Thatch Hearst has settled in Star Valley, WY, with his two SEAL brothers doing construction work together. He still has rodeo dreams and plans to compete in the upcoming Rodeo Days. He needs an edge though, and that's where yoga comes in.

Lyric Valenza loves owning her own yoga studio in Star Valley. She loves the picturesque view and her group of friends. And the cowboys? Well, been there, done that, zero stars, do not recommend. When Thatch comes to her for yoga lessons, she has her work cut out for her, not to mention her built-in bias against cowboys. But the more time they spend together, the more they work towards a common goal, the more Lyric realizes all cowboys aren’t cut from the same cloth.

No one does cowboys like this talented storyteller, and I loved Thatch and Lyric's story. I loved their group of friends, who are more like family, and I loved watching her confront her past so she could move on to a future with Thatch. Charming, witty, and heartfelt, if you enjoy a strong cowboy hero you'll love this one!

This book was a great read. Lyric and Thatch are two characters that I instantly liked and needed to know more about. She is a yoga instructor and he is a former SEAL, now part owner of a construction company who has secretly taken up riding broncs in the rodeo. Their story is fascinating, rather sweet and touching, with just the right amount of spice. These two have certainly been put through the wringer when it comes to relationships, and they are very guarded when it comes to relationships and love. Thatch was betrayed by his fiancée and his brother while he was deployed. When they later married, Thatch distanced himself from them and, unfortunately, the rest of his family to some extent. Lyric’s ex husband was controlling and abusive.. She finally found the courage to leave him and seek a divorce. She hasn’t seen or heard from him since and wants to keep it that way. Understandably, Lyric has trouble trusting any man, or herself to some degree.

All of their friends can see that Lyric and Thatch are attracted to each other and that they suit each other well and are waiting for them to make a move. Thatch did ask Lyric to go out with him, but she turned him down, her past still very much a factor. Her concern for a young teenage girl whom she feels might be in danger from her boyfriend, leads Lyric to agree to give Thatch yoga lessons if he will help her keep an eye on the teenage couple. Thatch’s bronc riding coach suggested taking yoga might help his form, which will help get him more points in the upcoming rodeo. His arrival at her yoga studio before her teenage girl students leave, leads to a fake dating relationship between Thatch and Lyric as a cover story. Of course the small town grapevine soon spreads the news they are dating far and wide. They are soon subjected to congratulations, advice and encouragement from their close friends. One stolen kiss in front of a witness leads to the need for more. Both feel the attraction and surge of heat between them. That h has known for a long time that he has deeper feelings for Lyric, that he wants to claim her for his own. Lyric’s past trauma has made her bury her feelings and deny they exist. That kiss, however, proves she still has desires and she wants to give this connection she feels with Thatch a chance.

Their fake relationship soon becomes much more real, much more intimate. Can they leave the past behind and learn to trust their hearts and each other? What happens when the are confronted by their pasts? Will they reach for each other or will they retreat? Read this well-written, very engaging book to discover how their story unfolds.

I highly recommend this wonderful book. It’s a keeper!

3.5 stars

Counting on a Cowboy follows Thatch and Lyric we get to see the story unfold from both of their pov's.
Thatch needs Lyrics help to get into shape for bronc riding, and even with their past of hurt feelings due to one-sided feelings, he takes the chance and asks her for help.
Lyric is unsure if she should help him or not, and ultimately she does because she thinks it will help her get closer to someone else.
Overall I did really enjoy this story. It was fun, quick, and I loved how Thatch let everything go at Lyrics' pace when it came to their friendship. While this is the third book in a companion series I was able to get caught up with everything that had happened in the previous books quickly and didn't feel like anything was left out or that I was missing anything. We see our two main characters' relationship unfold while also knowing why they are a little cautious about moving forward with things based on their pasts. This story did such a good job of bringing things to a close, while also showing that the future can be bright if it's with the right person.


This book is perfect for those who love some angst, fake dating, and a side of spicy.

Cowboy and a yoga teacher?

Former SEAL Thatch Hearst wanted to learn how to ride a saddle bronc for the excitement after moving to Star Valley but he was too stiff on the bronc and the only way for him to improve was by taking yoga instruction from Lyric Valenza.

Lyric had moved to Star Valley to get away from her abusive cowboy ex-husband but she would help Thatch with yoga. But her plans to help him went from being friends to pretending to date to excuse all of Thatch’s training on bucking broncs because Thatch wanted to surprise them at the rodeo.

I loved the Star Valley series because it reminded me of home and how small towns take care of each other when times get bad.

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

This is the final book in the Star Valley series, which features navy seal Thatch, and yoga instructor Lyric. There has been chemistry and history between these two for a while, so I was excited to get to read their story. Thatch has been interested in Lyric for a while, but she was not interested due to some trauma and bad experiences in her past. However, when Lyric thinks a teenager is in trouble, she asks Thatch to pretend to date her as an excuse to get closer to the girl. As they continue to fake date and spend time together, the lines between reality and pretend start to get blurry. But can they both overcome the scars of their past to get to their happily ever after? This was a fun quick read cowboy romance novel. Trigger warnings, the book deals with alcoholism, domestic violence, and a birth. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

Counting on a Cowboy is the third and final book in Sara Richardson's Star Valley series, and although I've read and reviewed the first two books in the series, aside from the first novel, I barely recalled the previously read and reviewed two novels well enough to have a feeling of continuity with the characters in the series, one of the main reasons why I cound't give this novel more than a 3-star rating.

First a trigger warning--this novel deals with both domestic violence, and alcoholism, all of it off-screen, but if those are issues for you, you might want to choose something else to read.

The hero in this novel is Thatch, a former Navy SEAL, and the heroine (of sorts), Lyric, a yoga teacher, who had, in a previous novel refused Thatch's request for a date--still traumatized by the fact that many years ago she's been married to an abusive husband, Luke. My issues with this novel are rather simple--there was no real explanation as to why Lyric hadn't sought pshychological help to deal with her abuse. Yes, I know that many victims of domestic violence have a hard time talking about it, but I've known several women who suffered far more physical and emotional abuse at the hands of their partners than did Lyric, and for far longer than the 2 years of her marriage. Her refusal to even tell her closest friends about it just struck a wrong chord with this reader.

I liked Thatch far more than I did Lyric. He's been attracted to her for years, been rebuffed and ignored by Lyric, and is still fuming over the fact that his younger brother, Liam, married Sierra, to whom Thatch was engaged, and while he was deployed overseas as a SEAL. Lyric is the only woman in the 8 years since that brotherly betrayal who's sparked his interestm and he and Liam have really spoken, and again, that happens very late in this novel. While I really liked Thatch's protective and laid back demeanor as he and Lyric pretend to fake-date so that Lyric can get closer to one her 15-year-old yoga students, Elina, who appears to have, at first, a boyfriend with a violent nature, but I kept asking myself over and over again, why on earth Lyric didn't get help for her own issues before trying to help someone else with whom she believed was another victim of domestic violence. Additionally, her on again-off again relationship with Thatch, who was incredibly low-key and willing to accept whatever little crumbss of herself Lyric she was willing to offer him simply struck me as cruel.

Additionally, with Thatch knowing Lyric's ex-husband from his rodeo days, he fails to warn Lyric that her ex will be in Star Valley for Rodeo Days, a huge event in this small town. When she sees Luke enter the local diner, she freaks out and runs from Thatch's family dinner and from her deeply caring best friends. Again, it just didn't ring true for this reader.

Yes, there's the expected HEA ending in your future, this is a romance after all, but the aforementioned issues made this novel just a so-so read, and while many of you may enjoy it more than I did, the missed oppotunites to really delve into healing from and moving forward after marital domestic violence just kept me from really loving this novel.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

Cute and easy reading cowboy romance. I could personally use a little more drama or angst, it just felt so easy and no one got as mad as they should have, but it was cute! Not a new favorite but not terrible.

I keep forgetting how amazing these small town romances are. I love the small town feel, how everyone is always there to help, its so damn cute! This book is part of a series of retired NAVY SEAL, they settled in this small town, one of them lived there, and they each have a sweet story, but this one is about Thatch. He has been having a thing for Lyric for some time, but when he decided to take up Bronc riding as a hobby and he needed to work on relaxing his form he thought of doing yoga at Lyrics studio. Well that came with a fake dating trope, Lyric having this need to protect a young woman from a relationship that triggers her because of what she went through in her own marriage, and also realizing that she is falling in love. Thatch also comes with his own baggage, so they help each other unload. And the ending! OMG! And again another reminder why I love small town romances.

