REVIEW: Once Upon a Cowboy by Maggie McGinnis

Once Upon a Cowboy by Maggie McGinnis: Maggie has written a touching story about running from your past and finding what you least expected. Jessalyn was an amazingly strong woman running from a terrible, heartbreaking past.

Cole could tell that something was bothering Jessalyn, but he never pushed her to reveal her secrets, which I loved. Instead he proved that he was trustworthy, allowing them to develop a meaningful relationship over time. He also manages to give Jessalyn the confidence to face her fears.

Cole and Jessalyn were great together. Even though they were both dealing with family issues, they had several fun and playful moments that provided levity between their struggles.

This is labeled as book one in the series, but the end of the book shows that there are actually two other previously published stories, each featuring Jessalyn’s friends Hayley and Kyla and their significant others. While reading the story I did, at times, feel like I was missing something because I had not read these books and didn’t know the backstory on the couples. For instance, there was a reference to the first time the three friends visited Whispering Creek, but it didn’t go into detail, which made it feel like something was missing. It didn’t take away from the story, but it did make me wish I knew more about what happened the first time they visited the ranch.

I recommend reading this book, but I would suggest reading the first two books, Accidental Cowgirl and A Cowboy’s Christmas Promise, first to gain a better understanding of all the relationships featured in Once Upon A Cowboy.
 

Book Info:

 June 30, 2015 | Loveswept | Whisper Creek #1

Yoga instructor Jessalyn Alcott radiates peace, calm, and serenity—on the outside. Inside, she still feels like the broken, desperate girl from the trailer park. She’s got dark secrets she can’t share, which is why she never lets her relationships go beyond the third date. But when she travels to the Whisper Creek dude ranch for a friend’s wedding, Jess is enchanted by a cowboy whose deep blue eyes, dimpled smile, and rock-hard body make it tough to remember why she keeps running scared.

Cole Driscoll has struggled to find his place on a family ranch where he’s always played second fiddle. His future might be uncertain, but he’s sure of one thing: He wants Jess by his side. Easier said than done. When it comes to getting close, she’s full of excuses, and he longs to fix the hurt he sees in her eyes. Now that she’s at Whisper Creek, there’s nothing he wants more than to break down the walls around her heart and heal her pain with the power of love.