Book Review: Smooth Talking Cowboy by Maisey Yates (M&B)

Smooth Talking Cowboy is the first novel in the Gold Valley series. Written by Maisey Yates and published by Mills & Boon the series is set in Gold Valley, Oregon.  There is also a bonus book - Seduce Me, Cowboy - which is set in Copper Ridge.

Smooth Talking Cowboy is set in Gold Valley Oregon.   Olivia Logan is still seething and hurt after being dumped by Bennett Dodge, the man she thought she would marry and also the man her father wanted her to marry.  She keeps running into Luke Hollister, the chirpy, handsome cowboy who always rubs her up the wrong way. They concoct a plan to pretend they are a couple. Luke needs Olivia to put in a good word about him to her father as he wants to buy some land from him and Olivia wants to show Bennett what he is missing. Will the fake relationship  become a life long romance?

I enjoyed this book as it is interesting to see Maisey Yates reconcile two determined characters with issues. Olivia has always tried to be the prefect twin and daughter after her sister went off the rails as a teenager and has always been held to a much high standard. Bennett moved to Gold Ridge at 16 and has always felt like an outsider to the close knit community. The book is well written and I found the small American town angle interesting.

The bonus book Seduce Me, Cowboy is set in Copper Ridge and focuses upon Hayley Thompson breaking loose from the being the good girl who worked as the secretary at her father's church and going to work for Jonathan Bear, the local bad boy who also happens to be a construction millionaire. She has a bucket list of wishes- see the world, get a passport, lose her virginity. Jonathan soon helps her fulfil her last wish. This book didn't follow the formulaic M&B life plan. They didn't meet each other and fall in love. Instead Hayley so Jonathan as a means to an ends. If anything he fell for her firs!  The new found romance founders as he has deep seated issues relating to love and , trust and abandonment which can be traced back to his turbulent childhood. Can he overcome these issues or will Hayley travel the world without him?

Maisey Yates is an Oregon native ( I follow her IG account and it does look a beautiful state) and it is clear that she enjoyed writing about and is proud of "her" State. I enjoyed both books, especially the bonus one as it didn't necessarily follow the traditional romance novel rules. Hayley, although the perfect Pastor's daughter but is determined to break out and follow her dreams where ever they take her. Love doesn't feature on her agenda! Smooth Talking Cowboy also has a heroine who is determined and single minded. They are both very Americanised stories. Some romances focus so much on the characters and generic storylines it is easy to guess the ending (not that that is a bad thing to do, I estill enjoy reading them) These have been well thought out and the characters woven in with the traditions, influences and psyche of a small Oregon town, which is interesting to read as I m from the UK and wouldn't think of some of the problems/ issues  that shape the characters' lives.  I am looking forward to the next instalment and may well go back and read her Copper Ridge series. 

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley

Available from:
Amazon UK

Mills & Boon