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aplace_inthesun's review
4.0
I read this book for a couple of challenges with fellow bookstagrammers. One was a Cowboy Romance buddy read. Only thing is, it's not REALLY a cowboy romance. True Della and Tucker live in Credence, Colorado but he is a bartender and she is a nurse at a retirement home. It is, however the third book in the Credence series (of which I've read one). The characters have some cross over, but it's marginal and you don't need to read one before reading the next.
Della is the sister of Tucker's friend Arlo, the local policeman. Arlo rescued Della three years previously from an abusive marriage (in a description sounding like something out of Deliverance). Arlo has cast a protective wing over Della ever since. But now Della feels ready to give dating a try and ropes Tucker in to be her wingman. He also teaches her to drive. After a few false starts, literally and figuratively, Della gains her confidence, and she and Tucker strike up a deal. She wants to learn a few things and she trusts him sufficiently to teach her. He helps her out, having her (ahem) best interests at heart.
This is a fun contemporary read, and that's not to dismiss Della's experience or make light of her past. In fact there is a sense of taking something from this about being reflective, being self-determining, being ready and moving forward. Tucker is a gem of a character and apart from the steam between Della and Tucker, I loved the banter between Tucker and his mates, Drew and Arlo, as well as Della and her nursing home sidekicks. Whilst Credence might be a little stifling if it was real life, given how everyone knows everyone and has an opinion about everything but their own business, the characters all seem to gel but at the same time have quite distinct stories and seem fresh.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing an electronic reading copy of this book in exchange for a review.
Della is the sister of Tucker's friend Arlo, the local policeman. Arlo rescued Della three years previously from an abusive marriage (in a description sounding like something out of Deliverance). Arlo has cast a protective wing over Della ever since. But now Della feels ready to give dating a try and ropes Tucker in to be her wingman. He also teaches her to drive. After a few false starts, literally and figuratively, Della gains her confidence, and she and Tucker strike up a deal. She wants to learn a few things and she trusts him sufficiently to teach her. He helps her out, having her (ahem) best interests at heart.
This is a fun contemporary read, and that's not to dismiss Della's experience or make light of her past. In fact there is a sense of taking something from this about being reflective, being self-determining, being ready and moving forward. Tucker is a gem of a character and apart from the steam between Della and Tucker, I loved the banter between Tucker and his mates, Drew and Arlo, as well as Della and her nursing home sidekicks. Whilst Credence might be a little stifling if it was real life, given how everyone knows everyone and has an opinion about everything but their own business, the characters all seem to gel but at the same time have quite distinct stories and seem fresh.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing an electronic reading copy of this book in exchange for a review.
bookish_heidi's review
4.0
Thank you @entangled_publishing for gifting me an ecopy of this in trade for my honest opinion!
I'm gonna start out by saying that this cover cracks me up! It's not something I would typically read, but I had to find out what "Mr Howdy Ma'am" was all about. My Bestie and I have been in a few giggle fits thanks to this book. It's memorable and I love it!
Della is a domestic/sexual abuse survivor. She married the wrong man and paid dearly for it. Until a brother she didn't know she had showed up to rescue her. He pulled her out of the abuse and took her to his tiny hometown to start facing her demons. 3 years and a lot of therapy later, she feels she is ready to try dating again. She has needs dammit.
With the help of her longtime friend, Tucker, she downloads Tinder and vows she will just have some fun. Tucker agrees to be her wingman and help her weed out the weirdos. Tucker drives her to Denver on Friday nights for these dates and waits across the street in case she needs him. Seriously the biggest sweetheart on the planet! Mr Howdy Ma'am is a studly gentleman.
Of course while helping her through all of this, they fall in love with each other but neither is willing to take it any further. Such is the conundrum of Della and Tucker.
That being said, I loved this book! I love that Della is a fighter. I love that Tucker is such a patient man. I love that Arlo reminds me of Charlie from Twilight. I love Rosemary cause she's freaking hilarious. This book brought more than a few laughs and had me turning pages pretty fast through some parts. It's just the right amount of steamy and real.
I'm gonna start out by saying that this cover cracks me up! It's not something I would typically read, but I had to find out what "Mr Howdy Ma'am" was all about. My Bestie and I have been in a few giggle fits thanks to this book. It's memorable and I love it!
Della is a domestic/sexual abuse survivor. She married the wrong man and paid dearly for it. Until a brother she didn't know she had showed up to rescue her. He pulled her out of the abuse and took her to his tiny hometown to start facing her demons. 3 years and a lot of therapy later, she feels she is ready to try dating again. She has needs dammit.
With the help of her longtime friend, Tucker, she downloads Tinder and vows she will just have some fun. Tucker agrees to be her wingman and help her weed out the weirdos. Tucker drives her to Denver on Friday nights for these dates and waits across the street in case she needs him. Seriously the biggest sweetheart on the planet! Mr Howdy Ma'am is a studly gentleman.
