anabelsbrother's review
4.0
Wowowow-
It took me time to warm up to book 1, but I was immediately immersed in the story with this one. It felt a little more intense than book 1 too, mostly because the characters had been through a lot in life. Jack was seeing a therapist for his PTSD, and he was still unable to forget his ex-fiancee Madison's betrayal (she slept with his brother, got pregnant, and married him instead--what a total headass), while Rose was abused by her father growing up until she finally managed to put him in jail. They struck a deal when Jack's family announced they were coming to visit--cheating ex-fiancee-now-sister-in-law and no-good brother included, and Rose got the news that her father was out on parole: Rose would pretend to be Jack's loving girlfriend to prove that he's moved on from Madison, Jack would spend his nights at Rose's bar as a bouncer, looking out for her father.
Jack and Rose had a lot of chemistry together, and honestly? the fake relationship was fake for like 2 seconds because they genuinely cared about each other. Jack was the braver one; he reconciled with his feelings about Rose early on. Rose, on the other hand, dealt with self-worth issues stemmed from her abuse; she didn't believe she was deserving of Jack, and did her best to push him away but he wasn't having it. I love the way they resolved that conflict (taking a chance on a real relationship).
One q: I just wanna know why they aren't more Titanic references?????? We only got one LOL.
Anyway, I'm ready for Gabe's book now!
E-ARC is received thanks to the publisher via Netgalley.
It took me time to warm up to book 1, but I was immediately immersed in the story with this one. It felt a little more intense than book 1 too, mostly because the characters had been through a lot in life. Jack was seeing a therapist for his PTSD, and he was still unable to forget his ex-fiancee Madison's betrayal (she slept with his brother, got pregnant, and married him instead--what a total headass), while Rose was abused by her father growing up until she finally managed to put him in jail. They struck a deal when Jack's family announced they were coming to visit--cheating ex-fiancee-now-sister-in-law and no-good brother included, and Rose got the news that her father was out on parole: Rose would pretend to be Jack's loving girlfriend to prove that he's moved on from Madison, Jack would spend his nights at Rose's bar as a bouncer, looking out for her father.
Jack and Rose had a lot of chemistry together, and honestly? the fake relationship was fake for like 2 seconds because they genuinely cared about each other. Jack was the braver one; he reconciled with his feelings about Rose early on. Rose, on the other hand, dealt with self-worth issues stemmed from her abuse; she didn't believe she was deserving of Jack, and did her best to push him away but he wasn't having it. I love the way they resolved that conflict (taking a chance on a real relationship).
One q: I just wanna know why they aren't more Titanic references?????? We only got one LOL.
Anyway, I'm ready for Gabe's book now!
E-ARC is received thanks to the publisher via Netgalley.
callsignsongbird's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Child abuse
mal_bookdragon's review
5.0
I love Blue Valley!!
Oh man, I totally didn’t realize this series was in the same world as one of my all time favorites until the llamas and rose’s family history came up. Not if she could continue with the rest of the Roger sisters that would be awesome!
Oh man, I totally didn’t realize this series was in the same world as one of my all time favorites until the llamas and rose’s family history came up. Not if she could continue with the rest of the Roger sisters that would be awesome!
steph0388's review against another edition
4.0
To be honest, I kinda didn't want to like Jack or Rose. I didn't think they fit together as a couple. However, as the book went on I fell in love with each of them and them as a couple. This romance was also the first in a long time to cause me to cry! It's a great addition to the series. You will fall in love with Jack, and Rose.
allingoodtime's review
5.0
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
First, I must give kudos to the author for correcting a bit of a blunder that was made in the first book of this series, Cowboy SEAL Homecoming. The Navy SEAL characters had been referred to as soldiers. I’m a bit of a stickler for calling our military members by the correct terms and anyone in the U.S. Navy is a sailor. She corrected this oversight pretty early on in this story in a natural and fun way that made me laugh. So, thank you Ms. Helm, for correcting the terminology in this book.
