Untamed Cowboy by Maisey Yates (Gold Valley #2)
Releases: June 19, 2018
Contemporary Romance
Hello secret baby trope….just 15 years later. Bennett Dodge is Gold Valley’s veterinarian, and likes everything planned out and in control in his life. His year-long relationship with a woman recently ended, because there was no passion from him. When he was sixteen, his girlfriend got pregnant, told him she lost the baby, and then moved on. Bennett was so upset that he was careless, and then that she miscarried, that fear has lingered with him ever since and manifested into controlling everything. So when a social worker shows up with a teenager named Dallas, and it’s his son (his girlfriend apparently lied about the miscarriage) his life goes into a bit of chaos. Dallas’s mother is a drug addict, and he has been in and out of foster care his entire life. This upsets Bennett, as if he had known Dallas existed, he would have taken him in immediately. Dallas is of course hesitant, and mistrusting of Bennett at first, as his experience with adults has not been great. But Bennett is ready for this challenge and greets Dallas with open arms.
Our heroine is Kaylee, who co-owns the veterinary practice with Bennett. They have been best friends forever….and Kaylee has been in love with Bennett forever, but never took that step to let him in on that secret. She is hoping that one day he will realize he loves her too, but that has yet to happen. When Dallas shows up, Kaylee is the first person Bennett calls. She is there for support – and after some time finally admits to Bennett, who is totally clueless, that she is into him. From there, a romance develops rather quickly.
I enjoyed Dallas, and his sometimes moody fifteen year old ways. I think Yates does a nice job writing him as a sarcastic teen, who tries so hard to not let his vulnerability show. He has been abandoned and moved around and it’s hard for him to trust Bennett when he says he is there to stay. He felt like a fifteen year old to me and I liked his journey.
The romance starts off with a bit of sexual tension, but after they sleep together for the first time, they fall into a relationship really fast. It felt a little lackluster to me. There is a lot of inner monologue and the same worries seem to cycle through time and time again. It got a little slow and the romance didn’t have a ton of passion.
Not as good as the first book but I do like this family.
Grade C+
Coming Up: I’ve finished Six Weeks with a Lord by Eve Pendle and had some problems with it. I didn’t find a ton of chemistry between the hero and heroine. I’ll be reviewing it next week.
I plan to start The Pilot and the Puck-Up by Pippa Grant today. I expect silly, over the top, super dirty sexy stuff! I’ll report back next week on this one as well. I also hope to read the new Harper Sloan, Unconscious Hearts
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