THE COWBOY AND HIS BABY is reminiscent of old-fashioned Harlequin romances. It’s a quick paced contemporary western appealing to all those who love cowboys, ranches, and romance!

Dustin and Annie meet at a bar in the small town in Wyoming. Dustin’s a rancher, and she’s (on location) working on a movie set as an animal trainer. Annie needs a favor, and since Dustin had said to call him if she needs anything, she takes him up on his offer. They get closer when they go check out a rescue dog a few hours away.

Though the dog doesn’t fit Annie’s needs for her next movie, Dustin ends up adopting him. Dustin and Annie’s attraction takes off from there, and they both fall hard. So why does Annie skedaddle out of town when the movie’s wrapped up and doesn’t say goodbye or answer his calls?

The story flows nicely with vivid descriptions of the setting in Wyoming, as well as in Florida, Iowa, and LA. There are plenty of family and friends to keep things moving, the movie being made, and small town life which all add to the romance. Things are happening in Annie’s life that Dustin is unaware of until she shows up on his doorstep seven months after leaving.

As they try to figure out whether they can be together again or need to be apart, they go back and forth in their relationship. It doesn’t help that neither of them is very communicative, incorrectly guessing what the other one wants. As we get to know them better, we learn of their fears and insecurities and what they each want out of life, leading to a heart-warming story.

Ms. Clare is an author I’ve read before and enjoyed. I look forward to reading what she pens next.

Annie, a dog trainer, is in Wyoming for a film shoot. She wasn’t expecting to have a fling, but Dustin, a local cowboy gets past her usual shields and they end up spending all her off-time together. He’s sexy and sweet, and she finds herself falling hard.

Annie feels like a breath of fresh air for Dustin. She wasn’t falling all over herself to go out with him. For once he had to work to get a woman to go out with him. But more than that, she’s got a genuine heart, speaks her mind and doesn’t play games. She’s the woman he never knew he wanted, he never thought he’d want anything but a casual good time, but Annie has him re-thinking his plans.

Annie ends up pregnant, and a misunderstanding has her questioning whether she was all wrong about Dustin.

I kind of love the unexpected pregnancy troupe! It was clear Dustin and Annie were falling harder than they counted on before that was ever thrown in the mix, and Annie’s pregnancy forces them to get through a misunderstanding that may have parted them for good otherwise. Dustin was a complete sweetheart determined to have a future with Annie and his baby.

Annie was a little insecure so I could understand why she made a snap decision without getting the full story, but thankfully that part of the story didn’t have much page time, so the frustration over that was low. Also, Annie fully owned up to her mistake and was really sorry.

Their romance was realistic with both Dustin and Annie each vulnerable and insecure in parts, but it was also sweet, and pretty hot! I was fully invested in their journey to a HEA!

I part listened and part read The Cowboy and His Baby. I’ve listened to Abby Craden narration before and she’s great with both female and male voices, especially with a Southern accent, but I usually have to crank up the speed to 1.5 times normal. Granted, there aren’t many audio books I listen to at normal speed, most are 1.25x or higher.

In the past I've quite like books by Jessica Clare so I was pumped for this one. This time around we leave the world of billionaires and jump to the world of ranch hands and the film industry with an animal handler.

Dustin and Annie. There were elements that I liked but there were also elements I didn't like. Didn't like Annie jumping to conclusions multiple times and not able to listen to any other option except her assumptions. This assuming and not listening is so over done in fiction and its tiresome. I did like the chemistry and banter between Dustin and Annie and sweetness of Dustin towards Annie and her dogs.

"Does this ruin my chances with you?"
"That's cute. You thought you had a chance?" They both burst into laughter.

Annie's friend Katherine didn't feel supportive in the least if anything she came across as a royal bitch. I'm not sure what she was supposed to be portrayed as.


~ She was determined not to panic or stress too much, though ~ (I thought this ironic since she never talked just made assumptions and never learned her lessons to communicate.)

And then with Theresa, the stalker of Dustin's. I can't believe Annie believed her not once but TWICE even when it was proved she was a liar. Argh!!!

"Just don't be so quick to push him away because you're worried about being rejected."


"... At some point you're going to have to acknowledge that your problem is not entirely his making."


~ She'd told him to follow his dreams; she didn't have the right to hope he'd abandoned them. She'd given up any right to claim him the moment she walked out.

Weak heroines like this DRIVE ME CRAZY and not for the good. There were elements that I liked but Annie's assuming and not communicating did not win me over.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Caro

nimal trainer Annie is on the set of her doggie’s latest movie trying really hard to make things work with the moody director. Her dog, Spidey, is a Boston terrier and he is the lead along with the main character in a western movie. She has been having trouble with the director as he is constantly changing his mind about scenes and trying to make Annie teach Spidey how to run across a field on fire, something Spidey isn’t very fond of. Once filming is over for the day, the crew heads into town for some well deserved fun.

