Counting on the Cowboy

The old saying, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” applies to this story. Jorie is totally dedicated to any and all animals – whether wild or tame. She’ll do whatever it takes to protect them and bring them back to good health. Even though she leads a pretty solitary life, she is not really alone but doesn’t realize this as yet. She has her many friends to provide emotional support. Then there’s one person who’d like to be more than a friend – Luke. He considers himself broken based from his military service though but willing to put himself out for Jorie. Somehow through these imperfect people with all their past baggage, they manage to not only fall in love but to heal their brokenness. I received an advanced reader copy from Tule Publishing in exchange for my volunteer review.

We are back at the Riverrun Ranch and this time the story belongs to Luke Claiborne, and Jorie Russell. Luke recently returned home after leaving the military due to an injury. He’s not sure what he’ll do with his life and still mourns the K-9 dog he had to leave behind. While volunteering as a firefighter he encounters Jorie, who’s trying to sneak into a burning building so she can rescue a cat and her litter. Needless to say, that was not the best of meetings. Unbeknown to Luke, Jorie, who was friend’s with his sister, has had a crush on him for years. But she’s a girl from the wrong side of the tracks . Somehow a friendship develops as he sees how she devotes herself to rescuing wildlife . The story is sweet, and at times heartbreaking but also heartwarming. It’s a story about a woman that has had a tough life and a man who is unsure of his future. It’s also a story about family support in the form of the Claibornes. This was another enjoyable story in this series . I am looking forward to what else the author has in store for us in the future. I was entrusted a copy of this book by Tule Publishing. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Loved Luke and Jorie. Luke has returned to Last Stand, as an injured military police officer. His heart is broken for leaving his canine partner behind. Jorie's passion is rescuing injured wildlife and is always trying to prove her self better that how her mom was. She has always had a secret crush on Luke. As their friendship develops into much more, it will melt your heart. A wonderful story that I had a hard time putting down. Luke has a tough exterior but has a heart of gold and will do anything to protect Jorie. Jorie has always felt she had to prove herself to everyone in the town but will soon find out how will liked she is. With the surprise visitor at the end brought tears to my eyes. Highly recommend.