Where Jack’s story is quite sad and will tick most people off, Rose’s story is true heartbreak. The things Rose and her sisters endured and overcame in their lives were horrific and it’s a wonder she’s not more messed up. Don’t misunderstand, she definitely has a skewed self-image. She’s not a super well-adjusted individual quite yet. But it really could be much worse. I was so intrigued by her story that I had to see if her older sister was part of another series by this author, and she is! I already have the Big Sky Cowboys series on my TBR list, but I think I’ll have to bump it closer to the top.
One of the things I really found unique about this story is the way Rose reacts to her feelings for Jack. So many times, you will read about the “broken” character thinking they cannot love. While Rose has a bit of that, her more overwhelming feeling is that she’s not loveable and will eventually destroy any love that is aimed toward her. Her motivation is not to better her own life, it’s to protect all those around her that think they love her. It’s really sweet, and she would hate that I called her sweet.
I love that Jack likes Rose as Rose, not as fake Rose. The fake girlfriend/fiancée/wife trope is a favorite of mine. In this case, Jack doesn’t pick Rose because she is the person that will impress his family. He picks her because she’s handy and they can trade favors. When he realized that Rose is not acting herself around them, he lets her know he wants her and not some shiny version.
To see Jack open himself after all he’s been through in his personal and military life is beautiful. Of course, his heart decides on the most difficult mate for him to come out of his funk. But the challenge is part of what makes Jack fall in love and it’s really an exquisite progression to watch. This story will make you laugh and cry and get all the feels. What more can you ask for?
Not only are Gabe and Monica getting their HEA in this series next, but it’s also a Christmas story! Yay! To bad I have to wait a few months before it’ll be published. But that only gives me time to read more of this author’s library that I’ve missed.
4.5 stars
https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/01/cowboy-seal-redemption-book-review/
First, I must give kudos to the author for correcting a bit of a blunder that was made in the first book of this series, Cowboy SEAL Homecoming. The Navy SEAL characters had been referred to as soldiers. I’m a bit of a stickler for calling our military members by the correct terms and anyone in the U.S. Navy is a sailor. She corrected this oversight pretty early on in this story in a natural and fun way that made me laugh. So, thank you Ms. Helm, for correcting the terminology in this book.
Where Jack’s story is quite sad and will tick most people off, Rose’s story is true heartbreak. The things Rose and her sisters endured and overcame in their lives were horrific and it’s a wonder she’s not more messed up. Don’t misunderstand, she definitely has a skewed self-image. She’s not a super well-adjusted individual quite yet. But it really could be much worse. I was so intrigued by her story that I had to see if her older sister was part of another series by this author, and she is! I already have the Big Sky Cowboys series on my TBR list, but I think I’ll have to bump it closer to the top.
One of the things I really found unique about this story is the way Rose reacts to her feelings for Jack. So many times, you will read about the “broken” character thinking they cannot love. While Rose has a bit of that, her more overwhelming feeling is that she’s not loveable and will eventually destroy any love that is aimed toward her. Her motivation is not to better her own life, it’s to protect all those around her that think they love her. It’s really sweet, and she would hate that I called her sweet.
I love that Jack likes Rose as Rose, not as fake Rose. The fake girlfriend/fiancée/wife trope is a favorite of mine. In this case, Jack doesn’t pick Rose because she is the person that will impress his family. He picks her because she’s handy and they can trade favors. When he realized that Rose is not acting herself around them, he lets her know he wants her and not some shiny version.
To see Jack open himself after all he’s been through in his personal and military life is beautiful. Of course, his heart decides on the most difficult mate for him to come out of his funk. But the challenge is part of what makes Jack fall in love and it’s really an exquisite progression to watch. This story will make you laugh and cry and get all the feels. What more can you ask for?
Not only are Gabe and Monica getting their HEA in this series next, but it’s also a Christmas story! Yay! To bad I have to wait a few months before it’ll be published. But that only gives me time to read more of this author’s library that I’ve missed.
