REVIEW: Win Me by Joan Kilby

In Win Me by Joan Kilby, Ellie McFarlane has been pining for a certain cowboy for years, but to him she’s just the boss’s daughter. Now though, she’s returned home, determined to move on and forget all about him. And what a better way to start than allowing her best friends to choose her outfit, for the Bachelor and Spinster Ball they plan to attend. Except getting over her cowboy isn’t so easy, and instead she finds herself doing whatever it takes to get him to notice her.

Rick Drummond has always found it hard to be around Ellie without giving into temptation. But the boss’s warning that his daughter is off limits has always been fresh in his mind, so he’s never acted on his feelings for her. Yet, her return after several years away has knocked him for a loop because she’s all grown up and more beautiful than ever. However, he’s determined to deny their chemistry for fear he’ll only end up hurting her when he moves away. Since he plans to buy back his family’s farm now that the opportunity has arisen.

This book is the first of three novellas each written by a different author about three best friends unlucky in love. Friends that have each decided to return home to Australia, determined to have fun and hopefully change their luck at a Bachelor and Spinster Ball. Being a novella, it was an exceptionally quick read that kept me entertained from start to finish because the women share a very close bond and will do anything for each other.

The dialogue was enjoyable, and provided a good dose of amusement when Ellie and Rick banter, as well as when the three women are together. Yet, it was also heartbreaking at times due to the hero’s back story and the reason why Ellie and her friends have decided to return home. This scene where the three friends are deciding what to wear to the Ball and daring each other on what to do there was hilarious.

“It’s totally fair,” Jen chimed in, settling Ellie’s fate. “The goal is to get you over your crush on Rick. You’re not a girl anymore. You’re a woman and you have to start acting like one.”
“You mean like doing a pole dance?” Ellie did a tipsy bump and grind on the bed post. Then she lost her balance and fell onto the bed. For some reason this struck Beth and Jen as hilarious. They shrieked with laughter as if they were eighteen again instead of twenty-eight. Rick lifted his head from the axle of the quad bike and glanced over at them.
“Shhh, be quiet.” Ellie giggled. “He’ll hear us!” The window was wide open.

I liked both characters. Ellie is fearless and feisty. Accepting the bold outfit her friends have picked for her to wear proves that. Yet, the heroine seemed a bit desperate at times. She’s supposed to be getting over her crush on Rick, and yet she’s still determined to chase after him. By trying to make him jealous, so that he’d finally give into their mutual attraction. While Rick, he’s an honorable man and really surprised me by how long he lasted without kissing Ellie, considering their strong chemistry. His determination to reclaim his family’s farm seemed due to guilt. Because he couldn’t prevent what happened to his dad, even though he was only a teenager when his dad passed.

A nicely detailed sex scene steamed up the pages, and it was just perfect where it was in the story because Rick really needed Ellie in that moment. As revealing the story of his father’s death wasn’t easy and it all made sense why Rick wanted to buy back his family’s farm. So he could make his father’s legacy something to be proud of, instead of being reminded of the terrible loss he and the rest of his family suffered.

Overall, Ms. Kirby has penned a good novella in this book, and I loved the way it ended. Especially because I thought Rick made the right decision when it came to his family’s farm. I would recommend this novella, if you’re looking for a quick, fun read that will no doubt leave you wanting to see how things work out for Ellie’s friends in the other two books.

Book Info:

Publication: October 20th, 2015 | Joan Kilby | The Outback Bachelor Ball #1

She’ll do anything to get him to see her as a woman…

Feisty, fearless Ellie McFarlane has tried forever to get cattle station manager, Rick Drummond, to notice she’s not another cowhand. So when her gal pals talk her into glamming up for an Outback Bachelor and Spinster ball she’s eager to prove she’s all woman, all the time, and leave her boneheaded cowboy eating dust.

Sexy wrangler Rick is crazy about Ellie just as she is but her father – his boss – told him long ago that his daughter was off limits. Even though she’s all grown up now, Rick still feels it’s his job is to protect her, not seduce her. Plus, he’s finally got an opportunity to buy back his family farm, which means moving far away.

Ellie’s transformation from Cinder-Ellie to belle of the ball has Rick’s jaw dropping – and all the other cowboys falling at her feet. Ellie tries to revel in her new-found sex-pot status but without Rick it’s a hollow victory. Has Rick left it too late to claim the only woman he’ll ever truly love….