Hi there! I’m sharing a review for a contemporary cowboy romance from Sara Richardson. MORE THAN A FEELING is a book about the lies we tell to ourselves to keep us safe, and how those can be the most damaging of all…

About the book:
Stop running…and start falling
For Ruby James the Walker Mountain Ranch is her safe haven. Here in Aspen, Colorado, she can finally build a quiet life for herself without fear of her old one rearing its ugly head. Or so Ruby thinks. Any single woman would be happy to indulge a tall, dark, and curious cop-but the closer Ruby gets to him, the closer she gets to losing her newfound peace.

Police officer Sawyer Hawkins is no stranger to secrets. He’s ready to leave town for good until a security threat brings him back to Walker Ranch, and Ruby’s gorgeous green eyes soon have him second-guessing his decision to go. Her kindness and quiet strength awaken feelings he’d thought long buried, even as her reluctance to talk about her past worries him. The cop in Sawyer only wants the truth-but the man in him wants Ruby in his arms forever.

A little taste…

“Sawyer…” There was so much she couldn’t tell him. So many reasons she should ask him to leave, to leave her alone. But the ache tightening inside of her would never go away if she didn’t touch him, if she didn’t feel the generous hunger of his lips against hers, the thrilling sensation of his hands reading every curve of her body. So instead of saying anything, instead of casting him out of her life, she scooted to her knees so she could reach his lips, first touching them lightly with her fingers. “You’re a good man, Sawyer Hawkins,” she whispered. And though she knew he couldn’t have her forever, she could give herself to him now. He could have her for this one moment.

His gaze fused with hers, the mesmerizing blue of his eyes smoldering like the center of a flame. His large hands settled on her hips and tugged them until she straddled him.

The swing pitched forward and she wrapped her arms around his neck to keep from losing her balance.

“This isn’t why I came here,” he informed her hoarsely.

“That’s disappointing,” she breathed against his neck. The stubble made her lips tingle.

Sawyer sighed in a helplessly delicious way and took her chin in his hand, bringing her lips to meet his, brushing them lightly in teasing preview.

Oh, lordy, lordy, lordy…the man could kiss.

He pulled back to look at her, but what good was that? She wanted to feel him against her, solid and safe and warm. So she wrapped her legs all the way around his waist cinching them tighter until the hard bulge of his desire for her pulsed between her legs. It was blinding the way he made her lungs pound, the way he sent her dizzy heart twirling in circles. His touch brought her somewhere else, made her feel like someone else. Someone whole and unbreakable. The person she’d always wanted to be.

My Review:
This is the third book in a series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone. I want to also note what may be a trigger warning: the plot centers on a domestic violence survivor who fled her abusive fiance just a year before. There are some recollections that are troublesome, but no graphic depictions.

When Ruby James arrived in Aspen a year ago she knew no one and was luckily able to find shelter with the loving family at the Walker Mountain Ranch. She’s been a baker in their resort kitchen, and lived in a rental property adjacent to Elsie Walker, family matriarch. She has made friends with Elsie and two other ladies and feels safe and at home for the first time in her life. Thing is, she’s not Ruby James, and she can’t reveal her true identity or her ex might find her and make good on his many threats.

Sawyer Hawkins has moved into the Walker Ranch for the final month of his contract with the Aspen PD. He’s fresh off a nasty divorce and looking to start fresh in Denver, but his house sold too quick and he’s got taken temporary lodgings at the urging of his cousin Bryce Walker. Besides, as a cop he might be able to track down who’s stealing from the Walkers. Sawyer thinks it could be Ruby, she’s there early enough and nobody knows much about her. Digging deeper, Sawyer’s dismayed to recognize the signs of an abuse victim in her interactions. He’s also frustrated to find her attractive. He’s supposed to be leaving in a few weeks, not getting his heart tangled up before then is on top of his to-do list.

I really liked how this one played out. At first, I thought it would be a SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY scenario, with Ruby’s ex becoming a ruthless stalker, and was glad that was not the case. Truthfully, I’ve read a few books like that and I dislike the formulaic feel to them. This book is very different, and the twists were refreshing. Ruby has a whole new life in front of her, if only she’d open up a bit. She’s still a victim, in many respects, and I was so glad to watch her break through the walls she’d built around herself. I also loved how she worked with everyone in the book–foster kids, abused animals, even helping Sawyer face the depression he’d trapped himself within–Ruby sparkled brightest when she advocated for others–and that brought about an ending that was as much a redemption as a resolution.

This is a really sweet book, with a handful of steamy bits, but nothing too blush-worthy. The stage is set for another romance, I believe, with perhaps the widowed Elsie finding love again.

Interested? You can find MORE THAN A FEELING on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, GooglePlay, Kobo, and BAM.

Interested in the book series?
NO BETTER MAN (Heart of the Rockies, #1)
When it comes to business, Avery King always comes out on top. So after a very public breakup, work is the perfect excuse to flee the Windy City for the gentle breezes of Aspen, Colorado. Her mission: acquire the land of a rundown mountain ranch. Avery expects an easy win . . . until she meets the rugged and irresistible rancher who won’t give up his property without a fight.

Bryce Walker is stunned by the stubborn beauty determined to get what she wants. But what she wants is his last connection to the life he used to have. Bryce has plans to return the ranch to its former glory and no way will he sell his family home. Yet the more time he spends with Avery, the more her sweet touch makes him forget his painful memories. Now Bryce must decide whether living in the past is worth losing his future…

Available here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | GooglePlay | Kobo | BAM | Indiebound

SOMETHING LIKE LOVE (Heart of the Rockies, #2)
IT’S GONNA BE A WILD RIDE

Ben Noble needs to do some damage control. Fast. His heart has always been in ranching, but there’s no escaping the spotlight on his high-powered political family. Now the only thing that can restore his reputation is a getaway to the fresh air of Aspen, Colorado. Not to mention that the trip gives Ben a second chance to impress a certain gorgeous mountain guide. But Paige Harper is nothing like the shy girl he remembers . . . she’s so much more.

Paige is serious about Ben, too: seriously annoyed that the playboy cowboy is using her mountain for his PR. Once upon a time, she fell for Ben’s aw-shucks charm, but the fairy tale didn’t end happily. Paige doesn’t intend to let down her guard again. But keeping their relationship all business and no pleasure may be harder than she thinks-especially if the moonlight, the Rockies, and a certain irresistible rancher have anything to say about it…

Available here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | GooglePlay | Kobo | BAM

About the Author:
Sara Richardson grew up chasing adventure in Colorado’s rugged mountains. She’s climbed to the top of a 14,000-foot peak at midnight, swam through Class IV rapids, completed her wilderness first-aid certification, and spent seven days at a time tromping through the wilderness with a thirty-pound backpack strapped to her shoulders.

Eventually, Sara did the responsible thing and got an education in writing and journalism. After five years in the corporate writing world, she stopped ignoring the voices in her head and started writing fiction. Now, she uses her experience as a mountain adventure guide to write stories that incorporate adventure with romance. Still indulging her adventurous spirit, Sara lives and plays in Colorado with her saint of a husband and two young sons. Her first contemporary romance, No Better Man, was released by Grand Central forever 2015.

Catch up with Sara online on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.