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starfire_rhexia's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
michellesantiago's review
4.0
Originally posted on Undeniably Book Nerdy book blog:
Can we talk about that cover of Second Chance Cowboy first? Because hubba hubba 😻😻 that is one sexy cowboy. Good job Forever Romance! Because while I enjoy my cowboy romances, usually the covers are so cheesy and cartoonish that they're kind of a turn off. I thought this cover captured Jack Everett's lawyer and rugged cowboy self perfectly.
I was initially interested in Second Chance Cowboy because I've been wanting to pick up a book by A.J. Pine for a while. I keep seeing her name whenever I'm browsing on Amazon or Goodreads, but I was hesitant because sometimes that's just how it is when it comes to new-to-you authors. So, when I saw that she's starting a new series about cowboy brothers and the first book features a second chance romance (which is my FAVORITE romance theme), I couldn't not pick it up. I'm so glad I did because I really, really ended up enjoying Second Chance Cowboy.
I've read hundreds of romance novels with the second chance romance trope, so it's a treat when I find one that reads fresh, which was the case with Second Chance Cowboy. Ms. Pine did a really good job combining the second chance trope with the secret pregnancy trope and putting an emotional spin to it that I just ate up. I love the direction she took Jack and Ava's relationship. Right from the beginning I loved how the two of them communicated with each other, which then allowed the story to delve deeper into Jack's issues with his family, his father, and fatherhood, which gave the story more substance.
My favorite character was Ava. I loved how strong and loving she was, first in letting the love of her life, Jack, go and then taking on motherhood alone. And when he did come back, she was open about what happened in the past and she let Jack in even though there was a chance that he wouldn't stay. On top of that, she had to deal with her dad (ugh her dad was so annoying) and his issues with Jack. I love her and her son Owen together, and when they're with Jack and his family--those scenes were my favorite.
As for Jack, I really liked him too. He had a lot of deep-seated issues to deal with about his past and his dad, and my heart broke for him. I get where he was coming from, but at the same time I was also frustrated with him. Also, he's supposed to be this really excellent lawyer who was just offered to be partner, but we don't really see him do anything lawyer-y or use his lawyer skills or ever learned what type of lawyer he is. That sort of bothered me a little bit. However, I did enjoy his overall character development.
Second Chance Cowboy is an excellent start to what I believe will be a fantastic series, and also an excellent introduction to A.J. Pine's writing. I am very much looking forward to Jack's brothers' upcoming books and hopefully we'll get glimpses of Ava and Owen as well. If you're looking for a non-romantic comedy kind of contemporary romance but with some flashes of humor and without all the angst, I think you'll enjoy Second Chance Cowboy. If you enjoy cowboy romances, I highly recommend this one.
Can we talk about that cover of Second Chance Cowboy first? Because hubba hubba 😻😻 that is one sexy cowboy. Good job Forever Romance! Because while I enjoy my cowboy romances, usually the covers are so cheesy and cartoonish that they're kind of a turn off. I thought this cover captured Jack Everett's lawyer and rugged cowboy self perfectly.
I was initially interested in Second Chance Cowboy because I've been wanting to pick up a book by A.J. Pine for a while. I keep seeing her name whenever I'm browsing on Amazon or Goodreads, but I was hesitant because sometimes that's just how it is when it comes to new-to-you authors. So, when I saw that she's starting a new series about cowboy brothers and the first book features a second chance romance (which is my FAVORITE romance theme), I couldn't not pick it up. I'm so glad I did because I really, really ended up enjoying Second Chance Cowboy.
I've read hundreds of romance novels with the second chance romance trope, so it's a treat when I find one that reads fresh, which was the case with Second Chance Cowboy. Ms. Pine did a really good job combining the second chance trope with the secret pregnancy trope and putting an emotional spin to it that I just ate up. I love the direction she took Jack and Ava's relationship. Right from the beginning I loved how the two of them communicated with each other, which then allowed the story to delve deeper into Jack's issues with his family, his father, and fatherhood, which gave the story more substance.
My favorite character was Ava. I loved how strong and loving she was, first in letting the love of her life, Jack, go and then taking on motherhood alone. And when he did come back, she was open about what happened in the past and she let Jack in even though there was a chance that he wouldn't stay. On top of that, she had to deal with her dad (ugh her dad was so annoying) and his issues with Jack. I love her and her son Owen together, and when they're with Jack and his family--those scenes were my favorite.
As for Jack, I really liked him too. He had a lot of deep-seated issues to deal with about his past and his dad, and my heart broke for him. I get where he was coming from, but at the same time I was also frustrated with him. Also, he's supposed to be this really excellent lawyer who was just offered to be partner, but we don't really see him do anything lawyer-y or use his lawyer skills or ever learned what type of lawyer he is. That sort of bothered me a little bit. However, I did enjoy his overall character development.
