REVIEW: Dust Storm by Maggie C. Gate

Dust Storm by Maggie C. Gate: After having her carefully curated life in New York blow up in her face, the very last place that Cassandra expected to find herself was in a remote cattle ranch in Texas. But one wrong headline and one desperate client later, Cass finds herself trading New York taxi cabs for dust and cows…and colliding head-first with non other than hot cowboy Christian. As a single father if there is one thing that Christian knows, it is how to be resilient. However having to deal with the polished princess staying at his ranch is sure proving to test even his resolve. But as the dust settles, literally and figuratively, something tender starts to grow in the cracks. Between awkward dinners, reluctant babysitting and the slow unravelling of her armour Cass begins to see that second chances don’t always look the way we expect… maybe the change of pace is just the thing she needs to truly find that magical kind of happiness…

Cass and Christian just wormed their way into my heart with this cute and funny cowboy romance. I loved the way Gates takes a familiar setup of the city girl banished to small town ranch life and spins it into something far more tender than just the small town cowboy romance. This book is filled with heart and humour and just highlights the magic of finding love in the most unexpected places.

I will say it did take a me a moment to warm up to Cass, she is not exactly the most warm and cuddly leading lady but gosh as we get to know her the more I found myself liking her and understanding her high walls. Cass is definitely sharp-edged, defensive but also so painfully human, we get to see a woman who’s built her entire identity around control and composure until both are stripped away. There was something beautiful about watching her unravel and finding her way again and about seeing the city polish give way to something real. While it does take a bit to warm up to her, once we get to understand and see Cass come into her own, it really was hard not to root her on. Now Christian on the other hand, kind of broke my heart a bit, we get to see him still quietly struggling with his grief and having to be a single dad. Though there was something so warm and comforting about his character that I couldn’t help but love. He was the kind of hero that did things without being asked or wanting recognition, he was the kind of guy that showed his love in small acts that had big impacts.

The build up between these two was just perfection, there was such a nice balance between the tension and banter mixed in with this slow burn sense of longing. I loved the way Gates builds their connection through small gestures, the a shared glance, reluctant laughs and moments of unexpected softness. Cass and Christian were slow and drawn out and mess, but it just felt real and I loved that.

I have to take a moment to mention the supporting character, I just loved Bree and Gracie. The relationship they shared with Christian was just so sweet and only made me want these three to find the missing piece to their happily ever after. Though I think it would be safe to say that Mickey the house cow was the really star of the show. I just loved this cute sassy little pet cow that brought a real laugh to the book, I mean who wouldn’t want a house cow that wears pool noodles?

All in all I found myself really enjoying Dust Storm, this was so much more than a simple small town cowboy falls for big city girl romance, this was a story of finding love when you least expect it. If you are looking for a cute read that has giggles and heart then this is definitely one to add to your TBR!

Book Info:

Publication: March 5, 2024 | Berkley | The Griffith Brothers #1

A single dad rancher and a rich city girl bump heads—and more—in this first cowboy romance in the Griffith Brothers series.

For Christian Griffith, his number one rule is: You ride in my truck, you let me open the door. Another problem in his busy life was the last thing he needed. Unfortunately, argumentative Cassandra Parker showing up on his family’s ranch and sticking her nose in their business isn’t even his biggest problem—neither is the fact that with nowhere else to live, she’s in his house. The biggest problem? The engagement ring on her finger.

Cassandra has a life motto: If you’re going to kill someone, make it look like an accident, cry at the funeral, admit to nothing, and deny everything. Exiled from New York and stranded on a cattle ranch, she didn’t exactly choose to be Christian’s problem. Living with the single dad and his daughters was a downgrade from her high-rise office and city comforts, but she agreed for one simple reason: desperation to save her job and salvage what’s left of her career. And this hot cowboy won’t lasso her into staying a second longer than necessary.