A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Greetings Bookworms,

I have been waiting impatiently for this day. Indeed, I have managed to get my mitts on an early release of Rebekah Weatherspoon’s latest in the Cowboys of California series. It’s JESSE PLEASANT TIME! The eldest and biggest Pleasant brother; the one who runs a ranch but won’t go near the horses. He’s charming, he’s kind, and he has a notoriously short fuse. The perfect hero for a modern Beauty and the Beast retelling, naturally. Buckle up, Cowfolks, it’s time for A Thorn in the Saddle! *I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. The following opinions are all mine, and unfiltered.*

Well, it happened. Jesse Pleasant’s temper finally got the best of him, and now someone is in the hospital. I mean, OK, he didn’t actually touch anyone, but apparently he’s scary enough that his elderly grandmother’s gentleman caller lost his balance and hurt himself. So now? His grandmother is furious, his brothers are annoyed, and Lily-Grace Leroux is ready to throw down.

Lily-Grace grew up in Charming with the Pleasant brothers, but moved away and pursued a career in tech consulting. She’s back in town visiting when all of this goes down, and she’s not about to let Jesse get away with… Anything really.

Only, she starts to melt when she begins spending more time with Jesse and peeling back the layers of his gruff exterior. I wasn’t expecting Jesse to be SUCH a big marshmallow. He’s just a shy guy who grew to be extremely large and doesn’t date much because he’s demi-sexual (he doesn’t use the descriptor on page, but I think it fits.) And yeah, OK, he’s got some anger management issues, but they only seem BAD because he’s a physically imposing dude. Anyway. This giant teddy bear gets a therapist like the actual sweetheart he is and figures some things out. All the while falling for the gal he’s always held a candle for (it’s so pure.) And even though she’s been living a much spicier lifestyle, Lily-Grace more than happy to work with Jesse to find ways they can, uh, make things mutually satisfying. (He takes instruction well.)

It’s official, folks. A Thorn in the Saddle is hands down my favorite book of the Cowboys of California series- and that’s saying something. This is a gem of a romance, and I highly encourage you to dive in.

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