REVIEW: The Cowboy Next Door by R.C. Ryan

In The Cowboy Next Door by R.C. Ryan, Penny Cash accepted a job as a teacher, which is her dream job, but it fell through. Stuck in a new town with no money and no job, she accepts a job at the Monroe Ranch as a cook and housekeeper. Her goal is to save money so she can move to a town where she can find a teaching job.

Sam Monroe and his brothers had a difficult childhood, until they were caught breaking into the Monroe ranch and Mac Monroe adopted them. Now Sam, the only brother to become a rancher, works hard and plays hard, hustling pool players at the local bar. Penny, having raised her younger brothers after the death of their parents, always told them not to gamble, so she’s not impressed with Sam. But as they spend more time together, Penny learns that she may have misjudged Sam, and he teaches her it’s ok to let go and have some fun.

The Monroe’s and the ranch hands are a close-knit family who support each other no matter what. At first I found Penny to be a bit judgmental, but she gets better as the book progresses. Readers will feel for both Sam and Penny, as neither one of them had an easy childhood and had to grow up too soon.

It felt like an incident that resulted because of one of Penny’s brothers’ actions came out of nowhere, took a crazy turn, and then was resolved just as quickly. I found it hard to believe that after what she went through that she would suddenly be ok enough to worry about Sam. It felt like what happened didn’t phase her, and I couldn’t understand how it wouldn’t. She’s also very quick to forgive her brother, which I also found hard to believe. It almost felt like it was just thrown in to create some suspense, since most of the book is pretty much drama-free.

Readers who enjoy stories about cowboys and life on a ranch might enjoy this one. Other than the incident I mentioned with Penny, I liked the book. It was, for the most part, a sweet, straightforward romance about opposites attracting.

Book Info:

Publication: February 26, 2019 | Forever | Montana Strong #2

Penny Cash is down on her luck. Her dream is to become a teacher, but finding a school with an open position is proving to be difficult. In need of money, Penny accepts a job as a housekeeper at the Monroe Ranch. She’s not one to shy away from hard work, but Penny didn’t realize how tough it would be to resist the sexy cowboy who’s now her boss.
Bad boy Sam Monroe has no intention of ever getting tied down. But from the moment Penny begins working at the ranch, there’s nothing he enjoys more than getting under her skin. And before too long, he finds himself flirting with forever. So when Penny’s little brother comes to town and gets involved with the wrong people, Sam will stop at nothing to protect the woman he’s coming to love–and the family she holds dear.