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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
The first Lori Wilde novel I read was almost exactly a year ago. In the interim, I intended to read more of her books. I may have to take up sleep-reading in order to accomplish that as things are now. Or maybe I’ll just make time. (Novel concept…a pun, a pun!)
The reason why is that Lori Wilde rocks. How the Cowboy Was Won much like last year’s Million Dollar Cowboy works on every level that I need a romance to work on. It’s funny, sexy, smart. The story makes sense without frustrating characters who have me either banging my head against something or rolling my eyes until they get stuck. (Ouch.) She also understands that romance needs a build up between the main characters so that when they come together, the reader is right there with them because they’ve made the journey too.
How the Cowboy Was Won is a friends to lovers trope, and, even though it’s a trope, it feels fresh in Wilde’s hands because of the characters of Ember and Ranger. Ember is as impetuous as Ranger is cautious. She’s the one who takes him out of his safe place, and he's the one who makes her think before she leaps into a situation. They like and respect each other and value each other. I think that those are probably the best ingredients for any relationship.
Ember’s had a bit of a hit to her self-esteem thanks to her ex-husband, Trey, who was more worried about appearances than having a healthy relationship. So sometimes Ember takes things she normally wouldn’t to heart, but then reminds herself that she hates self-pity, especially her own, and just gets on with it. And that was one thing I loved so much about this novel. Ember seems like a real person without dwelling in angst, although there’s a tiny bit near the end for anyone needing that. Ember exudes life.
Lately I’ve found myself disliking a lot of the female characters in romance novels. I’ve felt like a broken record saying that I liked the male character but wished he’d found someone else by the end of the novel. I didn’t here. YES!
How the Cowboy Was Won is the sixth novel in the Cupid, Texas series. If you have the time, read them all, which is exactly what I am going to do, real soon.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The reason why is that Lori Wilde rocks. How the Cowboy Was Won much like last year’s Million Dollar Cowboy works on every level that I need a romance to work on. It’s funny, sexy, smart. The story makes sense without frustrating characters who have me either banging my head against something or rolling my eyes until they get stuck. (Ouch.) She also understands that romance needs a build up between the main characters so that when they come together, the reader is right there with them because they’ve made the journey too.
How the Cowboy Was Won is a friends to lovers trope, and, even though it’s a trope, it feels fresh in Wilde’s hands because of the characters of Ember and Ranger. Ember is as impetuous as Ranger is cautious. She’s the one who takes him out of his safe place, and he's the one who makes her think before she leaps into a situation. They like and respect each other and value each other. I think that those are probably the best ingredients for any relationship.
Ember’s had a bit of a hit to her self-esteem thanks to her ex-husband, Trey, who was more worried about appearances than having a healthy relationship. So sometimes Ember takes things she normally wouldn’t to heart, but then reminds herself that she hates self-pity, especially her own, and just gets on with it. And that was one thing I loved so much about this novel. Ember seems like a real person without dwelling in angst, although there’s a tiny bit near the end for anyone needing that. Ember exudes life.
Lately I’ve found myself disliking a lot of the female characters in romance novels. I’ve felt like a broken record saying that I liked the male character but wished he’d found someone else by the end of the novel. I didn’t here. YES!
How the Cowboy Was Won is the sixth novel in the Cupid, Texas series. If you have the time, read them all, which is exactly what I am going to do, real soon.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was really sweet and felt it was true to the spirit of Emma, while not being a retelling. Loved the kiwi representation, it was surprisingly accurate (which is unusual enough to be worth mentioning, not doubting the author!) and it was an easy read at a hard time
Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books, on 4/1/18.
How the Cowboy was Won is a cute, friends-to-lovers romance...and if that's all it was, I'd be giving it a slightly higher rating.
But...
It also has billed itself as "a modern Emma with cowboys"--which it constantly reminds the reader of, with quotes from Austen's [b:Emma|6969|Emma|Jane Austen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1373627931s/6969.jpg|3360164] at the beginning of each chapter, which do seem to reflect that chapter's events fairly well--but if you know the characters and plot of the original well, you soon realize that this one is more "inspired by" than a true retelling. The characters and plot are more vaguely reminiscent of the original than anything else, and if I'd been allowed to forget that this was "supposed" to be Emma, I would have been able to enjoy it more.
