This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

Sarah was such a sheltered young lady and just wanted to break free from that sheltered life. Cade was willing to help her and during this tutoring, they fought their attraction. Both of them had lots to learn as they each had baggage from past hurts to overcome.

I really like both Cade and Sarah and could see how they had to struggle to learn and grow and eventually get their HEA.

I liked how we saw Tyler and Lainey in this story and that we kind of get set up for Dean and Hope. Their story sounds like it will be another winner!

This is the first book I've read from Victoria and its the first book in this series and I absolutely loved Cowboy for Hire. I really did love Cade and Sarah and enjoyed the two of them being together. I am excited to read more of Victoria's work!!

I loved the first book in this series so I was super excited for Cowboy for Hire. It did not disappoint! I really liked Cade and Sarah and enjoyed the two of them together. I am excited to read more from Victoria!

With the sudden death of Sarah Turner's parents, she inherits her family's ranch. She can't stomach the idea of losing the ranch so she decides to find someone who can help her keep the ranch afloat. She's not looking for someone to take over but someone who will teaching her everything she'll need to know to keep it up and running. With absolutely no experience or know-how, and a ranch manager who abandons her, Sarah places an ad in the local paper. After some misunderstandings with the wording of the ad, her knight in shining cowboy books appears.

Cade Walker answers a local ad for a ranch manager and doesn't expect the woman who comes to the door. He's looking to change employment locations without having to prove he's worthy. When he accepts the ranch manager position from Sarah Turner, he realizes he won't just be running the ranch but also playing training specialist.

Both Sarah and Cade are wonderful characters. They both have emotional baggage but the author, as she always does, presents it with realism and believability. Sarah also suffers from migraines that for some reason has caused those in her life to treat her like a delicate flower. I also suffer from migraines and my triggers are chocolate, dill pickles, and stress; chocolate and pickles are primary and stress is secondary. My worst headaches debilitate me, as they do Sarah's character, but other than leaving me alone during the episode, I don't require coddling. I feel really bad for Sarah's character in that respect.

As per every review I do for a book by Victoria James:

Victoria James is one of my absolute favorite authors. Her writing is realistic and her subject matter for each book is believable. Her heroines and her heroes are not perfect, but they are perfect for one another. There is a reason that Victoria James is one of my all-time favorite authors - she writes impassioned and realistic contemporary romances. To date, I've read most of her books and each one manages to evoke emotional responses from me. At the very least, I always tear up during some part of the novel. Her characters are believable and realistically written.

Victoria's writing is phenomenal. Her characters, the plot, themes, drama, and passion pull the reader in and keeps them engaged. There is true emotion that can be felt by those readers that become one with the books they read. I get lost in the novels and put myself right into the middle of them. I feel for the characters and drawing on my emotions is what makes a book worth 5 stars for me. If I hurt with them, cry with/for them, laugh, or get angry, then the author did a fantastic job and has written the perfect book (or in the case of Victoria...books) for me. Victoria James is amazing!

I really loved the first book in this series so I was super excited about Cowboy for Hire. Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed by this book. I had a difficult time getting into this story and also I didn't like Sarah.

Loved it! I was hooked from the start, loved Sarah and Cade, the growth of their relationship and the time it took for that to build. The story is light with moments that grip your heart, moments that made me giggle and just an all round enjoyable read. This is stand alone within a series and I will definitely be checking out book one.

Awesome book, I can hardly wait for book 3! I had the opportunity of reading an Arc of this wonderful book.

This was such a heartfelt and enjoyable book! I took the time to re-read The Trouble with Cowboys and I’m glad I did (although this is fine as a standalone), because I was invested in Cade from the get-go.

There were some interesting dynamics here, and it made for a good time reading. I loved both characters, and though I did think there was some repetitiveness in their arguments, overall, I became deeply involved in the story and the outcome. And yes, I did come very close to tears as Cade and Sarah confronted their pasts and their fears. Their vulnerabilities were beautifully written.

Actually, the whole story was beautifully written! Victoria James is one of my favorite authors for sweet, small town romance—there’s a lot of heart and emotion in her stories, and I love that about them.

All in all, another great read from Ms. James. Now, I’m desperate for book three—because Dean and Hope have 100% piqued my interest!

Sarah wants to break free from her old sheltered life and the first step she makes is to hire a ranch manager who will teach her everything about running a ranch. Cade is ready for something more in his life and working for Sarah is the start. What both didn't count on was a mutual attraction on which Cade doesn't want to act one. But he is willing to show Sarah many new things. Cade makes the mistake of keeping secret from Sarah. Will she be able to forgive him? This is a lovely heartwarming love story between two lonely souls and I really enjoyed reading it.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley

I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish this book, and I was not disappointed! I became so invested in the characters early on, and the emotions that the story brought on were so real, I felt like I knew these people personally. It's a special author that can do that. This romance was a slow burn, a lot of angst with a dash of the forbidden, but Victoria James did an excellent job of pulling the reader in and not allowing them to leave until they found out the ending. So if you start this book, make sure it's at the beginning of a day where you can power through it, otherwise there will be no sleep for you.

