Reviewed by: Laura

RATING: 6/10 – Good

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Miss Rodeo Wyoming Jodie Bryce is back from the big city to find that her childhood friend Teague Treadwell’s rugged cowboy charm never looked better. But Teague thinks Jodie’s success lifted her out of his reach, and now he’s got to shed his bad boy image to be worthy of the girl next door.

REVIEW:

This is a sweet, contemporary romance that’s a quick and easy read. Girl next door and former tomboy Jodie shed her image years ago, leaving the small town she grew up in to become a rodeo queen.

But things change and Jodie has returned home, glad to leave the make up and glitz behind she has a vision to transform her deceased father’s ranch into a riding centre for people with disabilities. In all the years she’s been away she has never forgotten bad boy next door Teague.

Teague has always been a little bit in love with Jodie, but things have changed. He’s cleaned up his image and become a successful businessman and ranch owner in the years since she’s been away. Yet, despite everything a part of him still doesn’t think he’s good enough for her.

There were some things that really worked in this story and some other bits not so. Teague cares for his older brother with Downs Syndrome, which gives him the complex role of brother, parent and carer. This part of the story was well written, interesting and added a rich layer to Teague’s characterisation. Jodie has trouble shedding her glitzy, rodeo queen image and reinvent herself and get her new career taken seriously. As a consequence, she shows grit and determination as well as compassion.

Then there’s the not so good. There is an odd sub plot about Courtney a wealthy, young woman who for some inexplicable reason desperately wants to be with Teague and won’t leave him alone. It gets complicated with the role of her rich, magnate father, some polo players and a nasty arson plot which all got a little bit strange to be honest. I actually think the story might have been better without it included.

VERDICT:

While this was an enjoyable story, it missed the spark of a brilliant story. The plot was a little muddled at times and distracted from the central love story, which meant I didn’t always fully engage with the main characters.

I did however, very much enjoy the background of Teague’s Downs Syndrome brother and Jodie’s role setting up her ranch as a disabled riding centre, and when the love story worked it was both sexy and tender.