Because there is a lot to enjoy here--the friends-to-lovers trope is popular for a reason, after all. And nerdy heroes? They just can' be beat (but Mr. Knightley, sadly, isn't a nerdy hero. A bit of an antisocial homebody, sure, but not truly nerdy). Bold and brash heroines who like to do everything a bit extra can be a lot of fun too (but that's not at all what Emma was like--she was very much the proper society miss, worried about her image and upholding her place in the world) and you can't deny that Ember and Ranger have that chemistry that will successfully make the shift from besties to HEA nicely just as soon as they get out of their own way. But Ember comes to her realization far too early when compared to Emma's plot, and the whole Ranger-getting-a-new-and-better-job-far-away-from-Ember portion of it doesn't really have a corresponding bit in the original at all (unless it's supposed to go along with Emma thinking Knightley loves Jane? Except we already have several Ranger-in-love red herrings along the way, so that doesn't quite scan...)
So...if you 1) don't know Emma all that well or 2) can manage to put the other book out of your head while reading this one, chances are good that you'll give this book a higher rating than I'm able to. For me, it's going to be a case of "I liked it, but..."
Rating: 3 stars / C
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
How the Cowboy was Won is a cute, friends-to-lovers romance...and if that's all it was, I'd be giving it a slightly higher rating.
But...
It also has billed itself as "a modern Emma with cowboys"--which it constantly reminds the reader of, with quotes from Austen's [b:Emma|6969|Emma|Jane Austen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1373627931s/6969.jpg|3360164] at the beginning of each chapter, which do seem to reflect that chapter's events fairly well--but if you know the characters and plot of the original well, you soon realize that this one is more "inspired by" than a true retelling. The characters and plot are more vaguely reminiscent of the original than anything else, and if I'd been allowed to forget that this was "supposed" to be Emma, I would have been able to enjoy it more.
Because there is a lot to enjoy here--the friends-to-lovers trope is popular for a reason, after all. And nerdy heroes? They just can' be beat (but Mr. Knightley, sadly, isn't a nerdy hero. A bit of an antisocial homebody, sure, but not truly nerdy). Bold and brash heroines who like to do everything a bit extra can be a lot of fun too (but that's not at all what Emma was like--she was very much the proper society miss, worried about her image and upholding her place in the world) and you can't deny that Ember and Ranger have that chemistry that will successfully make the shift from besties to HEA nicely just as soon as they get out of their own way. But Ember comes to her realization far too early when compared to Emma's plot, and the whole Ranger-getting-a-new-and-better-job-far-away-from-Ember portion of it doesn't really have a corresponding bit in the original at all (unless it's supposed to go along with Emma thinking Knightley loves Jane? Except we already have several Ranger-in-love red herrings along the way, so that doesn't quite scan...)
So...if you 1) don't know Emma all that well or 2) can manage to put the other book out of your head while reading this one, chances are good that you'll give this book a higher rating than I'm able to. For me, it's going to be a case of "I liked it, but..."
Rating: 3 stars / C
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Ember has always been a bit unconventional, or in the unkind words of her ex-husband, outrageous. Her best friend Ranger never thought she needed to be tamed and now that he's back after a long astronomy project in Australia, he finds himself wondering why he and Ember never took their relationship to the next level.
Ember also finds herself starstruck by her bestie, but also highly jealous of all the women who are now throwing themselves at the sexy astrophysicist. Both circle the other like binary stars, but will Ember's past relationship regrets and Ranger's future work prospects keep them from exploring their own outer limits?
Enough puns for you? I really enjoyed the cute story, didn't really get the cover AT ALL. I mean, Ranger is part owner of a ranch in Texas, but that is about the extent of his cowboy. He's a dorky, sexy scientist. Maybe throw a lab coat on him? I'm fine with the hat.
Also, Wilde's sexy times scenes veer giggle inducing territory due to the sheer amount of similes, metaphors, and puns. There is almost two pages of star/space/planet related imagery whilst some downtown action. I appreciate a good laugh, but I don't think that was the intention?
That said, I did enjoy this tale, even if cowboy romances are not quite my thing.
Thank you to Avon for the ARC!