Second Chance Cowboy is an excellent start to what I believe will be a fantastic series, and also an excellent introduction to A.J. Pine's writing. I am very much looking forward to Jack's brothers' upcoming books and hopefully we'll get glimpses of Ava and Owen as well. If you're looking for a non-romantic comedy kind of contemporary romance but with some flashes of humor and without all the angst, I think you'll enjoy Second Chance Cowboy. If you enjoy cowboy romances, I highly recommend this one.
maddie_addie_3's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
sblyon's review
4.0
Everyone deserves second chances, but it’s what you do with those chances and how you overcome the past to become a better version of yourself. Jack doesn’t think he deserves that second chance, especially when it comes to the girl he fell in love with at 18, Ava. But when he finally returns home 10 years later for his fathers funeral, his life is turned completely upside down.
This book was funny, heart felt, tear inducing, and a great redemption story.
This book was funny, heart felt, tear inducing, and a great redemption story.
keepingyouonread's review
2.0
Second Chance Cowboy is two novels in one book - Second Chance Cowboy and Rocky Mountain Wedding. Here’s a short review of both.
Second Chance Cowboy is up first. Jack is back in town for his father’s funeral. After his mom died, his dad was abusive and an alcoholic. Jack fled after high school leaving behind first love, Ava.
What I liked: It’s a sweet second chance love story.
The family relationship ends on an uplifting note with Jack and his brothers beginning to mend their relationship and Jack building a relationship with Ava and Owen.
What didn’t work for me: Ava keeps her pregnancy and son a secret from Jack for ten years!! While I can somewhat understand not telling him originally, keeping it a secret that long seems unreasonable and selfish. Jack for his part isn’t that angry and pretty immediately wants to hook up with her… ok??
Ava’s dad hates Jack because when he was 18, he beat up Ava’s ex-boyfriend who was sexually assaulting her… why the dad wasn’t appreciative that he rescued Ava did y make sense to me.
Rocky Mountain Wedding
This reads as if it’s part of a series that may be beneficial to read first. It’s basically a novella of Ruby and Sawyer getting married.
What I liked: Romance is secondary with Ruby and Sawyer’s daughter going missing and finding her driving most of the plot.
What didn’t work for me: I felt a little lost on who all the characters were and the connection to each other.
Who should read both books: contemporary romance fans that want a ranch/cowboy twist.
Thank you Forever for my gifted copy.
Second Chance Cowboy is up first. Jack is back in town for his father’s funeral. After his mom died, his dad was abusive and an alcoholic. Jack fled after high school leaving behind first love, Ava.
What I liked: It’s a sweet second chance love story.
The family relationship ends on an uplifting note with Jack and his brothers beginning to mend their relationship and Jack building a relationship with Ava and Owen.
What didn’t work for me: Ava keeps her pregnancy and son a secret from Jack for ten years!! While I can somewhat understand not telling him originally, keeping it a secret that long seems unreasonable and selfish. Jack for his part isn’t that angry and pretty immediately wants to hook up with her… ok??
Ava’s dad hates Jack because when he was 18, he beat up Ava’s ex-boyfriend who was sexually assaulting her… why the dad wasn’t appreciative that he rescued Ava did y make sense to me.
Rocky Mountain Wedding
This reads as if it’s part of a series that may be beneficial to read first. It’s basically a novella of Ruby and Sawyer getting married.
What I liked: Romance is secondary with Ruby and Sawyer’s daughter going missing and finding her driving most of the plot.
What didn’t work for me: I felt a little lost on who all the characters were and the connection to each other.
Who should read both books: contemporary romance fans that want a ranch/cowboy twist.
Thank you Forever for my gifted copy.
robinlovesreading's review
4.0
Jack Everett never wanted to look back. He never wanted to come home. A quick trip to settle things after his father died and he can move on with his life. However, nothing goes as planned and his stay is extended. He must deal with his two brothers and the lives they are leading now. More importantly, Jack must deal with Ava Ellis and the bombshell that is dropped on him.
Ava took control of her life ten years ago when she broke up with Jack. But now he is back, and there are things that she is forced to share with him. She suffered heartbreak more than once when it came to Jack, and she is really worried that her heart will break yet again..
Jack has very good reason for never wanting to come home, even if he has loved ones there. After the tragic loss of his mother, his father spiraled out of control, including nearly killing Jack at one time. The memories are just too much to bear. Mostly aware of his painful life, Ava is mostly aware of what Jack went through because when they were eighteen, they were in a relationship. So, she has her reasons for Jack no longer being a part of her life.
