The Bad Boy Cowboy

November 27, 2017
Fans of Pearce’s Morgan Ranch series (The Last Good Cowboy) will comfortably settle into this fourth installment of relatable characters struggling to surmount the fences they’ve built against their own happiness. Rodeo celebrity cowboy Hoss William “HW” Morgan has suffered an injury and a loss to a much-younger competitor. He’s ready to retire from the circuit and take a chance that his family will welcome him back to the only home he’s ever known: Morgan Ranch, located in Northern California. It’s just about ready to open as a working dude ranch, and, in hopes of welcoming people with disabilities, the Morgans need the opinion of an expert. Physical therapist Samantha Kelly, herself a disabled vet, isn’t thrilled by the idea of six weeks on a ranch, but a paid vacation is a paid vacation. When the cowboy with a bad rep tries to teach the former Army MP how to ride a horse, it’s quickly clear that love is inevitable. There’s nothing new or exciting here, but Pearce’s faithful readers won’t mind. Agent: Deidre Knight, Knight Agency.

December 1, 2017
The fourth Morgan Ranch book from Pearce, following The Maverick Cowboy (2017), finds HW, the last Morgan brother, returning after placing second in a disappointing rodeo season. Baggage from his troubled childhood also keeps interfering with his finding peace at the new dude ranch. Samantha is among the first guests. An army veteran with a leg prosthesis and a thick defensive wall, Samantha bristles at attempts from famous rodeo star HW to make things easier for her in riding lessons. But she also digs into what is bothering HW and what's awry with his family business. HW enjoys Sam's verbal sparring, and the two find themselves getting involved before either has dealt with his or hertroubles or is ready to handle a relationship. HW and Samantha are unique and memorable, and this the strongest story yet in Pearce's excellent series. This tale will appeal to fans of veteran stories, western romances, family sagas, and contemporary romances.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)