Joanne Kennedy

4.5 stars.

How to Kiss a Cowboy by Joanne Kennedy is a deliciously sweet yet sinfully steamy romance that fans of contemporary westerns absolutely do not want to miss. This second installment in the marvelous Cowboys of Decker Ranch series begins with an unexpected night of passion between childhood friend Suze Carlyle and Brady Caine. However it is not until a serious accident sidelines Suze that their relationship grows into something deeper, but misunderstandings and trust issues threaten show more their budding romance.

Suze is a highly successful barrel racer who is incredibly focused on her career. Following in the footsteps of her deceased mother who was also a championship barrel racer, Suze is desperately trying to win her grief stricken father's love and approval. But the biggest reason for her dedication is much more practical: without her rodeo winnings, Suze and her father are in danger of losing the family ranch. Her devotion to her career has paid off financially but it has left a huge void in her life personally. She is an independent loner without any close friends and while normally this does not bother Suze, after her accident, she is left without anyone to rely on except the last person she wants to see: Brady.

Brady was in and out of foster homes until the Deckers adopted him along with his two foster brothers, Ridge and Shane, as teenagers. He hides the pain of his difficult childhood behind an easy smile and a carefree attitude, but this has earned him a reputation of not taking life seriously. His natural talent as a saddle bronc rider means he wins more than he loses but he is content to coast along without putting any extra effort into improving his career. Brady is charming, good-natured and very popular with the ladies on the rodeo circuit, but his relationships are quick and easy one night stands. There is more to Brady than his superficial outward appearance reveals, but the only person who sees a glimpse of the real man is Suze. However their awkward morning after leads to both of them pretending their night together was meaningless and the two go their separate ways until they work together on a photo shoot that ends in a tragic accident.

The accident is a turning point for both Brady and Suze. For the first time, Brady becomes someone that can be counted on and Suze realizes that she needs more in her life than her career. Suze tries to push Brady away but he stubbornly refuses to give in to her demands to leave her alone. Brady is surprisingly honest about his feelings but Suze is very reluctant to believe that he sincerely wants to be with her. Their relationship is further damaged by Suze's low self-esteem and her inability to put her complete trust in Brady.

How to Kiss a Cowboy is a captivating romance with a complex and well-developed storyline. The characters are appealing and multi-layered with realistic issues to overcome. This heartwarming addition to the Cowboys of Decker Ranch series an emotional, fun and sensual romance that old and new fans of Joanne Kennedy are going to love. show less

I really enjoyed this book with 1 exception, I wanted to slap Charlie up-side the head with a two by four. Seriously?? A super hot cowboy who has shown you nothing but kindness and proves over and over and over and over again that he's trustworthy and you still want to leave him because he isn't part of "The Plan"... even after he tells you and shows you how much he loves you? Honey, I'll take him off your hands if you don't want him!

Other than said frustration with the heroine of the book, show more it was a good read that I didn't want to put down. show less

Cowboy Trouble is the first book in Joanne Kennedy’s Acquainted with the Night series and her first published novel. Libby was an investigative journalist in Atlanta, a job she loved, but after her boyfriend cheated on her with her boss, she needed a major change. Moving to the little town of Lackaduck, Wyoming, she buys an old property she plans to fix up so that she can start a chicken farm, while still writing stories for the local newspaper. While moving in, she meets her handsome show more cowboy neighbor, Luke. Although he’s very attractive and she can tell he’s interested in her, too, she immediately friend-zones him, having no intention of getting involved with any man right now. Coming up with ideas for interesting stories in the backwater town is difficult until Libby hears of the disappearance of a young woman named Della two years earlier. After meeting Della’s mom, she’s determined to see if she can find something the local sheriff, who seems to have put the case on ice, might have missed. Soon she’s attracting all sorts of unwanted attention from all the wrong people and receiving threats that make her suspect the person responsible for Della’s disappearance may be someone she knows. Along the way, Luke steps up to help Libby and tries to protect her as best he can, and soon she can’t seem to resist his cowboy charm. Then evidence surfaces that points to Luke as a possible suspect, leaving Libby uncertain if she can still trust him, while the real killer has her in his sights and has developed what could become a fatal obsession.

