I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
Jake and Julia, two very stubborn independent people who at first argue more than anything but when things start to change in their relationship attraction sweeps in.
Will their hot and steamy moments survive their stubborn tempers?
I was a little annoyed by their stubbornness but I hung in there until the end.
3 stars

Reading a Cowboy's Pregnant Partner felt a bit like going to a child's music recital; there were a few decent moments, but by and large, the whole experience was a bit painful, with a lot of monotone simplicity and hoping it would be over soon. North's third book in her pregnancy series introduces us to Jake, a headstrong rancher who is headstrong and also stubborn and also likes getting his own way, and his neighbor, Julia, an independent woman who has no need for a stubborn, headstrong man.

The novel opens with moderate interest, a first act that presents several potentially compelling problems: Jake wants Julia's stallion as a stud for his horses, Julia gets pregnant, and their relationship seems...uncertain. North's novel falls apart in the resolution of her central plot conflicts. Her uninspired writing leaves the reader craving details about pretty much everything. As a city girl myself, I can't conjure up an image of what a ranch looks or smells like, what a Texas summer or winter or spring is like, what a ranch house looks like. I wasn't sure if Jake's ranch was prosperous or failing, nor if Julia was able to run a successful business and maintain her sprawling property. North didn't set her scenes in any detail, and while she explicitly told me her characters were tied to the land and that ranching was in their souls, I was left feeling like I had no idea what that meant.

While the novel suffered from a lack of descriptive details about the setting, the characters themselves were equally underdeveloped. Beyond the most basic descriptions of attraction, I felt like I knew next to nothing about why the characters were falling in love, if they were at all. The novel suffered from a tell me/show me problem, where North would simply state the characters were developing feelings for each other without showing me how those feelings were growing or why.

The second half of the novel was bogged down in manufactured tension between the love interests that felt confusing. Because North didn't sew her characters together in any compelling way, their distance didn't create any problem for me as a reader. It felt as though Julia was petulantly demanding that Jake change for her in ways that were at odds with fundamental aspects of his character; Her desires were poorly articulated and I found myself cheering for Jake to find someone else who would appreciate his protective decisiveness.

As a concept, North's book had so much potential for angst and interest. An unexpected pregnancy and a new relationship are ripe territory for conflict. The execution was flat and the prose was as dull as plain oatmeal.

1/5 heat
1/5 interesting characters
1/5 setting
2/5 plot

In the small town of Darby Crossing, rancher Jake Thorne needs a new stud horse, and the prize stallion he’s got his eye on is owned by Jake's neighbour, the beautiful local vet, Julia Letts. Problem is, Julia refuses to part with the handsome horse.

As the pair begin negotiations over the horse, both set in their own stubborn ways, they end up stranded in a remote cabin during a storm, and their mutual attraction leads to a night of passion.

However, Julia has been hurt before and she guards her heart carefully, whilst Jake is afraid of commitment and usually runs from relationships before they can get too serious.

But when Julia discovers she's pregnant the pair must face the challenges of impending parenthood and working together for the best of their child.

Whilst Jake is excited about becoming a father and welcomes the news, his lack of willingness to compromise makes Julia question their future. "Jake, I know you're going to be a great dad, but I need more than that. I need a partner, someone who will listen to me and share responsibility."

Meanwhile, Julia's independent spirit and fear of history repeating itself leaves her always quick to show Jake she's fine by herself. "Whenever things get difficult, you back off-like you're giving up. It's like you want to drive home the point that you don't need me."

Can these two learn to work together and open up to their love for each other before it's too late?

This is my first book by Leslie North. Cowboy's Pregnant Partner can be read as a standalone, however it is book three in the Thorne Ranch Brothers series.

I enjoyed this book, it's easy going, low on angst. Both characters are stubborn but we do eventually see them start to open up to each other.
My main issue would be the development of their relationship. I never really felt the absolute love between them. The book started and they weren't friends, they were acquaintances. But I never felt like they made much effort to get to know one another. Suddenly Julia was pregnant and it seemed like Jake had decided to marry her. But I never felt like he was madly in love with her; he was actually deliberately stopping himself falling for Julia, and vice versa.

That being said, it was a good read, a sweet book that most readers will really enjoy. A solid 3.5 stars.

