The Cowboy

The Cowboy by Julia Justiss, book two in her McAllister Brothers series, was an enjoyable, sweet, heartwarming tale of ranch and small town life. When his big brother asks former Marine Grant McAllister to move back to Whiskey River to help with running the family ranch, he feels obligated to agree. Grant has spent the past two years recovering from battle injuries, so coming home just feels right. Glad to be back on the family’s ranch land, Grant decides to renovate the family’s old hunting cabin to become his new home. When Grant discovers the designer he hires to help with the cabin is a beautiful and fascinating woman, he hopes that maybe they can mix a little pleasure in with their business. A pregnant Abby Rogers moved to Whiskey River after the death of her Marine husband, wanting to be closer to her husband’s family and far from her controlling mother. Needing a career to support herself and her baby, Abby became a designer; often creating her own pieces. Too busy running her business and mothering her young daughter, she has no time for a new relationship; even if her handsome, new client is tempting. Abby uses that as an excuse as she fears losing another loved one. Working together, Abby and Grant discover a magnetic attraction along with the sizzle of off the charts chemistry. Grant is even good with Abby’s daughter, thinking of activities the three of them can do. When her wealthy mother threatens to sue for custody of Abby’s daughter, Grant steps up, offering a way to diffuse the situation. Abby will need to decide whether to listen to her heart and trust Grant to love her. Ms. Justiss wrote a sweet, heartwarming tale of ranch and small town life filled with strong magnetism, sizzling chemistry, wonderful dialogue, and endearing characters giving Grant and Abby a chance at love. I highly recommend The Cowboy to other readers. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

This is the second book in The McAllister Brothers series and OH My Grant is Favorite brother so far. Grant has moved back home to Whisky River to help out on the ranch now that they are combing the ranchings since his brother married Harrison (in book 1). Grant was in the Marines and while he still works with the veterans he is a rancher at heart. Coming home to the ranch and fixing up his grandpa's cabin on the spot of land they got back brings him into the circle of Abby Rogers and her darling daughter. Abby takes throw-away objects and rebuilds them into the most amazing creations. I have to say I spent so much time with this book just imaging the creations our author had Abby creating in her business and wanting so many of them in my own home. Grant and Abby have instant chemistry but she doesn't want to act on it has already lost a husband to war before he ever got to see her daughter arrive into this world. I can understand that myself. So when Grant wants her to fix up his cabin with her reclaimed art pieces they become "professional friends". But her little Princess of a daughter becomes the perfect middle man so to speak and bridges the ground between professional and friendship to more. This book is just so wonderful and it does cover so much about our soldiers and their families. What happens to those at home and those left behind. I mean we have been in a war for heaven knows the way too many years now with so many men and women lost. This book speaks to me so much. And there is that wonderful amazing art element in it as well. I can't wait to read the next book in this series and see who the third brother falls for.

Second of the McAllister brothers found a love worth working for. Grant saw Abby and fell in love with her, her daughter Katie, and her creative furnishings. Abby was so deep in her grief that she almost missed a second chance at happiness. I loved the fact that Abby was strong enough to go against her family to prove she could survive on her own. She just did not see that in herself. Grant was so attentive to her and Katie that it tugged at my heart. The time they spent together had me smiling, tearing up, and swooning. I enjoyed this story and recommend it. I look forward to the next in the series. I received an ARC and this is my unsolicited review.