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yeehawwlovesbooks78's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I will say that this book has some sexual assault and if you don't do well with that, this book is not for you. The ending is what really gave this book a high rating. The relationship between Brice and Naomi was absolutely stunning to see.
Brice Harper is a rodeo cowboy along with his brother Caleb Harper. Both of them compete in the rodeo career and Naomi has a best friend who is a rodeo queen named Whitney Nolan. Naomi Pierce has flown back into her hometown of Texas to film her best friend in the rodeo. Trial and error happen and while she is filming Naomi figures her best friend is not telling her something since she has been fishy all night. Naomi tries and tries to get whatever is going on out of her mouth but she won't speak up. Whitney refuses to tell her best friend because if she does, she knows her best friend will get attacked if she ends up saying the names of this nasty group of men who goes around raping, and forcing women to do things they don't want to do. Well Naomi ends up getting herself risked when she gets attacked while she is taking pictures of the rodeo so she can print off for her friend Whitney. Naomi Pierce holds the best barrel racing time in the rodeo career and she left Texas to see more of the world outside rodeo. Well while she is watching her best friend compete, and she tells herself she is not going to get wrapped up with a cowboy... Whitney is determined to get her best friend with a cowboy to get her to move back to Texas.
Naomi didn't leave rodeo because she left her best friend behind which is what Whitney Nolan thought all along. Well Naomi's father had passed away and she moved to Washington DC to take photography and get away from that career. She didn't realize that things were fishy until Whitney's chaperone was acting strange around her and wouldn't let Whitney hang out with her unless she was right there. Naomi had got attacked and broke her camera and the attackers wouldn't let her see pictures of their faces but Whitney said throughout the book that she has all the proof she needs to capture these men who have power and are running the rodeo doing things to girls but threatening them by telling them they will get killed if they say anything.
Brice Harper ends up helping Naomi and giving her a place to stay since her rental car has been broken into and attackers are now after her since she got herself involved with Whitney. Whitney has been hiding this news for a while because she didn't want anyone to find out what these men were doing to her but Naomi doesn't realize that forcing her best friend to say something will get her attacked which it did. Naomi was pushed from the rodeo stands into the arena while an event was going on and she almost got herself trampled on by horses. Brice took her to his family's house so she would be protected and they could all have a meeting in which Whitney promised she would say what is going on. Well Whitney never knew that her chaperone was in contact with these men the whole time and was telling them what she was doing.
Whitney snuck out in the barn to say what was going on but her chaperone never fell asleep in the house and called Raymond who was head of the group to spy on her. Well the next morning when they left to head back to the rodeo grounds, Whitney, Cooper, and Shannon (Whitney's chaperone) were killed in a car accident and Whitney and Cooper had been taken to the hospital in critical condition. Whitney's chaperone was killed on the impact. Naomi and Brice both guessed that since the word has been out about the group, they have been secretly hiring other people to do their dirty work and Naomi is not going to let these men kill her or her family/friends. She will do whatever it takes for them to get charged with several counts of sexual assault.
Brice and Naomi end up falling for each other and Naomi has made a decision that she doesn't want to go back to Washington and wants to move back to Texas to be closer to her family and friends as well as her boyfriend Brice Harper. Throughout the book the relationship between them grows and Brice has gone above and beyond to protect her and make sure nothing happens to her. Totally was not expecting the group to team work and get back and this group of men so quick. They were after Naomi but they got their asses kicked when Brice and Caleb showed up ready to attack at their own new farm house with 300 acres where Brice was keeping Naomi safe!
Loved every bit of this book!!!!!!
Brice Harper is a rodeo cowboy along with his brother Caleb Harper. Both of them compete in the rodeo career and Naomi has a best friend who is a rodeo queen named Whitney Nolan. Naomi Pierce has flown back into her hometown of Texas to film her best friend in the rodeo. Trial and error happen and while she is filming Naomi figures her best friend is not telling her something since she has been fishy all night. Naomi tries and tries to get whatever is going on out of her mouth but she won't speak up. Whitney refuses to tell her best friend because if she does, she knows her best friend will get attacked if she ends up saying the names of this nasty group of men who goes around raping, and forcing women to do things they don't want to do. Well Naomi ends up getting herself risked when she gets attacked while she is taking pictures of the rodeo so she can print off for her friend Whitney. Naomi Pierce holds the best barrel racing time in the rodeo career and she left Texas to see more of the world outside rodeo. Well while she is watching her best friend compete, and she tells herself she is not going to get wrapped up with a cowboy... Whitney is determined to get her best friend with a cowboy to get her to move back to Texas.
