I liked the small-town setting and the hidden feelings trope. The way Dean was determined to help Hope and the way he treated her daughter just warmed my heart. I could feel their chemistry from the start, and they had good communication. While they held back on a couple little things it was not miscommunication like in a lot of small-town romances I read. I knew from the start what was going to test their relationship in the end so that was a little predictable but the way they navigated it I would not have guessed. The friend group was great, and I liked the tough love that they provided to Hope and Dean. It was a cute heartwarming read where the characters had good depth.

Thank you @netgalley and @entangledpublishing for the gifted copy.

I'll start with saying that I really enjoyed this book. The only problem I had was that I didn't feel like this was a standalone in a series. I felt like I had missing pieces of the story that were in previous books. It didn't completely mess up the story but would have been helpful. I really love this little town of Wishing River in Montana and the people in it. This book focuses on Hope, her daughter Sadie, and Dean. Hope has inherited her husband's (who died of cancer) parents' ranch and she wants to hold on to it for Sadie to have a legacy. Dean has deep roots in Wishing River with a very complicated relationship with his father. Dean is a rancher and a doctor. The development of their story and the connection to their friends and town are interesting. Highly recommend this one!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

Title: "Mail Order Cowboy" by Victoria James - A Lackluster Western Romance

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

"Mail Order Cowboy" by Victoria James offers a Western romance narrative that falls short of the genre's potential, earning a modest two-star rating.

The story follows Emma Taylor, a spirited young woman who embarks on a mail-order bride journey to escape her troubled past and find a new life in the American West. She arrives in Wyoming with dreams of love and adventure, but soon finds herself disappointed and disillusioned. The book explores themes of resilience and self-discovery, which are often at the heart of Western romances, but the execution lacks the necessary depth and nuance.

Victoria James' writing style is serviceable, but it lacks the vivid descriptions and immersive atmosphere that readers often expect from Western romances. The characters, including the brooding cowboy hero, fail to come to life with the depth and complexity needed to create a truly engaging love story. The romantic connection between the protagonists feels underdeveloped, leaving readers wanting more.

While "Mail Order Cowboy" may appeal to readers seeking a quick and straightforward Western romance, those looking for a more emotionally resonant and fully realized love story in a historical setting may find themselves disappointed by the lackluster narrative and character development.

I loved reading this one. I just love this kind of books.
4 stars read for me. I love this author snd her writing style.
Thanks to netgally for this arc.

This one was a cute story! I really enjoyed it! I look forward to reading from this author again. I will be recommending this one to friends.

This book is about a cowboy/doctor and a young widow living on a ranch. It’s a story about new beginnings and opening up after loss.

I enjoyed reading this book very much. The plot is very interesting and the ending also was beautiful.

The only reason I won’t rate this book 5 stars is because I had a bit of trouble with some of the writing- the conversations didn’t truly feel like connecting conversations between characters, they sounded a bit like the person speaking was talking to themselves (I hope you can understand what I mean)

Overall it is a very adorable romantic read and I’m would recommend! Thank you NetGalley for my copy of this book. This is a voluntary review.

Mail Order Cowboy is the fourth novel in the Wishing River series, and this one is packed full of emotions… and not always the sweet and caring kind.

Hope has inherited a ranch that was left to her deceased husband. She and her daughter, Sadie, have taken on this property with determination and trepidation for Hope hasn’t the slightest clue on how to run a ranch, let alone one that is in as bad a shape as this one. She’s exhausted, frustrated, and trying to keep them afloat but between the ranch’s repairs and her own business, she needs help. Little did she know that the ad she put out into the wild would bring the one man she loathed and yet needed right to her door.

Dean knows that Hope needs help, and he’s also quite aware of her feelings toward him, but that doesn’t mean he could help himself from loving her and Sadie quietly without making a fuss about his feelings. There is a promise to her deceased husband that Dean made as his doctor and friend that Hope has no idea about, and he intends to keep it that way. Unfortunately, that secret can build a stronger wedge between them… and Hope already blames Dean for her husband’s death.

