The Last Rodeo is the final installment in the Wrangler’s Creek series. What can I say about Lucian Granger he is a hard man that carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. He has been the one that took care of his siblings and he is the one that told the truth to his mother about his father. In the end he thought she would be doing something about it but in the end she did nothing and that’s where his resentment started. Now Karlee was a wonderful woman that had been in love with her boss for a very long time and she had her own suffering because of her mother and Lucian’s father. Her family had money but the day that her mother left with Lucian’s father is the day that her family stayed with no money. Her family was the talk of the town and now here she was working for Lucian Granger. She knows nothing is going to happen between Lucian and herself so maybe it’s time to start dating and starting her own business. All that changed when Lucian makes enemies with the officials in town but what is worse his father is about to invade their home. Lucian had just been fired from the family business and now it was time to come up with a plan before his father bankrupts the family business. Karlee is going to have to be a very strong woman and go with the plan that Lucian’s mother has in order for them to get the officials to support Lucian and not vote for Lucian’s father.

I've been following and enjoying the Wrangler's Creek series by Delores Fossen, and have been eagerly awaiting Lucian's story, but for several reasons, which I'll explain, this sixth book in the series was my least favorite so far, and I can only give it a 2.5-star rating.

First, a warning to readers new to this series, start at the beginning of this series. There are so many characters and so many twists and turns in the relationships between them in this novel, that you might need a scorecard to keep track of them all--wives, ex-wives, an ex-husband, an on-and-off former girlfriend/booty call, brothers galore, a crusty family cook who can't cook, in-laws, lawyers, loan sharks, other ranchers, and pretty much the entire town of Wrangler's Creek. How these are all inter-related takes up a good portion of the book, and I wish that the author had spent more time on developing the main characters, Lucian Granger, and his office assistant/fake fiancee who wants to be his real fiancee, Karlee O'Malley.

Years earlier Lucian's father ran off with Karlee's mother, pretty much wrecking both families, although Lucian's family was wealthy and could recover but 18-year-old Karlee was left in charge of her younger brothers, and had no wealth to cushion the blow or to help her care for her siblings, who, for a time, ended up in foster care. When Lucian's long-absent, cheating father, his fathers' current wealthy bimbo (or is she?) fiance, Lucian's mother, and eventually, Karlee's long-absent cheating mother, all show up at the ranch, let the complications and power games begin. Lucian's father is deeply in debt to loan sharks, and since he owns half the ranch and half of Granger Enterprises, both of which he ran into the ground before he ran off with Karlee's mother more than a decade ago, he fires Lucian, who's been running both, and wants to sell it all off to get the loan sharks off his back.

As if that wasn't complicated enough, Lucian doesn't own the other 50% of the ranch or Granger Enterprises, his mother owns some shares, the town historical society owns one share, and on and on. No one in town likes Lucian, who has never been in a serious relationship, although his on-again, off-again relationship with a woman named Amelia has kept the town rumor mill busy for years. While he's grappling to improve his image in hopes of getting the shares he doesn't own, his mother comes up with the fake engagement plot to make Lucian seem to be less of a love 'em and leave 'em guy and more of a responsible man in a committed relationship. Karlee, who's secretly loved him for years (something everyone seems to know but Lucian), knows she going to end up hurt, but since she sees this as her one chance to be with Lucian, she agrees to the plan.

The problem I had with all the comings and goings, manipulations, plots, subplots, secrets and lies in this novel is that I kept wondering what happened to the romance, because it just wasn't there. Lucian and Karlee never so much as go on a date. Once the fake engagement was agreed to, there was sex and plenty of it, but Lucian was as dense as a brick about Karlee's feelings for him, and I found the way he treated her (and his other bed-partners) appalling, and even more appalling was that Karlee was willing to settle for the few crumbs he threw her way. Frankly, we weren't given much reason to like Lucian, or to root for Karlee to get him in the end for the HEA ending all romance readers expect. Personally, I felt she deserved a better man than Lucian.

Karlee eventually grows a spine near the end of the novel, but for this reader, I couldn't see the HEA ending between Karlee and Lucian lasting forever, since we really aren't given much reason to like or have faith in Lucian's ability to remain faithful, or to consider anyone else's needs before his own. Karlee was the most well-drawn character in this novel, and I couldn't help but think that her HEA with Lucian was eventually going to leave her heartbroken again. What might have saved this novel is if the author had spent a little less time on the extremely complicated, confusing, and far-fetched plot and spent more time giving Lucian's character some depth, some reason for the reader to like or understand him, and it was what I kept hoping was coming but it never did. Even when we got to the HEA ending, it seemed both shallow and too abrupt. I hoped for an epilogue showing the happy couple at some future time, but again, it wasn't there.