This book was exactly what I need to read. I have absolutely loved this series by Sara Richardson, and this one might be my favorite in the series. I'm sad that this one is done, but hopefully she makes a spin-off with all the kids. That would be amazing because I'm really not ready to leave this little town yet. This book had so many emotions (definitely check trigger warnings before you read if you have any). I honestly felt like I was on a roller coaster with the joy and pain I went through right along with these characters. If you are a small town cowboy book lover, you will not want to miss this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

2.5 stars.

This book didn't have a ton of depth beyond Lyric and That he's past. I wasn't a fan of the writing style and the chemistry between the two MC was lackluster.

I absolutely love reading books by Sara Richardson and one click many of them. I struggled with this book. There isn't one thing that I look at and say, that is the issue. I'm just bored by it. I normally finish a book in 1 day, but I have been struggling to get through this one in a week! Nothing about it pulls me back into the story. The writing is well done, I think this is just a personal preference. Unfortunately, it is only 3 stars for me. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.

After lyric rejected Thach at Kira in Aidans Christmas party he has been avoiding her every time he sees her in town. When his bull riding Coach Kirby tells him he needs to focus on his form and maybe yoga will help Thach goes to the only yoga teacher he knows and that’s lyric. The only problem is when he ask her she is ambivalent about helping him but when a problem arises with one of her teenage students the shoe is on the other foot and now she needs his help it just happens to be the same day. She believes one of her yoga students is being physically abused by her boyfriend and wants Thach to mentor her boyfriend to see what kind of guy he is. He agrees and gives the boy a job at country construction a few days later things get even more problematic when lyric Tess and Kira are shopping and see the couple out and lyric hears Franco tell his girlfriend to shut up! Soon lyric and thattch are pretending to be a couple not only to hide his yoga classes but so they could get closer to the teen couple but not all is as it appears not with the team couple nor with lyric and Thatch’s and all they’re pretending. They can only hide their true feelings for so long but when it looks like they’re going to give it a chance lyrics past comes riding into town, right after Thatch’s Family arrive for the rodeo days and to have dinner with his new girlfriend, Unfortunately she is nowhere to be found. I have really enjoyed the Star Valley cowboy books and wish there could be more but I know they cannot the author really knows how to take a genre whose ending is almost guaranteed and still keep the reader invested in the story the only thing I don’t like is all in this book it seems bad behavior is either ignored or forgiven because what Thatch’s brother and ex fiancé did and for him to just be like oh well they’re better together than we were in after what lyric did and for him to be so forgiving I DK it just seems like no one gets angry in these books anymore not saying they should be but that just seems like things that in real life people wouldn’t be so Kosher with if you know what I’m saying. In any event I still love the book it is a solid four star read and one I highly recommend. I want to thank forever Grand Central publishing and net galley for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Sara Richardson's Counting on a Cowboy is a captivating story about a woman's journey of disappointment with cowboys. But can this rodeo rider prove himself worthy of her trust? Richardson's writing is irresistibly charming and tender, drawing readers into her heartfelt tales. I was immediately hooked and couldn't put this book down. Although it is part of a series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone. However, once you dive into this book, you'll be eager to explore the other books in the Star Valley series.

Lyric and Thatch have been friends for a while. He's asked her out but she turned him down. It's been a bit strange when they get together with friends but they manage. Now he's following a dream to ride broncos and needs her help. She asks him for a favor in return which involves fake dating. That's fine with him because his feelings are real.

Although it's supposed to be a fake relationship they act like it's the real thing sharing things about their lives and dreams. The lines become blurred between reality and fiction but can Lyric move on from a past involving domestic abuse? When her ex shows up in town for a rodeo that Thatch is also competing in she questions everything and runs. But can her friends convince her that facing the past and moving on in a normal relationship is worth any pain love causes?

