Cowboy Stole My Heart by Soraya Lane is the first book in her new River Ranch Series.
Mia Ford is Texas Royalty, she´s a hard working woman who has a crush on
Sam Meneds. Sam is a horse whisperer and author. He´s through a bad break up and is through with relationships. He visists King Ranch.
For Mia a dream comes true- working with Sam at King Ranch. Bot hzave a crazy chemistry. She´s smitten and doesn´t give up to win him over.
Cowboy Stole My Heart is a beautiful lovestory with beautiful characters. I loved the writing, the words and the characters. I give 4,5 stars.
Thank you, Soraya Lane.

I loved the storyline centered around the training of this damaged horse, and the way Mia and Sam went from hate to love with patience and communication. I enjoyed this one.

An alpha cowboy/horse trainer with a horrible childhood. A hot sexy rich cowgirl that loved horses & wants to be loved for more than her money.
An injured horse named Tex turned uncontrollable. These three things combine into a good contemporary romance. Tex & his rider, Mia's best friend, were involved in an accident. Mia's friend died & the horse was injured. Since the accident, Mia had been hunting for the horse & finally found him. Her father, Walter Ford, helped her purchase him but he was uncontrollable. Her father paid for a month of time with a horse whisperer/trainer.

Sam Mendes has gained a reputation for being able to train any horse, especially the wild ones that people have given up on. He has several books published about training & has had several seminars showing people what he does. On his way home from a tour, he received a message from Walter Ford about working with his daughter's horse. He assumed Mia would be a typical rich girl only concerned with appearances & wasn't interested in taking the job. Until he met Mia & Tex.

This was an interesting book by an author I've never read before. The characters were well defined & well described. The supporting characters & their interactions with the main characters added dimension & strength to the story points. The plot has some twists and the ending was not what I expected but was realistic.

Mia Ford is the daughter of a very wealthy rancher. Daddy wanted her to go into corporate America, but her heart is in working with horses and competition jumping. Mia has paid her own way through her life without daddy’s money or help until recently. She convinces him to buy her deceased best friend’s stallion. This horse is mad at the world and won’t let anyone near him.

Sam Mendes is known as the horse whisperer. Mia’s father hires him to see if he can work miracles with the stallion before he decides to put him down. Sam did not have a good childhood or young adult life. He has some serious emotional scars from both.

Sam and Mia are attracted but false assumptions, misunderstandings and miscommunications are the basis of the relationship these two have. What starts out as a 3 week no strings attached good time with lots of sex turns into more for Mia. Sam sends all kinds of mixed messages. He waffled repeatedly between being a nice guy and a total douche. I wasn’t fond of his character. By the time he finally came around it just felt too little too late.

She’s on a date with someone else. Sam kisses her heatedly and she kisses him back, in front of her date?! Not cool. Just because said date was busy on his phone and didn’t notice doesn’t make it ok.

If you don’t like the word goddamn, you won’t like this book. It gets used frequently.

However, I almost fell of the sofa laughing when Mia says to Sam, “..if you’ve dared to use my razor for a back, sack or crack..” Ewww! I’m still laughing!

The book moves slowly, almost painfully so, the first half, picks up in the middle and rushes to the end.

This is my first book by this author. Although this is the first book in the series, it felt like I was jumping into the middle of one. Nate (Sam’s best friend) and Faith (Sam’s sister) play enough of a part in this story, with all the references to the problems Sam had with their relationship and Nate’s past, it felt like I was missing an important piece to the story.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

Sam Mendes, a horse whisperer with a horrible childhood and bad relationship goes to work for Mia Ford, an heiress to the Ford fortune. While both find immediate physical attraction, neither are attracted to the other's personalities.

Sam wants nothing to do with getting involved with women. He was hurt so badly that he will only engage in a "no strings attached " type of relationship. As much as he tries not to develop feelings, the chemistry between him and Mia ignites.

Mia also had tragedy in her life and will do anything possible to help Tex, the stallion she purchased. While she's not happy with her father hiring Sam without her consent, she tries to accept him in order to get the stallion the help it needs so it doesn't have to be put down.

Both Sam and Mia are independent thinkers and workers. Although they butt heads, there is a strong chemistry between them. Try as they may to keep feelings suppressed, the intensity increases as they enter into a physical relationship.

Pick up a copy of Cowboy Stole My Heart today. I know he stole mine! ❤

Cowboy Stole My Heart is book one in the River Ranch series by Soraya Lane. This is my first book by this author and it’s the cover that drew me in.

