The Four of Hearts Ranch Romance Collection

December 8, 2014
Hope and faith come in many different forms in Clopton’s contemporary cowboy romance set in the small town of Wishing Springs, Tex. Maggie Hope is a newspaper advice columnist from the city who’s way out of her depth interviewing cowboy and champion quarter horse rider Tru Monahan in his small hometown. In an attempt to hide her nervousness during the televised piece, Maggie comes up with a bet—more of a dare, really: that Tru can not only teach this city girl how to ride, but he can have her good enough to compete in two months. Can the pair of them see past their own good intentions to find the truth lying right in front of them Amusing secondary characters and an intriguing side plot mix with humor to balance an occasionally clichéd plot that is light on faith. Agent: Natasha Kern, Natasha Kern Literary Agency.

February 1, 2015

Advice columnist Maggie Hope needs to follow her own counsel and take a chance on life and love. Yet things have never come easy to the self-sabotaging Maggie. Her tendency to block out what she doesn't want to see becomes a major problem when she meets champion horse trainer Tru Monahan. Filling in for her friend and journalist, Amanda, Maggie interviews Tru and sparks fly both on-and-off camera. A casual bet that Tru can teach Maggie to ride a cutting horse leads to some surprising consequences. VERDICT Clopton ("Cowboys of Sunrise Ranch" series) introduces an engaging cast of characters who are warm, welcoming, and feel like family in this new romantic series launch. Although the plot is a bit formulaic, the finely drawn and sympathetic protagonists drive the story forward to its ultimately hopeful and rewarding conclusion. An appealing choice for readers of Janette Oke and Robin Lee Hatcher.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.