Hello everyone!
I know I skipped this Tuesday, but that's because it was my birthday.
I decided to sleep in and just laze about for the day, which, can confirm, was a GRAND idea all in all.
And then today it's back to the drawing board.
Especially since we're gearing for the release of book two in this series.
Kes Winters is an author I randomly stumbled on when I was looking through BookSirens, and I picked up one of her fairytale-inspired romances, but it turns out she writes COWBOY romance, too.
And she does it REAL good, y'all!
Ahem.
Without further ado, let's step right into this world: in Heartstrings.
As I've not reviewed anything of hers on this blog yet, there are no other posts at the bottom of the page.
Heartstrings is the first in this series, and with Heartland coming this July, I thought to myself there is literally NO better time than now to refresh my brain and go back to the good ole cowboy yee-haw.
I mean. You know what I mean LOL
Heartstrings is the story of country music sensation Walker Rhodes and the girl he chooses for his live-in nanny, Sadie, because his poor kid needs a little help with reading and writing. He's probably recovering from the shock of his parents divorcing and his mom not really caring, so he's a bit behind with all the school stuff, but Walker - despite being a total ass to Sadie from the get-go - decides to keep his unsolicited opinions to himself, and hire her.
And then, of course, comes the teensy problem of: how the hell does he keep his hands off her when she seems to be everything he's ever wanted, but never knew to ask for?
It's actually so funny to read, this poor man is tied up in absolute KNOTS, but the best bit is that Sadie's not all relaxed, either.
She's accepted a teaching position in New York, and will be going there in the fall. She has a plan, one she made a long time ago after her dad walked out on her and her mom, leaving her as solo caregiver since her mom's on the sicker side, and she's gonna execute it.
Then in waltzes Walker with his sexy voice and black Stetson, and it all seems to be going right to hell in a hand basket.
Sadie turns Walker's brain to mush when she admits she's still a virgin, and he tries, he really does try, to encourage her to meet other people, date others, find someone closer to her age and who could, you know, ostensibly be good for her.
Then he just about loses his minds when the girl turns the tables on him and tries to drive him crazy because HE happens to be the only one SHE wants.
She might even have gotten it to work ... except then she goes on an actual quasi-date, right after Walker makes a literal mess out of her, and Walker materializes at the same bar because, of course he does.
They leave together. She's his from that evening on.
Her mom's a little bit of a piece of work, saying that her daughter needs to get her head out of the clouds, but Sadie wants what she has right now: which is, Walker.
She also wants to help him make music again, because he hasn't touched his guitar in two years, since the divorce, and even before that his well of inspiration was starting to run dry.
He's always up for a challenge, however, and when Sadie rhapsodizes over Nirvana, well, he grabs his guitar and sings it for her instead.
By the time he arranges for a picnic on Fourth of July after they put his son to bed, you're bound to be just as in love with the man as Sadie is. They proceed to write a song together, melody and lyrics both, and my favourite scene is the bar they return to.
Only this time, it's not Walker being casual.
This time, Walker Rhodes walks in, head-to-toe black, all 6'5 of him, guitar in hand, takes the stage, and starts singing. He introduces the new song to the world, claims Sadie in front of literally everyone, and even one of his brothers is like: best you start lifting weights for the rock he's about to get for your finger, girl.
But then, of course, his ex-wife starts trying to muddy the waters, and although Walker shuts it down fast, Sadie's more determined than ever to make her own way. Even if Walker pays for her mom's medical situation to take care of everything. Even so.
The way this ends, you're wondering? Well, Walker and his son drive her to the airport. The son then asks his dad if he told Sadie he loved her. Dad says no. Son says, you're a idiot, how did you even manage to father me?
They then chase her down together into the terminal, where Walker gets down on one knee, confesses, and proposes with a plastic ring. Fast-forward, and they're writing an album together, which hits double platinum, and when they realize Sadie's pregnant, they hurry up the wedding, too.
All's well that ends well with this little happy family!
But what IS it with these cowboys?!?
I never had a 'cowboy craze phase'. And yet here we are. Christian Crawford, Stormland Lane, and now Walker Rhodes. Apparently, I've developed a thing for black Stetsons, and I can't say I regret it a single bit.
Kes Winter really, really hit it out of the park with this one. I've read two of her books before this, and each one gets better than the last. Wild Rose Ranch is going to be a HIT series, and I am SO HERE FOR IT.
As a starter, Heartstrings is possibly the best choice of book to release. A country music star, broken by the system, the wife who should have loved him, hiding from the world and trying to heal; a young woman on a mission to be dependent on no one and pave her own path forward. Together, they make magic - quite literally.
Sadie is the heroine you WANT, reasonable, personable, filled with emotion and fire and gumption, who isn't afraid to call it like she sees it, but who also knows when to be soft and when the time is right to be quiet.
Walker is the hero you dream of. Broody, yes, moody, hell yes, but with the softest heart feeling every emotion and hiding it from the world because it's been stomped on so much, loyal, protective, devoted to the cause he chooses.
The Rhodes family are also pure perfection, and I mean, sign me RIGHT UP for all the books! Like, I'll even take one for Walker's label's president, who is apparently an honorary Rhodes brother according to Sadie, or something of the sort.
Ms Winters writes poignantly, not dramatically at all, building on yearning and all the reasons why things shouldn't happen ... until they do, and then you're wondering why the hell anyone was against them from the get-go. You could see it in her shifter romances, and you can CLEARLY see it in these cowboy romances now.
I'm now in this for the long haul. And this might be the book I need in physical copy rather than just the e-book.
Bring along Slade's book next! Yee-haw!
I never had a 'cowboy craze phase'. And yet here we are. Christian Crawford, Stormland Lane, and now Walker Rhodes. Apparently, I've developed a thing for black Stetsons, and I can't say I regret it a single bit.
Kes Winter really, really hit it out of the park with this one. I've read two of her books before this, and each one gets better than the last. Wild Rose Ranch is going to be a HIT series, and I am SO HERE FOR IT.
As a starter, Heartstrings is possibly the best choice of book to release. A country music star, broken by the system, the wife who should have loved him, hiding from the world and trying to heal; a young woman on a mission to be dependent on no one and pave her own path forward. Together, they make magic - quite literally.
Sadie is the heroine you WANT, reasonable, personable, filled with emotion and fire and gumption, who isn't afraid to call it like she sees it, but who also knows when to be soft and when the time is right to be quiet.
Walker is the hero you dream of. Broody, yes, moody, hell yes, but with the softest heart feeling every emotion and hiding it from the world because it's been stomped on so much, loyal, protective, devoted to the cause he chooses.
The Rhodes family are also pure perfection, and I mean, sign me RIGHT UP for all the books! Like, I'll even take one for Walker's label's president, who is apparently an honorary Rhodes brother according to Sadie, or something of the sort.
Ms Winters writes poignantly, not dramatically at all, building on yearning and all the reasons why things shouldn't happen ... until they do, and then you're wondering why the hell anyone was against them from the get-go. You could see it in her shifter romances, and you can CLEARLY see it in these cowboy romances now.
I'm now in this for the long haul. And this might be the book I need in physical copy rather than just the e-book.
Bring along Slade's book next! Yee-haw!
xx
*image not mine
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