Sam Mendes had a terrible childhood. But he knew early on that he had a way with animals. Now as an adult, he was a famous horse whisperer. Sam doesn’t do relationships. He had his heart broken in the worst of ways, more like ripped out and stomped on. Sam has never fully recovered having lost his faith in love.

Sam is asked to the Ford Ranch to see if he can help a stallion that no one can get near. He is the horse’s last chance, he’s already put one of their ranch hands in the hospital. But it’s not the horse, it’s the ranch owner’s daughter that gives Sam the biggest challenge. At first glance, he sees a beautiful woman that he assumes is a pampered princess, making a career of spending her father’s money. But what he soon realizes is that he couldn’t have been more wrong. She is a strong, hard working, self reliant woman that loves her horses with all her heart.

Mia Ford might have been born into money. But she is determined to make her own way in life. Against her father’s wishes, she turns her back on the corporate world, preferring to make her living with her horses. Mia is a professional show jumper and she’s good at what she does. But it’s the stallion she just purchased that she needs the help with. The horse is angry and won’t let anyone near him. Sam Mendes is her last chance. The horse is very special to her and she’ll do whatever it takes to save him.

Mia has always had a little crush on the famous horse whisperer. But when he walked onto her ranch with his arrogant attitude and my way or the highway way of doing things, she felt like booting him right off the property. But she needed him too much so she swallowed her pride. But it didn’t take long for both she and Sam to realize that first impressions were deceiving and for bonds to begin to form.

Mia and Sam are definitely attracted to each other but Sam tries his best to put the brakes on. Mia is technically his boss and she definitely is a relationship kind of girl. Sam will never allow himself to care for another woman again. Flings are all he is capable of and she deserves so much more. But he can’t stay away. He just doesn’t have enough will power.

“She’d never reacted to a man like this before, and she had no idea what it was about Sam that was driving her crazy.

She felt something real for him; for the first time in her life she wanted more, she’d met someone who challenged her and thrilled her, someone who saw her for who she truly was.”

I love a sexy cowboy and Sam most definitely fulfilled my expectations. But, I have to admit I kind of got tired of him letting his past experience with love ruining his chances with Mia. He really did get badly hurt but it was evident that Mia was nothing like his ex. I had a bit of trouble feeling the connection between these two for a good part of the book. But I loved the way he was with Mia’s horse. He truly cared and was dedicated to helping him. I loved the ending of the book. I finally felt the connection between Sam and Mia and the book left me with a smile.

Will you accept happiness? Sam is the considered a horse whisperer and he has just taken on a new case but it isn't going to be easy. The owner of the stallion is a pretty young thing and her daddy has plenty of money to make sure that Sam stays and helps Mia with the horse. Mia is very angry with her father, it is her horse and she doesn't need any help in getting the horse settled and ready for riding. But can these two really get along as Mia isn't willing to budge much and Sam is getting way to interested in her. He tries to keep his distance but that doesn't work but can he really give her any kind of future. They are both so different and Sam just can't do permanent again. But Mia falls in love with Sam and when she tells him he leaves her. He can't go through all that pain again once was enough. So why does it hurt so much? Mia thought that Sam would come back but everything has changed and she knows that she needs to tell him the truth but will he want her forever? A good read took me longer to get into the book though. I received a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

Cowboy Stole My Heart by Soraya Lane is the first book in the new series called "River Ranch".
This is the story of Mia Ford and Sam Mendes.
Mia was able to save a horse and is now looking for someone to help her further to bring the horse out to what he should be. Which brings Sam a horse trainer into her world after asking for his help. Although they started off on a few wrong feet there was a instant attraction. Sam was drawn to the horse as well as Mia. Sam has sworn of that emotional Love feeling by Mia is hard to resist but she is his boss too....but can he get past that?
Emotional feel good read for sure.

“When a woman gets under your skin? Only a fool walks away. Trust me.”

I’m not sure how I haven’t been reading Soraya Lane before—she has a slew of cowboy books that I’m sure I need to read—but thankfully, with Cowboy Stole My Heart, I’ve finally ‘discovered’ her.

I think she and I are going to have a good author/reader relationship. Her writing is charming and sexy without being OTT, and her characters are likable and fun. That’s certainly the case with this book. Sam and Mia were both very easy to root for, and I loved the way they came together—bonding over an animal that needed some (read: a lot) of TLC. That’s the kind of thing that makes the animal-lover in me very happy.