From the outset, Ava learns that she is pregnant, yet she let Jack go anyway. She has raised their son on her own and has plans on continuing to do so. As mentioned, heartbreak was involved. He went on and became a bigwig lawyer, and she has struggled ever since. There is definitely a chance for Jack and Ava to rekindle their love, but the secrets and the past must be dealt with effectively first.
I enjoyed this story by A.J. Pine. Second chance stories allow the romantic in me to wonder what condition a heart is really in when two people come back together for altogether different reasons. In the pages of these stories, it is rather pleasant to see challenges and feelings handled. Kudos to the author for delivering a warm, satisfying tale. I was able to devour this book in one sitting.
Second Chance Cowboy is part of he Crossroads Ranch series and is followed by Saved by the Cowboy and Tough Luck Cowboy, which were published in 2019. Hard Loving Cowboy will be released in March, 2019.
Many thanks to Forever for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is a 2-in-1 Special bonus novel in Carolyn Brown's Cowboy Brave, That review is included here on Goodreads.
Please see all of my reviews on my blog at www.robinlovesreading.com.
Ava took control of her life ten years ago when she broke up with Jack. But now he is back, and there are things that she is forced to share with him. She suffered heartbreak more than once when it came to Jack, and she is really worried that her heart will break yet again..
Jack has very good reason for never wanting to come home, even if he has loved ones there. After the tragic loss of his mother, his father spiraled out of control, including nearly killing Jack at one time. The memories are just too much to bear. Mostly aware of his painful life, Ava is mostly aware of what Jack went through because when they were eighteen, they were in a relationship. So, she has her reasons for Jack no longer being a part of her life.
From the outset, Ava learns that she is pregnant, yet she let Jack go anyway. She has raised their son on her own and has plans on continuing to do so. As mentioned, heartbreak was involved. He went on and became a bigwig lawyer, and she has struggled ever since. There is definitely a chance for Jack and Ava to rekindle their love, but the secrets and the past must be dealt with effectively first.
I enjoyed this story by A.J. Pine. Second chance stories allow the romantic in me to wonder what condition a heart is really in when two people come back together for altogether different reasons. In the pages of these stories, it is rather pleasant to see challenges and feelings handled. Kudos to the author for delivering a warm, satisfying tale. I was able to devour this book in one sitting.
Second Chance Cowboy is part of he Crossroads Ranch series and is followed by Saved by the Cowboy and Tough Luck Cowboy, which were published in 2019. Hard Loving Cowboy will be released in March, 2019.
Many thanks to Forever for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is a 2-in-1 Special bonus novel in Carolyn Brown's Cowboy Brave, That review is included here on Goodreads.
Please see all of my reviews on my blog at www.robinlovesreading.com.
thecozyarchivist's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't like this book, and I really tried to, but the entire plot made me so mad.
The main characters, Jack and Ava, were high school sweethearts. Ava finds out at the end of the school year that she's pregnant, but rather than tell Jack, she lets him leave and go to college without knowing he's a father. She uses the excuse that Jack's dad was abusive and Jack had expressed that he didn't want to have kids (yeah, he's an 18 y/o abuse victim, I think that's pretty on point). But rather than giving him that choice, she chooses to lie to him for 10 years. When Jack comes back to their town after his dad dies, he runs into Ava and her 10 year old son. WTF?!
The other thing that killed me was that Ava's dad didn't think Jack was fit to be a father because he beat up a kid at a party that was trying to sexually assault Ava. Let me say that again. Rather than her father being thankful that her boyfriend beat up the sheriff's kid who was trying to rape his daughter, he was mad at him and even sided with the sheriff. Again, WTF??!!
Now that I'm reading this review back to myself, I don't know why I didn't stop reading this book sooner. I've read another book by A.J. Pine that I enjoyed, and I really think I kept hoping it would get better. But it didn't. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be continuing this series.
The main characters, Jack and Ava, were high school sweethearts. Ava finds out at the end of the school year that she's pregnant, but rather than tell Jack, she lets him leave and go to college without knowing he's a father. She uses the excuse that Jack's dad was abusive and Jack had expressed that he didn't want to have kids (yeah, he's an 18 y/o abuse victim, I think that's pretty on point). But rather than giving him that choice, she chooses to lie to him for 10 years. When Jack comes back to their town after his dad dies, he runs into Ava and her 10 year old son. WTF?!
The other thing that killed me was that Ava's dad didn't think Jack was fit to be a father because he beat up a kid at a party that was trying to sexually assault Ava. Let me say that again. Rather than her father being thankful that her boyfriend beat up the sheriff's kid who was trying to rape his daughter, he was mad at him and even sided with the sheriff. Again, WTF??!!
