3.5 Stars
Casey Walsh and Boone Murphy had a bright future together until tragedy tore them apart. Now, more than a decade later, the beauty school dropout runs Meadow Valley's family tavern and steers clear of the boy who once stole her heart, no small feat in such a small town. When Casey's car breaks down on the way to an important interview, she's rescued by none other than Boone himself on what was supposed to be his wedding day. Boone was finally going to put Meadow Valley in his rear view mirror, even if that meant selling his business and leaving his family's horse ranch behind. It also meant leaving Casey. Except when it came time to say "goodbye" to his hometown and "I do" to his new life, he couldn't do it. Now he's back home and his only dream is winning back the girl he's always loved.
The first book in a new series & an interesting starter. I loved how the author gradually revealed the lovely Boone’s problems & how they impacted on the story, I loved Boone but the same couldn’t be said for Casey, who I disliked at the start & only became lukewarm to her at the end. If only they’d talked earlier. I did enjoy this second chance romance but I didn't love it. Would I read the rest of the series - yes I would.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

A sweet, heart-warming and heart-breaking second chance romance. Lots of history for this couple. Interesting mental health issues. Good friends and wonderful family relationships. A pleasant read.

Boone Murphy and Casey Walsh were in love for as long as they remember, until the day everything went wrong and they broke up and never spoke to each other anymore. When Boone's plan to run from his small town of Meadow Valley fails, he goes back trying to reconquer everything he's lost.

Holding Out for a Cowboy was a good read.
The story has grief, depth and humour perfectly interwined, in a writing style that cought my attention from the first page.

Casey and Boone are soulmates, but life put a strain on their relationship making them get farther away from each other.
I really loved Boon character, he's so strong and resilient. I've appreciated how he tried to put his life back seeking some professional help. His condition is aggravating most of the time, but he's learnt how to live with it. Casey at times needed a push in the right direction in the end she got her mind straight, thanks to her friends and family help.
I was so glad when they finally worked things out, talking and dealing with their past.

I recommend to read it.

Could they be friends?

Boone Murphy and Casey Walsh had finally moved on to being sort of friends after being high school sweethearts but nothing between them was easy or simple. Casey had finally gotten her life together enough to hopefully finish her degree in cosmetology with her interview on the same day Boone was supposed to get married to his girlfriend. Her car breaks down on the way and Boone stops to help her after they canceled the wedding when they realized that they weren’t in love.

Could they move on after all these years with all their history and the meddling of everyone in Meadow Valley and be friends or is there still something there with a second chance at love?

If you like cowboy romances with a second chance at love you need to read Holding Out for a Cowboy!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Holding Out for a Cowboy was the first A.J. Pine book I’ve had the pleasure of reading! Drawn in by that attractive cover, I thought to myself I can’t resist a good cowboy story.

Meet Casey and Boone, a pair with a lot of history and healing that have found their way back together. With a promise of leaving the past in the past, they embark on a new relationship as grown adults. That proves to be easier said than done and they have to relieve some of their hardest life journeys and darkest secrets to continue to choose one another.

While Boone is a rancher, I would not say this book is overly cowboy. So it really is a great read for anyone looking for a wholesome happy ever after. The steam level is additionally pretty low, and is very classy when added to the book - so if you prefer your reads to be less smutty and more lovey, this is a great option!

Thank you to A.J. Pine and Sourcebook Casablanca for sending me this ebook in return for my honest review!

This is a new series by the author, that appears to be a spinoff of her Previous series Meadow Valley. You don’t have to read the prior series to enjoy this book. This is a second chance romance between Boone Murphy and Casey Walsh. Casey and Boone were each other’s first love. A tragedy tears them apart twelve years ago and they have lived in their small town avoiding each other. On what is supposed to be Boone’s wedding day, he ends up rescuing Casey after a car accident on the way to an important interview. This is the start of Casey and Boone finding their way back to being friends and eventually to more. I thought that the author did a great job dealing with Boone’s struggles. So often authors gloss over psychiatric issues, where they magically disappear, Boone put in work and has dealt with his issues responsibly. I was on the fence about Casey. It seemed that she was still that emotional 18 year old, and the past 12 years did not help her mature. Overall I found this to be an enjoyable read. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

At one time Casey Walsh and Boone Murphy were in love. He's loved her since he was nine years old. Boone has always had problems with learning and getting into trouble. The one-time Casey really needed him he doesn't show up for her. They have not spoken in 10 years. Due to a chance encounter, they are thrown together now.
They are learning to negotiate the new friendship and letting go of the past or maybe not yet.
I really enjoyed reading about Casey and Boone finally realizing they were meant to be together.

