Veronica Chadwick

Rancher Jacob falls for a woman, Sallie, from his past - 3 years have passed and he hasn't recognised her, and therefore she doesn't make herself known to him. Admittedly, she's on the run from some mysterious danger, but why she sits on this knowledge, which is about the most important thing in her life is maddening. Especially, when his reason for not recognising this woman, who made such an impact on him, is explained as a medical issue following a dangerous incident during his former life as a CIA Agent. Finally, they connect and even then, it takes some time before he gets there on his own that she is the woman he has idolised.

It's not much of a plot. I can imagine that's why other Library Thingers have given this a low score. That said, I enjoyed it and I finished it, though I probably should have been more discerning.

I've read two other novels by Lora Leigh - I would have thought it was more as her name crops up often.… (mere)

Can't say I enjoyed all the Christian stuff, it just always seems to come across as preachy to me, especially since it was completely irrelevant to the plot. But otherwise, I of course liked the formula. Chubby, insecure heroine meets dashing, muscular hero. She can't believe he is into her. Hot sex. The lies come out and there is a resurgence of insecurity and angst. It's cliched but I read every version of it I can. Would have liked this a lot more if it checked religion at the door. Basically, please leave Jesus out of my sex books.

Re-read in 2019: wow, that whole massage scene is super not consensual, and that gym would never, ever allow it to happen! And like much of this genre, it's just beyond impossible. Flawlessly gorgeous, sexy men who give multiple orgasms ten times a day do not take one look at plain, plump women and incinerate with lust. These kind of books read like plus-size fantasies, and it's so obvious to me that I have a hard time suspending my disbelief. Fiction needs to have at least a grain of reality to it.

PSA: For the love of god, do notput caramel goddamn syrup anywhere near your pussy! Does you know how hard that is to clean??? I got a yeast infection just reading about it!

Also, I always chuckle at the scenes where the plus size heroine is being swept into the arms of a mane and exclaims "oh no, you can't I'm too heavy!" And then swoons because of course he can carry her up a flight of stairs because she's petite. A dude trying to sweep me off my feet would have a hernia - I'm 5'10" and 240lbs. But these books always have tiny plus-size women. Where my giantesses at??

… (mere)

I'm sure Savannah Richards narrates other cowboy romances I've read, but her performance in this is perfection - I loved it! I see that she also reads the books of Gena Showalter, who is new to me.

Turns out Therese Plummer (aka Savannah Richards) has narrated more than 200 books! including 3 series by Robyn Carr. I'm sure I've dipped into Robyn Carr, but I haven't got her listed on Library Thing, which is why the voice seemed new to me. Of course I've seen Virgin River on Netflix. Savannah Richards is the name Therese uses for 'saucy' romances.

One Tough Cowboy has more fun in the tone than other cowboy novels I've consumed. I think I picked up this novel because I got mixed up with Lorelei James, whose cowboy novels are giant, dramatic romances with a big dose of the tragic, but I liked this a lot because of the humour.

Hunter, the sheriff and rancher, will be one of the great cowboy lovers in my reading of romance novels! And Chicago cop Sam is a great match.

This does have a murder mystery underpinning, but that's all it was, though a good one. I liked that it wasn't trying to be two books in one - a suspense and a romance , to make a double size book - the romance had the upper hand. The audiobook length is just right for once, at 7 hrs 45 mins.… (mere)