Cowboy Trouble

Written by Joanne Kennedy

Narrated by Loretta Rawlins

You can't go it alone in a place this hard

Her latest love-life disaster behind her, Libby Brown flees to the Wyoming countryside to fulfill a childhood dream by starting her own chicken farm from scratch. But the West is wilder than she expected, and while she's determined to succeed on her own, the sexy, sturdy cowboy next door sure is helpful . . .

Rancher Luke Rawlins is impressed by the sassy, independent city girl, and he's ready to prove that he's with her for the long haul. But a mystery from the past soon threatens their new bond and tests their love in ways Luke and Libby never could have imagined . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Mar 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9781541444508

Joanne Kennedy

Joanne Kennedy is a renowned author who has always worked in a bookstore. A member of the Romance Writers of American and the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, she has received honors at both the Colorado Gold Writing and the Heart of the Rockies contests. She currently resides in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Reviews for Cowboy Trouble

[pelusa41-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I was bored, bored couldn't get past annoying Libby, I liked Luke but what the heck did he see in Libby?.I personally did not understand, and I like Cowboys and love mysteries but this one was ridiculous and she was idiotic, I did try I picked up and put down and picked up again, but atleast there was nothing that was going to hold my interest..Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) Voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions.

[ayoshina-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Her latest love-life disaster behind her, Libby Brown flees to the Wyoming countryside to fulfill a childhood dream by starting her own chicken farm from scratch. Having a sturdy and sexy cowboy next door is sure to stir trouble and sparks fly when Luke Rawlins helps the down in the dumps heroine move into her new ranch. Just when Libby thought her life couldn't be more complicated, a mystery from the past soon threatens their new bond and tests their love in ways Luke and Libby never could have imagined.With that being said, I have read my fair share of Western Romance stories but this wasn't even on par with them. The story was lacking, the writing style seems off to me and the characters were dull and boring. As this is the first series I have read from Joanne Kennedy, I am terribly disappointed. There just wasn't any driving me to finished this series and it was quickly dropped by chapter 5 at 20%.

[kbranfield-837433 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars.

Cowboy Trouble is a re-release of Joanne Kennedy's debut romantic suspense Western.

Libby Brown is a crime reporter who relocated to Wyoming following a bad break up that also led to the loss of her job. Realizing her dream of running a chicken ranch, she is also working for  the local newspaper. While not a lot goes on in this small town, Libby is immediately drawn into investigating the still unsolved disappearance of Della McCarthy.  In the course of her investigation, she meets town sheriff Cash McIntyre, whose intensity is a little unnerving. Libby is a gutsy heroine, but she not looking for love which is why she tries to ignore her attraction to Luke Rawlins, the sexy cowboy who lives on a neighboring ranch. Can Libby unearth the truth about what happened to Della? And will she decide to take a chance on love again?

Libby is an independent woman who does not need a man's help to get her chicken ranch up and running.   However, she is very reluctant to accept Luke's assistance but she is smart enough to know she is out of her depth.  Before long, she discovers her feelings for the handsome cowboy run deeper than friendship, but will Libby risk her heart again?

Luke is a charming man who still lives on his family's ranch. His parents are much older and their health is declining. Luke is pretty irresistible but, much to his dismay, Libby is intent on keeping their relationship platonic. As her investigation into Della's disappearance intensifies, he grows concerned for her safety. Can Luke convince her to let him help keep her safe?

There is plenty of chemistry between Luke and Libby but her lack of trust becomes a huge obstacle for them. She  does not trust her judgment and it does not take much for Cash McIntyre to raise doubts about Luke. Libby is also determined get to the truth about Della's disappearance, but this leads her to make some ill-advised choices throughout her investigation.  Rushing headlong into to danger, will Libby's quest for answers put her in the crosshairs of a killer?

Cowboy Trouble by Joanne Kennedy is a quirky romance that has plenty of suspense. Libby has several good qualities, but her lack of trust and her propensity to act without thinking are annoying. Luke is a sweet man but his character is not very well-developed.  The mystery aspect is interesting and really takes off in the last third of the book. Although Libby is clueless about who might have harmed Della, readers will most likely have NO problem solving the crime.  While the rest of the story is a bit predictable, the conclusion is quite heartwarming.

