Book Reviews: For Always (Cowboy Fever Series #3) & Taming April (Cowboy Fever Series #4) by Karen Wiesner

For Always

Cowboy Fever Series #3

By:  Karen Wiesner

Published:  November 1, 2012  

By:  Whiskey Creek, LLC

Source:  Author

Book Summary:

Jared Chapman is the ranch foreman at Triple Aces Ranch, which he co-owns. When he gave his heart to Alana Hamilton, an orphan his grandmother brought to the ranch, he’d never regretted it. As a young man, he’d had no idea how to share the intensity of feelings he had for sweet and vulnerable, seventeen-year-old Alana. Instead, he’d awkwardly promised her he’d always be there for her. 

Alana had loved Jared from the start for the kindness he showed her, but she didn’t possess beauty, smarts or riches. Unwanted for most of her life, she’d learned to make the best of her lot in life. Not sure what a close-mouthed cowboy like Jared meant with his promise, she accepted the proposal of the one man who’d expressed interest in marrying her. Marriage to Holt Bowman meant leaving the only place she’d ever called home and giving up on true, fairy-tale love with Jared. 

Jared had been silently devastated by Alana’s marriage. But, true to his promise, when her husband begins to take the pressures of being up-and-coming politician out on her, Jared runs to her rescue. Alana isn’t looking for a bodyguard. Can Jared open up and become the prince who will love her for always?

My Take on this Journey:

Alana Hamilton came from humble beginnings.  She was a waif of a girl that didn't possess natural beauty, but what she did possess was a hard work ethic, and a gentle, loving, nurturing heart.  She was an orphan, living without love or a home until one day she was rescued, at eleven years old, by Nelly Chapman.  Nelly was a rancher who lived on Triple Aces Ranch with her son, daughter-in-law, and their son, 16 year old Jared.   Jared Chapman and Alana became very close, both having a deep attraction for one another, but each too shy to let the other know their true feelings.  Though they did not speak the words, their actions were apparent to Nelly.  Alana had finally found everything to make her heart content.  Nelly was very loving and kind to Alana till the day she died, and 17 year old Alana was crushed, decided she did not want to burden the family, so she left the only home she ever knew and moved into town.  She was selfless, and though she went, her heart was at the Ranch with Jared. Jared's kindness shown brightly as he visited daily to make sure Alana was doing well.  

Jared Chapman was a man of high moral standards and truly loved Alana.  He wanted to tell her so many times how he felt about her, but the words were never within reach.  When his grandmother Nelly died, she left him her pearl necklace and matching ring.  The only woman he had ever loved was Alana from the moment he laid eyes on her.  He knew how she felt about Nelly, so he gave her the necklace, hoping someday to give her the matching ring to make her his.  Unfortunately, he missed his chance and she married a high society man named Holt Bowman, the first man to lay eyes on her, a man who was in politics, and a man of means who could give her anything her heart desired.  Unfortunately, all she desired was Jared, but she left with Holt, leaving Jared heartbroken, and leaving herself without the man she has always loved and would never forget.

Holt Bowman was a Svengali.  Holt had been a mayor for years in Lubbock, Texas and was seeking to eventually bid for a seat in the Senate.  He created a persona for himself to Alana and the world, but Jared saw through him.  The day of the wedding, Jared saw the look on Holt's face as he looked at his bride like a possession instead of the love of his life.  Jared vowed to be there for Alana, that was all he could do.  He lost his chance with her, and had to throw himself into the work at his ranch in order to survive and endure the unhappiness that would become his life.

Karla Sanford-Abrams was Alana's only friend, who grew up with her on the co-op ranches, when Alana moved away with Holt and left Fever, Texas.  Karla was the estranged wife of Jared's good friend, Ken Abrams.  Karla left her husband 4 years ago after the loss of their first child, and no one in town understood why.  They were both very secretive about what happened, and Karla moved to Lubbock, Texas.  Holt wanted Alana to himself, but Alana still saw her friend.  He only allowed her part time work at an animal shelter, even though Holt wanted her at home where he could control her every move.  Holt called Alana a million times a day to keep tabs on her.  He was incessant, and drove me crazy!

Karla was a good friend to Alana, and helped her through an abusive relationship with Holt.  Every week, unbeknownst to Alana, Jared called Karla and he would hem haw around to get information about Alana.  Of course Karla kept it to herself, but was on to him.  When things got devastatingly bad for Alana, Karla finally told Jared.  Let me tell you, this night and shining armor came to her rescue.  The cast of characters were well rounded and likeable, except Holt, (intentionally) which will make you want to belt him!  Ms. Wiesner does a great job with her prose, and descriptions, and she made it all believable for me.

