I really liked this book and look forward to the rest of the series! ( )

One ranch. Two people. One goal.

Cowboy Seal Homecoming has WINNER written all over it. An act of bravery brings a group of seals full circle and with a little help from a friend inspires a common goal. Ms. Helm teaches a valuable lesson about what courage really means. Bravery does not mean lack of fear, but the strength to take a risk. In fact courage is a lot like faith. Alex and Becca have a history that borders on taboo. Despite the time, distance and heartache that may be headed their way, they bring out the best in each other. She sees the man he really is and he sees the woman she hopes to be. ( )

Mix some wounded Navy SEALs with a woman who is finally trying to gain some independence, and have them build a sanctuary for veterans and you have Cowboy SEAL Homecoming. Alex left Montana after high school and joined the military. He came home VERY rarely and as a result, hardly knows his step sister at all. His father passes away and Alex is injured and discharged from the Navy precipitating his return to the ranch in Montana...that his father willed to both Alex and his step sister, Becca. Becca suffered from life threatening illness as a child and has a very sheltered, challenging upbringing. She loves the ranch and wants to provide a haven for people suffering. However, living with her step brother and his 2 SEAL buddies is a bit out of her comfort zone.

This story kind of throws all the tropes in there and it oddly works! Step siblings? Yep. Military men? Got those too! Cowboys? Sure! Becca is endearingly awkward. She is so uncomfortable with Alex and his SEAL friends, but she knows building this dream is something all of them need. Alex is struggling with his absence from his family home for so long. He is grieving his father's death, struggling with Becca's place in his father's life, and with his father's marriage to Becca's mom after his own mom passed away. Add to that his recent separation from the Navy and his injuries and you have a man desperate to control his life. He plans everything down to the minute in order to avoid surprises. Conversely, Becca never plans. She wasn't sure she would live, so long term plans were not part of her life. Cowboy SEAL Homecoming is emotional in a realistic way. Even if you haven't experienced the same life events these characters have, you will see feel their struggle. I am interested in getting Gabe and Jake's stories in the future.

The heavy emotions all the characters deal with is broken up with hilarious animal hijinks! A rooster named Rasputin and a goat named Ron Swanson will keep you giggling even when emotions are high! Cowboy SEAL Homecoming was a delightful read that gave me more than I ever expected!

 

• POV: 3rd


• Tears: a few!


• Trope: step siblings, Navy SEALs, Cowboys


• Triggers: Obviously, there are some PTSD struggles that might be upsetting for some readers


• Series/Standalone: stand alone


• Cliffhanger: no


• HEA: yes with a sweet epilogue!

Books by Jennifer Ryan, Carolyn Brown, BJ Daniels...then you will probably like Cowboy SEAL Homecoming!

 


Cowboy SEAL Homecoming


 
See full review on The Book Disciple ( )

Fantastic, emotional start to a new series. Alex is a former SEAL, retired from the service because of his injuries. He joined the Navy right out of high school, and in the sixteen years since then has rarely been home. With the recent death of his father, Alex and his step-sister, Becca, have inherited the ranch. With the loss of their careers, Alex and his two friends, Jack and Gabe, have come to the ranch to heal and to make it a place for other wounded vets to heal. Each of them needs a new focus for their lives and a way to deal with the unexpected changes. This is Alex's story.

Becca is also dealing with major changes in her life. Her stepfather was the only father she had known, and his loss has left her reeling. She barely knows Alex, as he had already left home for the navy by the time her mother married Burt. Thanks to a life-threatening illness as a child, her life has been very sheltered. Her mother homeschooled her and kept her away from most social events, afraid that she would become sick again. This has left her socially awkward and very nervous around strangers. She is also determined to do something about it, and with a lot of effort has finally established some independence. The men's plans for the ranch dovetail nicely with her desire to start an equine therapy program.

The contrasts between Alex and Becca are pretty significant. Alex is a leader, a planner (overly so), and keeps his emotions under strict control. He is haunted by the events that caused his injuries and the death of a friend, but insists that he is "fine." He is certain that with enough hard work and time, the nightmares will fade. Becca is quiet but determined to become more outgoing. She wants to live her life to the fullest, and because she was sick for so long, lives each day as it comes. She has goals, but she doesn't do much planning because she knows that those plans can change in an instant.

I enjoyed the development of Alex and Becca's relationship. Because they are technically step-siblings, their initial attraction to each other freaks them both out - especially Alex. Becca gets over it much faster because she realizes that they spent no time together growing up as siblings. Alex is protective of Becca from the start, and it's fun to see him pretend it's brotherly, while Jack and Gabe insist it's anything but. Becca is quiet, but she is no pushover, and I loved how she stood up to Alex from the start when it came to the therapy side of the ranch. I liked that they became friends first, bonding and sharing their grief over Burt's death, and working together on getting the ranch set up. All during that time, the sparks between them continued to build. I liked the way that Alex wanted to take things slowly and loved the whole date scene. Becca was in a bit more of a hurry, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her take charge of her wants and needs. Once they took that final step, the feelings between them grew quickly. But it was not all unicorns and rainbows. Alex's PTSD symptoms get worse instead of better the more he tries to deny them. His refusal to admit he needs help, or even to share what is happening with Becca, drives a wedge between them. I loved the way that Becca refused to allow him to shut her out if they were going to have a relationship. I ached for them both as Becca made it clear that something had to give. The intervention by Jack and Gabe was heart-wrenching as they tried desperately to get through to Alex. I was moved to tears by the reconciliation of Becca and Alex and the emotion of his big moment at the end.

I loved Alex's friends and partners, Jack and Gabe. The bond among the three men is tight, thanks to everything they have been through together. I loved how they have no problem reminding Alex that he is no longer responsible for them. Both Gabe and Jack also have issues stemming from the same attack that injured Alex, and each deals with them differently. I also liked how they were loyal to each other, always having each other's' backs. There were a couple of times that created issues with Becca, but they were understandable and easily dealt with. I had fun watching both Jack and Gabe adjust to ranch life. The development of the friendship between them and Becca was pretty sweet. They were all awkward at the beginning, but it didn't take long for them to grow to like and respect each other. I loved the scene at the bar when Jack and Gabe so clearly saw the sparks between Becca and Alex. I loved their part in bringing Alex and Becca back together.

Becca's mom was a character I had a little more trouble with. I understood why she had been so protective when Becca was younger. But her attitude now, when Becca has been well for so long, was too much. I really hated her attitude toward the guys, especially Alex. The dinner scene was awful, and I ached for Becca and the stress she was under. I was definitely rooting for her as she gained confidence, and I loved seeing her finally confront her mom.

Though the book was emotional and frequently gut-wrenching, there were also some lighter moments to break it up. I laughed out loud during the scenes with the goat. Jack and Gabe were especially hysterical as they dealt with the roof-climbing animal. Having to get help from a rooster named Rasputin made it even better.

I've already read Jack's book (Cowboy SEAL Redemption), which got me hooked on this series. I can't wait to read Gabe's story, as it will pair him with the therapist, Monica. It should be a fantastic read. ( )

Cowboy SEAL Homecoming is a sweet and adorable romance.

I picked this one up; because of a teaser Anna @ Herding Cats & Burning Soup shared. It’s the first night/morning the guys are at the ranch and that morning a goat gets in the house. That scene was so funny. I had to just smile and laugh. It reminded me of farm life. I didn’t have any goats, but I sure did have several other farm animals. You can check out her review and see the teaser; here. Their was also another goat scene that made me smile as well. Goats, they are just too funny!

Becca reminded me a lot of myself. She has been sheltered her whole life; because she was a very sick child and her mother worried, so as a result she’s made animal friends on the farm. I wasn’t sheltered, but I didn’t have many friends and preferred to spend my time outside with my animals then with people. I had a great time watching Becca come out of her shell and stand up for herself and her needs and wants. I like that she wants to open an equine therapy ranch for wounded veterans and her stepbrother is all in to help, now that he is out of the service.

Alex returns home after pretty much running away from home. The ranch and town hold difficult memories for him. Coming home he is forced to face his situation and all those memories in the past. My heart went out to him. I would have liked to see more time spent on Alex getting help and dealing with his issues.

Becca and Alex are step-siblings, but they didn’t grow up together and barely have any type of a relationship, so the romance; between them didn’t raise any issues that I usually would have with this type of set up. Their romance isn’t steamy, it’s a slow and sweet build. I think anything more wouldn’t have been believable; especially with how sheltered Becca was and the issues Alex has.

I had a delightful time with a Cowboy SEAL Homecoming. It had some wonderful touching moments and showcased life’s struggles and overcoming them.

Rated: 3 Stars


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