Mail Order Cowboy has layers and deals with some subjects that need a gentle touch. One of the reasons this author is an auto-buy (or request) for me is that she tackles those uneasy subjects with compassion and respect. While Hope has her hands full with her business, her ranch, and fighting the attraction between them, it was Dean who won my heart in this story. He has his own demons to conquer, including one nasty piece of work father. The promise he made to Hope’s husband while he was a patient lays heavy on his heart. This was a story filled with laughter and tears, assumptions and truths, and a couple that really does belong together and deserve happiness in spite of the past or others’ opinions. My heart was broken by this story and healed up with hope for their future by the final page. If that’s your kind of romance, then you’ll find the perfect fit here.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

The author’s smooth storytelling infuses her characters with realistic struggles. This story was very engaging.
Many thanks to Entangled Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Hope is a holistic doctor who juggle between a ranch, work and her kid. Hope has recently moved into the ranch with her daughter. She needed help but could not find someone to and she don’t know how to fix the ranch. The only response she gotten is from Dr Dean who was her husband doctor and she blame him for his death. Dean, is a wealthy doctor who comes from a family who make you cringe. Unlike his father, Dean is responsible and sweet. He has loved Hope from afar but keep it all to himself.

It is a story about healing and finding love again. It centered between Hope and Dean who being in love but unable to be together. Love reading when they are together and they do make a cute couple. Dean is the perfect hero who seem to have a perfect life; wealthy, a professional doctor, a rich rancher and heir to a fortune. But he is miserable. He has strained relationship with his father and no contact with his only brother. Hope on the other hand, is struggling and her attraction to Dean is not helping her. Both of them need to work through their secrets and overcome all the hurdles for them to find love with each other. Overall, it is a sweet read to me.

* review post scheduled to be posted on 7/5/23*

Hope Roberts has a strict No Cowboys Allowed policy. Between raising her daughter, running her business, and trying to settle into her new ranch, Hope has no room for love ―especially when it comes to cowboys. What she needs is someone to help fix her ranch. But the only person to respond to her ad is the one man Hope still blames for her husband’s death…
In Wishing River, Dr. Dean Stanton is pretty much a legend. Cowboy, doctor, heir to his family’s ranching empire―everyone knows and loves him…with the exception of Hope. But Dean doesn’t trust a complete stranger to keep Hope and her daughter safe. And despite their troubled past, he’s still the best cowboy for her job. An interesting story. And voluntarily leaving my review.

Mail Order Cowboy is part of a series but can easily be read as a standalone. It is a deep and emotional romance novel with a beautiful setting, lovely characters and tough subject matter including death of a loved one, emotional abuse and starting over. I liked the characters of Dean and Hope, they were real and also had their flaws. I was struggling a bit with some disordered eating I was not expecting from Hope in one scene but it did not persist. I think I understood the motivation but I could see how that could be triggering, so FYI. I would read more by this author and in this town.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Hope and Dean. Hope is a widow with a daughter. Dean is a doctor and rancher. Dean has been in love with Hope for two years. He has been waiting for her to grieve for her husband. She has started to see Dean for the man he is they both have trust issues but together they work them out and fall in love with each other.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

I have not read any of the previous books so I did not see how Hope treated Dean so will have to read them. It was so sad that Dean made a promise to Hope's husband that threw him in a bad light. Good thing that Hope was able to get over those feelings.

There was so much drama and romance that I could not put the book down and had to keep reading. I wanted to find out when Hope learned about Brian hiding his cancer and that Dean was not the bad guy after all.

I could not understand how Dean's father could be so merciless in making things difficult for Hope and should have guessed the reason behind it but was surpised.

Loved how things worked out and the growing love between Hope and Dean and Sadie. Great HEA!

Yeah, so I wasn’t a huge fan of this one, honestly. I didn’t really feel like I could connect with the characters that well, they weren’t really written to my liking. The cover is cute though.

I love a romance with a cowboy involved! This whisks you away to a beautiful rural land in America and captivates you with interesting, sweet characters. The perfect escapsim read

I love when a book gives you all the feels! I'm happy, sad, in love, broken hearted, laughing, and everything else! This books feels so realistic dealing with loss, sadness, forgiveness, trusting, falling in love, family drama, struggles, and joy! I truly enjoyed the characters and setting! This is part of a clean romance series but can be read as a standalone which I did. Now I can't wait to read the earlier books!

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for my review copy!