Of course while helping her through all of this, they fall in love with each other but neither is willing to take it any further. Such is the conundrum of Della and Tucker.
That being said, I loved this book! I love that Della is a fighter. I love that Tucker is such a patient man. I love that Arlo reminds me of Charlie from Twilight. I love Rosemary cause she's freaking hilarious. This book brought more than a few laughs and had me turning pages pretty fast through some parts. It's just the right amount of steamy and real.
fleetwood_whack's review
1.0
Don’t get me wrong, the second book was *chefs kiss*. But it was so for everything this book is lacking.
There is little character development. Abused women are much more than their past. They have jobs, hobbies, friends, likes and dislikes. The main character HAD a job, but it served secondary to the plot and offered very little. Her InNoCenCe was nearly infantilizing.
Further, the male protagonist had no character development. He owns a bar- and that is.
I had other issues too, a lack of suspense, unrealistic execution, etc.
There is little character development. Abused women are much more than their past. They have jobs, hobbies, friends, likes and dislikes. The main character HAD a job, but it served secondary to the plot and offered very little. Her InNoCenCe was nearly infantilizing.
Further, the male protagonist had no character development. He owns a bar- and that is.
I had other issues too, a lack of suspense, unrealistic execution, etc.
joreadsromance's review
5.0
Laugh, swoon and sigh
5 stars
Gah! How does [a:Amy Andrews|1128457|Amy Andrews|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1553770562p2/1128457.jpg] do it? She writes such complex, compelling characters that are so worthy of finding their happily ever afters, that you fall in love with them as they fall in love with each other.
This is the third book in the Credence, Colorado series although it completely stands alone. In fact, while the couples from the first 2 books ([b:Nothing But Trouble|40045972|Nothing But Trouble (Credence, Colorado #1)|Amy Andrews|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1548981769l/40045972._SX50_.jpg|62053502] and [b:The Trouble with Christmas|44322576|The Trouble with Christmas (Credence, Colorado #2)|Amy Andrews|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563406446l/44322576._SX50_.jpg|68871865]) are name-checked, they don’t appear in this book. Although many other characters - and many new ones - from the quirky town do feature. But fear not if you, like me, hate a name dump of characters - it’s not like that. And the people of Credence are ‘real’ people with quirks - not ridiculous parodies of irritating schmucks that sometimes appear in novels as the meddling townsfolk.
But our book isn’t about them - it’s about Della and Tucker.
Della has had a hard life; Harrowing in many respects. While there’s never any truly gory detail - and the book happens 4 years after her rescue from her abusive situation - I can imagine that this detail may be triggering to some. For me, it just made me like Della all the more. Seeing how far she’d come and how strong she was - even if she didn’t know it herself. She was such an inspiration and I was her biggest cheerleader from the first page to the last. She put me to shame with her bravery and I admired her big time!
Tucker. *Sighs* What can I say - I’m a sucker for a Tucker. I can imagine all the girls sighing as he strides by in his checked shirt, boots and cowboy hat, looking like a deliciously dirty lumberjack. But he’s got a heart of gold. And how he loves and cares for Della… If it wasn’t so beautiful - I might cry. I probably did cry, if I’m honest.
Della and Tucker are just perfect together - and more than just sexually. But sexually they are hotter than the red spot on Jupiter. There was definitely some pearl clutching and face-fanning going on as I read the steamy scenes. It might take a while for the pair to take the plunge - but by God they more than make up for it when they finally do get going.
There’s definitely a build-up to the full-on sex scenes but there’s also no scrimping on the hot moments even before that. I’m trying to forget about dirty Rosemary, the saucy 80-year old, but the trip to the sex shop was both hilarious and really interesting. I’m thinking I need to up my game some. But maybe not to full-on Tinder. While that was also illuminating and hilarious - it was also down-right terrifying!
Other things to love about this book - apart from the awesomely swoony love story - the triple bromance of Arlo, Drew and Tucker. Who doesn’t love some boy banter? Betty the Cavalier King Charles - my own ovaries nearly exploded when Tuck arrived at the door with her tucked under his arm; I’m getting overheated just remembering it. But best of all is the humour. No, best of all is Ms Andrews’ writing in general. How she manages to make me feel like I’m not reading, but sitting down to catch-up with my bestest friend while she tells me a love story - is something I’m not quite sure how she manages. And as with hanging out with your girls, you’ll laugh, cry and tell each other all the juicy, dirty details. It’s utter perfection.
Whether you’re new to Credence, Colorado, or you’re like me and planning to move there - you will fall in love with this book and more importantly, Della and Tucker. Please give it a go - you will not be disappointed. 5 swoony stars.
angelareadsbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I just finished Asking for Trouble by @amyandrewsbooks tonight and
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