🐎💕 “The Cowgirl’s Last Rodeo” (2023) 💕🐎 – Book Review

 

MY REVIEW 

 

 

Paperback: 224 pages 
Publisher: Love Inspired Books (November 28, 2023) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 1335475516
ISBN-13: 978-1335475510 
⬅️ Click Photo for Purchase Information 

 

“She left home to chase her dreams

 

Now she’s back seeking a second chance…

 

When Callie Wade’s horse goes blind, there's only one man who can save her barrel racing career. Brody Jacobs is the best horse trainer she knows—if he’s willing to help. She broke his heart when she left him behind to go after rodeo stardom. This time, will they put their hearts on the line to reach the championship…and a future together?” 

 

Thank you in advance to the author, Tabitha Bouldin, for providing a complimentary review copy through JustRead Publicity Tours. A positive review was not required nor requested, and all words are my own.

 

This is the author’s debut for Love Inspired books, and it is a WONDERFUL debut. I’m definitely going to be looking forward to her future releases, especially with some of the characters she’s introduced. 

 

First off, this did remind me of a similar storyline with a different line – the Heartwarming line. Both start off with two cowgirls who have injured horses and a rodeo that can secure their future. While that one – the girl who broke the cowboy’s heart was his ex-wife, and not the love interest; that’s different here.

 

Bouldin introduces readers to: 

 

🐎 Callie

🐎 Brody (Oldest of three kids)

🐎 Luke (Molly’s 4/5-year-old son)

🧁 Molly (Brody and Tenley’s sister)

👒 Tenley (Brody and Molly’s sister)

👒 Margaret (Brody, Molly, and Tenley’s mother)

👨🏻‍🦽 Peter (Brody, Molly, and Tenley’s father)

🐎 Daniel Wells 

🐎 Sam (Samantha) (teammate)

💼 Todd (Callie’s Sponsor)                             

 

Peter is disabled because of a hit and run car accident. That can be triggering for some people, particularly since the driver that caused it has not been caught. This event occurred 10 years before the story takes place, but has lingering complications in the story, as well as for the characters. 

 

As of note – in many cases, even if the driver comes forward, there is legally nothing that can be done due to statute of limitations, and even the severity of the injury doesn’t make a difference. That note will be at the bottom of this review. 

 

That said …

 

Bouldin opens the story with Brody trying to convince his mom things aren’t so bad, but he knows the Triple Bar Ranch is going belly-up, mainly due to the numerous medical bills caused by an accident his father was in. The first round almost wiped them out, and his father needs surgery soon. 

 

Then she arrives.

 

Ten (10) years after leaving her hometown of Tamarack Springs, North Carolina; Callie Wade finds herself pulling into the Triple Bar Ranch. She is in desperate need of Brody’s help. 

 

The only problem? She broke Brody’s heart when she left. 

 

Golden Glow, Callie’s barrel racing horse, has a problem. In addition to a physical injury sustained in a crash, the horse is blind. And, Callie needs to compete with Glow for one final rodeo, or rather wants to. It isn’t glory Callie is seeking – she’s trying to buy Glow back from her teammate who owns about 70% of the shares. 

 

Brody is skeptical of Callie’s reasonings (she doesn’t tell him about Samantha), and at first refuses, but he does it for a horse who shouldn’t live in fear. He also has a soft when it comes to Glow. Though, he is clear – he only wants to speak to Callie when they’re training. He can’t afford to let her back into his heart to break it again. 

 

However, the agreement is short-lived as his sisters and parents welcome Callie back home. And, the old parts of Callie resurface causing him to smile as she used to make him do.

 

It is clear they both still have feelings for each other, but they each have their own priorities. For Brody, it’s trying to keep the ranch as well as his pride intact. For Callie, it’s trying to keep her horse. She doesn’t want their last rodeo that featured the crash to be the one they retire on. Callie also doesn’t want to ride another horse either. 

 

Despite Brody being as good as he is with training horses, they both know it’ll take a miracle for Glow to regain her confidence navigating the ring being blind, as well as trusting Callie in the saddle. 

 

Given the situation the Jacobs are in, Tenley is trying to organize a fundraiser to which Brody is against – mainly as he’d consider it charity. At the same time, he’s trying to secure a horse for his nephew Luke’s birthday. That comes by way of Daniel Wells, someone who can offer Brody a better future, if Brody sees it as opportunity and not charity. Tenley even enlists Callie’s help. 

