Casey and Boone both want to out their small town behind them. Trouble is it’s like their in quicksand. They can’t seem to make any progress out.
Most of the plot focuses on why the two former lovers broke apart, with small flashbacks to 12 years earlier.
I thought the reason for the breakup was a bit prolonged. Casey approaches Boone for a no strings attached fling but of course it doesn’t end up that way.
It’s a decent read, however I thought the two main characters were a bit immature.

Was a great read from beginning to end and so hard to put down. This is a heartwarming, action packed and emotional journey filled with engaging charters, witty dialog, heart racing twists and exciting passion.

This was a sweet second chance romance! I love when we get a dual pov and jumping timeline romance! I really enjoyed all the discussions about mental health and learning disabilities. This was so real and honest.

Thank you Sourcebooks for my gifted arc in exchange for a honest review!

Casey Walsh and Boone Murphy found love once, but tragedy took it away, and it's haunted them everyday since. They've tried to find it with others, but it's never felt the same. They've avoided each other and longed for one another in the same day. They miss one another and what they had, but both are too stubborn to admit it, or willing to face the reasons that tore them apart. But they are about to bump into one another along a desolate road, where they have no option but to talk to one another... it's that first step they've needed to take, but been too chicken to do it. Now they have no choice...

Holding Out for a Cowboy brings us into the lives of two people who love each other far more than they'd care to admit out loud, mainly because admitting it would mean facing one another and their issues. These two are about as stubborn as they come, but along that desolate highway they take their first step towards resolution and the happily ever after they've longed to have. They just have some messy business and forgiveness to work on first... and that is the hard part. Neither wants to admit their wrongs or face the past that tore them apart, so it takes a little time to get to the good stuff... but the wait is totally worth it!

From beginning to end these two kept me captivated and hanging on their every word, I couldn't help but get wrapped up in their lives. They brought heat, emotion, and lots of heart to the pages... the perfect recipe for a happy heart! I loved this first offering in the The Murphys of Meadow Valley series, and I cannot wait to see where the pages of the next installment take us! This well penned western romance is certain to check all the right boxes with romance readers! Highly recommend!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

Second chance for Casey and Boone...
Casey and Boone loved each other and they thought they would end up together until something happened and they were apart. Living in a small town, it wasn't easy for both to avoid each other, yet they didn't cross paths until Casey was stranded with flat tire.
Boone wanted to put everything behind him and getting out of Meadow Valley by getting married except he couldn't go through with it. While Casey didn't want to stay in town so she decided to go back to beauty school to start fresh except her old car won't let her go with her new plan.
Now Casey and Boone faces each other after so many years. Will they give each other another chance at love? They will have to overcome what broke them apart in the first place and happy with where they are.
I was expecting more of cowboy but it wasn't cowboy per se but it was sweet winter story. I have enjoyed A.J. Pine's books and this was a good read.
Thanks to Sourcebook Casablanca and Netgalley for ARC.

This is a Steamy Second Chance Cowboy Romance, and this is the first book in The Murphys of Meadow Valley series. I found the beginning of this book to be slow moving, and it took me a little bit to get into this story. Once, I was pulled into this story I loved every minute I spent with these characters. I really loved those characters. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Sourcebooks Casablanca) or author (A.J. Pine) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

This is a second-chance romance for Boone and Casey. After avoiding each other for many years fate has its own plan and Boone and Casey's path collides. Interesting book about finding yourself and finding forgiveness and love once again.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley

Holding Out for a Cowboy is the first book in A.J. Pine’s latest series, The Murphys of Meadow Valley and I’m sure this will be just as popular as previous series by this author. The characters were well developed, and the plot was interesting and read with an easy ebb and flow and the story unfolded. Past tragedy, a chance encounter, and an undeniable connection, all combine to set the foundation for this second chance romance. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to more from this series and A.J. Pine.

