds their path as they are walking around in town. Just stunning.

I also loved the last chapter. She sets this book up perfectly for the followup!

I truly enjoyed everything about this book and it is a great addition to a wonderful portfolio by Ms. Hedlund. I cannot wait to see where this series goes after this.

5/5 stars enthusiastically

Thank you to the author and Bethany House for this stunning ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am pos this review to my GR, Instagram, and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 1/5/21.

Okay, I’ll be the first to admit this title is really cringe. But! All hope is not lost! Hedlund is a pretty reliably good author, and it was my confidence in her writing that persuaded me to pick up this book to review. And I’m pleased to report, my confidence did not let me down. Now, this was no earth-shattering, heart-wrenching read, but it was light and pleasant and good for a boring afternoon. I thought the characters had great personalities and really kept my attention, and while this setting/genre of novel is not one Hedlund usually ventures into, I thought she handled it well. There were a few moments that made me squint at the pages and go, “That doesn’t seem like it would be geographically accurate”, or “That seems pretty cliché”…but c’mon, I came here to relax and unwind, not analyze the geography of the 1800s Midwestern United States.

All in all, I thought it was cute and it kept me hooked. And if the arguably overused western-cowboy formula isn’t broke…why fix it? Although I do have to say, I liked other novels of Hedlund’s better, and they’ve seemed a lot more original (especially in terms of settings). Ultimately, I would recommend to anyone looking for a light, feel-good read to ward off the winter blues.

Thank you to Net Galley and Bethany House for providing me with an electronic copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own and were not required to be positive.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I’ve done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Sometimes I really need to get back to my roots of reading romance. This one definitely felt old school to me - and I enjoyed it a lot. I think the very first romance I ever read was a Harlequin Historical set right after the civil war in the wild west. This is very much a frontier romance/mail-order-bride story. Greta and her younger sister are traveling to Colorado for Greta to get married. Greta's main motivation in moving to Colorado is hoping that her sister's consumption will improve in the west. Along the way her life savings are stolen and she finds out her prospective husband is dead. When she arrives, a kind man who was on the stagecoach with her - tries to help her by immediately finding her a husband. He strikes a deal with Wyatt McQuaid who is trying to start a ranch. Neither is sure about the arrangement and agree to give it a three month trial.

It turns out Greta is extremely hard working and is a huge asset to the ranch the sale of her jams and pies really helps Wyatt move his ranching dreams forward. These folks work so hard - I am always amazed in reading stories like this how hard things really were at that time.

I liked the realness of the people involved and the things they faced. I also really liked Wyatt and Greta. They are both flawed - and far from perfect. But they clearly are perfect for each other and will be good partners in life.

The opinions on the indigenous people in the book are not progressive and may be offensive to some readers - but taken in context are representative of the time and are purely from the perspective of the frontier settlers and not at all from the indigenous perspective.

I will say that I don't always really enjoy Christian romance. This did strike the right balance for me - of Christian beliefs and romance.

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

Jody Hedlund has started a new series set in Colorado in the 1860s. If you enjoy cowboys, gold miners, Indians, mail order brides, nasty villains, cute kids, and a gorgeous setting, you’ll like this book! The characters are well drawn, there are plot twists to keep you on the edge of your seat, and plenty of swoon-worthy kisses, or almost kisses. I really enjoyed reading the book, and look forward to the next in the series!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. #ACowboyforKeeps #NetGalley

A Cowboy for Keeps by Jody Hedlund is a lighter story then others that I have read by this author.

Greta Nilsson responds to an ad for a mail order bride. Her purpose it to take her young sister out west to help with her consumption. Everything seems to go wrong. First their stage is held up and she loses all her money. Next the man she was supposed to marry dies. Which leaves her homeless and penniless.

Wyatt McQuaid finds himself in town when the stage arrives. A fellow passenger, Mr. Steele, comes up with a plan to help Greta, and gives Wyatt an out for his struggles running a ranch.

Greta has a hard time reigning in her young sister as she gets herself into lots of trouble. Their sibling relationship strikes me as true to form.

The ending introduces you to Wyatt's siblings, and it looks like the continuation of the series.

I received a complimentary ebook copy from the publisher, through Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this book and am very excited for this series! Jody Hedlund is great here. When Greta Nilsson's stagecoach is robbed, she and her little sister are totally destitute. But she is on her way to Fairplay, Colorado to marry a man she has agreed to marry. When she arrives and finds out that her husband-to-be is dead, she is left completely bereft. But then a struggling rancher is persuaded by the mayor to marry her for an investment in a herd of cattle. Wyatt McQuaid doesn't want to get married but wants his ranch to succeed. So he proposes. Greta has nothing to lose at this point and agrees to marry him.

What follows is a most delightful and precious story as two people who have not had the best life so far learn to care for each other and depend on God to work out their problems. I am so very excited to read more books in this series! Did I mention that already? That's because I am. I stayed up till nearly 4 am to finish this one. Highly recommended.

My thanks to Bethany House Publishing for a copy of this book via Net Galley. I was not compensated in any way and the opinion in this review is expressly my own.

A Cowboy for Keeps
by Jody Hedlund
Bethany House
You Like Them You Are Auto-Approved
Bethany House Publishers
Christian | Historical Fiction | Romance
Pub Date 05 Jan 2021 | Archive Date 16 Feb 2021

Jody Hedlund is one of our patrons' favorite authors. This is a great first book in the next series. I liked the story and the characters. Can't wait to read the rest of the series. Thanks to Bethany House and Netgalley for the ARC.

