Need Me, Cowboy: A Contemporary Western Romance (Copper Ridge)

Maisey Yates is one of my favorite authors and I was looking forward to this next installment in the Copper Ridge series. Each of her sibling's stories have been a bit unconventional and this one fit right in. Levi was tried and convicted for killing his wife, who it turns out just wanted to disappear from their life and didn't come forward to exonerate him at trial. The consequences: he served 5 years in prison before his wife was found alive and he was released.

Now he plans to build a house at the top of a mountain looking down on the town that has disowned him. He works hard to transition outside of prison life and Faith Grayson is the architect he hires to make his dream come true to design a house and equestrian center fit for the man he is. One catch, he needs to let go of the anger and frustration of his past and as we all know that's easier said than done.

In addition to hiring Faith and her building firm to design and build the house they enter into a relationship while this is happening. They each agree it's for the duration of the design phase only. Faith figures she'll get experience with men as she's led a sheltered life as a child prodigy. She's the brains behind their family firm and her brothers rely on her. They're also very protective and although they respect the gains she's made in the architectural world it's not the same in her personal life. They question her and treat her as if she's still a child and she's 25 years old.

Levi just wants some physical relief as he valued his privacy while in prison. He closed off his heart and this story is a 'coming of age' story for him too. Due to his upbringing with an abusive and alcoholic father, along with living on the 'wrong side of the tracks' and an unjust imprisonment, he needs to come to terms with the fact that he does deserve to give and get true love,.When his former wife shows up it is a life altering moment for him when he realizes he needs to release his feelings of revenge and anger to fully embrace the love and 'happily ever after' that he can have with Faith.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher HARLEQUIN BOOKS and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

The author is prolific and it shows, and not in a good way. The book felt like a first draft which should've been edited more: boring narratives with a middle school level feel, dull dialogue, and blah storytelling. There were bumbling paragraphs that I seriously thought had been cut and pasted together and no one gave them a second read to see if they made sense.

The whole book felt rushed and second-rate.

When I read a Harlequin, I know I'm getting formulaic stories. That's fine. It's why I buy them. Tropes are patterns. Still, I expect the author to put some oomph into the trope, and at the very least, write well. This author did neither.

Good price, great book...

Love this author

Love this series.

Reading

Love this author

Excellent story line I have read the whole copper ridge series

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Levi Trucker has been released from prison after being committed for a crime he didn’t commit. Fortunately, Levi has more than one good opportunity to rebuild his life. For starters, he is about to build a beautiful new home.

Levi hires a very successful architect, who happens to be quite a beautiful woman. There is no doubt to Levi that he desires her, but with his past, and with her being a bit younger than him, there is a line that he will not pass.

This story was an enjoyable read as both Levi and Faith developed a strong relationship. There was no doubt that Levi was a troubled man. Although exonerated, he felt he had much to prove to the town, starting with the location and choice of his house. Faith is definitely sought after due to her excellent skills, but she almost immediately wants more than a job when it comes to Levi. Faith has another battle on her hands. She is in business with her over-protective brothers and certainly knows they would be none too pleased to know about this job.

Need Me Cowboy is the sixth book in the Copper Ridge series. Although I hadn’t read the previous stories I found that this did quite well as a standalone.

Many thanks to Harlequin Desire and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

A young and innocent woman is NOT what Levi needs right now. Newly released from prison, for a murder he did not commit, Levi is looking for a woman. He is also looking for a little revenge on his STILL LIVING ex-wife. He has found the best up-and-coming architect to design his house on the hill. He is reclaiming his life in a big way. Too bad he put an end-date on his time with Faith.

Faith is the heart and soul of her family's business. She grew up away at boarding school and now that she is home her brothers are protective of their little sister. Almost like they missed out on vetting her boyfriends and are making up for lost time.

A must read for fans of Maisey Yates.