Book Review: The Last Chance Cowboy by Jody Hedlund, Colorado Cowboys #5, A Historical Fiction Western Romance
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. Also, this blog post includes affiliate links. You can view my affiliate disclaimer here.
With danger drawing ever closer, their only hope of saving their futures lies in each other.
As a midwife, Catherine Remington is successful in bringing new life into the world, but she's failed one too many times in finding true love. When she's accused of a murder she didn't commit, she's forced to flee to Colorado to honor a patient's dying wish by delivering a newborn infant to his father.
The repentant prodigal Dylan McQuaid is finally back in Fairplay. As sheriff, he's doing his best to prove to the town he's a changed man and worthy of their trust. When a woman shows up with an infant son he didn't know he had, Dylan is left with only complicated choices on what to do next.
Having grown attached to Dylan's son, Catherine doesn't want to part ways with the infant, but what she doesn't bargain for is how easily she'll fall for the charming sheriff, or how quickly the past will catch up with her and put their love and lives in danger.
MY REVIEW: ★★★/5
New-to-me author, Jody Hedlund, brings the wild west of small town Colorado alive with cattle rustlers, a new sheriff in town and a whole cast of vibrant people!
HIGHLIGHTS:
Marriage of Convenience · Hidden Identity · Western Romance
What I liked:
Catherine's profession as a midwife was fascinating and I enjoyed how well-researched and how well her techniques and situations were presented. In fact, the first chapter of the story highlights Catherine in this role, which I found intriguing and that kept me wanting to read more.
A marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes and this book certainly featured that! The resulting love story and HEA that came with it were a plus.
Dylan's character stood out to me the most in this story. He was a man who'd fallen prey to the lusts of his flesh and deeply regretted them, moving forward to a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Having repented from his wayward sins and worked hard to live a life pleasing to God, it was rewarding to see him come up against the temptations of his past and overcome them. As he embraced his role of fatherhood, it was even more rewarding to witness the change in his character. He was flirtatious and confident, values I enjoyed in a hero.
Additional Thoughts:
The plot to this story was cliche'. Marriage of convenience, based off of a miscommunication which eventually becomes a lie (this really detracted from Catherine's character value for me). The premise of the miscommunication bordered on the fact that Dylan did not remember being intimate with a woman, due to being inebriated. I found it very hard to believe he couldn't remember what she looked like or any conversations with her, and that made the trope unreliable for me.
The ending was predictable and lacked the excitement I thought was coming. While there were moments of excitement and a touch of suspense, I had been hoping for a big moment when Catherine's predicament from Chicago made its way to her so Dylan would have to save her and clear her name.
Lastly, Dylan's physical infatuation and insinuations with Catherine were over the top and bordered on lustful. I didn't care for this aspect in this particular genre. It was something I'd have expected (and enjoyed) in a sweet romcom or secular novel, but not in historical Christian fiction. While it all took place within the confines of their marriage, it still felt too detailed and overdone for this story. There is a time and place for spice in my opinion and this was not it.
sUMMARY:
Overall, a historical western romance that served as an easy, feel-good romance. Though part of a series, this novel read well as a standalone. There are elements of faith, redemption and saving grace, death to self and new life, as well as moments of sibling banter and adoring love between family members. There was also the refreshing and redeeming part of the story that people are merely human, they make mistakes, learn from them and move forward with renewed focus on the things that truly matter. A solid three stars for me.
Content and Trigger Warnings: Murder, Death in Childbirth, Sex Before Marriage (alleged), Inebriation (to the point of oblivion -alluded to), Detailed Kissing and Bodily Contact (within the confines of marriage), Innuendo and Insinuations (within the confines of marriage).
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Image Courtesy of Baker Publishing Group | Photo Credit: © Sarah Davis Photography
Jody Hedlund (www.jodyhedlund.com) is the bestselling author of more than 30 historical novels for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards, including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Awards. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats.
