This is the sweet story of Hope and “Dr Dean”. Hope’s first husband, Brian, died when their daughter was an infant. Hope has been left to raise Sadie on her own. She has also harbored bad feelings for Dean because she thought that he was the reason Brian’s cancer wasn’t found until it was too late.

Dean’s always liked Hope but realized 2 years ago that he loved her. He just never knew if she would ever feel the same way about him.

This was an easy read that made me realize that I had already read the first two books in this series (Wishing River).

Mail order cowboy by Victoria James releasing December 2022. When a widow mother must not only be a doctor but make a ranch she inherited prosper. She must find a cowboy to do it. Could it be the friend who is a fellow doctor and the man that she blames for her husband’s death.

Hope is struggling to find balance in her new life owning a ranch, being a single mom, running her own business & trying not to lose all of herself in the process. Dean has been in love with Hope since the first time he saw her but she blames him for her husband’s death & even though it kills him, he’s more than willing to take the blame because he’s afraid that truth could shatter her. In a story about new beginnings and figuring out who you really are, can Hope & Dean work past their issues and be happy? Or will their personal tragedies prove to be too much for them?

I loved this book. Maybe it was because I was overdue for a cute story or maybe it was simply because Victoria James wrote an extremely engaging story and portrayed the main characters in such a way that you could relate to them on some level even if you’ve never experienced the things that they’ve gone through. Both Hope & Dean had great character arcs and truly brought out the best in each other, whether they knew it or not. #MailOrderCowboy

**Thank you #NetGalley & Entangled Publishing, LLC for providing me with an ARC for my honest review**

hooked and hooked some more. Loved all of this and couldn't put it down. I was like oh my. I need to know more. Read it.

Dean and Hope’s story was such a sweet one. They both had so much past hurt to work through to be together. It made the happy ending even more worth it. Hope lost her husband at a very young age and has to go it alone in life and parenthood for so long she does not know to share her life or heart. Dean’s incredibly destructive father made him feel lonely and unworthy his entire life. Dean is craving a life with Hope. He just needs to convince her to take a chance. Dr. Dean is one of the good guys!
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for my copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I've been a long time fan of Victoria James and this book does not disappoint. I can better relate to the story when the main characters are more mature before they find their happily ever after. True love at 30 is more satisfying and you feel the couple can go the distance. I have not read the earlier books in this series and will now do so.

Hope Roberts and her daughter Sadie are trying to get acclimated to life in their new home. As a single mother who owns her own business, life is hard enough without the stress and cost associated with renovating a dilapidated, run down ranch. The ranch is Sadie's legacy, her inheritance from her paternal grandparents and Hope is dedicated making things work.

Dr. Dean Stanton grew up living a very privileged life. His family owns one of the largest ranches in the Wishing River area and are extremely wealthy. Unfortunately, not everything is as it appears. Dean's father is an abusive man unable to love and care for his sons. He never talks about his upbringing because he doesn't want to be consider the 'poor little rich boy'.

Dean and Hope hanging out in the same circle of friends but their relationship is fraught. Hope blames Dean for the death of her husband and Dean has been keeping a huge secret from Hope. Regardless of what Hope believes, Dean only wants the best for Hope and her daughter and promises to help with the ranch. Unfortunately, there are outside forces that are working against Hope, compromising her success.

'Mail Order Cowboy' takes us back to Wishing River. Victoria James has a wonderful talent for creating beautifully written stories with deep characters who are facing realistic life struggles. I fell completely in love with Hope, Sadie, and Dean and was rooting for their success. Hope was easily relatable. She is struggling with the loss of her husband, trying to raise her daughter to be a good human being, juggling work and managing the ranch. It would be so easy for her to just give it all up but she perseveres. Dean is the perfect complement to Hope. Even though he stands to inherit so much he strives to bring something more meaningful to his life. Dean wants a real family, he wants to stand on his own and be known for his successes, but he is afraid he is more like his father than he wants to admit. 'Mail Order Cowboy' is a great story with a wonderful ending.

Review posted to the sites below:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4995230959?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1614180203?source=link_share

My blog: https://heathersreadingnook.blogspot.com/2022/09/mail-order-cowboy-wishing-river-4.html

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Likable characters add to the story. The setting does also. The author has written a cozy romance that is a quick read. This book is fun. Love and romance…family and friends…all dynamics of this novel…I liked the Imani character…she took on a challenge..
Motherhood…children…enjoy……

This one is a winner! Hope is the kind widow and mother who's been beaten down by life. She's just scraping by, when, just as she thinks things are getting better, her careful structure starts to collapse. Dean is the sexy doctor who has loved Hope for years, but never acting on it as he knows Hope blames him for her husband's death. However, the doctor is hiding a few secrets of his own. When Hope and Dean finally act on their attraction, lots of secrets and problems are brought to light.

I loved the characters in this novel - I found myself invested in their story and wanting them to get their HEA ending. I was so engrossed in their story that I stayed up half the night reading. If you enjoy the genre, you will love this book. The author is a master of her craft and is on my must read authors' list. While part of a series, this is a stand alone novel, however, it's so good that you really owe it to yourself to read them all.