Although I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher, all thoughts and yare my own

The readers are taken back to Star Valley in this latest and last book in the series.
Star Valley is the place where three former Navy SEALs moved to. Their reason: help the widow of their buddy who got killed in Afghanistan during a mission.
Little by little two have found their special person and a new life in Star Valley.
Still unattached is Thatch Hearst. He’s had his eyes on the pretty yoga teacher, Lyric Valenza. But after she told him she wasn’t interested, Thatch has kept his distance but his heart still has not gotten the message.
Lyric’s past experiences in love and marriage left her broken but little by little she’s been rebuilding her life with no interest in men.
Meanwhile Thatch has secretly been training to be a bronco rider and preparing to compete in the upcoming rodeo. Advised he needed to loosen up, he seeks Lyric. One thing leads to another, a trade and a fake relationship is created. A relationship everyone believes and one that is crossing the lines to more.
But when Lyric’s past comes to town, so do her fears. In the end will these two find their way back to each other, or will Lyric’s fears stop them from finding their HEA?
This is a story about trust, domestic abuse, family, whether by blood or friendships , and second chances in life and love.
Though I am still partial to book one in the series, this one was still an entertaining story.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

okay hear me out. i really wanted to like this book. but unfortunately, it just did not work for me. which is okay. you should still check it out and thank you so much to netgalley!!!!

Sweet, sometimes steamy and easy to read romance. The main characters and the townsfolk were charming. Lyric was kind and Thatch patient. I found the fake dating thing a bit contrived, and I'm not sure why teenagers would want to go on a double date, but overall it was a good story.

I was invited to read "Counting on a Cowboy" by Sara Richardson, which promises "a sizzling, sassy Western romance." However, it left me cringing more than swooning.

The plot revolves around Thatch (really), a retired SEAL turned rodeo rider, who seeks the help of a local yoga instructor, Lyric (really), to improve his rodeo scores. Lyric, whose looks are described as "exotic" (how humanizing), is also meddling in the lives of some local high school students because she is a DV survivor, and she involves Thatch in her attempts to help a girl with a controlling boyfriend. Lyric and Thatch (yes those really are the names) are part of the same friend group of grown adults who act like middle-schoolers when it comes to "liking" each other and wanting their friends to get together. I wasn't interested in the couple's compatibility as it seemed to be based on enjoying basic stuff like essential oils and vinyl plank flooring. I decided to quit before anybody bought a Live, Laugh, Love sign. But hey, it might be a nice escapist read for someone.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Counting on a Cowboy by Sara Richardson is the third and final book in the Star Valley series, and I’m sorry to see it end.

We reunite with Lyric and Thatch, characters we’ve met before, and catch up on their lives. Their story is truly a feel-good story with a lot of kindness and compassion towards others, but it also has secrets and lies as they try to figure out what comes next.

What starts as friends turns into a fake relationship, but is it? Lyric and Thatch feel things for each other that they have never felt before, even though Lyric was married previously and Thatch was engaged. But neither is looking for a relationship, but are they just fooling themselves? Everyone around them sees the looks, glances, and touches and knows they are in denial.

Family dynamics are at play along with a depth to the characters and layers to the story. There are a lot of stories related throughout, and they weave together nicely, with most loose ends tied up by the end. There is romance, romantic gestures, friends who are like family, reminisces, anger, tears, hurtful memories, and lots of physical activities. There are vivid descriptions of the town, the ranches, and some businesses.

There is a nice flow to the story and closure, but since this is the last book in the series, I would have loved an extended epilogue to really tie up all the stories. Ms. Richardson is an author whose books I enjoy—especially since they are full of rugged cowboys.

Counting on a Cowboy is a fast-paced, contemporary romance filled with characters who have become friends that kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next. Give Ms. Richardson’s books a try if you haven’t already. You won’t be sorry!

Counting on a Cowboy is the third and final book in the Star Valley series by Sara Richardson. I read the first in the series and now finished this book.
This is an easy read book that is filled with great characters and a wonderful setting. Thatch and Lyric fit perfectly together. I love the chemistry between them as he jumps off the pages.
I am so glad that this story was given to us. It was a easy read and gave me everything I wanted in a romance story.
Thank you NetGalley, Sara Richardson and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC of Counting on a Cowboy.
This is my personal review.