Just a Cowboy and His Baby

By Carolyn Brown

She's Got Her Eyes on the Prize...He'll Do Whatever It Takes To Win

Gemma O'Donnell wasn't the first woman to win the ProRodeo buckle for bronc riding, but she was darn well going to be the second. What she didn't count on was her main competition sweeping her off her feet.

Trace Coleman isn't really after a title—he needs the cash prize to buy his dream ranch. But one sexy, determined cowgirl keeps getting in his way. In his effort to take her out of the running, he risks losing both the title—and his heart.

They're Both in For a Little Surprise...

Everybody's world is turned upside down when a pint-sized bundle of joy gets dropped right into Trace's lap...and suddenly all the stakes are higher.

Praise for Carolyn Brown:

"Brown revitalizes the Western romance with this fresh, funny, and sexy tale."—Booklist on Love Drunk Cowboy

"An old-fashioned love story told well...A delight."—RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars on Red's Hot Cowboy

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sourcebooks
• Release date: Dec 4, 2012
• ISBN: 9781402270192

Carolyn Brown

Carolyn Brown is a bestselling author who has received several awards for her writing. Her novels have been translated into nineteen foreign languages, and she specializes in women's fiction and cowboy romance. She currently resides with her husband in southern Oklahoma. For more information, visit carolynbrownbooks.com.

Reviews for Just a Cowboy and His Baby

[scoutmomskf · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fun book to read. Gemma has put her hairdresser career on hold to follow a dream. She wants to be the second woman to win the title for bronc riding and take home the prize money. She'll then buy herself some land, start her own ranch, and find that cowboy and baby that's been predicted for her. She's doing very well, with only one other competitor really in her way.Trace also has a dream. He wants to win enough money to buy his uncle's ranch. But in this series of rodeos he's in a fight for first place with Gemma. He figures that a little flirtation might distract her enough to give him the edge. He doesn't count on the effect she has on him.I loved Trace and Gemma. She is feisty and determined and isn't going to let anything get in her way. Her first encounter with Trace shakes her up a bit. There are sparks when he touches her and she has to work hard not to let them distract her. Trace had been attempting to do just that, but it backfired when he found that he couldn't get her off his mind. That came in handy when he found himself rescuing her during a post rodeo dance. Trace seems pretty self-centered up to that point, with his confidence and his adoring groupies, but when Gemma passes out in his arms, he is the perfect gentleman. I loved the care he took of her.This was the start of the relationship between Gemma and Trace. Though they remain fierce rivals in the rodeo ring, outside of it they become terrific friends. They have a lot in common and I loved seeing them learn about each other. The more time they spent with each other, the greater the attraction was, until they couldn't help but act on it. Each of them started to dream of the future, but neither wanted to rock the boat until the competition was over.I loved the part where, between two of the rodeos, they went to help Trace's uncle on his ranch. They were each assigned ten at risk kids from the city. Gemma had the girls and Trace had the boys. I loved seeing how great they were with those kids. There was lots of fun banter, competitions between the kids, and some life lessons learned by all of them. Gemma and Trace also learned a bit about themselves as they were helping the kids.The baby of the title shows up late in the book, though its story is not a surprise. There are hints throughout the book about what is going to happen. I loved Trace's reaction and the way he immediately stepped up. It was also fun to see him cope with not having a clue how to take care of a baby. He was so sweet and so determined. Gemma's presence and willingness to help him, made him care for her even more.Gemma's feelings for Trace had been getting stronger the longer they were together. I loved seeing her dreams of the future adjust to the changes in her emotions. I also liked the way that her determination to win didn't change, but she also saw other possibilities. I loved the ending with the final competition and the events that unfolded after it. Trace had a much bigger romantic streak than I expected.Another thing I enjoyed about the book was how important family was to both Gemma and Trace. It was fun to see how each of them coped with the attitudes of various family members, especially their mothers. I also had fun with how Gemma's girlfriends reacted to her relationship with Trace and the teasing she endured. It was great to see all the support that Gemma and Trace had for both their careers and their relationship.

[blodeuedd_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In this Brown novel it's Gemma who gets her shot at love. She is a bronc rider and is competing for the grand prize. She is tough as nails and wont anyone walk over her, in this manly world. But she is also kind, and yes sassy.

In comes hunky Trace, of course she has checked him out and he her. But he is her most fierce competition so no chance of anything happening. But who am I kidding, of course something will happen. These two will spend months travelling the same roads, going to the same places. Fate is pushing them together.

There is a baby in the title, and something is shown a bit into the book so that one is easy to figure out.

And yes it can be read as a stand alone.

Conclusion:
The book was cute, filled with Texas charm and a book that you easily read in one day. You just sit down and the pages fly by.

[rhonda1111 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Just A Cowboy and his Baby by Carolyn Brown, 3 STARSI like the plot and the characters Just A Cowboy and his baby. Did not like the swearing and all the sex and sex talk. Thier was a lot of this story I just skipped over. I liked the humor. That Gemma was riding bronks in the rodeo. Thing that made me mad was the guy putting the drug in the drink.Gemma O'Donnell is a hair dresser who just started riding full time as a rodeo Broncriding. Her goal is to be the second bronc riding champion. Gemma comes from a big family and she is the youngest in her family. She has to wear her lucky pink cowboy boots and a few other things that bring her luck.Her sister-in-law told her fortune that she would get a cowboy and a baby for christmas.Trace Coleman is leading so far in money and standings. He plans to win the National bronc riding in Vegas this year and with the purse buy his Uncle's ranch. Trace has been watching Gemma for awhile but has not met her or competed against her till now.He makes a mistake by helping her climb into the shute.Then Gemma blows him a kiss. She has a hard time getting her mind in the game. Neither one wants the distraction to get in thier way.Then at a dance after the rodeo someone drugs her drink right after she drinks it Trace asks her to dance. After her two beers she is drunk and Trace takes her to his trailer when he can't get her to wake. He realizes she must have been drugged so he watches her instead of putting her in her trailer.After that they start following each other to rodeo to another and come close fast.I like Gemma's personality. I would love to see if Trace's cousins have thier own story.I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.12/01/2012 Pub Sourcebooks Casablanca