I've loved many of Ms. Fossen's novels, and I'm sorry to say, that of all the novels of hers that I've read so far, this one was the most convoluted, unnecessarily complicated, emotionally distant and disappointing so far. I know that she's a far better writer than is displayed in this novel, and I suppose every writer in entitled to a miss among the hits, and for this reader, this novel was a miss.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

I thought this was a good read. It was a quick and cute read. I couldn't put it down once I started. Even though it is part of a series it isn't necessary to read the other books in the series.

The Last Rodeo is the sixth book in the Wrangler Creek series. This one is Lucian and Karlee's story. For the most part, it held up well as a stand alone as it focuses mainly on Lucian's issues with the fmaily business. There was enough back story to get you caught up.

This one was better than the last one in the series. There was much more humor and it made the mood lighter. There were a lot of "madcap" moments that did have me laughing. I loved the resolution for Lucian and his family business. The romance for me was the weaker part of the book. Lucian and Karlee have worked together for ten years. Karlee has always been in love with Lucian, but he has always been hung up on an ex-girlfriend. While I was rooting for them to get a HEA,the relationship lacked heat. This is one of the things I have felt about most of the romance portions of this series. I just would have liked more.

As a new Fossen reader, I have no idea what her particular style is but I feel like I should give a few warnings for other newbies. There isn’t a TON of romance here, so if that’s your main focus you may be disappointed (I’ve seen a few of those on Goodreads). Instead, Fossen delivers an interesting mix of a couple coming to terms with their feelings, a oh-so-dysfunctional family, and some business shenanigans. It melded together really well for me, but may not work for others.

Lucian is the one that stepped in when his dad stepped out and he’s done amazing things to make the family business a success. Unfortunately, his dad is now back in the picture and threatening everything that Lucian has worked so hard for. The big question is why and that plays out through a decent part of the book. It also leads Lucian to making a few realizations – about himself, his life, and his heart.

Karlee has been there by Lucian’s side for years, loving him silently, but she’s finally reached the point where her heart can’t take any more. She’s starting to move on when the bad dad drama hits and her feelings means that she can’t abandon Lucian or his family. But being in a fake relationship with him means that some things come to light that she hadn’t planned on.

Fossen has a fun, quirky style – filling her story with humor, hijinxs, and hilarious secondary characters. And because she writes with dual POV, we are there with Lucian while his blinders are taken away and he has to face not only Karlee’s feelings but his own. We also get to see the toll that everything has on her. And my heart went out to her all the way to the end.

While I found the love story to be satisfying, it also doesn’t play center stage. Those looking for a pure romance may be a little thrown by the family and business drama. It’s important for the characters and does help lead to the HEA, leading to growth and helping to put some old ghosts to bed, but it does make up a decent part of the plot causing the relationship portion to be downplayed a little. Not a bad thing, in my opinion as I enjoyed seeing how everything worked out, but also not everyone’s cup of tea :)