 

But, Callie is also torn with the demands of her sponsor causing Brody to think she isn’t serious about training with Glow. Though, he can’t seem to realize that without her sponsors, Callie might lose the chance to race to get Glow back. 

 

With the demands of time and her sponsors, Callie is desperate; Brody is torn between working for himself and losing the ranch, or working for Daniel, and keeping the ranch. However, his pride is causing him to be stubborn.

 

Callie and Brody are torn between patching things up, and or letting the past stay in the past. Though, Callie is content on staying in Tamarack Springs, especially the longer she stays. And, the longer she’s around Brody, the more she falls back in love again with him.

 

Bouldin’s debut is a delightful, second-chance romance that will go right up to the very end; an end that will leave readers wanting more. I know I do! Especially, when a book like this draws me right in and is absolutely impossible to put down. It was a “day” read for sure. Then again, book of this size usually are “day-reads” for me. 

 

I absolutely loved how Callie wasn’t going to give up on her horse despite the situation. I also love Brody’s dedication to helping the horse, as well as recognizing that Callie had changed.

 

I also loved how Brody was the responsible uncle in trying to find a horse for his nephew. He wasn’t worried about being popular or “liked” – he wanted to be safe and responsible. 

 

I felt sorry for Callie when it came to doing her sponsors’ bidding, and Bouldin accurately portrayed the push-pull dynamic. On one hand, they’re desperately needed; yet, it can be suffocating. 

 

Even though there is no indication this will be one, The Cowgirl’s Last Rodeo acts as a perfect introduction to a series. Heart-breaking one minute, inspiring another, and full of laughter at others – this was a sweet debut and perfect for the Love Inspired line. 

 

As I am eager to find out about Peter’s recovery and Molly’s bakery; I hope this is a series and will definitely future books.

 

I highly recommend this to those who enjoy the Love Inspired line, as well as those who enjoy cowboy/cowgirl romances. 

 

Even though this is distributed by the Love Inspired line, the faith themes were moderate and subtle. Those who enjoy clean romances will no doubt enjoy this as well. 

 

 

RATING:  

 

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads  

 

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub  

 

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html; update: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2022/07/what-goes-into-my-reviews-2022-edition.html) 

 

 

 

NOTE ➡️ regarding the hit and run story, each state and situation is different. And, not even the severity is often a factor in prosecution. One issue I personally know of occurred here in Las Vegas, Nevada and involved a drive-by shooting of an up-and-coming NASCAR driver – Chris Trickle. He was the nephew of the late NASCAR Winston Cup Series Driver Dick Trickle. 

 

About 10 minutes after he drove away from home, Chris was shot between the eyes and his convertible spun off the road and settled to a stop. There were no witnesses to the crime (none have come forward in the years since). The bullet fragmented and lodged in Trickle’s brain. He spent more than a year drifting in and out of a coma. 409 days later; on March 25, 1998, complications from the shooting (Trickle’s lungs aspirated, and he went into cardiac arrest) ended his life.

 

At the time of the shooting, Nevada law blocked murder prosecutions in cases where the homicide victim died more than a year and a day after being attacked. This was changed in 1999 when Governor Kenny Guinn signed the “Chris Trickle” law that removed the limitation (https://lasvegassun.com/news/1999/mar/24/governor-signs-chris-trickle-bill/). 

 

As of this review – there has been NO information about the case or witnesses. Even if someone were to come forward, the law is NOT retroactive. This means that someone could confess to the crime and there would be NO criminal penalties, and it is unlikely Chris’ family would be able to take a civil action either.

 

Reference: https://lasvegasweekly.com/news/archive/2008/feb/28/a-checkered-saga/ 

 

 

[As of note, between May 2006-April 2008, I lived around that area – Blue Diamond/I-15; and yes, it was quite remote.]

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

 

Tabitha Bouldin has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing/English from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and an avid reader when her three cats will allow her to pick up a book. Living in Tennessee her entire life, Tabitha grew up riding horses and adopting every stray animal she could find.

 

 

She can be found on the following social media accounts: 

 

 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tabithabouldinauthor 

 

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tabithabouldin 

 

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tabithabouldin 

 

Website: https://tabithabouldin.com/ 

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