Four and a half stars

In the Ring with the Maverick by Kathy Douglass is the second in the Mavericks and Bravos series. In this, the Hawkins sisters and Burris brothers are both top notch rodeo competitors. As part of a special rodeo, they're facing off head to head.

Kathy Douglass's characters are warm and engaging, and the story is an entertaining read in this beloved series.

Jack and his brothers are going again Audrey and her sisters in a battle of the sexes when it comes to the rodeo. Sparks fly but they are competitors and Jack has some old fashioned views with females in the rodeo circuit.

This was a binge read for me which I pretty much wasn't expecting. I loved that spark that Jack and Audrey and seeing those sneaky little moments they found from time to time. I mean they were trying to keep seperate because they were competitors but it wasn't working too well. I loved how Audrey wasn't the type of back down when challenged and she and her sisters were proving they were more then just eye candy when it came to the rodeo. They loves their job and did the best they can and weren't about to back down on a challenge when it came to going against the boys and did their all. Problem wasn't only that they were competitors Jack was under the impression that females shouldn't be in the rodeo line of work and clearly that wasn't going to fly with Audrey. Overall pretty good book I really enjoyed it.

There is a Rodeo in Bronco. Both Audrey and her sisters and Jack and his brother are in town for the rodeo. When they first meet, it didn't go all that smoothly and they disliked each other. Later they are put in the same spot and the more time they spend together, the more sparks fly.

In the Ring with Maverick is a cowboy, enemies to lovers romance. While I like the storyline, I had a hard time getting into the story.

thanks to Netgalley & Harlequin for the ARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own

In the Ring with the Maverick is Kathy Douglass' second book in the Montana Maverick's series. The story continues for the Burris brothers but this time follows middle brother, Jack Burris. Jack is instantly attracted to Aubrey but he doesn't like that she and her sisters compete in the rodeo because he believes it's no place for women. These beliefs stem from watching a good female friend get into a terrible accident as well as believing men are just naturally stronger.

When Jack and his brothers agree to a competition against Aubrey and her sisters their rivalry gets a little heated. With enough playful banter between it's easy to see why these two belong together. Readers who like small town romance will enjoy this. I'm fascinated with Black rodeo culture and Aubrey comes from a legacy family. There's a great bond between the sisters and brothers and I liked the friendly competition.

Enjoying this series so far. This one can be read as a standalone. This one is around two families that are in the rodeo circuit that go to head to head - but sparks also start to fly! The chemistry is from the start with these two! Jack learns a good lesson about women in sports. Great little town- Bronco MT for the setting. Author does a great job if you don't know the rodeo explaining the events. Loved the sisters and brothers in this one- they added great moments.

This is a cute- cowboy/girl filled romance that is fast and sweet! Can't wait for more of this series. Hope we get more of the brothers and sisters in the books to come!

Closed door steam

When I think of romance, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels and satisfies every romance junkies' heart. This is a perfect book to snuggle up with on any day.

Good enemies to lovers story. Audrey is the third generation of a rodeo family. She's proud of what she and her sisters can do and frustrated at the lack of respect given to women in rodeo. The Hawkins sisters came to Bronco for the Bronco Family Rodeo.

Jack is also part of a rodeo family. He and his three brothers all compete. Jack doesn't think women belong in rodeo, that it is too dangerous for them. He has a woman friend who was paralyzed in a rodeo accident. Jack grew up in Bronco, and he and his brothers are in town to compete also.

The rodeo promoters have latched on to the two families as the faces of the rodeo. During a photo shoot, the sparks between Jack and Audrey are intense and evident to everyone around them. Their chemistry comes out in the photos, too. The promoters suggest a Battle of the Sexes exhibition between the two families. Audrey sees it as a great way to show what the women can do, while Jack thinks it's a bad idea.

I liked watching the relationship develop between Jack and Audrey. The chemistry between them is explosive, as are their opposing views of women in rodeo. Seeing them poke at each other while trying to make their points was fun; neither one was willing to give an inch. Both found that despite their antagonism, getting each other out of their minds was impossible. Jack tried telling Audrey that he needed to concentrate on preparing for the rodeo and that they needed to keep things professional rather than personal. That didn't last long, so they decided to see where things would go between them.

The promoters also started pushing a blossoming romance between Jack and Audrey while they tried to keep anything between them private. The more time they spent together, the more their feelings for each other grew. Both try to resist because maintaining relationships on the rodeo circuit is complicated. They also must reconcile their differing opinions on women in rodeo. I liked seeing Jack's prejudices change the more he gets to know Audrey and see how good she is. Things look promising until Audrey overhears a discussion between Jack and his brother Geoff. Jack made a boneheaded comment, leaving Audrey devastated and furious.

It was exciting to see the competition between the two teams during the rodeo. They were evenly matched, and I liked seeing how each event turned out. I wasn't entirely satisfied with the outcome of the rodeo competition, as it seemed as though the announcer had his desired result and wouldn't settle for anything different. All Jack wants is the chance to make things right with Audrey, but he doesn't get the chance. I ached for both and their unhappiness. I laughed when Jack got obscure advice from Winona Cobb. But when he finally figured it out, he found a fantastic way to demonstrate his feelings to Audrey. The ending was terrific, and I loved Jack's bib moment.

I loved Jack's brothers and the close relationship they had. They tease and argue but are there for each other in times of trouble. Audrey's sisters were great too. One urged Audrey to be cautious with her relationship with Jack, while the other two were all for it. But all of them supported her when she needed it. There was also a secondary relationship between Jack's brother Mike and Audrey's sister Corinne. It will be interesting to see if anything comes of it.

This is a Cowboy Romance, and this is the second book in the Montana Mavericks: Brothers & Broncos series. I have read and reviewed the first book in this series, but I think this book can be read as a standalone book without any problems. This book has a little hate to love thing going on, and I liked how that part was handled in the book. There was a little bit of girls getting under estimated, and I loved how the girls in this book really show girls can do anything they really want to. I loved the characters a lot, and I also loved the storyline so much. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Special Edition) or author (Katy Douglass) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

I don't usually read romances featuring cow boy but there was something in this one that appealed to me and I was happy I read it.
It's an enemy to lover story featuring a strong heroine and a hero who need to understand what women can do.
i had fun, rooted for the characters, and enjoyed the story.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine