Review for THE BULL RIDER'S COWGIRL by April Arrington

31/12/2016

THE COWGIRL OF HIS DREAMS

Jen Taylor is this close to becoming a world-champion barrel racer. But when tragedy strikes bull rider Colt Mead, she puts her ambitions on holdtemporarily. The playboy of the circuit suddenly has a child depending on him. She can't let her friend go it aloneno matter how much he hurt her

Colt knew Jen deserved better than a rootless bull rider. But caring for his orphaned half sister makes him realize how much he wants to be part of a family. And that family won't be complete without the woman he loves as much more than a friend. Will she give up her dream to be part of his?

Emotionally charged story about finding your place, your destiny, growing up to be the person you are supposed to be and taking on responsibility.
I was enthralled with the honest inside look into the rodeo world the story gives us. There are the glorious moments from eight to fifteen seconds where adrenaline is high and the crowds are cheering, when you are at the top of the world, or at least on top of the bull or a horse, and life is great. But there are also those moments when the doubts, worries, and weariness hits the competitors. The long and lonely trips from town to town and event to event, keeping up with the score and trying to stay on the top, it all takes a toll on the riders, both physically and mentally.
The friendship between Colt and Jen is laden, the mutual attraction is muddying up the waters, bringing tension and awkward moments between them. But still Jen takes the risk with her career and her emotional wellbeing to take a week off from the rodeo circus to be with Colt when the bad news from home reaches him and he needs help and support.
Most of us have that feeling of wanting to make something with our lives, we thrive to make it better, make our parents proud, some even aim to the top with every step their take. Colt's relationship with his father has been quashed years ago when he took on the road and left home. He stood up for his cousin, yet felt guilty of leaving his little half-sister behind. Now he has a chance to fix that, to stand up for little Meg, but that requires him to leave other dreams behind him.
I loved seeing Colt grow and mature through the story as he struggles with his priorities and responsibilities, making new plans for the future where Meg is in the center stage. His feeling towards Jen is part of the equation, even though he is painfully aware Jen has her goals set on the rodeo circus and making it to the top in Las Vegas. The struggle he had was real and tormented, his pain and concerns evident, his doubts about himself, his abilities to raise Meg, about their future are troublesome since it all came into about his character as money wasn't a concern for him or Meg.
The poignant journey the characters are taking is sensitive and touching. The emotions of the little girl in mourning, with Colt's worries of the future, Jen's need to make something with her life, to prove to herself and the people of her hometown that she can make it, to the roaring passion and affection between Colt and Jen, it all provided a story that hit directly to the my heart. It was easy to relate to the characters and to the turbulence in their lives, I felt for them and with them, from triumph to the despair. A deep and emotionally complex journey, mixed with the sports of rodeo and meaningful, love filled romance.
~ Four Spoons

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