4.5 stars
https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/01/cowboy-seal-redemption-book-review/
spellboundbybooks's review against another edition
5.0
Excuse me while I go check out this author's back catalogue cos I am officially hooked. I loved Jack and Rose and their story, along with their friends and families. I have a feeling I'll be getting to know them all in the very near future!
beckymmoe's review against another edition
5.0
Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books, on 6/9/18.
Loved! (Even more than the first book in the series--[b:Cowboy SEAL Homecoming|35023943|Cowboy SEAL Homecoming (Navy SEAL Cowboys, #1)|Nicole Helm|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1503074065s/35023943.jpg|56310295]--and that's saying something!)
Jack and Rose (the Titanic joke made me LOL--up until that point I hadn't even made the connection) were a wonderful couple. They both had so much to work through on their own before they could become a real couple, though, and I loved that it was Jack who was the first to really make progress in that direction and that it was also him who saw their not real relationship as something more.
Rose, Rose, Rose--oh goodness, that girl's issues had issues. She took us right to the end there--even while I was yelling at her not to believe what she believed, Ms. Helm made me believe that Rose's errors in thinking had genuine roots in her past--and yep, when her big crisis came there were tears over here, I'll freely admit. But that HEA--wonderful!
If you've read the first book in this series, seeing Alex and Becca here will reassure you that things are going well for them, and if you've read Ms. Helm's Big Sky Cowboys series, you'll see many of its characters playing roles here as well (Rose is [b:Outlaw Cowboy|26149955|Outlaw Cowboy (Big Sky Cowboys, #2)|Nicole Helm|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1444847228s/26149955.jpg|46105973] Delia's sister). If you haven't read all--or any!--of those books, though, this really is Rose and Jack's story and would work just fine on its own.
I can't promise you won't want to read the others ASAP, though--goodness knows I'm counting the days until Gabe's book ([b:Cowboy SEAL Christmas|36608199|Cowboy SEAL Christmas (Navy SEAL Cowboys, #3)|Nicole Helm|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1525199151s/36608199.jpg|58363151]) is released :)
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Loved! (Even more than the first book in the series--[b:Cowboy SEAL Homecoming|35023943|Cowboy SEAL Homecoming (Navy SEAL Cowboys, #1)|Nicole Helm|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1503074065s/35023943.jpg|56310295]--and that's saying something!)
Jack and Rose (the Titanic joke made me LOL--up until that point I hadn't even made the connection) were a wonderful couple. They both had so much to work through on their own before they could become a real couple, though, and I loved that it was Jack who was the first to really make progress in that direction and that it was also him who saw their not real relationship as something more.
Rose, Rose, Rose--oh goodness, that girl's issues had issues. She took us right to the end there--even while I was yelling at her not to believe what she believed, Ms. Helm made me believe that Rose's errors in thinking had genuine roots in her past--and yep, when her big crisis came there were tears over here, I'll freely admit. But that HEA--wonderful!
If you've read the first book in this series, seeing Alex and Becca here will reassure you that things are going well for them, and if you've read Ms. Helm's Big Sky Cowboys series, you'll see many of its characters playing roles here as well (Rose is [b:Outlaw Cowboy|26149955|Outlaw Cowboy (Big Sky Cowboys, #2)|Nicole Helm|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1444847228s/26149955.jpg|46105973] Delia's sister). If you haven't read all--or any!--of those books, though, this really is Rose and Jack's story and would work just fine on its own.
I can't promise you won't want to read the others ASAP, though--goodness knows I'm counting the days until Gabe's book ([b:Cowboy SEAL Christmas|36608199|Cowboy SEAL Christmas (Navy SEAL Cowboys, #3)|Nicole Helm|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1525199151s/36608199.jpg|58363151]) is released :)
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
cheryls's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 Stars
This is book two in the Navy SEAL Cowboys series and it features Jack Armstrong and Rose Rogers. Jack has PTSD and leg injuries from when he was a SEAL. Rose has her own PTSD from life with horribly abusive parents. He needs a fake girlfriend and she needs a bouncer for her bar and that’s when the line between truth and lies starts to blur. The steam coming off my e-reader was HOT! SIZZLING!