Holding Out for A Cowboy By AJ Pine was an interesting second chance romance, more serious than many. Boone Walsh had loved Casey Walsh once and then things went tremendously wrong. That was twelve years ago. He’d grown up since then, gotten help for his problems, both therapy and medication. Now he was to be married. Elizabeth was a realtor. She’d sold his garage for him and after the wedding they were off to Los Angeles where great things awaited them. The closer (today) the wedding got, the more Boone wasn’t sure. They called it off, both of them, almost at the altar. They both know it wasn’t right. But what was he going to do now? His garage was gone. The only thing he’d ever been good at. He got a job at a ranch and they let him use of one of outbuildings as a garage. Then one night he saw a car in a ditch. He recognized it: Casey Walsh driving her death trap of a car. It probably hadn’t been worked on since her rebuild it 12 years ago. After that meeting she through maybe thaey could be friends.

This a terrific story about two people growing up. Eighteen is so very young. Most people have learned so much by 30, including communication skills. Most broken relationships are based on lack of communication and this was not different, that, and immaturity. Both of them had matured and could now function, Boone, especially, with aides, but he was smart enough to use them. Casey had a goal; sadly the goal posts has changed in the last twelve years so she had to adjust. She did. Boone now saw the benefit of working together. They were a terrific pair, and even their current journey was one worth participating in. It all worked out, but they will probably have problems to deal with in the future. They now have the tools. It was fun.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Holding out for A Cowboy by Sourcebooks Casablanca, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions were mine. #Netgalley #SourcebooksCasablanca #AJPine #HoldingOutForACowboy

A perfect romance story. You will find yourself laughing at Casey. Boone is the perfect gentleman. With everything they go through its very entertaining. Loved the ending, very heartfelt and warm. Will need to check our more by this author I enjoyed this book very much.

This is all about being in the right place at the right time. Boone Murphy has been trying to steer clear of his former love, Casey Walsh, when he goes to the local tavern in Meadow Valley. But somehow fate puts her in his path when he least expects it. Boone’s life does a 180 and as he high-tails it back to Meadow Valley, he comes across a damsel in distress. Putting his own needs aside, he helps Casey out. Boone is like a knight in shining armor who will do anything to figure out how he a Casey can finally get their happily ever after.

AJ Pine is one of my go to authors. You can never go wrong with a cowboy romance!

Childhood sweethearts have their second chance in love in this small-town romance book by acclaimed author A. J. Pine. After a tragedy broke the couple apart, they tried to start anew even while living at their small town. As the hero takes a step towards this new life, he realized that he wants the heroine to be in his life. And thus starts the second chance for love between the hero and heroine.

This is a great start to The Murphys of Meadow Valley series. There are secondary characters that appear from other series to make this book enjoyable. The couple faced their own personal issues, especially the hero. This book highlights how mental health is critical to one's overall wellbeing. Thus, I liked the hero a bit more than the heroine for his growth in this book. It's also nice to have support from others, so I enjoyed reading about the group surrounding the couple. Overall, it's an enjoyable book and I look forward to future additions to the series.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own.**

I love a second chance romance, am weak for a cowboy, and am also a big fan of AJ Pine, having read many of her previous works. With that said, it should come as no surprise that I truly enjoyed Holding Out for a Cowboy. It was charming, steamy, angsty, and gave those of us who read the Meadow Valley series a nice glimpse at all our favorite couples.

Look, if you're anything like me, the reason you'll want to read this book—and ultimately, will love it, too—is Boone. He's a dreamy, kindhearted and hard-muscled cowboy with a bit of bad luck; a man trying to keep a handle on his life despite its challenges, and who hasn't been able to forget his first love. No matter what he tells himself.

He is basically perfect. And there were times when I wondered if Casey, who held tightly to the past while trying to ignore it entirely, deserved him. She wasn't always my favorite, but she was also relatable in the way that many of Pine's characters can be: in their imperfections and their occasional bad decision-making and those things you don't necessarily like about yourself.

