Part Time Cowboy (Maisey Yates)
I admit when I first put this on my Kindle and opened it, I was a little bit apprehensive; I was worried about the 400+ pages length. I know, I know, it shouldn’t be a big problem, right? A good book is a good book. But I think for the past several years, I have become accustomed to shorter romance stories so that nowadays, whenever I see romance that is more than 400 pages, I am worried that it will be long-winded and tedious.
Well, the beginning did feel a little slow. Maybe because this is the first book in this new small-town romance series, so Ms. Yates takes her time introducing the major players and the set-up for the whole three books. However, once the heroine and hero start to connect a little bit more frequently, the intensity and chemistry between the two just made the rest of my reading feel like a breeze.
Eli and Sadie are total opposites in characteristics. Eli likes his life to be controlled and better planned. Eli’s mother walked out on the Garrett siblings, leaving their father drowned in alcohol, and his older brother, Connor, stepping up to take care of their ranch. So the responsibility of taking care of the household and his younger sister, Kate, fell into his shoulder. That is also why Eli entered the law enforcement field; being a deputy sheriff makes Eli feels like he has order in his hands. Not just for his home but for the whole town.
While Sadie? Well, Sadie is the opposite of order. For Eli, Sadie is a disarray. When she was 17 years old, Eli arrested Sadie for a drunk and disorderly conduct – a night that changed Sadie’s life. She left Copper Ridge soon after, and ever since, Sadie never settled down. She travels a lot, while practicing therapy for others, but one thing Sadie doesn’t do is put down roots. Until now… when a patient reminds her of what she has been missing. So Sadie returns to Copper Ridge, makes a 5-year commitment to build and B & B on Garrett’s land … and for Eli, starts to ruin his neat life.
Because of this, Eli and Sadie often clash – and I thought it was deliciously awesome!! Sadie sure could ruffle Eli’s feathers and she has fun doing so. I couldn’t help feeling giddy whenever Eli got frustrated with what Sadie was doing for building the B & B. Eli is such a grump!! *LOL* It doesn’t help that his younger sister, Kate, seems to like having an adult woman around. Their banter was fun and when they finally acknowledge the attraction, it was hot!!!
Ms. Yates also injected quite an emotional moment between the two of them, one that related to that fateful night a decade ago – what happened to Sadie after she was arrested by Eli. It got my heart tied up in knots. Definitely an added layer to the progress of Eli and Sadie’s relationship.
The ending felt a bit of a rushed for me though – I mean, Ms. Yates introduced a late conflict for Eli and Sadie, but it concluded rather quickly.
Seriously, this is definitely a new romance series for me to follow. I’m so happy that all three books will be released this year, meaning I don’t have to wait too long for all Garrett siblings to find their happily ever after. I wish it was May already, so I could read Connor’s story. I mean, he is a grieving widower, and it seems that his love interest will be his best friend. Oh yes, friend-to-lovers trope? I’m all in!