5 stars

I could not put this book down! This was such a fun read and I look forward to reading the next one!

Greta embarks on a journey to Colorado with her ill sister as a mail order bride. Unfortunately many difficulties come their way.

Wyatt is a rancher in Colorado who is looking to expand his ranch. He marries Greta since her to be husband has been killed.

There are many twists and turns in the story that will leave the reader staying up pate at night, like me, to keep turning the pages!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

I confess that western novels aren't a genre I'm typically drawn to, but this was written by Jody Hedlund and I will happily read anything with this talented author's name on it. This was a heartfelt, sweetly romantic story of new beginnings. Can two people desperate to save their loved ones find the answer in the rugged Colorado wilderness? On top of that, can a marriage of convenience survive the many woes that come with such a life? Greta and Wyatt are two endearing characters that you can't help but be drawn to as you make your way through this charming novel. This is a story less about suspenseful plotlines and more about character development. You truly get to know these characters, really get in their heads, and enjoy a slow burn romance while you're at it.

Jody Hedlund is such a good writer, and most of her books have a great spiritual depth, but her newest offering is a bit lighter in plot and character and it is a welcome change. A common trope in historical romances is the mail order bride, and Jody has used this trope quite successfully in A Cowboy for Keeps.

Greta Nilsson and her sister Astrid are moving to Colorado for Greta to be a mail order bride. She wants to move to the high elevations of Colorado because of Astrid's consumption.

Wyatt McQuaid is trying to make a go of his struggling ranch while meeting obstacles at every turn. He is in town when Greta and Astrid arrive on the stagecoach and when Greta finds out that her mail order fiancé is dead. Mr. Steele was also a passenger on the stage coach and had come to know and like Greta. He comes up with a plan to solve Wyatt's and Greta's individual problems that requires Wyatt and Greta to marry.

Wyatt and Greta run into all kinds of set backs and challenges with the ranch and with Astrid. Jody's ability in pulling them out of these challenges is quite sharp. Greta enters into the marriage with partnership foremost in her mind. She is a lovable character with all the caring that an older sister should have, especially for a sickly younger sister. Astrid is a handful in the best of times, her personality is quite precocious. Wyatt is a completely relatable cowboy and his ranch is the perfect setting for the bulk of the plot in this book.

One thing that Jody did with the ending of this book is to give a glimpse into the next book in the series, which promises to be just as good. Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a huckleberry hand pie (and my tastebuds are watering at the thought).

Bethany House and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

An incredible beginning to a new series from Jody Hedlund! A Cowboy For Keeps is sweetly romantic, poignantly fulfilling, and will certainly capture the hearts of readers.

A Cowboy For Keeps is not a typical mail-order bride story in any way. Combined with an unexpected marriage of convenience, Hedlund’s take on these tropes is refreshing and surprising. I even gasped a few times! As always, Hedlund has created a new cast of wonderful characters. Wyatt and Greta’s relationship is beautifully portrayed. Astrid is hilarious, and her sisterly relationship with Greta accurately resembles all the ups, downs, and truly touching moments between sisters.

Hedlund also has an exceptional talent for making the reader feel as if they are actually there with the characters, feeling and seeing everything they are. All of the reader’s senses will no doubt be activated by Hedlund’s incredible talent. Her writing always includes undertones of humor in stories that inspire and fulfill, and allow for introspection. A Cowboy For Keeps elicits all that and more.

I’ve been waiting for a really good cowboy story, and A Cowboy For Keeps certainly fits that definition. I absolutely cannot wait for the rest of the series! 5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Readers who enjoy historical fiction will love this new series. When mail order bride, Greta arrives in frontier Colorado to find her intended deceased, what will she do to survive? Wyatt, trying to grow his herd of cattle and provide a ranch for his Pennsylvania family so they may move is put in a hard place when the mayor makes an uncomfortable offer. I enjoyed reading about the everyday life and struggles for survival on the frontier. The wisdom Judd provided Wyatt was encouraging. The strength and determination of Greta was admirable. Her nine year old little sister, Astrid, ill with consumption but spunky at times did not ring true. Enjoyable! Looking forward to the next in the series. Recommended!

A COWBOY FOR KEEPS by JODY HEDLUND is a historical romance novel with a good Christian message of hope against all odds, a great plot and believable characters. I like the way the author makes us feel the characters' emotions, especially Greta's, as we see her trying not to be a nuisance to anyone, showing the rejection she and Astrid have been through.
The story starts in 1962 with the stagecoach taking Greta Nillson and her little sister Astrid to a new life in Colorado is held up by bandits. Greta is on her way to meet the man she has promised to marry, as a mail order bride, only to find out that he has died.
I'm not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling the read for you. It is an exciting story with many twists and turns and one I can highly recommend. It is the first novel in the Colorado Cowboys series, and i am looking forward to the next one.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers, The opinions in this review are completely my own.

A Cowboy for Keeps is a traditional mail order bride story. While not entirely original, it was thoroughly delightful to read and I read the entire book in two days. Jody Hedlund’s characters are perfectly sweet and the romance is delightful. I would highly recommend as a great escape read.

Thoroughly enjoyed this, good clean mail order bride story. Greta and Astrid leave the family where they are a burden to find that there is no groom, local rancher Wyatt comes to the rescue and marries Greta giving her 3 months to get used to him . Lovely reading their relationship unfold, and can’t wait to see what happens when Wyatt’s family join them in the next book.

This is my first time reading a book by Jody Hedlund. It definitely is not going to be the only one. I can hardly wait for the next!! The story grabbed me from the first page!!