Delightful small-town romance

Boone and Casey had their chance right after high school, but tragedy and miscommunications drove them apart. Twelve years later, they're trying to see if there's enough left on the table for a second chance, but communication still seems to be a problem for them.

I really enjoy reading this series, despite the fictionalized liberties taken with a real-life setting, and I was thrilled to read Boone and Casey's story because I'm a sucker for a solid second chance romance. I love the way the author develops all the characters, especially the secondary family members and friends. There are plenty of emotional highs and lows that make this journey well worth reading.

Boone and Casey both have to make a lot of sacrifices on the way to meeting their goals, the greatest of which comes when it is finally time to confront their past, rather than trying to ignore it, and sort out all the steps they missed so they can move forward with their future. Their HEA was very special and I'm glad to see that everything worked out for them. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Casey and Boone’s story is a sweet, poignant and heartstring-tugging second chance at love romance. They have known each other since they were kids, fell in love and dreamed of a life together. But life and reality was nothing like their dreams. A tragic loss, poor decisions and and the inability to cope with grief and tumultuous emotions forced them apart. Fate or divine intervention bring them back together twelve years later. Boone is just about to make a big life change and leave his home town and the memories of his first love behind. At the last moment, he discovers he can’t wipe the past from his memory or his heart. Casey still owns his heart.

As for Casey, she is finally ready to resume the studies she had started all those years ago which will lead her out of her home town and eventually to a shop of her own. Boone broke her heart all those years ago, but she hasn’t been able to force him out of her heart and move on with anyone else either.. A couple of accidents bring them back into each other orbits, forcing them to see that the attraction, the chemistry and the love are still very much in force. They make a good start, but the past, the hurt and years spent apart, still lies between them, not sorted through, discussed or laid to rest. Their friends and family are all holding their breaths, hoping they are witnessing the beginning of a happily ever after, willing to offer advise and encouragement or even assistance in picking up the pieces if the worst shoul happen. Do Casey and Boone really trust each other not to break the other’s heart all over again? Will this second chance at love lead to a happily ever after or more heartbreak? You will need to read this fascinating and endearing book to find out for yourself.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I really enjoyed Boone but Casey rubbed me the wrong way almost the whole book. I wanted to yell at her a bunch of times- which is why I have a hard time liking the book if I don’t like the lead. So others might enjoy this more.
Boone has learning disabilities and mental health and is in therapy after his brother helps him figure it all out. These two have big issues from the past and can’t get on the same page even though they live in a small town. This is a big second chance with a slow burn and a lot of figuring it all out.
Boone loves Casey so much! Boone is getting help via meds, therapy and now a knitting club. We get some ranch/horse times with this one. Some parts are a bit slow

This was not steamy, just a hint it's faded to black aka closed door. I will give this series another try as I hope his brother gets an HEA!

I'll always read a contemporary romance if a cowboy is on the cover ;-) They're my kryptonite. And this cowboy was such an awesome character. I adored Boone. He was such a real and believable character with a big heart. I appreciated that the author chose to write a character who suffered from a learning disability and had some mental health issues as well. She didn't brush it off, but instead slowly revealed his issues and his coping mechanisms. He was even still going to therapy! I saw that as such a huge strength and not at all a weakness.

The reason why I can't rate this book higher is because I really disliked Casey. Her whole deal with wanting to not discuss the past and instead move forward was obviously not going to work given all the baggage and resentment she still held deep down towards Boone. A simple conversation could have eliminated this resentment. It's not until the end of the book that she gives him an opportunity to explain things from 12 years ago when they were just teens. By that point, I was over her. The one thing I did like about her was her dedication to her family. Her family really was sweet and I appreciated that she didn't want to burden them with her money concerns.

The ending was cute. I loved their big gestures to each other as well, although Boone's still came out on top.

The book did drag in spots (I seem to write that often with this author). But it wasn't so bad that I didn't finish the book in a few days.

The heat and spice is pretty low, a level 1 of 5 since it's all fade to black. It's a bit disappointing, but I should have expected that since I've read this author before.

