Lasso Her Heart

The second book in a series but this reads just fine as a stand-alone.

Religion plays a big role in this one so keep that in mind when determining whether this will be the right fit for you. While I’m not religious person, reading about other people’s faith can be interesting especially in a case like this one where following the unexpected death of her fiance, Bethany’s at a crossroads over whether or not to continue believing.

Where the religious aspect of this became a bit problematic for me and really made it difficult for me to entirely like the “hero,” were moments when it seemed almost like Cody was forcing religion on Bethany. I’m sure there are plenty of readers who will see his actions differently, but for me, it show more felt uncomfortable, I just feel like religion is a very personal choice not something a person should feel pressured into no matter how well-intentioned that pressure is.

I felt similarly about Cody and Bethany’s friends and family’s seeming impatience with Bethany’s grieving process. I totally understand that they were concerned and they meant well but again, grief is such a personal thing and to expect someone to adhere to what you think their timetable for grief should be, everyone deserves to experience it at their own pace without so much prodding.

While I didn’t always feel like the other characters gave Bethany the space to set her own pace for moving forward, I still thought she had a decently constructed arc and she did push back against Cody just enough that I was mostly okay with their relationship by the end. Also I appreciated that this wasn’t one of those whirlwind romances where you’re supposed to buy into happily ever after when they’ve only known each other for three days, I liked that this story unfolded over a believable timespan. show less

Bethany is roped into planning her aunt's wedding, something she doesn't really want to do after the accidental death of her fiance last year. The groom-to-be's son takes an interest in Bethany, and she has lots to learn from him about dealing with loss and moving on.