I only started reading American Romance books late last year, and though I still haven't read many, I love them for their strong yet wounded cowboys and their sensitive yet headstrong women. And maybe it's because I'm a city girl, but there seems to be a certain old-fashioned, down home feel to these stories.

Colton is back to the family ranch after another rodeo, and he's butting heads with his brother Ace, and feeling dissatisfied with life. He runs into Leah, a woman with whom he'd had a childhood friendship, and suddenly his feelings of friendship turn into something more. Leah feels similarly about him, but she's wary of another relationship after just having been through a divorce. Plus, she has two kids, and they've already been through a lot of upheaval.

Leah's feelings for Colton grow, but when he tells her a secret he's never told another living soul, she challenges him to decide how he wants his life to be. And Colton has to come to terms with his secret before he can let love into his life.

This is a great read. I highly recommend it. ( )

Review:Colton: Rodeo Cowboy by C.J.carmichael
4 STARS We are back at the Hart's of Thunder Ranch. Colton Hart is back from another rodeo but he missed his brother's wedding. Then being in time to carry rest of wedding cake inside the ranch house when the raim started coming down hard. Colton and his mom then had a fight over missing the wedding and Colton left to go too a bar. Leah Stockton is back home staying at her mom's with her two little kids till she could get into the house she rented. Leah and her mom had a fight after her kids were a sleep about trying again with her ex-husband. So Leah went to the local bar. Colton sees the attractive women at the bar and then realizes it is Leah. He has known Leah as long as he can remember. They went to school together, she barrell raced with his sister. Lots of times at different rodeo's he would run into her but he has not seen her for 5 years. That night things changed for them. They were now attracted to each other and thinking of sleeping together in the future when Colton found out she was a mother and backed off. Colton has been hiding secrets from his family for over 12 years. Why he still chasing rodeos instead of being around to help more with the family ranch. Colton has debts that no one knows about and he needs the money from the rodeo wins. Colton and his brother Aiden are always fighting over things. It did not help that the younger Hart brother did not come home from where ever he was for the wedding of Aiden & Flynn. Colton wants to put thier expensive horse Midnight they got recently, now that he is better after being abused. back into the rodeo. Aiden says no way they are risking Midnight getting hurt they have to much invested in him now as a stud. Midnight does not want to be gentle and fights all of them. I liked how Colton now figured out what he wants in his life. He is going to work and fix the things he does not like. He finds out that being around little children is not that hard to do. Thier are no warnings about the contents of this book. I want to see the characters again in the future. I fell for Leah's cute kids and would enjoy Seeing some of the singles in the older generation find love again. I enjoyed seeing the Hart family again and will look for the next book in the series. I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley. 08/01/2012 PUB Harlequin American Romance 224 pages ( )