The Cowboy Takes A Bride by Lori Wilde

The Cowboy Takes A Bride
Author: Lori Wilde
Source: Publisher
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Avon
 (March 27, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0062047755

SUMMARY:


Ex-champion bull rider-turned-cutting-horse cowboy Joe Daniels isn't quite sure how he ended up sleeping in a horse trough wearing nothing but his Stetson and cowboy boots. But now he's wide-awake, and a citified woman is glaring down at him. His goal? Get rid of her ASAP. The obstacle? Fighting the attraction he feels toward the blond-haired filly with the big, vulnerable eyes. 


When out-of-work wedding planner Mariah Callahan learns that her estranged father has left her a rundown ranch in Jubilee, she has no choice but to accept it. Her goal? Redeem her career by planning local weddings. The obstacle? One emotionally wounded, hard-living cowboy who stirs her guilt, her heartstrings, and her long-burned cowgirl roots...

MY THOUGHTS:

I am a huge fan of author Lori Wilde!  I love her romantic tales of love and small town charm.  In The Cowboy Takes A Bride we visit the small town of Jubilee.  Insert a sexy cowboy, a big city girl who has lost her way, and a deceased father who leaves her the ranch and you have the fixings for an angst filled romance full of fun.

When Mariah loses her job in the big city as an assistant to a big time wedding planner, she is at a loss of what to do next.  Her ex-boss is making sure that she can't get a job anywhere in the city and she has been selling her personal belongings just to make ends meet.  When her absentee Father passes away, Mariah is stunned to find out that he has left her the ranch he owned.  Mariah finds herself moving to Jubilee in hopes of selling the ranch for enough money to start over and begin building her own wedding planning business in the city.

When she arrives to the ranch, she meets sexy cutter cowboy Joe Daniels.  Joe lost his wife 2 years to the day of losing his best friend.  Mariah's father was Joe's best friend and business partner involving Miracle, the horse that was suppose to be the next prize winning Cutter Horse.  He wants to buy back the land that belonged to Mariah's father so he can fulfill his friends last wish of opening an Equine Center for disadvantaged children.  He doesn't have the cash on hand to buy it right away, but he offers a deal to Mariah.  If she will wait until the next show, he will use the winnings to buy the land.  The only problem is that the show isn't for another two months.  While she agrees to the offer, she starts to discover the need for a wedding planning business in a small town. She decides to build a business of her own in the country town focusing on cowboy weddings.

While I enjoyed the small town feel of the book, the side characters are what made this story enjoyable.  I loved the side story of Ila and Cordy.  Ila has loved Joe forever, but Cordy has been in love with Ila as well.  Insert a love triangle that intercepts the attempts of Mariah and Joe at connecting.  Joe was a great character as well, but I didn't feel he was suited for Mariah.  Mariah rubbed me the wrong way for some reason and I couldn't seem to connect with her character.  She seemed selfish and stubborn without giving an inch at times. She seemed cold about the death of her father -- even if she didn't really know him.

This doesn't happen to be one of my favorites by this author, but it is a sweet and western themed romance for readers to enjoy.

MY RATING:

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*