Ember also finds herself starstruck by her bestie, but also highly jealous of all the women who are now throwing themselves at the sexy astrophysicist. Both circle the other like binary stars, but will Ember's past relationship regrets and Ranger's future work prospects keep them from exploring their own outer limits?
Enough puns for you? I really enjoyed the cute story, didn't really get the cover AT ALL. I mean, Ranger is part owner of a ranch in Texas, but that is about the extent of his cowboy. He's a dorky, sexy scientist. Maybe throw a lab coat on him? I'm fine with the hat.
Also, Wilde's sexy times scenes veer giggle inducing territory due to the sheer amount of similes, metaphors, and puns. There is almost two pages of star/space/planet related imagery whilst some downtown action. I appreciate a good laugh, but I don't think that was the intention?
That said, I did enjoy this tale, even if cowboy romances are not quite my thing.
Thank you to Avon for the ARC!
See the full review at HarlequinJunkie.com
How the Cowboy Was Won was a charming friends-to-lovers story that was also out of this world hot and super sweet. But that’s exactly what I’ve come to expect from Lori Wilde and the perfect-for-each-other couples she creates.
I had SO much fun with How the Cowboy Was Won. What’s not to like about a friends-to-lovers book, though, right? But it was so much more than that. There was Lori Wilde’s lovely brand of humor and heart which is always a huge draw for me. Although with this romance, it was the characters that really knocked me off my feet. Ranger and Ember were ridiculously cute together and it was so heartening to see them having been best friends since childhood. Read More
How the Cowboy Was Won was a charming friends-to-lovers story that was also out of this world hot and super sweet. But that’s exactly what I’ve come to expect from Lori Wilde and the perfect-for-each-other couples she creates.
I had SO much fun with How the Cowboy Was Won. What’s not to like about a friends-to-lovers book, though, right? But it was so much more than that. There was Lori Wilde’s lovely brand of humor and heart which is always a huge draw for me. Although with this romance, it was the characters that really knocked me off my feet. Ranger and Ember were ridiculously cute together and it was so heartening to see them having been best friends since childhood. Read More
Emma has never been my favorite Jane Austen. And I can't say this cowboy/absent-minded professor and his best friend reiteration is my favorite romance novel of all time. But it did finish better than it started.
**Sent an ecopy from the publisher.**
**Sent an ecopy from the publisher.**
Ember has always been a bit unconventional, or in the unkind words of her ex-husband, outrageous. Her best friend Ranger never thought she needed to be tamed and now that he's back after a long astronomy project in Australia, he finds himself wondering why he and Ember never took their relationship to the next level.
Ember also finds herself starstruck by her bestie, but also highly jealous of all the women who are now throwing themselves at the sexy astrophysicist. Both circle the other like binary stars, but will Ember's past relationship regrets and Ranger's future work prospects keep them from exploring their own outer limits?
Enough puns for you? I really enjoyed the cute story, didn't really get the cover AT ALL. I mean, Ranger is part owner of a ranch in Texas, but that is about the extent of his cowboy. He's a dorky, sexy scientist. Maybe throw a lab coat on him? I'm fine with the hat.
Also, Wilde's sexy times scenes veer giggle inducing territory due to the sheer amount of similes, metaphors, and puns. There is almost two pages of star/space/planet related imagery whilst some downtown action. I appreciate a good laugh, but I don't think that was the intention?
That said, I did enjoy this tale, even if cowboy romances are not quite my thing.
Thank you to Avon for the ARC!
Ember also finds herself starstruck by her bestie, but also highly jealous of all the women who are now throwing themselves at the sexy astrophysicist. Both circle the other like binary stars, but will Ember's past relationship regrets and Ranger's future work prospects keep them from exploring their own outer limits?
Enough puns for you? I really enjoyed the cute story, didn't really get the cover AT ALL. I mean, Ranger is part owner of a ranch in Texas, but that is about the extent of his cowboy. He's a dorky, sexy scientist. Maybe throw a lab coat on him? I'm fine with the hat.
Also, Wilde's sexy times scenes veer giggle inducing territory due to the sheer amount of similes, metaphors, and puns. There is almost two pages of star/space/planet related imagery whilst some downtown action. I appreciate a good laugh, but I don't think that was the intention?
That said, I did enjoy this tale, even if cowboy romances are not quite my thing.
Thank you to Avon for the ARC!