Libby loved her job with the Atlanta newspaper until her cheating ex ruined everything for her. Feeling like she always picks the wrong guy, she’s sworn off all men. Packing up her life, she moves to Wyoming, hoping for a fresh start. Although it’s a bit run-down and needs some work, she likes the little farm she bought and looks forward to raising chickens there. On her first day in town, Luke stops by to introduce himself, but worrying about his motives, Libby tells a little white lie about owning a large attack dog. Thinking she might need a real one for protection since she lives alone in the middle of nowhere, she goes to the local rescue where she ends up adopting a little Jack Russell terrier and fostering her litter of puppies. Once she’s settled in, she goes looking for interesting stories to write for the local paper and stumbles upon Della’s disappearance, which deeply intrigues her. Luke helps out by bringing her a folder full of background information on Della and between that and an interview with the girl’s mom, Libby is off and running, chasing down leads. Luke continues to help her and when she receives threats, he also steps in to offer protection. When they take a trip to see one of Della’s old friends, one thing leads to another, and they spend the night together, after which Libby’s walls start to come down. But when the evidence she’s collecting starts to point to Luke as a suspect, she fears she may have chosen the wrong guy once again. Libby is a great reporter, just the kind of dogged investigator someone would want on a missing person’s case. For the most part, I’d say she was smart about her investigating. I also liked that she’s an animal lover and that for a big city girl, she settled into small town life admirably.

Luke has lived in Lackaduck all his life. He runs his ranch, where he keeps cattle and trains horses, and still shares the house he grew up in with his parents to help his dad look after his mom who has dementia. When Libby comes to town, he’s immediately attracted to her, and although he flirts with her, she makes it clear that she’s not looking to get involved with anyone. When he learns that she’s investigating Della’s disappearance, he helps out in more ways than one, and when she starts getting threats, he tries to protect her. He insists on accompanying her to visit one of Della’s friends, a trip that takes a romantic turn when they end up at a roadside motel in a hailstorm. Luke convinces Libby that what happens at the inn can stay there, and although he tries to keep his promise, he just can’t stop thinking about their night together. But after she goes on another trip with the local sheriff to see another of Della’s friends, Libby returns angry with him and he isn’t sure why. And if the killer has his way, Luke might not get a chance to make things right. Luke is a sweet, beta hero. I adored him for respecting Libby’s autonomy and also for practicing enthusiastic consent. I also loved how he treats his mom and how he’s a true friend to a mentally impaired taxidermist who everyone refers to as Crazy Mike. Although he really wants to be the only man in Libby’s life, he doesn’t turn into a jealous, possessive ass when he thinks that she might be getting close to the sheriff and he trusts her when she tells him she’s not. Luke was just an all-around great guy.

Cowboy Trouble was my first read by Joanne Kennedy and overall, it was an enjoyable one. After being hurt in the past, Libby is understandably gun-shy with men, but she warms up nicely to Luke, who’s a gem of a hero. The two fit together well, with Libby being more headstrong and independent, while Luke is more laid-back. There are a number of interesting townspeople in Lackaduck to spice things up, to give our protagonists other characters to play off of, and to offer multiple possibilities for culprits. The mystery of what happened to Della unfolds gradually as Libby investigates and puts the pieces together. I’ll admit that I correctly guessed the villain pretty early in the story. I’d hoped maybe I was wrong and that the author would pull a switcheroo and surprise me, but unfortunately she didn’t. However, I admit that I didn’t work out all the details until the full reveal. This was the only weak link in the story, but I still enjoyed journeying along with Libby as she figures things out. So overall, I had a pretty good time reading this book. Cowboy Trouble is the first in a series, but I can’t help wondering if it was originally conceived as a stand-alone and then the world was expanded later. There weren’t any real prospects for future heroes and heroines introduced in this volume like readers might expect with a series, but I still look forward to continuing with it and meeting new characters along the way. show less

A contemporary cowboy romance novel featuring rodeo players, this one was great on setting the scene; but the chemistry between the couple doesn't sell itself. At one point, he (Brady) lassoes her (Suzette) and sends her to the hospital with injuries serious enough to warrant a five-day stay in the hospital, and a bit of recovery time which takes her off the rodeo circuit. He's always been a player, so on top of the accident, she now has some serious trust issues. And somehow that's her show more problem... Er, no. show less