Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Reunited With the Cowboy by Claire McEwen

Posted July 11, 2019 by meezcarrie in Claire McEwen, contemporary, giveaway, romance / 24 Comments

Reunited With the Cowboy
SERIES: Heroes of Shelter Creek #1
GENRE: Contemporary “Clean” Romance
PUBLISHER: Harlequin Heartwarming
RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2019
PAGES: 368

She can save his ranch…
But can he forgive her?
Maya Burton knows she’s the last person rancher Caleb Dunne wants to see. After all, she survived the crash that killed his sister, and then left town. Now she has to convince the stubborn cowboy that she can help him save his ranch. But once she earns his trust—and his heart—will she be able to walk away?

“Sometimes the long roads are the ones worth walking.”

Maya and Caleb have both been down long roads, and as I quoted above sometimes those long roads are worth it because they are the ones that so often bring about the most healing. Healing still seems a long way away, though, as their story begins; they both have to face past nightmares head-on and sort through all the emotions that surface as they reunite for the first time since the tragic accident that drove them apart.

I really loved Maya in Reunited With the Cowboy! I have virtually nothing in common with her (lol) but I so admired her resilient spirit and her way with animals. Even the wild ones like mountain lions… and Caleb. The scene where she and Emily and Caleb were assessing the mountain lion is powerful, vivid, and not easily forgotten. Such strength and beauty in those creatures – and in the people who protect them. Maya’s newfound canine companion Einstein is, as the book claims, ridiculously cute and the author gave him such personality and heart; he’s a great addition to Maya’s circle.

Speaking of Maya’s circle…. the Book Biddies are hilarious! Oh my, wouldn’t I love a book club with these older women. They are a hoot individually and together, and they added a lot of much-needed levity to the story whenever tension was starting to get really thick between Maya and Caleb (or between Maya and closed-minded town people). Their unconditional love and support for Maya brought tears to my eyes more than once, and the unconventional way they went about it made me laugh out loud in some cases. Truly a delightful group of ladies!

Caleb needs a good purse whomping – and a healthy dose of tough love – when the story begins. Yes, he’s been through a lot of tragedy but he’s also been given chances to deal with these losses in healthy ways and has instead chosen to stay on the path toward destruction. Thank goodness for the determined Book Biddies and their specialty in tough love … and for Maya who has every right to dismiss him as completely as he did her but doesn’t. His character growth – and Maya’s – in this book is layered and enjoyable to follow.

Bottom Line: Reunited With the Cowboy is both entertaining and emotional with vivid and likable characters (both the 2-legged and 4-legged varieties). The perspective of respect for ranchers protecting their animals as well as for the predators trying to survive is thoughtfully presented and educational (without distracting too much from the plot). Additionally, a host of intriguing secondary characters with potential stories has me eagerly looking forward to the rest of the series!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Prism Book Tours. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / love it!

KissingBook Level: 3 / may forget to breathe on occasion

Reviewer’s Note: readers may want to be aware that, while clean overall, there are some frequent but minor curse words scattered throughout this novel.

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Claire McEwen writes stories about strong heroes and heroines who take big, emotional journeys to find their happily-ever-after. She lives by the ocean in Northern California with her family and a scruffy, mischievous terrier. When she’s not writing, Claire enjoys gardening, reading and discovering flea-market treasures. She loves to hear from readers! You can find her on most social media and at www.clairemcewen.com.

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