Review: The Cowboy Lawman by Brenda Minton

April 11, 2013 Carol Moncado

When Slade McKennon comes looking for Mia Cooper, the Dawson sheriff’s only mission is to keep her safe. But the wounded DEA agent isn’t ready to trust the man whose past is so entwined with hers. Slade lives by his own code of honor—one that prevents the widowed father from pursuing the woman he’s known most of his life. But for the first time in ages, Mia feels safe. And she’s finally starting to seal up the scars on both her body and her heart. Can Slade and his sweet but aching son provide the healing touch of love?

I think this is my first book of Brenda’s [though I have several on my bookshelf, but amid all of the other books in my TBR stack I’ve not gotten to them :(]. I wish I had. I will, one of these days.

But her newest release, The Cowboy Lawman, was a great way to be introduced to her and to Cooper Creek.

I loved Slade. The tough cowboy/deputy is also Mia’s best friend’s widower and the man she’s always made certain to remain just friends with. Because Slade and her BFF were meant to be together from the beginning, she never let anyone know about her feelings for the man – really, not even herself.

But now, Slade’s taken it upon himself to make sure she’s okay after being shot in the line of duty and the more he’s around – the more his little boy’s around – the more she wishes she could be a part of their lives, that she could somehow be the wife and mother her best friend had been.

It’s up to Slade to decide if he’s really ready to move on and, if he is, if his late wife would be okay with them moving on together.

Brenda drew me in, kept me hooked, and left me wanting more. I let her know, minutes after I finished reading, that I fully expect a certain secondary character to get a story one of these days. The business in Cooper Creek isn’t done.

The only thing that bugged me was… not a lack of emotion at one point, but, in my mind, there would have been MORE emotion. The particular incident [whether good or bad] was taken too much in stride, but overall it didn’t diminish my enjoyment at all.

Overall rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars