Smooth-Talking Cowboy (A Gold Valley Novel, Book 1)

Three and a half stars. Olivia Logan broke up with her boyfriend when he didn't take the romantic opportunity of a family Christmas party to propose to her. She's hoping that time apart will make him realise that he does want to marry her after all. Olivia has had her perfect life mapped out in her head for years, very different from the wayward life her twin sister has adopted. Olivia wants a nice steady husband, a white picket fence and maybe some dogs, she certainly doesn't want someone as obnoxious as Luke Hollister. But when her car gets a puncture on the way to work Luke is the only person who stops and gives her a lift. Luke sees right through Olivia, maybe he's been watching her just a tad too closely since she was 18 years old, especially since her ex-boyfriend is like a younger brother to him. Bit somehow he agrees to make Olivia's ex jealous by flirting with her and taking her on a couple of dates. Suddenly Olivia wonders how she could ever have settled for 'nice' when Luke makes everything sizzle and burn. I liked this, I love a bad boy/ good girl trope and I also love the fake relationship to make someone jealous that turns into something more. Olivia had created an imaginary life and populated with a cardboard Ken-doll, then Luke came along and blew that dream out of the water. Luke on the other hand was afraid to go after what he wanted, afraid to rock the boat and take a stand, until Olivia shone a light on the dream he couldn't even imagine to himself. My ARC came with a second novel - but this was the one I requested. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

very good.