With vivid images, quirky characters with their splendid uniqueness, playing with the words in a way that only a few do as well as Delores Fossen, words packed humor and endearment, the story of family drama, business troubles, and unrequited love unravels.
It is always a pleasure to visit Wrangle's Creek. The Granger family with their ongoing drama has been an entertaining saga to follow, filled with life with its messes, turbulent emotions, and more than their share of disorder and strain in the families.
Lucian has been the unknown factor in the family, the one in charge of the family company, yet avoiding all kinds of personal relationships, except with his longtime assistant, Karlee O’Malley, who seems to be the only one to understand him and cheering for him.
I knew there was more to Lucian, aka Lucifer, than the family let us know while following the series. He has been the fixer and caretaker of the family ever since his father walked away from his family. He has a tough responsibility on his shoulders, but he loves what he does, and it keeps him busy, his life and mind occupied, keeping his heart from more heartache and disappointments, making it easy to hide the stiff exterior of 'Lucifer'.
Karlee has had a similar role as a fixer in her own family. The mess that Karlee's mom and Lucian's father left behind was not easy to prepare, but Karlee and Lucien have always done everything they could to help their families while keeping feeling at the bay, to protect their hearts.
There are more twists in the tale that I could count, keeping the family, and the reader, on their toes, inhaling the tale to find out what will happen next. Each scene of the story is packed with intense feels, interruptions, drama, trouble, and instant reactions. It is a non-stop roll-a-coaster of emotions, shady business dealings, relationship messes, from farce and melodrama from the parental units to joy and passion, confusion and hard choices in Lucien and Karlee's lives.
Lucien and Karlee have an unrivaled connection, they get each other in a way few does because of the years working together, learning to anticipate the next move the other will make. Add that the attraction, the growing need for each other, and the confusion Lucien's ex with her demands of attention creates, and the emotions are gurning all over the place.
The Wrangler's Creek series is made of intriguing and entertaining stories, filled with high emotions, townfolks whom will take part of each and every twist of the tale, families that hold tight together despite the differences, drama, and constant trouble they create for each other.
Life is rarely smooth going or problem free, the Granger family having more than its share of the hitches of life, but they wither the storms together, coming through even strong than before.
An amazing, breathtaking, vastly entertaining family saga, filled with twists and unexpected turns, cowboy fiction at its best
~ Five Spoons

Favorite Quotes:

Witchcraft might have been involved. He was having a hard time believing that mere motherhood and social connections could allow Regina to completely dismantle and rearrange his life in two weeks…

Alice May wasn’t a smiler. In fact, Lucian always thought her face looked like an apricot right before it went bad. Wrinkled but still round.

Her eyes narrowed some when she turned back to Lucian. “There’d be a lot of folks plenty upset if you hurt her. Just remember that.” It seemed like a threat, and coming from a longtime garden guild member, it seemed like a threat with some teeth. The woman knew how to use a hoe and shovel.

FYI, if you need to take a leak in the powder room off the foyer, then you’ll have to stand in the corner and aim because Regina’s marked off the area by the john as belonging to Dylan and her.

Technology paled when it came to the speed of communications by folks hell-bent on gossip.

Candy was wearing super -skinny jeans and a red top with enough sparkles and sequins to trigger a seizure. Her five-inch heels had “sprained ankle” and “I don’t belong here” written all over them.

My Review:

Delores Fossen’s sly humor and clever wit kept me smirking throughout this highly amusing and engaging tale. I nearly bounced in my chair with gleeful anticipation whenever a new character or visitor was introduced as Ms. Fossen’s colorful descriptions of their appearance and unique personality traits never failed to bring a sharp and humorous visual. The eldest son Lucian, AKA Lucifer, was the focus of this installment, and both of his hands were full of troubles financial, personal, and familial when his ne’er-do-well and often-married father returned with news he was taking over the family enterprise. The Granger family was definitely not short on quirky characters, which fit just as well with the eccentric and petty inhabitants of the small community of Wrangler’s Creek. I always enjoy spending time there, although as Regina had contentiously marked off ownership boundaries within each room with masking tape, it would have been a bit of a challenge to visit their ranch.

There's a reason the people of Wrangler's Creek call rancher and businessman Lucian Granger "Lucifer." Nobody would ever accuse this hard-nosed workaholic of having softer emotions, not even his family. Throughout this series, Lucian has been at the helm of his family's business, estranged from one of his younger brothers, and engaged in a land feud with his cousins. The only person who isn't ready to toss him off a cliff is his assistant of several years, Karlee O'Malley. But now, when the father who abandoned both the Granger family and the family business, returns with nefarious plans, when Lucian needs her more than ever before, Karlee resigns and announces a plan to start her own business.

Karlee O'Malley has been in love with Lucian Granger since she was a teen. Pretty much everybody in Wrangler's Creek knows how she feels...except Lucian. Since being dumped by the woman he planned to marry several years ago, Lucian's love life has been a revolving door and Karlee has had a front row seat. It's time to cut the cord but, hopefully, keep the friendship. Things take a turn when Lucian's absent father, who still owns the majority shares of the family business, returns. In a bid to save the ranch and family business from his father, Karlee and Lucian pretend to be an engaged couple on the verge of settling down. Karlee is determined to keep her emotions out of the role she's now playing while Lucian's emotions have been on lockdown for years. But one kiss is all it takes for Lucian's eyes to be opened. And the more time they spend together as a "couple" following that kiss, the more both of them start wondering if they should ditch the pretend engagement and start planning a real future together.