Now that I'm reading this review back to myself, I don't know why I didn't stop reading this book sooner. I've read another book by A.J. Pine that I enjoyed, and I really think I kept hoping it would get better. But it didn't. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be continuing this series.
lvndrgms3's review
4.0
Two high school kids so in love but they had so much working against them. It ended badly and now 10 years later he comes home to find that he’s missed out on a lot including a secret that he never knew about until now. I love homecoming stories and ones about a second chance at love.
onceupon_a_bookdream's review
4.0
[I received a physical copy from the publisher for an honest review]
Second Chance Cowboy is the first book in A.J. Pine's Crossroads Ranch series. A heart-warming second chance romance about first love and family.
Jack Everett left his family ranch to escape his father and the heartbreak of having the girl he loved push him away. Now ten years later he's back for his fathers funeral and the memories he tried to keep buried are coming to the surface. When he runs into his first love, Ava, he learns that when she pushed him away she was pregnant. Now he is faced with keeping his family ranch afloat and getting to know a son he just discovered exists. Jack and Ava have caused each other so much pain in the past, they may be strangers now but their connection is still there. Jack has to decide if Crossroads Ranch can be his future or if he's going to walk away again.
I loved all the characters in Second Chance Cowboy. Jack was a sweetheart and Ava was strong and caring. I'm not sure I could have forgiven Ava as quickly as Jack over her keeping her pregnancy from him. I did believe that she genuinely felt bad over the time he missed out on but it killed me that she took that choice away from him in the first place. However, the passion and sexual chemistry between them was undeniable. I loved how they couldn't keep their hands off each other and would steal touches every chance they could. It was a steamy build up to a passionate moment between them that was perfect for them. Let's not forget little Owen who was absolutely adorable and his interactions with ever one were the cutest. Also, Jack's brother and his aunt were fantastic supporting characters and the way they talked and messed with each other made me laugh.
Overall, Second Chance Cowboy was a wonderful second chance romance. I can't wait to go devour the other books in the series and see Luke and Walker find their happily ever after.
"He might not know her like he had a decade ago, but his heart sped up just the same at the mere memory of how she used to make him feel. Hopeful. Whole. Loved."
"All that mattered was this moment - Jack's hands on her skin, the electricity building between them as his tongue slipped past her parted lips, and she tasted a sliver of redemption. Restoration. Release."
Second Chance Cowboy is the first book in A.J. Pine's Crossroads Ranch series. A heart-warming second chance romance about first love and family.
Jack Everett left his family ranch to escape his father and the heartbreak of having the girl he loved push him away. Now ten years later he's back for his fathers funeral and the memories he tried to keep buried are coming to the surface. When he runs into his first love, Ava, he learns that when she pushed him away she was pregnant. Now he is faced with keeping his family ranch afloat and getting to know a son he just discovered exists. Jack and Ava have caused each other so much pain in the past, they may be strangers now but their connection is still there. Jack has to decide if Crossroads Ranch can be his future or if he's going to walk away again.
I loved all the characters in Second Chance Cowboy. Jack was a sweetheart and Ava was strong and caring. I'm not sure I could have forgiven Ava as quickly as Jack over her keeping her pregnancy from him. I did believe that she genuinely felt bad over the time he missed out on but it killed me that she took that choice away from him in the first place. However, the passion and sexual chemistry between them was undeniable. I loved how they couldn't keep their hands off each other and would steal touches every chance they could. It was a steamy build up to a passionate moment between them that was perfect for them. Let's not forget little Owen who was absolutely adorable and his interactions with ever one were the cutest. Also, Jack's brother and his aunt were fantastic supporting characters and the way they talked and messed with each other made me laugh.
Overall, Second Chance Cowboy was a wonderful second chance romance. I can't wait to go devour the other books in the series and see Luke and Walker find their happily ever after.
"He might not know her like he had a decade ago, but his heart sped up just the same at the mere memory of how she used to make him feel. Hopeful. Whole. Loved."
"All that mattered was this moment - Jack's hands on her skin, the electricity building between them as his tongue slipped past her parted lips, and she tasted a sliver of redemption. Restoration. Release."
4/5⭐
bribookish's review
3.0
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Super quick read! I couldn't believe how fast I was going through the book, very fast paced!
Unfortunately, for a lot of the book I just felt disconnected from the characters. I wasn't crazy about our hero, Jack. But you guys know me and my single parent books... I eat them up! I loved that aspect of the story! It's what made me enjoy it! I adored our 9 year old, Owen!
Unfortunately, for a lot of the book I just felt disconnected from the characters. I wasn't crazy about our hero, Jack. But you guys know me and my single parent books... I eat them up! I loved that aspect of the story! It's what made me enjoy it! I adored our 9 year old, Owen!