At the local bar, Dustin is with his friends enjoying the afternoon when he is sent on the mission to determine whether the freckled, redhead is a good candidate for his friend Jordy who is trying to find a girlfriend. This is when Dustin first meets Annie and doesn’t leave her with a good impression of himself. But that changes later when they bond over Old Clyde’s dogs and they start seeing each other differently. Annie isn’t the prettiest of girls, she wears sweaters that are too big for her and she prefers the company of animals but Dustin thinks otherwise and he soon starts to win her heart.

Circumstances make Annie leave town before Dustin can tell her how he really feels about her but when she returns, Annie has a big surprise in door for him. Annie is pregnant and she isn’t looking for a father for her baby. She won’t make Dustin do anything he doesn’t want, but she thought it respectful to let him know about the baby.

“If you want to do nothing but sit around and grow a baby for the next year, I’m totally fine with that.”

“Wow, you really do need that baby book if you think it takes a year more to gestate a baby.”

I loved this book, I especially loved how supportive everyone close to Annie was to her when they found out she was pregnant. First there was her mom and her Hollywood friends who didn’t freak out because she was single and pregnant. Then there was Dustin, who didn’t doubt the baby was his or acted like he didn’t want anything to do with her. He was really supportive and immediately into the role of father. Then there was everybody at the ranch who knew what she was going through and sympathized with her.

“I wanted to be sitting somewhere, rubbing your feet and getting you ice cream and pickles, because everyone says that pregnant ladies love that.”

There were also some funny moments with Annie and her mom, who insists on being called Kitty instead of mom. Anni also has this fun conversation over breakfast with her mom and friends which shows what kind of environment Annie grew up in and made her the independent girl she is. But there’s also sweet moments between mother and daughter and romantic moments between Annie and Dustin.

Annie and Dustin’s relationship starts off really fast and then stops abruptly, but when they reunite they start to know each other better and workout their problems. Dustin cares for his unborn child which helps him reconcile with his past. Annie finally has someone that loves her and she can trust, and a baby she cares for on the way. If you like cowboys and puppies The Cowboy and His Baby is for you, it’s a fun book filled with romance and a lots of doggies.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

The Cowboy and His Baby by Jessica Clare
Dustin & Annie
ADORABLE AND FUNNY
4 Stars

What an adorable and completely comical Tale of two worlds colliding. I've read my fair share of Jessica Clare books and this one was pretty good!

Dustin is the cowboy or I guess the Rancher. At first he kind of seems like a drifter, but getting to know him better throughout the story proves otherwise.... and, well, he's pretty damn hot!!

Annie is a dog trainer or I guess an animal trainer and she's in Painted Barrel, Wyoming (town population two handfuls) to assist in the making of a movie. She and her pup Spidey can't help but be drawn to the sweet talking, sexy cowboy.

The supporting character cast is not huge but consist of friends and family on both sides that seemed to genuinely want to support their people. There is sort of a villain so beware your hackles will go up a few times, I know mine did.

Well to wrap this up I did enjoy my time with Dustin and Annie. I actually read the book this time and not the ebook and it's roughly about 280 pages long. I am looking forward to the next book in the series which I didn't really know this was a series... maybe it's new... anyways... the next up is Jason's book and as of this moment it's entitled The Cowboy Under the Mistletoe. It actually looks like it might be a little bit more angsty and this one.

I really liked Dustin and Annie.

The two of them are as opposite as can be, but both are smitten with each other from the start making this a read full of flirty fun.

Dustin never saw Annie coming and Annie never saw herself falling in love with a cowboy, but being transplanted into Wyoming for a movie shoot, Annie crosses paths with the handsome cowboy and enjoys a flirty night of batter. So when she finds herself in a pickle the next day, needing a ride, she decides to throw all caution to the wind and see if Dustin can help. With only a week left in Wyoming, why not enjoy the company of the gorgeous man. Until a misunderstanding finds her back in LA and pregnant with a baby from her little week of adventure.

Now seven months later she finds herself back in Wyoming, ready to face the man who changed everything. Only now she needs to decide whether to plan her future based on her head or her heart.

Jessica is great at writing characters that you can latch onto from the start. Insta-love thrown in with secret baby and cowboys.... that sounds like a winner to me!