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

If you like cowboys and romance then this book certainly is the book for you. While I am not 100% keen on cowboy romances I can tell you that the content of This novel was to a pleasing level and is to be commended. I do feel as though in romance novels there should be a bit more romancing action in the story however this novel was a pleasant read and I would recommend it to others.

I love you just the way you are, let me change you. That is how this book hit me. She wanted him but wanted him to be different than he was. Did she really think he would not be controlling? I liked the story. The characters were interesting and the story was fun to read.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Sadly, I couldn’t get excited by this book at all, although it had a reasonable premise. The hero was a stubborn jerk and I don’t think he redeemed himself ever! Julia should have been a much more interesting character as a professional woman, independent and feisty - but she never came to life either. The sudden jump into instant sex after the hike just didn’t ring true as there was no real sense of chemistry or desire between them before that. It all seems a little mechanical and pedestrian to me.

I think I had a problem, because there were so many other characters, all apparently related and married so that the names just became a blank noise as I tried to decipher the relationships. Clearly in a series, former characters will appear but not having read the previous books - I was simply lost. I think that’s why the story between hero and heroine just got lost. Sorry but this only 2.5 stars for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

This was my first Leslie North book and third in the “Thorne” series and tells the story of Julia the Vet and Jake the cowboy. After hiking they get stuck in a cabin thanks to the weather and one thing leads to another and the next minute BAM a baby on the way.

I have to say that I really didn’t enjoy this story which is a real surprise to me because HELLO COWBOYS!!!! There was not really any chemistry between the couple that I could really feel which was disappointing. The character of Jake I found was just not likeable. He just seemed like an arrogant, controlling pain in the butt. He didn’t even seem to really redeem himself. As a result I couldn’t enjoy or relate to Julia’s character as she really wasn’t the string, independent woman I wanted her to be. The storyline itself to me was just not believable and there didn’t seem to be much follow through. For example they have been talking for months about the baby and not telling people yet he with the big family never told them (but was just accepted as being done) and I felt it was a miss. While this is book 3 in the series and many readers will be familiar with who’s who for someone attempting this as a stand-alone it was incredibly confusing as relationships were really skimmed over and I couldn’t work out who was who. Also the kindle version was really annoying as unlike every one of my other kindle books this had a space after each paragraph and separating lines of conversation which made the reading frustrating.

I did enjoy the animals and the idea of the story. The descriptions of places on the hike, the ranches and the animals (with their fun personalities) were really well done.

3.5 stars. This wasn't an unpleasant read, but it's different from your typical romance. It's a quick read and almost...brisk...in pace. Things happen and issues are addressed quite directly and straightforwardly for the genre. On the one hand, a little lingering and teasing might be nice, on the other hand it's blessedly free of contrived drama.

I personally didn't feel a lot of heat between the leads, but they were smart, competent, well-intentioned people so I did root for their happiness. The glimpse into the worlds of ranching and veterinary medicine were interesting, and the cast of animal characters was endearing! I'm concerned about some of the messaging about PCOS in the story--I'm not sure many modern doctors would call it an insurmountable fertility issue--but there is a lot of misinformation about the condition so I can squint at this.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

I really get where Julia is coming from. Jake is the epitome of stubborn cowboy. He does not give even an inch when he would thinks he's in the right or it's the best option. To him it's probably the only option. It takes him quite a while to come around. Julia is very forgiving and patient with him. I liked that about her.

Third book in this series which can be read as a stand-alone. Lovely seeing the relationship between Jake and.Julia develop and realising there needs to be compromise to make relationships work. A great feel good book, I would recommend.

Cowboy's Pregnant Partner (Thorne Ranch #3) by Leslie North
Publisher: Relay Publishing
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Romance
Publication Date: July 1, 2021

Cowboy's Pregnant Partner is the third book in the Thorne Ranch trilogy by Leslie North. This can be read as a standalone romance, but the other 2 books are amazing too, so I recommend checking them out!

Wow! This was such a great book! I really enjoyed the story and seeing the growth of the characters. I'm so glad the author gave us a glimpse into the life's of the other brothers too!

I thought this book was really interesting and I loved the character development! This is a quick read and can easily be read in one sitting!

Cowboy's Pregnant Partner is definitely worth checking out if you enjoy cowboy romances!

I'm so grateful to Leslie North, Relay Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Really great can't wait to read more from this author and see what she has in store for the rest of her books