Killer Cowboy Charm

Vicki Lewis Thompson is one of my favorite series writers. Her stories are emotional and passionate. I didn't enjoy her single title, Nerd in Shining Armor, as much as I'd hoped, but I've found that I can usually depend on her Temptations and Blazes. For this reason, I was excited about reading her latest book, Killer Cowboy Charm. It was enjoyable but didn't have the magic that makes some of her other books so good. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Morning show host Meg Delaney jokingly claims on air that she'd like to find a real cowboy. The joke turns into a road trip to find contestants for a cowboy contest. At Meg's first stop, she meets Clint Walker. Clint wants nothing to do with the contest, but he wants Meg. They fulfill their attraction almost right away. Though they have only a few days together, Clint and Meg both feel a connection that goes deeper than a physical attraction.

For a story like this to work, readers have to believe in the couple's connection, and I wasn't convinced. I believe that Meg and Clint want each other. I believe that their desire could develop into something deeper. But the connection came too quickly to be entirely believable. This is the biggest problem of the book.

Thompson has written dozens of books in her long career; Killer Cowboy Charm isn't one of her best. I'd recommend one of these instead: After Hours, Acting on Impulse, and Pure Temptation.

Alyssa