Mail Order Cowboy was an enjoyable read. I really liked Hope and Dr. Dean. Hope's determined. She's a great mom and a very good holistic healer. She's been lucky enough to inherit a ranch but doesn't have the background, funds or people to make it profitable. The small house is a godsend to her and her daughter. As if being a single mom and small business owner isn't hard enough, Dean's dad is determined to run her out of business. Dean, on the other hand, is every bit the great man his father is not. He's working his ranch and his practice but he's taking on projects for Hope because he's that nice and because he's always really liked Hope. One of the best indicators of Dean's character is the fact that Hope's daughter loves him. Kids know these things. The happily ever after takes a bit but it's rewarding to see these two get together.

Dean's dad adds that extra level of strife to Hope's already stressful life which adds to the story. Of course, Hope isn't easy to win over. She's not looking for a man to rescue her. That adds to the plot as well.

This book was fun and interesting.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Inheriting a ranch, sounds like a great new start - or it ought to
However, for widow Hope Roberts and her daughter
There are problems as it needs a lot of fixing and so
She tries to hire a cowboy to help them give it a go.

When that fails she's shocked when Dean Stanton fills in
He's a Doctor, a cowboy and determined to win.
He's also the one she blamed for her husband dying
Though he's always supported her as she keeps on trying.

Despite the problems arising from their past
Can they start to move forward - together at last?
But family aren't always who they like to be seen
And some include someone who is very mean.

There's family drama a plenty in this lovely read,
Where working together is what they really need.
It also shows that when secrets are finally shared
Then it becomes obvious just who really cared.

A heartwarming story of families torn apart,
About kindness, healing and making a fresh start.
It is also about facing the truth about others who
Really don't deserve your love or respect, too.

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
A moving family drama - and this is my honest review.

Thank you @entangled_publishing @vcjames101 @tlcbooktours for my gifted copy and my spot on the tour. My thoughts are my own.

This clean romance was a fun read! Both main characters have backstories that keep them from being totally honest with each other, and both characters are secretly in love with the other!

Hope Roberts is a widowed, single mother, doing everything she can to survive and provide the best life for her daughter. When she advertises for help on her newly inherited ranch, her only candidate takes a better job offer - from Dean Stanton’s father.

Dr. Dean Stanton feels bad for Hope, so he decides to help out around her place. With a backstory including a wealthy (and greedy) father, and a promise made to a patient, Dean is a complex character full of secrets.

Dean and Hope must work through their secrets before they can find true happiness as a couple! The story is engaging, the chapters are short, and the drama moves along at a nice pace. Read this if you enjoy a wholesome contemporary romance!

This was my first book by Victoria James. It won't be my last. I'm a pushover for unrequited love...if there's a pathway to a happy ending. In this case there is, though it isn't a clear one by any means.

James's characters charmed me, intrigued me, and won my heart with their journey to love. I haven't read the earlier books in the series, though I plan to at my first opportunity. I never felt lost or confused by stepping into the series at book four and I thoroughly enjoyed Dean's and Hope's character paths. Having said that however, I get the impression from conversations within their group of mutual friends that perhaps their story arc has played out in the background during those first three books which leaves me with the feeling that, had I read the books in order, my emotional attachment to them would have been even deeper. I guess that's a long way of saying this book stands on its own but might possibly be even better if read in series order.

There are a lot of complicated feelings at play in this book, giving it layers that make the reading experience richer and more complex. The author weaves everything together in such a way that gives the story a realistic, relatable vibe - as if it was happening to someone I know. I appreciate the time she took with Hope and Dean, giving them the space necessary to work through the byproducts of grief and guilt. I adored Hope's daughter, Sadie, wise beyond her years yet still imbued with the wide-eyed wonder and enthusiasm of a young child. If I hadn't already been half in love with Dean, his relationship with young Sadie would have sealed the deal.

I also enjoyed how the author contrasted the dysfunction of Dean's family with the love and support of Hope's, clearly showing that money does not equal happiness and that the face families show to the world does not always equate to what's happening behind closed doors.

I don't know if Victoria James has plans to write a story for Dean's brother but I'd like to go on record as saying I'd love to read it. In the meaning, I'll be going back to the beginning to read the first three books in the Wishing River series. And adding Victoria James to my must-buy, western contemporary romance author list.

Advance copy received for fair and unbiased review