Charmed by the Cowboy by Mandi Blake Review

 Happy Saturday Friends :)

It's been a little while since I've last posted on here. My hubby and I were away for a few days, and unfortunately the place we were didn't have the greatest wifi.

We had lots of things go wrong on vacation, and I was still struggling a bit with the spiritual warfare battle I've been fighting. It wasn't quite the vacation we were expecting, but it was still nice to get away for a few days.

I've actually hopping on to do a post on Saturday this weekend as my hubby and I are leaving for the second part of our vacation tomorrow. We're both praying this part of it will be a more positive experience.

I wanted to quickly talk about one issue before I dive into today's review. With all the struggles I've been dealing with, I've come to realize that the mantra of "garbage in, garbage out" is more important than ever in these dark days, especially for Christians. This of course is going to mean different things for everyone but my hubby and I have chosen to get rid of our Netflix and instead get Pureflix, and I've also decided to be a lot fussier about the types of books I'm allowing myself to read. The content placed in media materials nowadays is kind of horrific, and that's why I'm thankful for the many many faith based and clean reads available on the book market today.

I can't wait to share my review with you all for an upcoming fantastic Christian fiction release.

Charmed by the Cowboy by Mandi Blake:

Source: Complimentary Copy Provided by the Author

Publication Date: September 17th, 2020

Genre: Christian Fiction/Sweet Romance

Series: Blackwater Ranch

Synopsis:

She’s been left before, so now she does the leaving. Can he convince her to stay?

Maddie Faulkner can’t seem to find a place to call home, even in her twenties. Getting attached only makes it hurt more when she has to leave. And leaving is inevitable. For now, she’s back on the ranch she loved as a child and desperate to conceal any connection to the crimes of her parents.

Lucas Harding doesn’t know what to make of the new barn manager at Blackwater Ranch. She’s got walls he can’t seem to charm his way past. But they share a love of horses and a deeper connection he can’t explain.

The last thing Maddie should do is let down her guard. He’ll hate her when he finds out why she left Blackwater Ranch the first time. But when the time comes to say good-bye, her heart might be too attached to leave.

An inspirational story filled with promise and hope.

Charmed by the Cowboy is the second book in the Blackwater Ranch series, but the books can be read in any order.

(synopsis from goodreads)

My Review:

It's no secret to anyone who regularly reads my reviews that Mandi Blake is one of my all time favorite authors. I adore her sweet, well developed characters, her small town settings, her adorable romances, and the fact that her books always have the faith element at the front and center. Charmed by the Cowboy was everything I was hoping for and more, and I think readers everywhere are going to adore Lucas and Maddie's charming romance.

While Charmed by the Cowboy has a bit of a second chance romance feel to it, it's a tad different than most. Maddie and Lucas were best friends as children; but Lucas never knew Maddie had developed a childhood crush on him. Years later, she comes back to work with the horses on Lucas' family ranch, and feelings soon begin igniting between the two of them. However, they both have past situations they need to work through before they can truly focus on being together, and as with every Mandi Blake book, they'll have to learn how to let go and let God before anything can truly develop between them.

Wow I adored this book! Mandi's writing just keeps getting better and better with each and every book she releases, and this one may just be my favorite yet. It was easy to sympathize with Maddie and the horrible anxiety she's battling over her traumatic childhood, and Lucas had me wrapped around his finger right from his first introduction. I loved getting another visit to Blackwater Ranch, and I adored glimpses of the Harding family once again.

I couldn't have enjoyed this more, and I'm so thankful for Christian authors like Mandi who continue to release clean, faith based reads that I never have to worry about the content in when I pick them up. Our world needs more beautiful stories like this one, and I highly recommend you go ahead and pick this one up when it releases next week.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Thanks so much to Mandi Blake for allowing me to read and review this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.