The characters showed growth, there were tough  life lessons to overcome, friendship, betrayal, and loyalty all wrapped up into a neat package.

I give For Always, by Karen Wiesner 4.5 Lost, Lonely, Deceptive, Life Changing, Romantically Longing Stars!  

Purchase At:

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Taming April

Cowboy Fever Series #4

By:  Karen Wiesner

Published:  March 11, 2013  

By:  Whiskey Creek, LLC

Source:  Author

Book Summary:

Return to cowboy country in Fever, Texas, where the heat isn't the only thing causing a fever! See if you can find the heirloom wedding band! 

Shawn Jacobs, co-owner of Triple Aces Ranch, is the ultimate ladies’ man. But as his best friends find the women of their dreams and get hitched one by one, he wonders what he’s missing. 

Once a classmate of Shawn’s and the daughter of a hard-working ranch hand who never had enough money to buy her a dress, let alone move out of the filthy hovel they’d lived in together after her mother’s death, April St. Clair is a high-powered lawyer. She’s left the dirty, dusty, stinking life of cattle ranching as far behind her as she can get. The men she dates are dressed to the nines, and their hands are as soft as their hearts. Unfortunately, she hasn’t come home once since she left for college. When her father dies—alone—she’s devastated. The only thing he left behind is a young mare that he’d wanted Shawn Jacobs and no other to train. 

When the beautiful, snobby, green-eyed blond shows up at Triple Aces in treacherous high heels and designer clothing, asking him to train her father’s horse, Shawn’s amusement quickly turns to annoyance—and more. April infuriates him even as she turns him on. He knows it isn’t just the wild horse that needs to be tamed. April resists him at every turn, but even she isn’t immune to cowboy fever.

My Take on this Journey:

April St. Clair was a green eyed blond beauty.  She left Fever 15 years ago, when she left for college, and never gave it a second thought.  She became a lawyer who lived the good life, had a town home in a prestigious area, two car garage, spacious two bedrooms, with a privately fenced in backyard.  April came from the small ranch town, lived with her father after her mother died, and could never get her father to leave that town, though he didn't have two dimes to rub together.  Her father changed once her mother and sibling died tragically.  They both lost someone that bonded them, and neither shared a real relationship after that day.  April worked hard and studied hard to get good grades and high tailed it out of town the day she graduated from high school.  April wanted to get him an apartment, but she didn't understand that her father was a proud man and a hard worker.  He wanted to live and die there, and she never got it.  April was ashamed of her father, Peter St. Paul, his tattered clothing, lack of education, and foul mouth.  She never saw beyond the surface, how much he adored her, knew her, loved her, and was "The salt of the earth" to everyone else who knew him. 

Repeatedly Peter asked her to visit, but April always had a excuse for why she couldn't.  She put it off one too many times, until the day she gets the dreaded phone call that told her that her father died alone in a run down trailer in Fever.  She is devastated and had to learn the meaning of life out of the threads of death that laid before her.  April never found out how very sick her father was for months before he died, he never said a word to her, even when he went to visit her and she was rude to him in front of her partner at the law firm.

The only thing of value her father had to leave her was a young mare named Misty, that he wanted Shawn Jacobs to train for him.  That was the beginning of a tumultuous relationship and quite a battle of wills.   April and Shawn had always been attracted and flirted with each other since they were in high school together, but Shawn was the bad boy that could get any girl he wanted, and April was the smartest girl in the school, geeky, with a book in her face all the time.  Shawn had one bad relationship that left him sour, and insecure, with a rich girl named Raquel, that used him, then threw him away easily. When April came to town for her father's burial, he misjudged her just because she reminded him of his snotty ex.  

This novella was a whirlwind romance that started with definite attraction from both characters, but animosity at the same time.  Once a rich boyfriend shows up in town all hell breaks loose.  April has quite a few aha moments when a friend of her father's, Lindy, discloses a lot of secrets to her that she never realized.  The development of the characters came naturally with so many twists and turns.  I loved this romantic, humorous novella.  Ms. Wiesner makes it very enjoyable for the reader.  The first part of the novella tore my heart out. I felt so many mixed emotions.  This was a very quick read that will leave you smiling. 

I give Taming April by Karen Wiesner 5 Emotionally Charged, Hot Cowboy, Fun Filled Stars!

 

Purchase At:

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble

About the Author:

Karen Wiesner is an accomplished author with 100 titles published in the past 15 years, which have been nominated for and/or won 125 awards, and 37 more releases contracted for spanning many categories and formats.

Website | Goodreads 

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