Sylvie's Cowboy
by Iris Chacon
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Pub Date Feb 26 2015 | Archive Date Sep 29 2020
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Description
Is it against the law to kill somebody who is, technically, already dead? Because Sylvie Pace wanted to dig up dear old (late) Dad and throttle him personally. It was his fault Sylvie got stuck in a business (thank heaven, not personal) relationship with The Abominable Cowboy.
Abominable, whose real name was Walter McGurk, co-owned the ranch with Sylvie’s late father. Walt and Harry had a history, the details of which remained a secret. The ranch seemed to be the only asset of Harry’s which had not been mismanaged, leveraged, lost, or stolen—probably because it was hidden so far back in the Florida swamps that everyone forgot about it. So Sylvie’s entire inheritance was what she could fit into her (using the word loosely) “car” and what she shared with Walt McGurk, cowboy.
Before Daddy kicked the bucket—by blowing up with his yacht—he had spent his life the way a father should: making lots of money and spending it on his only daughter. People said Harry Pace had spoiled Sylvie, especially in the years since her mother passed away, but Sylvie did not consider herself “spoiled.”
“Spoiled” would be someone who was used to having everything their own way, not having to really work for anything, and not caring about other people’s feelings. Sylvie cared about other people’s feelings. She was unfailingly nice to everybody. Spoiled people weren’t nice, were they?
Anyway, Sylvie didn’t feel “nice” toward Sir Dad the Dead. Her life was ruined. Somebody should pay for that, and since Daddy always paid for everything, he should suffer. Though he probably wouldn’t suffer much, him being a corpse and all.
How was Sylvie’s life ruined? Last week Sylvie had a penthouse apartment on Miami Beach, a red Ferrari, a supermodel’s wardrobe, jewels out the wazoo, and friends in the Palm Beach Polo Club set. The next week she had the clothes in her closet, the jewels not sold to pay Harry’s debts, a “classic” Volkswagen Beetle, and a raggedy ranch in Nowhereville—of which she could claim only half. The other half belonged to Abominable.
Is it true that opposites attract? She’s Palm Beach, he’s Podunk Holler. She’s haute couture, he’s old jeans, sweaty tee-shirts, and stinky boots.
She’s Italian sports cars, he’s American-made pickup trucks. She’s determined to find a way back to her old way of life, he’s only trying to make a living. He calls her Harry’s Princess. She has labeled him T.A.C. (see above). He says she’s unemployed, she says she’s “at leisure.”
His girlfriend runs Clarice’s Beauty World in Clewiston. She’s dating a real-estate tycoon with homes in Miami and Palm Beach.
Walt was as unhappy as Sylvie about their new living and working arrangements. It was bad enough that he must share his house and his ranch with the Pouty Prissy Princess of Palm Beach, but he also had to listen to her complaints and endure her insults. She was pretty, okay, but that didn’t make up for all the aggravation she caused.
She knew her way around high society, sure, but around a real house without servants or a concierge, she didn’t know how to do anything. Some of her mistakes around the house—especially the ones involving electricity—had nearly killed him.
Will Sylvie and Walt get along any better when they find out Harry isn't exactly dead?
Advance Praise
"AMAZON:
Jam Romes
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable story.
Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2019
Verified Purchase
Enjoyable story. The author surprised me more than once in the story with unexpected twists and turns. It took me a little bit to like Sylvie's character, but by the end of the story I thought she was a good gal. Walt was likable from the start. Sweet ending.
New York Army Mom
4.0 out of 5 stars A good read for a pleasant afternoon.
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2017
Sylvie's Cowboy is an enjoyable light cozy. It's a short novel that can be read in one sitting. The characters were well developed, and the plot was interesting with a few surprises. The ending was a bit predictable but overall a good read."
Available Editions
| ISBN | 9781519414007 |
| PRICE | $3.99 (USD) |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Becky B, Reviewer
Iris Chacon’s new release, Sylvie’s Cowboy, is a combination of romance and intrigue, it’s also a quick read that has a myriad of twists and turns that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat and the pages turning. The characters are quite interesting, with a lot of depth and individuality; though the cast of characters isn’t vast, those in the story have ample personality, making it a very interesting and entertaining read.
This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
Kaye T, Reviewer
Walt wants to be left alone, but Sylvie has no where else to go. What a hoot! Spoiled rich girl and a Florida cowboy. A winning combination. A little sad at the end, but overall I really enjoyed this one. My favorite character was Beauregard. Don't park under his tree! Highly recommend this book and author. A fun read.
Viper S, Reviewer
A quirky little mystery with a little romance on the side
Told in a sparse, cloak and dagger style, this story is not as well-developed as the blurb and only slightly more interesting. Sylvie and Walt's relationship doesn't get detailed enough to let us feel the romance (their one kiss seems to come out of left field) so their HEA comes across almost as an afterthought.
The strength of this story is in the mystery surrounding Harry's death, his missing assets, and the forces behind it all. There are some truly tragic scenes (including the death of a horse) and justice is finally served without involving the justice system at all, but those are balanced nicely by a couple strong friendships and a little personal growth for Sylvie. The writing style brilliantly conveys the different social and class structures through the various characters' dialogues and third-person omniscient narrative.
As a crime drama, it's a solid win. As a romance, not so much. Still, it was a fun read with a satisfactory HEA. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Louise G, Reviewer
Am immensely likeable heroine gave this book such colour and depth that I couldn’t put it down. It’s an easy read in that the plot is easy to follow and. a great balance of mystery, romance and humour. This is one of the books you will take on holiday and end up reading it in one go.
Rona N, Reviewer
Sylvie’s Cowboy by Iris Chacon
Sylvia Pace who’s millionaire father dies in a mysterious boating accident and leaves Sylvia penniless except for a half share of a ranch with surly cowboy Walt Mcgurl. Prior to his death Harry - Sylvias father suspected his partners of embezzling his money and asks Walt to keep Sylvia safe , in doing so fur flies between them.
A Fabulous fast moving tale with fast humour. It has many twists & turns too.
Reviewer 689929
A thoroughly sweet romance!
When I first downloaded this book, I thought it would be just the regular cowboy love story. Suffice to say I was in for a surprise! By the time I got to the middle, I was so overcome with curiosity, I just had to know how it ended.
The plot is completely different and it gets you hooked. But I wonder if there is a way to get that grip on the reader's attention right from the beginning.
All in all, a great book.
Librarian 431790
An excellent mix of humor, mystery and romance that I thoroughly enjoyed.
It's highly enjoyable and well written. Good character and plot development.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Barbara T, Reviewer
Definitely not the typical cowboy romance. Lots of action and surprises. Business, gambling, polo, bull, spoiled young woman, and so much more all add up to an entertaining and page turning adventure.
Heather L, Reviewer
I wasn’t sure what to make of this book at first. I thought it was a romance, and while there are romantic moments in it, I don’t think I’d classify it that way. I thought it had much more of a Carl Hiaasen vibe. It wasn’t as bonkers as a Hiaasen book, but it was still good and I enjoyed it. The pace was great, and I found myself reading the book in one sitting, not because it is shorter than novel-length, but because it was interesting and kept me turning the pages. And the scene between Sylvie, Walter and Dan had me on the edge of my seat. I’ll be looking for more from Iris Chacon.
Note: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
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