I wasn't expecting to like Lucian - he's not been portrayed in a positive light at all in the previous books of this series - but I was intrigued by him. As I suspected, there was much more to his story. Once the events of his past began to be revealed, it shed light on the reasons for his actions, both of the past and the present, and I found myself warming to him and cheering for him to win his battle...and his love. I was in Karlee's corner from the start. I appreciated her strength, her compassion, and her willingness to fight for what she wanted. Neither she nor Lucian realize it at the beginning, but she's his perfect match in every way. I enjoyed watching both of them bring out the best in the other on a journey to love that is not without its challenges.

As with most Delores Fossen books, there's a fair amount of humor sprinkled throughout as well as deep emotion and conflict. I don't think you have to read the entire Wrangler's Creek series to fully appreciate Lucian and Karlee's story but I would suggest at least reading Lucian's brothers' stories in the previous two books, Texas-Sized Trouble:Cowboy Dreaming and Lone Star Blues (though I've enjoyed all the books in the series). The Granger family dynamics are complex and, as all members of Lucian's immediate family have key roles in The Last Rodeo, you'll have a deeper understanding and appreciation for this final book with the broader base of knowledge provided in the earlier stories.

So I will admit it kinda went over my head why the nuptials had to take place. I remember why but not sure why this was the route that was taken but then again that's just the way the story went. I loved the drama and the constant crap these people had to go through. If it wasn't one thing it was another and I will say there is never a dull moment when it comes to this book. I loved seeing the connection between Karlee and Lucian and getting their dual point of view. I loved seeing how the family worked together and supported one another. I thought it was interesting getting to know their life and just how everything played out in the book it was a pretty interesting and enjoyable book.

Like most fans of the Wrangler’s Creek series, I’ve been more than anxious for Lucian’s story. There’s just something about the Granger family that appeals to my heart. They’re a family I can’t help but love and laugh at while being thankful they aren’t mine. I can’t help but break out in a grin before I open a Delores Fossen book, knowing I’m in for a heck of a fun time. She has such a talent for peppering a moving love story with humor and heart. And The Last Rodeo is about as perfectly hilarious and heartwarming as a book can get.

Lucian Granger was the big brother and boss of Granger Enterprises. He’d taken over the ranch and company at the age of 18. His father, before running out on his family, had nearly run the ranch into the ground. But Lucian had made the company the success it was now. His no nonsense approach to business may have gotten him the name Lucifer from the people of Wrangler’s Creek, but if that’s what it took to succeed, so be it. Because anything other than success was a sign of weakness.
Karlee O’Malley was Lucian’s assistant and girl Friday. She handled everything, thinking of what Lucian needed even before he did. She’d worked for Lucian for 10 years but she’d been hung up on him since she was a kid. He’d only seen her as his assistant but he’d been much more to her. She’d managed to corral her attraction for years but now she knew it was time to move on. Being around Lucian day in and day out wasn’t helping her get over her feelings. It was time to venture out with her own business.
But both Lucian’s and Karlee’s plans get put on hold when Lucian’s demanding ways get the town in an uproar. And Jerry, Lucian’s father, shows up wanting to step back in as CEO of Granger Enterprises. With the town holding a small percentage of shares in the company, Lucian needs all the support he can get to keep his father from destroying the company Lucian devoted his life to. And mom Regina has the perfect plan to change Lucian’s image with the townsfolk of Wrangler’s Creek. Get engaged to Karlee. Then everyone would no longer see him as Lucifer, but as a soon to be family man. Short of locking up his dad and throwing away the key, Lucian and Karlee don’t have any other ideas. They could play the lovebirds for a few months and call off the engagement when things returned to normal. But everyone knows there’s nothing normal about the things that happen in Wrangler’s Creek.
To make it all look real and to avoid Jerry, Lucian and Karlee take up residence in the guest house. But that guesthouse was small. And with most of the space piling up with wedding gifts, they couldn’t help but constantly bump into one another. And living in such close proximity with all that bumping was starting to give Lucian “bad ideas”. Karlee had always fantasized what it would be like to be with Lucian. Even one of his usual one month long relationships. This engagement was all a lie but living in that guesthouse with him felt real. She was starting to have second thoughts about pulling this ruse off. Lucian was having second thoughts too. He knew the engagement wasn’t real but the kick he got when he kissed Karlee was very real. And now he couldn’t seem to temper down the thoughts he was having. Thoughts he shouldn’t be having about the girl who’d been his employee and, more importantly, his friend for years.
As if the tension between the two of them wasn’t enough, they both get the rug pulled out from under them when everyone from their past starts showing up. Soon there’s enough old baggage at Granger Ranch to fill the lost and found at LAX. Lucian was the fixer. The one everyone relied on. But he wasn’t sure he could fix the mess his family was finding themselves in. And his confusing feelings for Karlee only added another level of complication. Could he work it all out before he lost the business, the ranch, and the woman he was starting to realize he needed more than anything else?

