Rough Creek

I do love a cowboy romance, so I was happy to dive into Rough Creek. This is my first read by Kaki Warner, and as I understand it, this is her first contemporary Western romance, having written historical romances. I will say that this book does have some of the flavor of a historical romance, some similar tones, but it is set in the here and now. The story also has elements of second chances - not necessarily for Dalton and Raney as a couple, but the romance is a second chance for each of them. I found both characters likable. In fact, I liked most of the characters in this one, at least the ones we're meant to like, and there are what look to be some promising storylines to come as this series progresses. As for this couple, Dalton has this whole wounded soul vibe going, but at the same time, he flirts shamelessly with Raney, which of course, frustrates her to no end. She's a bit rigid and doesn't take well to change, so Dalton messing with her world was thoroughly amusing. That also means we get some fun banter, and it's not just between our romantic couple. I really enjoyed the dialogue in this book, and I'll just throw in right here that Raney's mother is an absolute scene-stealer and one of my favorite types of character. The only drawback for me was that the book felt like it went on longer than it needed to. There's really not enough angst to warrant the length of the book. There were a couple of lags in the story where I found my attention waning, so I feel like it could've done with a bit of tightening up. That said, those times didn't last long, and Dalton and Raney did pull me back in, so it's not a huge deficit in my opinion. All in all, this first in the series is an entertaining read with engaging characters, and now that I've met them, I can't wait to see what Kaki Warner has in store for them.

I adored this heartwarming slow-burn romance! Raney was so reluctant to admit she could be falling for the disarmingly charming ex-con cowboy, but there isn't a woman alive who could resist him forever. It didn't take Dalton long to get over his reservations about romancing his boss, especially since it was her mother who had actually hired him. The issues that needed to be dealt with first were honest and authentic, encompassed both his past and hers, and the way they shared these problems with each other really spoke volumes about their character and values. I absolutely loved Coralee in this story, and wish we'd seen more of her. We also got quite an extensive introduction to Joss and Grady's relationship, as well as Len and Ryan's marriage. I hope those stories will be expanded into future books. I really enjoyed the sly humor, not outrageous but just enough to show the teasing aspect of their relationship. Even when she's sure about herself and him, Raney just couldn't let herself relax and enjoy the fun unless Dalton practically dared her to. Their banter was on-point throughout the story, adding breadth and depth to their romance. The HEA was perfect, with the most hilarious proposal scene I've read in a very long time! It was unique, and exactly what these two needed. I highly recommend this delightful romance. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.