This book is full of fantastic characters except for Madison and Mike. Oh and Rose’s parents too. All 4 of them are awful people for different reasons. The characters developed at the perfect rate. The story line was smooth with just the right amount of drama. I can’t wait to read more from this very talented author.
This is book two in the Navy SEAL Cowboys series and it features Jack Armstrong and Rose Rogers. Jack has PTSD and leg injuries from when he was a SEAL. Rose has her own PTSD from life with horribly abusive parents. He needs a fake girlfriend and she needs a bouncer for her bar and that’s when the line between truth and lies starts to blur. The steam coming off my e-reader was HOT! SIZZLING!
This book is full of fantastic characters except for Madison and Mike. Oh and Rose’s parents too. All 4 of them are awful people for different reasons. The characters developed at the perfect rate. The story line was smooth with just the right amount of drama. I can’t wait to read more from this very talented author.
hollaback77's review
5.0
Three former Navy SEALs
Injured in the line of duty
Desperate for a new beginning…
Searching for a place to call their own.
Jack Armstrong’s been slowly piecing his life back together after a career-ending injury bounced him from the SEALs. The only trouble is, his family’s on their way to his new haven in Montana…and Jack refuses to let them know he’s still hurting. Desperate, he makes a deal with local bad girl Rose Rogers: in exchange for some extra security, she’ll play the perfect loving girlfriend.
Rose doesn’t trust any man, much less some tough-as-nails former SEAL. But the more they settle into their ruse, the more things start to feel real, and the more Rose’s true fear surfaces—that she’ll never be good enough for love. But Jack isn’t about to lose Rose. He’s done running when things get tough, and he’s determined to prove—once and for all—that even the most troubled hearts can find their way to redemption.
*********************************************************************
The first book was about Alex and this book is about Jack. I couldn't wait for Jack's story and it was a really great story!! Jack was reeling from his injuries, from a personal betrayal, and needed Rose's help to put on a brave face when his family came to visit. I loved that Rose had as many demons to face as Jack did and I also loved that just because they told each other "I love you" didn't mean that everything worked out in the end because that's not real life. Jack still had PTSD and still had problems. Rose was still dealing with the voices that told her she was no good and I loved that through it all their friends were there for them. This is one of those stories that you'll laugh, cry and just feel good about. I can't wait for the last book with Gabe and what's in store for him!!
Injured in the line of duty
Desperate for a new beginning…
Searching for a place to call their own.
Jack Armstrong’s been slowly piecing his life back together after a career-ending injury bounced him from the SEALs. The only trouble is, his family’s on their way to his new haven in Montana…and Jack refuses to let them know he’s still hurting. Desperate, he makes a deal with local bad girl Rose Rogers: in exchange for some extra security, she’ll play the perfect loving girlfriend.
Rose doesn’t trust any man, much less some tough-as-nails former SEAL. But the more they settle into their ruse, the more things start to feel real, and the more Rose’s true fear surfaces—that she’ll never be good enough for love. But Jack isn’t about to lose Rose. He’s done running when things get tough, and he’s determined to prove—once and for all—that even the most troubled hearts can find their way to redemption.
*********************************************************************
The first book was about Alex and this book is about Jack. I couldn't wait for Jack's story and it was a really great story!! Jack was reeling from his injuries, from a personal betrayal, and needed Rose's help to put on a brave face when his family came to visit. I loved that Rose had as many demons to face as Jack did and I also loved that just because they told each other "I love you" didn't mean that everything worked out in the end because that's not real life. Jack still had PTSD and still had problems. Rose was still dealing with the voices that told her she was no good and I loved that through it all their friends were there for them. This is one of those stories that you'll laugh, cry and just feel good about. I can't wait for the last book with Gabe and what's in store for him!!