3.5 stars--THE COWBOY AND HIS BABY by Jessica Clare is a contemporary, adult, stand alone, cowboy romance story line focusing on twenty-nine year old, ranch hand Dustin Worthington, and professional dog trainer Annie Grissom.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Dustin and Annie) THE COWBOY AND HIS BABY follows the building relationship between twenty-nine year old, ranch hand Dustin Worthington, and professional dog trainer Annie Grissom. While on location in Painted Barrel, Wyoming, professional dog trainer Annie Grissom met ranch hand Dustin Worthington, the man with whom she would fall in love. A quick courtshi, and one night of $ex ended when Annie came face to face with Dustin’s past, a past that wasn’t finished with our story line hero. Fast forward to present day wherein eight months would pass before Los Angeles based Annie would see Wyoming ranch hand Dustin again, a very pregnant Annie who had yet to tell Dustin about the child they conceived. What ensues is the rebuilding friendship and relationship between Annie and Dustin, and the potential fall-out as Annie believes she interrupted Dustin’s future plans, and in doing so, sets the stage for our heroine to run, yet again.

Annie Grissom trains dogs for Hollywood movies but struggles with a direction in her life. Meeting Dustin Worthington meant a few days of $ex and fun, never thinking that Dustin would be part of her future. Dustin Worthington was biding his time in Painted Barrel, Wyoming until the day he would set sail around the world but Annie’s return meant a different future for Dustin, a future that included a child and perhaps a wife.

The relationship between Annie and Dustin is one of immediate attraction but Annie knows her time in Wyoming comes with an expiry date. There are definitely some issues of miscommunication and a lack of trust, issues that will send Annie running at the first and second sign of perceived problems. The $ex scenes are passionate and intimate, without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters: ranchers Eli and Cass; ranch hand Jordy, rancher Old Clyde; Annie’s mother Kitty, a woman whose less than motherly advice has shaped our story line heroine; Annie’s friend Katherine; Dustin’s ex Theresa, as well as several members of the Hollywood movie crew.

The world building focuses on the up and down relationship between our story line couple, a relationship that saw several months apart without any information or history revealed. Annie’s mother is over the top-her advice and support of her daughter is questionable as to the intent or desired results. Annie’s friend and rep for the American Humane Society Katherine offers more negative advise and warnings; and Dustin’s ex is a piece of work, who in reality, would be fired for the things she says while at work and on the job.

THE COWBOY AND HIS BABY is a story of miscommunication, doubt and mistrust; of lies and deceit; of attraction, romance, and falling in love. The premise is engaging; the romance is passionate; the characters are charismatic and sassy. I question some of the reality including the actions of Dustin’s ex-there is no way she would be allowed to say the things she does at work without repercussions or losing her job: and Annie’s lack of a spine regarding Dustin’s past was a bit disconcerting under the circumstances but such is the nature of romantic story lines, otherwise there would have be no conflict to resolve.

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The story started off great and had real promise, but throughout the story I found myself disliking the main characters, especially Annie. Her personality went in the complete opposite direction of how I would've liked. I loved how quiet, yet strong she was...but by the end of the story, I just wanted to be done. Dustin and Annie's chemistry were great, but it wavered once she became pregnant. The story line had great potential, and I love all things animals, pregnancy and cowboy, but sadly it just didn't live up to my expectations. I might try it again at some point, as I enjoy other books by Jessica Clare!

It was supposed to be a fling as far as Annie was concerned. However, she walked away pregnant. Furthermore, she has no intention of letting Dustin, a ranch hand with an ungainly reputation know. She is determined to get back to work as an animal trainer, including all the traveling to the various movie sets she works on. Yes, life will go on and she will be a good mother.

Dustin let his guard down as far as Annie was concerned. Always a man who loved to flirt, he always held back. But with Annie, things were different. She got under his skin and now has simply disappeared. He has no idea why and definitely was not aware that she is carrying his child.

I have read and enjoyed other cowboy romances with a baby, as it is a repeated trope. This one was no exception. For one thing the dynamics in this book were excellent. For starters, Annie’s relationship with her dog Spidey was absolutely wonderful. I also enjoyed Annie and Dustin together, especially when Dustin goes to whatever lengths necessary to prove how he feels about Annie. While it may have been weird for Annie to just leave Dustin, her reasons were understandable, although I kept saying: Talk to him!

If you love animals, and how they enhanced the lives of our primary characters, then this book might just please you. For a quick and enjoyable read with a warm conclusion, be sure to pick up a copy of this delightful read by Jessica Clare.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was a little bit like a bad Hallmark movie for me, not a regular Hallmark movie (which, I happen to enjoy), but one that has all the right elements but just falls flat. The premise of a playboy cowboy and a movie dog trainer was giving me all the right feels at the beginning of the book. Based on the title and synopsis, I figured there would be an instant attraction and then the story would be two characters trying to navigate a new relationship and the complication of a pregnancy. That wasn’t quite the case with this book.

Let me start with what I did like. This was a fast read and the writing flowed well. I liked the cute small town in Wyoming and the fun/slightly kooky side characters. I also enjoyed the cute dog at the beginning of the book when Annie is actually training her pup on set.

