Cowboying Up (Cowboy Brothers in Arms, Bk 3)
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Romance
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Romance
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Good continuation of the Cowboy Brothers in Arms series. Cal is one of four Donnelly siblings, all of whom are serving in the military. Cal is an Air Force pilot at the top of his game. But something happened that made him rethink his plans to make a career of it. He has returned to the family ranch on thirty days leave to consider his options. The other thing weighing on his mind is his promise to deliver a breakup letter to his best friend's girlfriend.
Charlotte and Noah were childhood sweethearts. They've been a couple for years but haven't seen much of each other because of his air force commitments. She is also an attorney in town but has big plans to buy a ranch and turn it into a rehab facility for veterans. Charlotte found the perfect place, but the elderly owner hesitates because she isn't married. She is talking with Mr. Becker about the property when Cal arrives to speak with her.
Matters become complicated very quickly when Charlotte begs Cal to play along with her declaration that he is her fiancé and lays a scorching hot kiss on him. He cooperates, but Becker still delays answering. After he leaves, Charlotte fills Cal in on her plans. Then comes telling her of Noah's breakup. We get the convoluted background of the friendships of Cal, Charlotte, Noah, and Harper (who is behind Cal's current dilemma). Charlotte's calmness about the breakup surprises Cal.
Cal's day becomes more difficult when he informs his family about his plans to resign from the Air Force. To say they are shocked would be putting it mildly, and the protests are intense. Worst of all is the reaction of his stepmother, the general who has mentored his career. I ached for Cal and the pressure he felt from his guilty feelings and his family.
Neither Charlotte nor Cal expected the attraction that flared up between them. They initially try to ignore it, but the sparks are too strong. They spend a lot of time together working on her plans for her facility, Port in a Storm, and their feeling for each other continue to grow. I loved the way they supported each other. However, trouble looms when Noah shows up wanting to resume his relationship with Charlotte. I loved her reaction, though Noah is more focused on his desires than what she says. I liked seeing Cal and Charlotte deal with him. Meanwhile, they continue to resist admitting their feelings for each other. When Cal gets an offer that would be hard to turn down, he must look deep to decide what he wants. I loved the ending and Cal's big moment with Charlotte.
I also enjoyed following along with Charlotte's Port in a Storm project. I loved her motivation and determination. I admired Noah's brother, Alden, the first resident of Port in a Storm. I would love to see him get a story of his own. Harper is a little harder to like after what she said to Cal, but I was more sympathetic to her after seeing what her father is like. Even grouchy old former owner Becker got in on the action. There are tense scenes with Harper and her father that are balanced by the supportive relationship Alden has with his father. I liked the realistic depiction of what some of our wounded warriors experience.
Other secondary characters included Charlotte's mother, Izzie, who I thought was controlling and selfish. She was more focused on the effect of Charlotte's breakup on her own plans than on what it meant to Charlotte. We also see Cal's two brothers and their ladies from the previous two books. I liked catching up with their lives. Cal's sister, Remi, makes a brief appearance. Cal's dad, Derek, is there with his opinion of Cal's plans. He is also front and center of another family issue - Rowan Cullen, the illegitimate son of Derek and Audrey. That situation is tense, and I'm looking forward to following its progress in the next book.
Charlotte and Noah were childhood sweethearts. They've been a couple for years but haven't seen much of each other because of his air force commitments. She is also an attorney in town but has big plans to buy a ranch and turn it into a rehab facility for veterans. Charlotte found the perfect place, but the elderly owner hesitates because she isn't married. She is talking with Mr. Becker about the property when Cal arrives to speak with her.
Matters become complicated very quickly when Charlotte begs Cal to play along with her declaration that he is her fiancé and lays a scorching hot kiss on him. He cooperates, but Becker still delays answering. After he leaves, Charlotte fills Cal in on her plans. Then comes telling her of Noah's breakup. We get the convoluted background of the friendships of Cal, Charlotte, Noah, and Harper (who is behind Cal's current dilemma). Charlotte's calmness about the breakup surprises Cal.
Cal's day becomes more difficult when he informs his family about his plans to resign from the Air Force. To say they are shocked would be putting it mildly, and the protests are intense. Worst of all is the reaction of his stepmother, the general who has mentored his career. I ached for Cal and the pressure he felt from his guilty feelings and his family.
Neither Charlotte nor Cal expected the attraction that flared up between them. They initially try to ignore it, but the sparks are too strong. They spend a lot of time together working on her plans for her facility, Port in a Storm, and their feeling for each other continue to grow. I loved the way they supported each other. However, trouble looms when Noah shows up wanting to resume his relationship with Charlotte. I loved her reaction, though Noah is more focused on his desires than what she says. I liked seeing Cal and Charlotte deal with him. Meanwhile, they continue to resist admitting their feelings for each other. When Cal gets an offer that would be hard to turn down, he must look deep to decide what he wants. I loved the ending and Cal's big moment with Charlotte.
I also enjoyed following along with Charlotte's Port in a Storm project. I loved her motivation and determination. I admired Noah's brother, Alden, the first resident of Port in a Storm. I would love to see him get a story of his own. Harper is a little harder to like after what she said to Cal, but I was more sympathetic to her after seeing what her father is like. Even grouchy old former owner Becker got in on the action. There are tense scenes with Harper and her father that are balanced by the supportive relationship Alden has with his father. I liked the realistic depiction of what some of our wounded warriors experience.
Other secondary characters included Charlotte's mother, Izzie, who I thought was controlling and selfish. She was more focused on the effect of Charlotte's breakup on her own plans than on what it meant to Charlotte. We also see Cal's two brothers and their ladies from the previous two books. I liked catching up with their lives. Cal's sister, Remi, makes a brief appearance. Cal's dad, Derek, is there with his opinion of Cal's plans. He is also front and center of another family issue - Rowan Cullen, the illegitimate son of Derek and Audrey. That situation is tense, and I'm looking forward to following its progress in the next book.