Simply put, she is imperfect, and while the same could be said of Holding Out for a Cowboy, in the end it was a rewarding, easy read and an excellent start to a new spin-off series.

Will Casey and Boone get a second chance? To do so, they have a lot to unpack. The book opens on his wedding day, and he is moving on, or has he? He plans to leave Meadow Valley behind. Casey is having a day, she overslept on her big interview day, and it goes downhill from there.

To top it off, they keep running into one another, but there was an event and consequences that broke them up, twelve years ago. There is chemistry, what about trust? Both still have tender hearts, will they break them or heal them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

Holding Out for a Cowboy is the first book in the Murphy’s of Meadow Valley series by A.J. Pine. It always a pleasure to get to read A.J.’s books, so I jumped at the chance to get to read this one early!

Casey and Boone were high school sweethearts, but when they suffer a tragic loss together, it tears them apart.

12 years later they are reunited when Boone finds her stranded on the side of the road after an accident. These two haven’t spoken in all those years but that doesn’t mean the love between them ever went away.

There isn’t an easy path for these two to get to their HEA, but I loved reading about their journey.

Holding Out for a Cowboy was a sweet, heartfelt, small town second chance romance and I very much look forward to more in this series!

I've been a fan of A.J. Pine since I discovered her books a few years ago through NetGalley. She always writes a great cowboy novel, so I was excited to see a new series starting up!

Casey Walsh and Boone Murphy were high school sweethearts who seemed to have what it would take to go to the distance. Things happened and they both went their own separate ways. Now over a decade later, Boone ends up picking Casey up on the side of the road on what should have been his wedding day. While they may have been apart for years, the dreams they had are still intact and it looks like they may be able to achieve them together.

As I said, I'm a Pine fan, but with this book, I was especially drawn to Boone and his struggles. As someone who struggles with anxiety herself, I appreciate how open the character was about all of his struggles with ADHD, anxiety, dyslexia and mental health in general. This was a big win in my book.

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

Holding Out for a Cowboy is the first book in The Murphys of Meadow Valley series by A.J. Pine. This steamy second-chance cowboy romance is sure to take your breath away and leave you wanting more.

Thankful for Netgallery and getting the chance to read/review a copy of this book.

I couldn't put it down. It was really good and kept me coming back because I needed to know their history. The only thing I didn’t care for was..this isn’t a “cowboy romance” book. Thats just my opinion. I’ve read numerous cowboy books and I can picture a cowboy. I couldn't picture a cowboy in this one. I could how ever just picture a good ol’ boy, or country boy. This opinion didn’t take away from the story.

They are twin flames. Maybe the time wasn't right in the past but the soul wants what it wants and they were able to rekindle through many accidents. I believe they needed the break (12 years) to figure out what they wanted and thankfully it was each other.

A.J. Pine get's me in the feels. Every. Single. Time. Ten years after childhood sweethearts Boone Murphy and Casey Walsh split up the two have perfected avoiding each other in the small town of Meadow Valley. But after he rescues her after her car breaks down on the way to an important meeting, the two vow to try to be friends.

As their friendship grows Boone starts to realize that his failed engagement may have had more to do with his ex than he was willing to admit to himself. And the attraction that turned these childhood friends into more hasn't waned in the years they were apart.

This second chance romance was perfectly written. With flash backs to the events that lead to their heartbreaking split, the reader uncovers all of the layers of hurt and misunderstanding to get to the truth of their story. Now the two have to let go of their past angers and hurts if they want to move forward to make something real. This is a not to miss story in the Murphy's of Meadow Valley - a spin off from the Meadow Valley and Crossroads Ranch series.

Casey & Boone are finally taking a second chance on love. Their teenage romance ended in devastating way but years later they can't deny neither of them are over it. The story is entertaining & the characters are likeable. The road to happily ever after isn't smooth but this one is worth the ride. I enjoyed the story and read it quickly. This is the first in a new series & I look forward to learning more about Boone's brothers. I received an advance copy from NetGalley & am voluntarily leaving a review.