GRR Reviews Cowboy SEAL Homecoming by Nicole Helm

Alex left Montana behind a long time ago with his bad memories, and became a navy SEAL, an elite warrior. But when injuries forced him and two fellow teammates to retire, there is no place to go except back home... and meeting Becca who now lives there... a step-sister he never really knew. Becca will help Alex turned the family ranch into an equine therapy center to help wounded veterans, but will she also rope Alex's heart?

While this is technically a step-sibling romance, the two are so estranged they may as well be strangers. Romance is slow simmer. This is a series starter, and the setup is good. 4/5

GRR Reviews Rebel Cowboy (Big Sky Cowboys) by Nicole Helm

Rebel Cowboy is about conflicting obligations keeping two people from realizing their passion for each other. The intro was a bit long and the premise a bit hard to believe, but once it got going, the book worked a lot better.

Dan gave his life to hockey. But at 35, his contract was not renewed, and there were rumors that he was throwing games. His father, a famous coach, and his agent are trying to get him back on the ice. Dan just wants to get away, so he decided to run off to Montana and get his grandpa's abandoned farm/ranch working again... But he needed help. He got Mel. // Mel family is falling apart for years. Her mother ran off a long time ago, her father was crippled in an accident, and her brother Caleb was a total f***-up in life, leaving Mel to run the ranch by herself. Mel needed $$$ to keep the family ranch going, and when some city slicker wants to drop 20 grand for a "consultant" to get a neighboring abandoned ranch back running again, she can't refuse. // Dan and Mel are total opposites. Both have maintained a facade for so long, they don't know how to let themselves be real. Does Dan really want to get back on the ice... or enjoy the majestic Montana mountains (maybe with Mel?) Does Mel want Dan as a lover, when there are so many others things she needed to do, like keep tabs on her brother? Is she being selfish? Can she enjoy it?

Once the somewhat convoluted setup was finally explained, the story took off slowly. Both characters are showing facade toward the outside world. Dan's default facade is charming alpha male, and Mel's default facade is the "head of household / professional". When they let their guard down and show their true selves, is when the story really starts to shine.

Category: Contemporary / Western

Primary Plot: Can the city slicker really get an old ranch going with help of the neighbor "consultant" woman with way too many obligations?

Overall Rating: 4/5

NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below. 

GRR Reviews Keep Me, Cowboy (2015 Montana Born Rodeo) by Nicole Helm

Keep Me, Cowboy is about a family in crisis, an old flame that cannot be extinguished, and a lot of things left unsaid.

Cole MacArthur had been virtually disowned by his family after he chose rodeo instead of medical career his father wanted. So he left Marietta and never been back for ten years, even away from the only woman he loved... Except now, Jess Clark is at his door... Jess knew she wasn't a MacArthur, but her surrogate family needed Cole to come back because the family is in crisis... Cole's father... has been keeping more than a few secrets and things need to be set right. Cole and Jess picked up where they left off years ago, each decided to make it a fling... but once they had a taste, they cannot let go, even as family secrets are revealed, and the MacArthur family will never be the same.

I find the plot a bit too soap-opera melodramatic and the characters a bit on the simple side. It's basically a guilt-trip down memory lane, and without giving any spoilers, let's just say the secrets can change more than a few lives, but it felt... detached? It didn't move me as much as I expected.

Category: Contemporary Western

Primary Plot: Woman must convinced disowned cowboy to head back home; his family really needed him... and so does she

Tropes: Western

Overall Rating: 3/5

GRR Reviews Bride by Mistake (Montana Born Brides) by Nicole Helm

Bride by Mistake seems to send a mixed message about love. A woman pined for a guy that's marrying someone else, so she "settled" for the guy that does want her, even though he's her brother's best bud and this can destroy both of them, esp. when there are some... consequences.

To recap, Kaitlin Shuller had wanted one man in her life, but she had no choice but to watch that man marry someone else... and attend their wedding. Heart-broken, she's determined to get something right... seduce the "bad boy" that had NEVER noticed her before... Beckett... Her brother's best bud and business partner. Beckett had tried to outrun his bad boy reputation for a while, but can't. When Kaitlin offered herself to him... including her v-card, he can't refuse, because he really did have a soft spot for her, even though she's his best bud's little sister. But that one night of passion has dire consequences... However, Beckett is determined to do Kaitlin right... by sticking by her, even if he had to seduce her again and again...

Basically, girl's a basket case, and guy is noble and doing the right thing. It's too... trope-ish.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Girl pining for another settled for the guy she could have... for one night. He wanted longer term... if she'll let him

Tropes: fling to a thing, jilted, unrequited love, sibling's best friend,

Overall Rating:  3/5