[pam50627 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars - I really liked the way Ms. Kennedy writes. The storyline was okay, the plot moves steadily forward & the narrative was at times witty, funny & sarcastic. The suspense added another dimension. Even though you could probably figure out “who dun it”, you weren’t sure how the author was going to get there. The characters were well developed & fit their place in the drama. Overall, this was a pleasant story to read.

[nelispelusa · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I was bored, bored couldn't get past annoying Libby, I liked Luke but what the heck did he see in Libby?.I personally did not understand, and I like Cowboys and love mysteries but this one was ridiculous and she was idiotic, I did try I picked up and put down and picked up again, but atleast there was nothing that was going to hold my interest..Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) Voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions.

[scoutmomskf · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good book. It started off really well. Libby has come to Wyoming to start over after a series of personal disasters. Her dog died, her boyfriend was cheating on her with her boss, and she lost her job. So she decided to follow a childhood dream and become a chicken farmer, She's just arrived at her new place when her nearest neighbor shows up to introduce himself. Luke is good looking, laid back, and quite taken with his new neighbor. He's glad to help her out with whatever she needs, and hopes that it will help him get even closer. Then Libby sets out to use her other skills, those of an investigative reporter. The small town is relatively crime free, except for the two year old case of a missing young woman. This is something she can sink her teeth into, and she dives right in to asking questions. When those questions draw some unwanted attention, Libby knows she's on the right track. But the more information she finds out, the more difficult it is to figure out who the culprit is. To make matters worse, she now has two men trying to protect her, when she just wants to stand on her own.Luke really wants to get to know Libby better. He was pretty cute when he showed up to welcome her with a casserole and all. He's so taken with her that he just can't help doing anything he can to spend time with her. Libby is much more wary. She's been burned badly by her previous relationship and is pretty bitter about men in general. She insists that she doesn't want a relationship, but she is definitely attracted to him. She spends a lot of time trying to keep him at arm's length. I really liked Luke. He was sweet and thoughtful and protective. He listened to what Libby said and tried to do what was best. I loved when he brought her the dog for protection. He is also absolutely wonderful with his parents, especially his mom. He is also loyal to his friends, and protective of those he thinks need it. I liked how steady he was throughout the book.I had a much harder time liking Libby. I understood her bitterness and wariness when it came to relationships. She had a soft heart, which really came out with the puppies. But for an investigative reporter, she flip flopped all over the place. I really didn't like the way that she was so easily led/manipulated by others' opinions. She really made me mad toward the end of the book when she actually spent time believing the worst about Luke, in spite of the fact that she loved him. She did redeem herself somewhat when she listened to her heart rather than her head. I liked seeing them come together at the end, with Luke's protectiveness showing again, but also his desire to do what would make Libby happy.The mystery of the missing woman was fairly interesting. It wasn't overly intense, but it did keep me reading to see how it finally ended. I figured out who it was pretty early on, but the details weren't as clear. There was a little bit of a surprise twist in the identity of Libby's rescuer at the end.Several of the secondary characters were especially well done. Crazy Mike was an interesting character. I really enjoyed Libby's interview with him about his taxidermy as it showed a different side to him. There were times when he seemed really sweet and harmless, and others when he was really creepy and scary. Another one was the sheriff. He has had this missing woman case for two years and doesn't seem all that intent on solving it. He's a good looking guy who knows it, and expects women to fall all over him. There were times I found him really obnoxious and wondered about Libby's intelligence when she was with him. I really didn't like his attitude about Mike and Luke. I loved the dogs, from giant Ivan to Penny and her puppies. Each of them had a distinct personality.

[soozif_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

A fluffy mystery, written in the romantic genre. Definitely lightweight and a reminder why I don't read more romance novels.

[cajunbooklady · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book had my heart at "chicken farm" . Having raised chickens previously in my life I knew I would like the book! After starting the first chapter i thought to myself..."This is what country songs are made of! " Our main character Libby lost her job, her boyfriend, and her dog died. It was the perfect start to a cowboy romance. The story line was great...city girl moves to the country and has to make her way on her own. The Mystery in the book was really interesting and kept the story moving quickly. I stayed on the edge of my seat for most of the book waiting to see what would happen to poor Libby next! The romance level was on spot and the intimate scenes were tastefully written. You'll definitely fall in love with the main characters. (I loved Luke!) Joanne's writing was just fluid and fun and the humorous moments in the book were really funny.This is one of those books that I kept checking to see how many pages were left because I didn't want it to end! I think Ms. Kennedy had it right when she wrote this book and I look forward to reading more of her work!