Naomi didn't leave rodeo because she left her best friend behind which is what Whitney Nolan thought all along. Well Naomi's father had passed away and she moved to Washington DC to take photography and get away from that career. She didn't realize that things were fishy until Whitney's chaperone was acting strange around her and wouldn't let Whitney hang out with her unless she was right there. Naomi had got attacked and broke her camera and the attackers wouldn't let her see pictures of their faces but Whitney said throughout the book that she has all the proof she needs to capture these men who have power and are running the rodeo doing things to girls but threatening them by telling them they will get killed if they say anything.
Brice Harper ends up helping Naomi and giving her a place to stay since her rental car has been broken into and attackers are now after her since she got herself involved with Whitney. Whitney has been hiding this news for a while because she didn't want anyone to find out what these men were doing to her but Naomi doesn't realize that forcing her best friend to say something will get her attacked which it did. Naomi was pushed from the rodeo stands into the arena while an event was going on and she almost got herself trampled on by horses. Brice took her to his family's house so she would be protected and they could all have a meeting in which Whitney promised she would say what is going on. Well Whitney never knew that her chaperone was in contact with these men the whole time and was telling them what she was doing.
Whitney snuck out in the barn to say what was going on but her chaperone never fell asleep in the house and called Raymond who was head of the group to spy on her. Well the next morning when they left to head back to the rodeo grounds, Whitney, Cooper, and Shannon (Whitney's chaperone) were killed in a car accident and Whitney and Cooper had been taken to the hospital in critical condition. Whitney's chaperone was killed on the impact. Naomi and Brice both guessed that since the word has been out about the group, they have been secretly hiring other people to do their dirty work and Naomi is not going to let these men kill her or her family/friends. She will do whatever it takes for them to get charged with several counts of sexual assault.
Brice and Naomi end up falling for each other and Naomi has made a decision that she doesn't want to go back to Washington and wants to move back to Texas to be closer to her family and friends as well as her boyfriend Brice Harper. Throughout the book the relationship between them grows and Brice has gone above and beyond to protect her and make sure nothing happens to her. Totally was not expecting the group to team work and get back and this group of men so quick. They were after Naomi but they got their asses kicked when Brice and Caleb showed up ready to attack at their own new farm house with 300 acres where Brice was keeping Naomi safe!
Loved every bit of this book!!!!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Rape
trudyd's review against another edition
4.0
Small towns aren't always the best. Naomi soon finds out that there is bad things happened surrounding the rodeo. Lives are in danger, especially hers. Meeting Brice Harper is the best thing that happens for both for them and the town.
The story is filled with lots of action, drama and some very swoony moments. The characters surrounding Naomi are very likable. Their determination makes the story a real joy to read.
The story is filled with lots of action, drama and some very swoony moments. The characters surrounding Naomi are very likable. Their determination makes the story a real joy to read.
haneyhayespr's review against another edition
4.0
Cowboy, Cross My Heart by Donna Grant is a good fit for readers looking for a lighthearted, contemporary romance set in the world of Texas rodeos, centered around a strong-willed new adult photographer and a rugged cowboy who teams up with her to protect her friend from a stalker.
kayladbruns's review against another edition
3.0
I received an ARC via St Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first Donna Grant book but I saw it was about cowboys so I was sold. I didn’t know that that this was series but it was okay because it read like a standalone.
I liked Bryce and Naomi together. They were both at a place in their lives where they were open to love again and when they met it felt like they found their other half.
“With Naomi, everything fit easily, as if it were meant to be.”
This was a cowboy romance with a bit of suspense thrown in. I liked it but I didn’t love it. I think it had to do with different POVs that we get here. It was so hard to keep up with the story at times because it kept switching from person to person.
The story was majority focused on the mystery of who was stalking Whitney so the romance wasn’t as big of a part of the story as I would like.
Now I was a fan of the friendships here. Naomi went through so much for Whitney. To keep her safe and find out who ruined her life. There was never a time that she but her friendship on the back burner to get with Bryce. Also, Bryce’s family made me smile. Especially Abby! They were so welcoming and willing to help.
So while it wasn’t a favorite of mine, it was a good story. I’m excited to see who the next story will be about. Hopefully, it will be Caleb!
**Quote was taken from an ARC and is subject to change upon publication.
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This was my first Donna Grant book but I saw it was about cowboys so I was sold. I didn’t know that that this was series but it was okay because it read like a standalone.
I liked Bryce and Naomi together. They were both at a place in their lives where they were open to love again and when they met it felt like they found their other half.