That’s not to say that this book was perfect. It was a little slow through the middle and, though the way Ms. Lane handled the ending—the revelation—was smart and interesting and mature, I did feel a little like there was something missing—an explanation/conversation between our leads. Despite that, I found Cowboy Stole My Heart to be a really enjoyable story—and a great start to the River Ranch series.

After all, now that I am reading Ms. Lane, I don’t want to stop.

“You know, I had you pegged as a pretty little rich girl who hardly knew the back end of a horse from the front, with no intention of ever working hard or getting her hands dirty.”
“Guess you were wrong then.”
“Yeah, about everything except the pretty part.”

~ FOUR STARS ~

A contemporary rich girl falls for self-made guy who needs a bit of help healing from the past and they both love horses romance. This novel is the first one in a new series, but readers who enjoyed the Texas Kings trilogy (read it) will recognize the male MC quickly. I liked learning more about Sam and the Ford family, although the romance isn't quite as steamy as it could've been and the ending felt a bit rushed. The setting was described so well it was almost a character itself. Looking forward to the next book.

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This is a bit of a classic trope - man wounded by Love meets a woman he can’t resist, he starts a “casual” fling and gets upset when she breaks the rules by developing feelings. He’s a jerk and punishes himself by not admitting that he loves her too.....
I genuinely liked Sam and Mia. I appreciated that their mutual love of horses bridged the initial animosity between them and that their relationship developed organically. I found myself frustrated with Sam for not opening up to Mia about the things that had him holding back, but if he had I doubt the conflict piece of the story would have felt as natural.
One of my favorite parts of the story was Mia as a strong female character. She didn’t let her wealthy background deter her from living the life she wanted and she wasn’t afraid of standing up for herself.
This is my first book by this author, but it definitely won’t be the last.

Soraya Lane has written a sweet and sexy Cowboy story, a perfect cure for the post-holidays, back to work, blues. Sam Mendes is a horse whisperer, hired by heiress and horsewoman Mia Ford to treat an unmanageable stallion. Turns out, Sam is good at whispering more than horses. Carrying along some huge commitment issues, though, Sam negotiates a short term affair with Mia, with which she is more than happy to go along. Complications, of course, ensue.

This book is about Mia Ford and Sam Mendes. Mia's father owns River Ranch and has hired Sam to help a stallion that Mia bought that is out of control. Mia was raised with money and privilege but has never let it change who she truly is or what she wants to do with her life. She loves her horses and works them just like any other person would. Sam had a nasty break up and no longer wants anything to do with love, marriage, or making a family. He figures he is done with it so he can''t be hurt again. Mia had a crush on Sam for a long time after seeing his work with horses, but then she meets him and thinks he's a jerk. Sam goes into the meeting with Mia thinking she's just another spoiled princess, and reacts to his preconceived ideas about her. Little did either know that both of their lives are going to change.

This is the first book I read by Soraya Lane. I had heard good things about her writing so I thought, ok I will try it. I had a really hard time reading this book. There were parts that were ok for me. But on a whole I had a really hard time with it. Mia seemed to have her back up from the get go with Sam. No matter what he said I felt like she would snap at him. Sam seemed to be completely stuck in the past and painting every woman the same as his ex. Regardless of him knowing that not all women are that way. Between that and him and him not wanting to tell Mia anything about his life outside of the horses. And that in itself caused even more problems than they were already dealing with. Now that's not to say that there weren't some good parts. I liked how they each were with their own families. And when they just let things be and were together I liked their relationship then. It just wasn't my cup of tea. Some people may love it. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of those people. There was potential there, it just didn't live up to it for me.

Mia Ford is back home from winning even more horse jumping competitions in Europe. She brought a stallion back and, her father has hired the 'horse whisperer', Sam Mendes, to try to save this dangerous horse, without Mia's knowledge! When Mia and Sam meet again for the first time since they were kids, the heat is fast and furious. The pre-judging is, also!. Mia believes that Sam is too cocky and judgmental for his own good. Sam believes that Mia is riding along on her father's money and, a pampered princess. Both have devastating episodes in their pasts that make them wary of any kind of involvement and, decide that a no strings attached hook-up is the most convenient thing. Problem is that neither of them realizes what can happen when emotions come roaring to the surface!

Cowboy Stole My Heart by Soraya Lane

A contemporary romance filled with strong personalities, past debilitating pain (human and horse) plus hope.

