Ravishing Romances: Cowboy with a Cause (by Carla Cassidy)

Amazon ~ B&N

Release date: February 1, 2013

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Series Rating: Reviewer has not read them all
Cowboy with a Cause is book 3 in the Cowboy Cafe Series

How are the sex scenes?

Passionate, emotional and sensual.

How are the story lines?

Well constructed, cleverly woven and suspenseful.

Would you read it again?

Yes

Back of the Book

"I'd apologize for kissing you, but I'm not all that sorry."

Dancer Melanie Brooks had escaped small-town Oklahoma, giving up the country for Broadway's bright lights. Yet after her mother's funeral called her back, her own health issues forced her to stay. Now her tenant, too-hot-for-his-own-good Adam Benson, is giving her a reason to dance again. But has a killer set his sights on her, too?

Adam knows a little something about fresh starts. As for his beautiful neighbor, he doesn't see a wheelchair—he sees a woman who understands. But as the heat grows between them, he can't avoid the feeling that more than her big-city past haunts her—and that danger has been lurking, waiting to strike….

Review

Cowboy with a Cause by seasoned Romantic Suspense author Carla Cassidy, was a terrific, enthralling addition to her Cowboy Café series. Once again, you will salivate over a deep thinking, drop dead gorgeous Hero, and admire her strong, courageous heroine.

Beautiful, passionate and talented dancer Melanie Brooks, at eighteen, packed up her small town life in Oklahoma to pursue her life-long dream of becoming a successful dancer in New York. She had succeeded, but all her dreams died following the devastating death of her mother and the onset of a debilitating illness so cruel in its focus, that her bitterness was completely understandable. She felt trapped, grief stricken and alone. Her new existence a mirror of autumn’s dying leaves – a gradual demise.

What Melanie hadn’t expected ever to feel again, was desire or hope. She had not anticipated that the dark haired, blue-eyed, powerfully built sexy cowboy, Adam Benson, would or could evoke such a visceral response in her. “He carried with him an energy that seemed to pulse in the air around him, an energy that seductively drew her to him.” She feared that his transitional state would only cause her a broken heart. After all, in her mind, she was now a liability, half a woman, a burden – a cripple.

Adam Benson was simply looking for a new start. Life had in the last two years, “tossed him a live grenade that had exploded” resulting in dark times of despair and shame. Having lost many of whom he had loved, it was instinctual to guard his heart, becoming isolated and reclusive. Moving in to Melanie’s house was his opportunity to find a haven, a chance to heal, a place to re-group; and decide what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.

When he first laid eyes on Melanie, he was struck by her elegant beauty and sexy mouth. Quickly, he saw through her brittle façade, despite her vulnerable, resigned disposition and was dazzled by her inner strength, sharp mind and sense of humour, prompting protective urges to emerge. He knew first hand what hiding from life was like, and suspected Melanie did too. As he battled his own demons, would he act on his tendency to ‘fix’ things, acknowledging his growing attraction to the blond haired beauty, or could he remain aloof and unaffected?

Grady Gulch, where the story was set, had been on the receiving end of a killer’s evil hand. Tension was tight in the small town. Innocence lost. To many, Melanie Brooks was an enigma, but to one man, her very presence stole his breath in anger. To him, she deserved terrorizing and punishment. Death.

The mystery is woven masterfully throughout Cowboy with a Cause with the author allowing glimpses of possible suspects, as well as insight into the perpetrator’s mind, yet covering well his identity. The love story between Adam and Melanie is both believable and beautifully written. The book’s very gripping conclusion was excellent, ensuring that the reader must read the next book in the series. Cleverly done. I need to know who the killer is! If you are a fan of Romantic Suspense, do not go past this Author. She writes with experience, wisdom and passion.