Review: Tempting the Cowboy (Paint River Ranch, #1) by Elizabeth Otto

Synopsis:

After taking a job on a quiet Montana dude ranch, ex-cop Rylan Frederickson finds herself surrounded by unbelievably sexy cowboys. Too bad the one she wants is her boss...and the single dad of a four-year-old. It doesn't matter anyway, because after a recent tragedy, there’s simply no more room in her heart.

Letting a new woman into their life is the last thing Cole Haywood wants for him and his daughter, Birdie. But as Rylan's presence at Paint River Ranch breathes new life into his family he can’t ignore his growing attraction.

When the sparks between them turn into fireworks in bed, Rylan's torn between the family she’s lost and the one she may have found. Now she must decide if something that feels this good is worth the risk.

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My Review - 5 Stars:

What a fabulous read! I was roped in from the very beginning and couldn’t put this book down until the end – and now I can’t wait for the next book in the series! This book is so much more than your typical cowboy romance novel and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great love story with steam and heat as well as some emotional angst thrown in.

I loved Rylan – she is such a strong character, trying to get on with her life after the recent tragedy she has gone through. A former cop, she is self-confident and strong, and I love her sassy mouth – or as Cole would say, she’s a little “ornery.” You can feel her pain as she struggles with her emotions throughout the book, and it was heart-wrenching and heart-warming all at the same time to see how her relationship with Cole’s daughter Birdie developed.

Cole is just delicious – and to quote Rylan:

“Cole Haywood had a delectable lower lip and a top one that curled up just a bit, making him look inviting and sexy as sin. His eyes just had to be the brightest turquoise she’d ever seen, too. They were brilliant, even in the dim light.”

Yum! But he’s a man who has been burned by love in the past and has centered his life on his young daughter and running the ranch.

From the first moment that Rylan and Cole meet the sparks fly, but Cole is reluctant to pursue any type of relationship with Rylan since she works for him…just refer to the “Handbook” section on fraternizing with the employees, which was put in place after Cole crossed those boundaries once before. Of course when you have an attraction as potent as the one between Cole & Rylan you know the handbook is going out the window and boundaries are going to be crossed – which leads to some hot & steamy time for the two! But nothing is ever easy, mistakes and events from the past tend to shape the future, and Cole and Rylan have to come to terms with their own issues before they can move forward.

I loved the family that Elizabeth Otto has created. Maeve Haywood is wonderful, looking out for her sons, so sweet to Rylan and helping Cole raise his daughter. And I can’t wait to learn more about the two other Haywood brothers, Tucker and Levi – if their stories are half as hot as Cole’s we’ll all be in for a real treat!

I must admit that after reading this book I have a new found appreciation for cowboys!