“With Naomi, everything fit easily, as if it were meant to be.”
This was a cowboy romance with a bit of suspense thrown in. I liked it but I didn’t love it. I think it had to do with different POVs that we get here. It was so hard to keep up with the story at times because it kept switching from person to person.
The story was majority focused on the mystery of who was stalking Whitney so the romance wasn’t as big of a part of the story as I would like.
Now I was a fan of the friendships here. Naomi went through so much for Whitney. To keep her safe and find out who ruined her life. There was never a time that she but her friendship on the back burner to get with Bryce. Also, Bryce’s family made me smile. Especially Abby! They were so welcoming and willing to help.
So while it wasn’t a favorite of mine, it was a good story. I’m excited to see who the next story will be about. Hopefully, it will be Caleb!
**Quote was taken from an ARC and is subject to change upon publication.
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teresajluvs2read's review against another edition
4.0
**I received a copy of Cowboy, Cross My Heart from St. Martins Press and Net Galley in exchange for a voluntary and honest review**
Cowboy, Cross My Heart by Donna Grant is the second book in her Heart of Texas series. I've read the first book and can recommend that this addition can be read as a stand alone without any problems. Plus I can't wait for the third book even though it won't be out until next February 2019.
Naomi Pierce is home to visit her mother and to see her BFF Whitney. Years ago the girls all competed in the rodeo until one night a drunk driver hit their car killing Sue Ellen. She left town becoming a accomplished photographer but all is not well with Whitney who's now the Rodeo Queen, there are secrets and there are men who will kill to keep those involved quiet. But when Naomi becomes the target because she has a photo that could cause blow this scandal up, she meets Brice who sensing an attraction agrees to protect her.
Brice Harper a former Marine, champion roper with his brother Caleb knows that when he meets Naomi he'll protect her with his life if necessary. But he doesn't realize how deep within the towns businessmen until they attack Naomi and then himself and brings in his brother-in-law, Caleb and his two best friend to protect her and Whitney. But even hiding her at his new ranch proves hard, can he keep her safe and take down the men responsible for taking advantage of those girls competing for the Rodeo crown.
Cowboy, Cross My Heart by Donna Grant is the second book in her Heart of Texas series. I've read the first book and can recommend that this addition can be read as a stand alone without any problems. Plus I can't wait for the third book even though it won't be out until next February 2019.
Naomi Pierce is home to visit her mother and to see her BFF Whitney. Years ago the girls all competed in the rodeo until one night a drunk driver hit their car killing Sue Ellen. She left town becoming a accomplished photographer but all is not well with Whitney who's now the Rodeo Queen, there are secrets and there are men who will kill to keep those involved quiet. But when Naomi becomes the target because she has a photo that could cause blow this scandal up, she meets Brice who sensing an attraction agrees to protect her.
Brice Harper a former Marine, champion roper with his brother Caleb knows that when he meets Naomi he'll protect her with his life if necessary. But he doesn't realize how deep within the towns businessmen until they attack Naomi and then himself and brings in his brother-in-law, Caleb and his two best friend to protect her and Whitney. But even hiding her at his new ranch proves hard, can he keep her safe and take down the men responsible for taking advantage of those girls competing for the Rodeo crown.
blodeuedd's review against another edition
3.0
I do not want to spoil too much here since it is not mentioned in the blurb, but there is a lot of suspense. Something sinister is going on at the rodeo and Bryce and Naomi will be caught in the middle of it.
Naomi loves taking photos and she is good at it. But then she comes back to Texas to visit her friend Whitney. And oh those cowboys. Horses! She sure misses it. And then she spots Bryce. Ok so it happened really fast! But it is romance, I can love with it. It sure is a time of turmoil so why can't they fall fast and hard. Something will connect them and I will not say what.
Bryce is actually someone you met in book 1, but that was 12 years ago. It was fun seeing his sister and husband again, and getting his story too. He wants a ranch of his own, he rides the rodeo, well you get it, he is a cowboy.
And boom sparks fly!
Whitney, well ...
The danger is real in this one. The bad guys are evil, and frankly pretty dumb. Omg plan better! You deserve everything you have coming.
A good thrilling book with both romance and suspense.
Narrator
I always like her cowboys book. She does them really well
Naomi loves taking photos and she is good at it. But then she comes back to Texas to visit her friend Whitney. And oh those cowboys. Horses! She sure misses it. And then she spots Bryce. Ok so it happened really fast! But it is romance, I can love with it. It sure is a time of turmoil so why can't they fall fast and hard. Something will connect them and I will not say what.
