Series: Once Upon a Time in Texas, #3
Traits & Tropes: starched heroine; opposites attract; older heroine; fake relationship; I've loved you for years
Publication Date: 04.27.21
Genre/Setting: Contemporary/Western; Texas Hill Country, USA
Heat Level: 3
Rating: 3.5/5
Beau Montgomery is right where he wants to be, working with his twin brother as a foreman on the ranch they grew up on. But when his brother gets a new job opportunity, Beau is left as sole foreman of Rancho Cañada Verde. He loves the outdoor labor of the job, but his unaddressed dyslexia makes the paperwork nearly impossible. The best chance he has for true independence is to ask the town’s librarian to help him with tutoring, but his long-standing crush on her makes it hard for him to even form proper words around her.
Alice Martin prioritized her education and career over relationships and friendships, and she’s never regretted it, but as she genuinely enjoys spending time with Beau, she realizes she’s been missing out on more than she’d thought. She makes a deal to help Beau in exchange for his agreement to her plus one at a coworker’s wedding. The town gossips take immediate notice and jump to conclusions and the time Alice and Beau are spending together is explained as a fake relationship to protect Beau’s secret. As they delight in each other’s company more and more, Alice begins to see the real Beau beneath the playboy façade and wonders if their fake relationship could lead to a real happy ending.
I enjoyed so much about this story, especially Beau and the pairing of a tough but vulnerable cowboy with the relatably shy librarian. The premise was so good, and I enjoyed the supporting characters and the story overall, though it wasn’t without issue. Alice’s character as the stereotypical librarian but with very modern feminist views was a bit overdrawn and some of the things she said were a bit over the top (virginity as a social construct, for example, was weird for me especially given how hung up she was on something that’s mostly just biological). She was incredibly sheltered and a bit immature, likely due to not having allowed herself to have many experiences and the phrase ‘holy guacamole’ was so overused it could’ve been a drinking game. Alice’s character was at times too cutesy and at others incredibly judgmental, making sweeping and unsubstantiated generalizations about both men and women. Her profession to be self-partnered and not wanting to be with anyone just came off to me as a manifestation of her own fears and feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. There’s nothing wrong with that at all, but it was never addressed later, and this felt like a missed opportunity for her to further bond with Beau over feelings he also shared. As it stood, it seemed like Beau put himself out there and exposed his own insecurities much more than Alice did and I would’ve enjoyed more reciprocation.
Potential mild spoiler ahead. I loved how much open communication there was between Alice and Beau once she stopped being so judgmental of him, even when it made for awkward reading. I was disappointed to see this openness break down a bit later on, resulting in the dreaded third act separation. Yes, it heightened the tension, but it was frustrating to see all that lovely directness just fly out the window, though this was thankfully brief and resulted in an excellent grovel that would only have been made better if Alice had reciprocated that sentiment more by recognizing more of her role in the misunderstanding.
Mostly, it seemed like Alice just needed to get out of her own way and I loved that Beau brought her out of her shell and helped her realize that she did belong and had all along, she only had to open her eyes to see it. I thought these two were a cute opposites attract couple and Beau was an awesome hero. I loved how much depth this seemingly superficial character had and how much additional growth he showed and confidence he developed. He was a true man, strong yet sensitive, kind, respectful, and we need more heroes like him. I also loved the small-town setting, even if the gossip part was a bit over the top, and that the ultimate emphasis was placed on community and relationships with other people over money and career.
Overall, I loved the modern-day cowboy setting and I really felt like I was immersed in the community while I was reading. This was an excellent escape for me and my first from this author, but I’ll be reading the rest of the series and looking forward to Bryce’s story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3941939481
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2172244179
Comments
Post a Comment