Sarah Turner grew up sheltered from the world, hidden away after the tragic death of her brother. Her parents' relationship was in shambles, and Sarah went silent in her grief. Years later, her parents have died, and she is now the sole owner of their family ranch. The only problem is, she has no idea what to do with it now that she has it. She needs a cowboy who can teach her the ropes, and Cade Walker answers the call...or rather, her ad. Cade grew up feeling unwanted and unloved, without a true family to call his own. He knows what it's like to be alone, but their circumstances couldn't be more different. Sarah has a ranch of her own, and wealth along with it, while Cade is poor in comparison, not good enough for her. Plus she's his boss, making her off limits, no matter how many sparks fly between them.

So much push and pull with this couples, I was feeling a little dizzy at times. Sarah was very naive in the ways of the world, due to her lack of socialization growing up. She had no friends except her housekeeper, and she'd never really dated outside of the men her parents hand-picked for her. Cade was exactly what she needed, and the attraction was mutual. The main issue was that Cade didn't feel good enough for her. Cade had never dated either - his life had been full of one-night stands. He didn't know how to have a proper relationship, and he knew that's what Sarah needed and deserved. I loved how sweet he was towards Sarah, helping her learn the ropes around the ranch and in life, but I definitely was aggravated when he continued to push her away. Of course, he had good reason, since she was his boss and he figured it would never last. And when it ended, he would be out of a job. WE know as readers that wasn't going to happen - this is a romance, after all. But he didn't know that, so it was a bittersweet romance for a while. The perfect couple that just needed to have faith in each other.

I can't wait to continue reading this series! Hope and Dean need their story told pronto. It's going to be great!

I was so glad to discover that Cowboy for Hire continues the Wishing River series for when I’d read The Trouble with Cowboys last year it wasn’t clear that there would be a series forthcoming – it felt like the beginning of a series, but nothing official at that time. Now I’ll (hopefully) get the stories of other characters I first met last year and really wanted to get to know better.

I saw both Cade and Sarah as wounded souls for far, far different reasons. While Sarah comes off at times as overly needy, and definitely socially awkward we’re reminded of her childhood, dysfunctional in the sense that after her brother’s death when she was a young child her parents immediately wrapped her in a safe cocoon (as sometimes in that situation parents will do) keeping her at home with no contact with the outside world for the most part aside from their housekeeper – who I often wanted to “Gibbs Slap” for her actions and words. Now, after her parent’s deaths Sarah must take over the family ranch, make it profitable but she has no clue how to do that. Sheltered is a very mild word to describe this woman – that’s where Cade comes into the picture.

Cade has major trust issues, and they are well earned. He’s accustomed to keeping people at bay, even pushing them away to avoid being hurt for his entire life he has been seen as “not good enough”. As he answers Sarah’s ad to hire a cowboy he had no clue what he was stepping into – and no idea that this shy, awkward woman was the answer to finally seeing himself as more than good enough to love. I adored them both, and they both frustrated me as well. Watching them get past walls, begin to trust, be drawn into a circle of friends, and learn that it’s safe to fall in love was an emotional, enjoyable journey. If you enjoy a romance where two people who don’t fit in the outside world very well but come alive with each other, a struggling ranch blooming under competent, tender loving care, and a circle of friends that anyone would be proud to call theirs – then you’ll love Cowboy for Hire. I had a blast, and I already want more.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from Entangled Publishing via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

4 stars

Cowboy for Hire by Victoria James is a sweet and entertaining read and I really enjoyed it.

I enjoyed the storyline, it's well written, entertaining and it kept my interest from start to end.
Watching the relationship between Sarah and Cade kept me turning the pages, they touched my heart with their story and I was very happy they got their much deserved happy ever after.

Cowboy for Hire is a heartwarming read and I highly recommend it.

*A big thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

Sarah is a shy woman who has inherited her family’s working ranch. When her foreman up and runs off, she needs a cowboy who can both run the ranch and teach her the skills to do so herself. Due to a tragedy in her youth, Sarah has been completely isolated and sheltered as she grew up. She was not allowed to help with the running of the ranch until both her parents passed away. With the help of her family’s caretaker, she runs an ad to hire a man with the necessary skills.

Cade worked the ranch nearby, but he wants to run his own ranch. Except, he knows he will never have the money to own a ranch, so he applies for the next best thing. He finds Sarah an enigma, but he is willing to train her and hopefully, she will find him indispensable and keep him on after a year. He realizes Sarah has been cooped up all her life, and she needs to get out and make friends her own age, and she wants to start living her life! So Cade invites her to meet his friends, he spends hours with her and he helps her grow outside the homestead and the ranch.