This couple often clash but at the same time respect each other.
Sam has been hurt by love in the past so he has vowed to never make a commitment again. But the more he’s with Mia, the more he is enamored with her. Suddenly he’s noticing his car smells like old socks and his smelly dog.
He is very respectful of women and Mia in particular. Maybe it’s having sisters. Maybe it’s a female author. But when he “kissed her slowly and carefully because her didn’t want to ruin her makeup,” I was impressed with his thoughtfulness. Maybe a little leery of him. Can he be for real? But this type of behavior is repeated often. Frankly, by the end Sam had won me over.

Mia knows exactly what she wants. She goes out, earns it, and wins the day. I was amused by her constantly trying to be the dominant in every love scene. She laughs a lot and enjoys life. A woman you’d want as a friend.

The epilogue has perfect timing and closure. Happily ever after. Well done.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Mia Ford is practically Texas royalty being one of the heirs to the River Ranch fortune. She can saddle up and ride a horse as well as any man, even a hard-working cowboy like Sam Mendes. For years, she’s harboured a crush on the strong, silent horseman. Sam Mendes a horse whisperer is through with love however he’s doing everything in his power to resist Mia Ford. As she’s his boss but neither can deny the attraction between them.
I’m not a great lover of cowboy books but I really enjoyed this & as it’s the start of a new series I look forward to reading more. The characters are well portrayed & have plenty of depth, the pace of the book is very good & I found it hard to put down. The chemistry between Sam & Mia is so hot & I so wanted them to have their HEA.

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

My Rating:

3.5

Favorite Quotes:

She was as pretty as a college cheerleader, but with a maturity in her gaze that told him she probably wouldn’t appreciate the comparison.

Nate had been completely whipped by his sister, and even though he’d personally stopped believing in love, he knew his sister and Nate had the real thing going on. And if Nate ever let her down, he’d forget they’d been best friends since pre-K and beat the shit out of him.

…now she knew why she was supposed to hold that part of herself back, why she should never have let herself fall so hard for Sam. He’d wanted her for a good time, not a long time…

“Man, what happened to the bachelors, huh?” “Hey, it’s when we both start driving minivans that we have to worry,”

My Review:

This was a slowly developing story and while I enjoyed the premise, the high level of angst and slow progression of the narrative caused the story to lag and feel somewhat tiresome to get through. The positive periods in the storyline appeared all too brief and fleeting, although I greatly enjoyed their relaxed and happy periods, steamy affair, amusing humor, and the gentle and thoughtful use of the depicted rehabilitative horse therapies.

I think I'm starting to develop a serious crush on cowboy romance..I was watching The Horse whisperer on TV the other day and while reading this I kept picturing Robert Redford. I don't know it that was a good thing 😝

For most part I really liked Sam: from his confidence, how sweet he was with Tex, up to how he tried to push his feelings aside and ended up hurt the one person he said he wouldn't.

Mia is my spirit animal. The way how she never asked anybody for help and was honest to a fault, the way she loved Tex. I could relate to her on so many levels.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I'm looking forward to the next Soraya Lane book 👍

***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***

Empathy. A trait everyone has, but so few use. Just look at the chaos the world is in today. Perhaps if more people listened with their hearts, instead of closing their minds the world might stand a chance. I believe that's why Sam and Mia spoke to me as a reader. The horse whisper and the determined dreamer come together on a journey of hope and discover their own redemption. A lesson in love, taught by a courageous horse, a gifted author and a beautiful love story.

This book has both cursing and on-screen sex. If those things will cause you to leave a bad review, you should skip this one. The cursing was especially weird – it felt as if the author was told the book needed f-bombs so she randomly sprinkled them in later. Cursing doesn't bother me at all in books, but they just felt really, really awkward here.

Although I really liked the premise of this story, I wasn't enamored with the execution on this one. I never really warmed up to Sam even a little until literally the very end when he became tolerable, but by then I honestly didn't even care if he got his happily ever after or not because he was such an @$$ leading up to his big, showy good-guy turn. I have very little faith that he really is going to figure it out and be a good husband to Mia. Mia was...well, I struggled with her, too. She was this weird mix of a strong woman who does everything on her own, and a weak woman who broke her own rules by falling for Sam, then literally lost her mind when the guy (who had been a total jerk all along) stuck to the rules that *she* set and didn't reciprocate her feelings. I found myself wishing she'd just get over her pity party and (being vague so as not to spoil) “handle her business” without Sam. I did like her relationship with her siblings and her father, however, and Sam's sister also seemed really great.


While I doubt that I'll seek out more books by this author, I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley very generously giving me a chance to read this one.