Now for what didn’t work for me: the main characters. (I won’t get into the strange plotline that turned what could have been a fully realized emotional relationship into a double dose insta-love, as in, it happens twice in the book)

Annie was an unusual heroine but I really enjoyed that layer at the start of the story. She was a little bit prickly and antisocial but I related to her, especially in the first few chapters. Then, Annie got pregnant and weirdly insecure. Honestly, she turned from an independent, tough professional woman to a flighty, irrational, timid girl. It was a bizarre and abrupt change in characterization. I ended up actively disliking her at the end.

Dustin was a sweet, adorable doormat. The only time I really saw him as a real character was when he was finally getting frustrated with Annie’s actions. There was also a weird part towards the end of the book when it seemed like the author realized that Dustin had no depth and tried to give him a better backstory, then resolved years of hurt and betrayal in two pages.

Overall, I liked this book much better in theory. I think I am going to give Jessica Clare another chance, this one just missed the mark.

What an enjoyable, addictive read! Jessica Clare absolutely nailed the chemistry and story between Dustin and Annie in The Cowboy and His Baby—so much so, I found this one difficult to put down.

With excellent writing and two likable leads, it’s very easy to fall in love here. The pacing is spot-on, the tension on point, and the sweetness level way up—I mean, a baby, some dogs AND a dreamy cowboy?! Ugh. Book crack.

I have zero complaints about this one—it came along at the right time for me and was just the kind of warm, feel good, sexy read I needed. Highly recommend!

A local flirt of a cowboy, a quiet Hollywood dog trainer, an accidental pregnancy and a whole bunch of misunderstandings that stand in the way of once-in-a-lifetime love? SIGN ME UP.

Dustin has dreams he doesn’t want to sit still and not see the world, he dreams of buying a boat in Florida. He is currently a ranch hand which he likes but he is so afraid to turn into his dad just working because he became a family man before he was ready.
Annie is the dog trainer on the set of the movie in town and when her co workers talk her into going to the only bar in town she goes but she is miserable. When a tall sexy cowboy makes conversation with her she is looking for the camera because there is no way he is interested in her, so when he tells her he is asking for his friend she gets mad and leaves.
Annie stops outside the bar to visit with the dogs tied up and out comes Dustin which leads them to talking and he walks her home thinking she won’t ever see him again. Well Annie does see him again and again so when she finally is comfortable in the relationship someone fills her full of doubt and she runs.
Annie and Dustin will see each other again but her doubts and his wanting to roam may not let them see each other for long. Loved this book but sometimes I wanted to yell at each one of them.

I liked the premise for this story. I didn't manage to warm up to the heroine, Annie Grissom. That detracted from my enjoyment of the story. I realized that Annie had some issues that influenced her actions but I still didn't care for her. Overall though the story is well-written with many likeable characters, besides Annie. I have read other stories by this author and totally enjoyed them. This book just isn't a favorite.

3. 5 Stars - I was charmed by the characters in this one, and as always, I'm an absolute sucker for Jessica Clare's authorial voice. The trope combo wasn't my favorite (cowboy + surprise baby), but overall, an enjoyable read

It was hard to separate these books from Jessica Clare's billionaire books that I love so much!

This was cute story with lovable characters. If you like animals and pets, you will really love this book!

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dustin is a rambling man who doesn't stay in one place too long and doesn't do relationships. When he meets Annie, he's struck my how natural she is compared to women he's dated in the past. An animal trainer for the movies, Annie is down to earth and doesn't date a lot. When these two get together sparks fly but when Annie gets pregnant can she trust Dustin to be there for her and the baby? Enjoyable romance.

Before reading, I needed to clear my head of all expectations for the book. This isn't like her other series with billionaires or even the Bluebonnet series. While I miss the feel of more outside characters being involved in the story line that I'm used to, this was good. The female is different than most leads that the cowboy hunks fall for, and I think that's maybe what pulled me in. Quick read, finished in a few hours so easy to pick up and go. Nice to have a cowboy based in northern parts vs the normal Texas based stories.

This is book 2 in a series and I did not read the first book but this story was just wow. It is a stand alone but I loved how it did not take the easy route and is a very complicated road to love for both Annie and Dustin.

Dustin is the cowboy and Annie is the girl he meets. She loves animals and dogs and is in town working a movie and training the movies dog. She is a sweetheart and Dustin falls hard for her. The two have a week together and they slowly get to know each other and fal in love. But an ex gets in the way and Annie runs away until she finds herself pregnant.

Meanwhile Dustin does not know why she ghosted him and when he finds out why she is back he tries to win her heart. But Annie does not want to trap Dustin and so she makes him go on a journey to rediscover his past. I loved Annie she is such a great character.

This was a wonderful and heart warming stor.