This book was a fun, fast moving story with lots of explaining about Sarah’s sheltered life, her coming out of her shell, Cade learning to trust and love without smothering or being overbearing.

This was a wonderful book with lots of fun secondary characters and the H and h learning how they are perfect for each other and a united future.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.

I always enjoy author Victoria James' stories and this is another good one. It starts out kind of slow but if the reader sticks with it, you start to really enjoy the story.

I am not sure what it is about Victoria James' books, but they grab me by the heart and keep it for the entirety of the story. This one is no different. Cade and Sarah are two characters you instantly feel for and want them to heal along with a happiness to their lives. Here is Sarah, a young woman suffering after much tragedy, desperately wanting to be in control of her ranch/life, yearning to start living. And then there is Cade. A man struggling to find his self worth, determined to be a good man, vulnerable from his past, afraid to want more. I loved these two separately and together. I feel they balanced each other out and were the perfect match. I loved their intimate talks, but not their arguments. Those broke my heart. But I did love their reconciliation; so fitting for them. I look forward to more from these characters and the series.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher through Netgalley.

This is a very sweet story about a sheltered woman who's a ranch owner, Sarah. Her ranch manager quit and left with no notice, so she puts an ad in the paper. A very experienced ranch hand and foreman, Cade, gets the job. Cade is a man who can make any lady "nervous just by standing there." He's the consummate alpha gentleman. Sarah's one caveat is that she wants Cade to teach her to run the ranch alongside him. Good thing Cade has infinite patience. Along the way, their attraction to each other grows, but Cade is extremely closed off. And Sarah is inexperienced with relationships and very awkward.

I enjoyed the story line and the characters. I felt that homeschooling was misrepresented in the book. Sarah was basically shut off from the world. I've been home educating for 20 years and my family is not isolated, my children have many friends, and are involved in extra-curricular activities. I felt that the book could've been a bit shorter and still been a wonderful story. It just kind of dragged on over each characters' personality flaws/deficits. Also, this book just didn't have the steamy parts. I would rate it G/PG. So I'm rating this story 3.5 stars.

This was a good contemporary romance. It was mostly clean and had a lot less cussing than the first book!

I really liked Cade. He was exactly what I expected and had a lot of typical flaws - but he was more of a gentleman than I expected and I loved it. I loved how he was patient even when he didn't want to be and I loved how complimentary he could be. But mostly I loved how hard working he was.

I loved Sarah. She hasn't had an easy life but she is amazingly strong. I was so impressed with her throughout the book. Strong female leads are my favorite. I really admired her strength in taking care of herself and also in learning how to run a ranch.

The romance in this was wonderful. It wasn't sunshine and rainbows. It was real and had it's painful moments. But it also had some great kisses and was mostly clean except one short kissing scene that got a little more heated, but you could skip that if those bother you.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

3.5 stars

This is a sweet story about two people coming into their own and discovering who they really are meant to be.

I liked both Sarah and Cade and enjoyed getting to know them. Both are interesting characters on their own, but together they seemed to bring out the best in each other. I think my favorite thing about Sarah was her willingness to put herself out there and stretch the muscles of independence. Both had some emotional growing to do and part of me wishes that Sarah had a few more opportunities to do so away from the ranch. There were times that she came across as much younger than her years, which while understandable made it slightly harder to relate to her.

Cowboy for Hire is the second book in a series and while it is very much a stand alone read, it also has a bit of what I think of as an “Oreo” feel to it. Cade and Sarah’s story is the cream filling, but his friends Tyler and Dean are the cookies on the outside. Both are key secondary characters here, but they are also the past and future leading men of books in the series. Ms James does a solid job of bringing enough of the other two guys to be interested in their stories, but not over powering the main story here. I definitely want to see what happens with Dean and Hope!

This my first book by Victoria James so I wasn't sure what to expect. I love trying new author's and this book didn't disappoint. I enjoyed it.
Cade and Sarah both have had troubled pasts and neither want to talk about it. They have pretty good chemistry. The story moves at a decent pace and held my attention to the end. The one thing that stuck out to me was how encouraging Cade was with Sarah.

Overall it was a good book that I'd recommend.

3.5 rounded to 4

I originally picked up this book because I love me a good cowboy romance. Cowboy for Hire was a good ol' cowboy romance at that. Sarah's parents pass away and leave her the family ranch, she posts an ad for a ranch manager to show her the ropes and teach her how to run her ranch. Cade answers the ad and comes with glowing recommendations and super good looks. He's looking for a place to settle down and make his own. Right off the bat, Sarah and Cade hit it off but their chemistry is met with each of their own hesitations. With each of them armed with an arsenal of personal issues (Sarah's stemming from the premature loss of her brother, Cade's stemming from a broken childhood) to work through, you can be assured that this read is an emotional roller coaster. This story is one of grieving loss, moving on and learning to live again.