Bryce is actually someone you met in book 1, but that was 12 years ago. It was fun seeing his sister and husband again, and getting his story too. He wants a ranch of his own, he rides the rodeo, well you get it, he is a cowboy.
And boom sparks fly!
Whitney, well ...
Spoiler
Ok so I get it, I do not blame her. They were men of power, but you only had to leave the rodeo to be free! Is that crown really worth it!? Is your friend's life really worth it? Your friend!The danger is real in this one. The bad guys are evil, and frankly pretty dumb. Omg plan better! You deserve everything you have coming.
A good thrilling book with both romance and suspense.
Narrator
I always like her cowboys book. She does them really well
tiggeruo's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the cover of this book so I grabbed it without reading on what it was about. I was not disappointed at all. I found the book completely hard too put down it was so good. From the beginning to the end it had you wondering each page was going to happen next for sure totally a on the edge of your seat and a real page turner. I really enjoyed Abby and how protective she was over her family, and its not just blood but those who you make family. I loved Jase and Cooper and how big of a role they played in this family as well. This book does have strong language and adult situations, however this book was so worth the read and did not disappoint at all. I can't wait to read more about this wonderful family. I did not read this first one and can't wait to grab it and read about Clayton and Abby's story. I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a review and have given my honest opinion
loverofromance's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖
Narration:🎧🎧🎧🎧
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨
First Impressions
Cowboy Cross My Heart is the second installment in the "Heart of Texas" series. This is a book about the bad boy cowboy from the first book. If you have read the first book, the hero is the troubled kid from the first one who went rebellious and made some bad choices wanting to provide for his siblings. I absolutely adored seeing Brice reach his HEA and seeing him being such a responsible hard working adult. I will be honest in that this one was entertaining, thrilling, kept me on edge and had a solid romance. It definitely has Donna Grant's typical writing style.
First Line
Excitement rushed through everyone as the lights suddenly cut out in the arena.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Brice Harper
Brice Harper is a redeeming hero. As a teenager, made mistakes with good intentions, served in the military and determined to run his own ranch with his brother. He is sexy, protective and caring.
The Heroine: Naomi Pierce
Naomi grew up in a Texas small town, naturally born in the saddle, living in D.C.. She has a strong will, a fighter when needed and has always yearned for love and a good life
Summary
Naomi Pierce has come to Texas to visit her best friend who is part of a Rodeo Queen beauty pageant. When there is a evil plot against her best friend because she and the other contestants have been assaulted by men secretly in power and using them for sexual favors. Naomi gets targeted as she has some photo evidence, where she runs into the Harper brothers. Brice is protective and strong, and when he runs into Naomi, he is determined to protect her no matter what. When it becomes apparent that her life is in danger, he and his family use all their influence to protect them. But as tensions escalate as the danger increases, the pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place. But will Naomi and Brice survive and find a way towards their HEA?
What I Loved
Cowboy, Cross My Heart was a delightful story. It really reminded me why I fell in love with this series originally and not sure why I haven't finished the series yet. I really had a blast with Brice's book. We see him being such a responsible young man and I loved how he is with Naomi. He is so wonderful for her. I really enjoyed that. I also found it most interesting to see how he is with his siblings and became so endeared by their relationships with each other. To see him change from the young boy who made so many mistakes for his family, I just fell hard for it.
We also have a kick-ass plot. There is something so captivating about the danger-themed plot that this author implements, and she really builds on the tension regarding the mystery and intrigue. We also have a solid friendship that we see with Naomi and her best friend. I loved their bonds to each other and what a great friendship they have and have been building for years. I really admired Naomi and her strong spirit. She has such a great balance to her. She is strong and feisty but not kick ass. She is such a relatable independent heroine that I just loved seeing her within this story and her great growth in this story and the moments where we see her face adversity.
What I Struggled With
The romance was more in the backstory. While I really enjoyed their chemistry, and the spice in this book is powerful, I felt like the relationship aspects could have had a bit more focus that what we see.
Narration
Truly delightful. Not the perfect narration, but it was solid and she did a great job in building the danger feels to the story.
Overall View
Cowboy Cross My Heart is a superb read that really delivered in what I was looking for. Its a story of thrills, superb plot portrayal and an romance that endears the reader in a very solid way.
Favorite Quote(s)
Her beauty might have caught his attention, but it was her strength, steadfastness, heart, and authenticity that kept pulling him back to her
There are a great many things I regret, but being attracted to you isn’t one of them.