I previously read the Meadow Valley series, so some of the side characters were familiar and that helped me keep track of who was who. But some may have trouble with the other characters who make an appearance since there are a lot and not many details are given about them.

Second chance romance. Torn apart as teenage lovers Casey and Boone are thrown together again. They inhabit a small town- pretty hard not to run into each other. But they’ve managed it till now when Boone, running away from his wedding, rescues Casey in a car wreck on the side of the road. Both their lives are wrecks. Maybe they might be able to heal with each other?

I loved Casey’s internal monologues. Quirky and deadpan fun- as is her banter with her best friend. Boone is so self aware, working to keep his mental health sound. In fact, A.J. Pine does give good internal dialogue for Boone as well. His is less funny and more introspective and insightful as he works through his conundrums.

These folks have normal feelings and reactions. It would be so easy and superficial to have them interact, misunderstand each other, not talk about it, and then magically get together. SO many romance novels take this route. It drives me nuts. If only they’d just talk… I digress. But Casey and Boone do talk, internally and externally, to process what is happening to each other and this makes the book more real and more delightful.

I would recommend this book to my patrons. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Boone Murphy captured my heart!

Boone murphy and Casey Walsh have history! Twelve years ago, they were ready to start a life together. Tragedy split them apart. Both thought they had moved on, but as Boone is ready to walk down the aisle with another woman her realizes Casey is the only one for him. Casey has given up on her dreams for twelve years and is finally ready to reinvest in them. Fate puts them on the same road at the same time and Boone rescues Casey. As they have contact once again after over a decade, they recognize the chemistry they still have and decide to start again.

Boone captured my heart from the beginning, it ached for him. He has issues that were not diagnosed as a child and partially led to the breakup of his one true love. He is working on himself, through therapy and meds to get himself together. I loved him!!! He is what a true hero is, not perfect, but willing to be all he can be. Casey, while she had scolded Boone for being too impetuous and reckless, is herself, impulsive and even a bit hotheaded. I didn’t like her at the beginning, but she grew on me through their story and by the end, as she and her parents have a heart to heart, redeemed herself.

The flow of this story with the snippets of flashbacks to tell Boone and Casey’s past story was smooth and kept me turning the pages. The dialogue was natural and didn’t seem forced or awkward. I love the relationship Boone has with his older brother and would really like to see Eli have his own HEA. The townspeople are quirky and sincere and have each other’s best interest at heart. Since this is the first book of Ms. Pine’s I’ve read, and I realized many of the townspeople of Meadow Valley have stories of their own; I look forward to reading those as well! I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I loved to sound of it, but I’m sorry to say I just couldn’t get in to it. I tried a couple of times and eventually gave up at 66% and jumped to the end. It was a nice second chance romance, but I didn’t understand whey it took them 12 years to get back together when they lived in the same town. Also he was a mechanic who also works with horses, is that really a cowboy. I will admit I know very little about cowboys.

This is a beautiful and heartfelt second chance romance for Boone and Casey. An awful event tore them apart and they finally have a chance to fix their broken relationship more than a decade later. I really liked the characters overall. There are flashbacks which I think actually didn’t work as well with this story as they kind of took the reader away from the emotional aspects of the scene. But generally, I really liked the story and it went quickly and kept me totally entrenched. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an early read!

Second chance romance for Casey and. Boone. Casey is trying to get her life back together, but a disaster throws her back in the arms of her ex Boone.

Enjoyed it.

Casey and Boone have a history that is encased in heartache and happy memories. Spending years to forget each other, they try to move forward, but love has a way of bringing them back together. Healing and understanding make this couple swoon worthy. Spicy factor: 1.
Complementary copy of ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Opinions are my own.

steamy, second chance, small town, and so many embarrassing moments including floss dancing and actual floss haha

Well, I had a slow start to this story, not having read anything by A.J. Pine previously. But, Pine ripped my heart out and destroyed me by the end! Casey and Boone very rarely called each other by their first names, which I found endearing. Their second chance was hard fought, and their sacrifices leading up to their HEA were heartwarming and swoon-worthy.

AJ Pine does really good cowboys. I read this book in a cozy afternoon at home and was just hooked by Casey and Boone's story. I liked how their second chance backstory unfolded with scattered flashbacks and hints. I LOVE getting more from Meadow Valley. I didn't expect it when I picked up this book, but all of those characters we already know are still around and getting to see them was so much fun. This is easy, but has a little bit of depth. It was steamy and fast and such a good read.