BOOK REVIEW- Counting on a Cowboy

BOOK REVIEW- Counting on a Cowboy-

After losing everything dear to her, Abby never wants to love again. But a certain cowboy spurs her to wonder if maybe love is worth the risk.

Running from a past that haunts her, Abby Knightly is drawn to the homey town of Wishing Springs, Texas, after her favorite advice columnist found love and a home there. Maybe this small town could offer hope and healing and a future for Abby too . . . if she’s brave enough to reach out and take it. Bo Monahan isn’t interested in the new romantic destination his little town has become—or the women who might be looking at him like he’s their next Mr. Right. Between taking care of his Pops and his growing stirrup business, he isn’t looking for serious romantic commitments. But unexpectedly the young child he never knew about appears on his doorstep and Bo’s world is turned upside down. This confirmed bachelor might not need a wife, but he sure needs a woman . . . and newcomer Abby Knightly is definitely a woman. When she comes to his rescue to help him navigate fatherhood, he slowly uncovers her own history. And suddenly Bo’s thinking maybe, just maybe, together they can help each other work through the problems of the past to create a future of their own.   AMAZON

This is a clean story, there will be pain but no sex scenes explicit or otherwise.  I found it intriguing that the author included something that you don't often see mentioned. The sleep deprivation that often comes to those who are going through grief after the death of a loved one.   A friend of mine went through the loss of her husband several years ago and was very transparent about some of the things she was going through.  This was one of them. 

Pebble Hanover  was a really likable owner of the local Sweet Dreams motel where Abby stayed when she first hit town.  She had a lot of wisdom, that she shared with kindness without pushing.    Ends up Pebble also had some emotional things that she has and will be working through in this story.  I liked the closeness of Bo's family, how that was part of the story too.   How the family all pulled together to take care of Pops (their grandfather) and all the brothers were working together to remove remaining debt from the ranch.  They were all pulling together in their own ways, with their own sets of skills.  The author did a good job of showing the feelings of loss and also the pain of Pops being in the middle part of Alzheimer's.  Abby was deep in guilt as well as grief but I liked how she made what some thought was a unusual move to jump start her life.    It hurt and it was working but it also wasn't easy.  Abby was trying to release things to God and lean on Him but found she wasn't doing it as much as she wanted.   There were plenty of likable, interesting characters all around in the town Wishing Springs.  Also a part of the story is the heartbreak that alcoholism brings. 

I would like to point out that there were quite a few times that I had to check who was speaking when a conversation was going on.  It got a little confusing at times.  It would start out with one person speaking and you knew who it was and then it would run into someone else answering wihout making that clear. It seemed to run on, into each other.   I hope that makes sense..it just made it kind of choppy. 

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.