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Character Types: Bull Rider, Cowboy, Rancher
Themes: Small Town, Family Bonds, Western,
Tropes: Redemption, Forced Proximity
Book Perspective
3rd POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Plot Conflict
Song This Book Inspires
Dust on the Bottle
Recommendation For Reading Order
You can do either, these are easily read as standalones
Steam/Spice Explanations
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Narrators:
Rebecca Estrella
Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖
Narration:🎧🎧🎧🎧
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨
First Impressions
Cowboy Cross My Heart is the second installment in the "Heart of Texas" series. This is a book about the bad boy cowboy from the first book. If you have read the first book, the hero is the troubled kid from the first one who went rebellious and made some bad choices wanting to provide for his siblings. I absolutely adored seeing Brice reach his HEA and seeing him being such a responsible hard working adult. I will be honest in that this one was entertaining, thrilling, kept me on edge and had a solid romance. It definitely has Donna Grant's typical writing style.
First Line
Excitement rushed through everyone as the lights suddenly cut out in the arena.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Brice Harper
Brice Harper is a redeeming hero. As a teenager, made mistakes with good intentions, served in the military and determined to run his own ranch with his brother. He is sexy, protective and caring.
The Heroine: Naomi Pierce
Naomi grew up in a Texas small town, naturally born in the saddle, living in D.C.. She has a strong will, a fighter when needed and has always yearned for love and a good life
Summary
Naomi Pierce has come to Texas to visit her best friend who is part of a Rodeo Queen beauty pageant. When there is a evil plot against her best friend because she and the other contestants have been assaulted by men secretly in power and using them for sexual favors. Naomi gets targeted as she has some photo evidence, where she runs into the Harper brothers. Brice is protective and strong, and when he runs into Naomi, he is determined to protect her no matter what. When it becomes apparent that her life is in danger, he and his family use all their influence to protect them. But as tensions escalate as the danger increases, the pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place. But will Naomi and Brice survive and find a way towards their HEA?
What I Loved
Cowboy, Cross My Heart was a delightful story. It really reminded me why I fell in love with this series originally and not sure why I haven't finished the series yet. I really had a blast with Brice's book. We see him being such a responsible young man and I loved how he is with Naomi. He is so wonderful for her. I really enjoyed that. I also found it most interesting to see how he is with his siblings and became so endeared by their relationships with each other. To see him change from the young boy who made so many mistakes for his family, I just fell hard for it.
We also have a kick-ass plot. There is something so captivating about the danger-themed plot that this author implements, and she really builds on the tension regarding the mystery and intrigue. We also have a solid friendship that we see with Naomi and her best friend. I loved their bonds to each other and what a great friendship they have and have been building for years. I really admired Naomi and her strong spirit. She has such a great balance to her. She is strong and feisty but not kick ass. She is such a relatable independent heroine that I just loved seeing her within this story and her great growth in this story and the moments where we see her face adversity.
What I Struggled With
The romance was more in the backstory. While I really enjoyed their chemistry, and the spice in this book is powerful, I felt like the relationship aspects could have had a bit more focus that what we see.
Narration
Truly delightful. Not the perfect narration, but it was solid and she did a great job in building the danger feels to the story.
Overall View
Cowboy Cross My Heart is a superb read that really delivered in what I was looking for. Its a story of thrills, superb plot portrayal and an romance that endears the reader in a very solid way.
Favorite Quote(s)
Her beauty might have caught his attention, but it was her strength, steadfastness, heart, and authenticity that kept pulling him back to her
There are a great many things I regret, but being attracted to you isn’t one of them.
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Character Types: Bull Rider, Cowboy, Rancher
Themes: Small Town, Family Bonds, Western,
Tropes: Redemption, Forced Proximity
Book Perspective
3rd POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Plot Conflict
Song This Book Inspires
Dust on the Bottle
Recommendation For Reading Order
You can do either, these are easily read as standalones
Steam/Spice Explanations
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Narrators:
Rebecca Estrella
mags_louise's review against another edition
4.0
4.25⭐
Cowboy, Cross My Heart was a really enjoyable story that pulled me in from the start. Thanks to all the likable characters, and a suspenseful storyline. That was not only well paced, but entertaining, engaging and intriguing.
And as a new author to me, I would definitely read more from Donna Grant in the future.
**I was kindly provided with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Cowboy, Cross My Heart was a really enjoyable story that pulled me in from the start. Thanks to all the likable characters, and a suspenseful storyline. That was not only well paced, but entertaining, engaging and intriguing.
And as a new author to me, I would definitely read more from Donna Grant in the future.
**I was kindly provided with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**