Though everyone but Lucian saw it, he and Karlee were the perfect match. Karlee was so good at working her magic to smooth things over when Lucian’s personality ticked people off. I don’t think he would have been the success he was without Karlee by his side. Once his mother mentioned how Karlee “lights up” when he was around, he started to notice her. He’d always found her attractive but didn’t want to ruin their relationship so he’d just ignored the attraction. Holding on to the pain of their childhoods also got in the way of moving forward. They both needed to realize that who they were had nothing to do with the mistakes of their parents. Once they experienced closure in that regard, I think they were better able to focus on the future they wanted.
The secondary characters in this series add so much to the story. I loved getting to visit again with all the Granger siblings and cousins. Even Vita showed up, which always makes my day. Candy, the Hoo Poo heiress, was hysterical and so outrageous I couldn’t help but like her. Regina is my idol! I was in tears when she masked off the entire house dividing it based on Granger shares. Meeting Jerry and Glenda really helped me understand Karlee and the Grangers better. Glenda and Jerry had both made choices that had cost them their families. As much as I hated them for the heartache they’d left in their wake, I kind of felt sorry for them because they realized what a mistake their actions had been. The townsfolk really had me chuckling. Delores Fossen uses such perfectly hilarious imagery to paint her characters. Who knew you could describe people so well with fruit analogies? And I had to google to see if Hairy Corn Salad was real. It is!
Ms. Fossen has such a unique voice in her writing and it really shines through in this series. No one can turn a phrase quite like her. The witty banter and embarrassingly hilarious situations are laugh out loud funny and are paired perfectly with a great romantic slow burn. Nothing about this story was predictable. I was just as anxious as the rest of the family wondering what could possibly happen next. Just because a book is labeled romantic comedy doesn’t mean it lacks seriousness. The Last Rodeo may have you laughing but it will still pull at your heart strings with the romantic tension and heartache. Now that Lucian has found his match, I hope this isn’t the end of this series. I will always be ready for a return visit to Wrangler’s Creek. A Book Obsessed Chicks Review Team Selection.

Lucian Granger finally meets his match in more ways than one. Karlee O’Malley is part of that meeting his match. I really loved the interaction between the two even as I wanted to hit Lucian over the head to make him realize what his feeling meant. There is some mystery and some danger as the two work to get the family out of a very bad situation. Great story with a nice ending. Sometimes something you think you want for years turns out to be not that important.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Nope. This is not a romance and should not be listed under this category as there was zilch romance here. Sorry...not sorry.

Unfortunately this book wasn't really for me. It wasn't terrible, it's just not what I look for in a romance. There was no heat or tension between the main characters, which is pretty much the most important thing for me. If I don't really care if they get together at the end then why am I even reading it. And the fake relationship trope advertised in the novel's description is actually only a very small part of the story; if that's the kind of romance you're looking for you won't find it here.

The book was also heavy on the uninteresting (to me) plot and I wasn't a fan of the writing style. It's not uncommon for me to read a romance novel in one sitting but I struggled to finish this one.

I will mention that I haven't read any of the rest of this series, so assuming that these are characters who have been previously introduced, their story will probably appeal more to people who are already familiar with them. There are also a lot of side characters who I'm sure will be fun cameos for readers of Delores Fossen's other books. As a stand alone novel however, it didn't really work for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great series, and I wasn't disappointed in Lucian's story at all! Lucian aka Lucifer to his enemies (and assorted family) ended up being a really great guy. He took the long road to find his way to Karlee as more than just a friend/employee. Karlee was so tuned-in to Lucian in a way even his family wasn't. It was great to see. The family dynamics and "intrigue" was fun to read. Glad things worked out in the end.