Romance

Mmmm, not bad. I don't think the narrator Jack Garrett is right for this book. He's a great reader, but for a western yarn rather than a romance with a hot cowboy.

However, hotness does not come through in this audiobook - the situation might have been different with a younger sounding reader. I hope that isn't ageist.

Drake Carson is portrayed as an old-fashioned, solid - close to stuck in the mud - cowboy, someone who would never let you down.

Luce is a student studying wild horses - sounds great doesn't it - but she emerges with even less charisma than Drake.

She makes noises along the lines of being her own person, a contemporary woman. But she wasn't interesting. Her study of wild horses hinted at something, but I didn't form much of a view of her. I admired that she was willing to change course and make it work living on a ranch - I thought that was fair enough - but not enough to save this novel.

I've read so many great books lately, authors so good at taking the reader on an emotional journey. I enjoyed this quiet story but it didn't move me. And 9 hours was too long.

Once a Rancher - the story of Slater, Drake Carson's older brother - was a lot better as a romance.

I've also read Big Sky Country - part of the Parable, Montana series. I see I gave that 3 stars too, and for some of the same reasons. A lot of potential not realised in that novel as I recall. This could be my last Linda Lael Miller. ( )

Always a Cowboy by Linda Lael Miller is a low-key, super sweet romance with just a hint of sass and steam. Although this latest release is the second installment in The Carsons of Mustang Creek series, it can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend the first book in the series as well.

The sparks are definitely flying when Drake Carson stumbles across Lucinda "Luce" Hale observing a wild horse herd on his family's ranch. Initially, those sparks are fueled by animosity as Drake tries to avoid her while she works on her thesis. Luce is not any happier with Drake since he continually underestimates her ability to take care of herself as she continues gathering information for her paper. Slowly but surely, those sparks turn to passion but will this Wyoming cowboy and California woman figure out a way to make their relationship work?

Drake is a quintessential, hardworking cowboy who has a strong work ethic and old-fashioned swoon worthy manners. He is the epitome of the strong silent type and he tries hard to avoid any type of discussion involving feelings or emotions. Drake has no interest in being a subject for Luce's thesis but he grudgingly agrees to help as long as she stays out of his way. As their paths continue to cross and he makes sure she is safe while monitoring the herd, he realizes his feelings for Luce are beginning to shift into romantic territory. With an aversion to casual relationships, will Drake give in to his desire?

Luce is quite feisty and she will not let Drake's objections deter her from taking a few necessary risks in order to complete her thesis. They go toe to toe on a couple of occasions but they manage to figure out a compromise that works for both of them. She is quickly enamored by the laconic cowboy but Luce has her future all planned out so she is reluctant to take their relationship any further than friendship. Finding it virtually impossible to resist the simmering passion between them, Luce and Drake finally share an incredibly romantic night together, but with some very real obstacles to overcome, will their relationship end when Luce completes her research?

Set against the wild and untamed beauty of Wyoming, Always a Cowboy is a light-hearted, angst-free addition to The Carsons of Mustang Creek series. With an endearing cast of characters and a vibrant setting, this heartwarming novel will leave readers smiling from ear to ear from the witty banter between Drake, Luce and the Carson family. I cherished every second of delightfully charming and sighworthy love story and I highly recommend it to old and new fans of Linda Lael Miller.
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Luce is a on his ranch to study the wild mustangs for her thesis and Drake is a cowboy not looking for romance. He starts being pretty antagonistic, but when he finally stops it’s a huge turnaround. Ok read, it's a HQN romance, some good elements some elements can only happen in a HQN. Had a hard time sticking with this story lots of fits and starts.
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Always a cowboy by Linda Lael Miller
Have enjoyed the authors other works. Starts with listing of authors other works and series.
This book starts out with Drake Carson who's in WY runs the family herds and the middle son. He doesn't have the time to figure out why the herd is thinning...
Luce Hale is studying the herds to find a solution to their problem. Steamy sex scenes and few characters and most banter with one another to make the story very interesting.
Like views of what to do with wild animals. Predictable.
Author answers how it all started at the end of this story.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device). ( )