Keely Tucker knows designing a showstopping wedding dress for a movie starlet is the career-making opportunity of a lifetime. But Jacob Chatman has sent her focus into a tailspin! When a blackout leaves her stranded with a rancher she can’t resist, their passion practically sets the sheets on fire. Jacob admires her drive, but is their hookup worth Keely risking her hard-earned ambitions for a life in Texas?
I liked this contemporary romance. The two main characters were from totally different worlds but seemed to have chemistry with each other. I could feel their connection jump off the page. This was a simple and romantic tale. And I recommend it to anyone who loves a cowboy and romance! I would like to thank Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Keely and Jacob's love story is a wonderful mix of business and pleasure. They are two loners who are focused on making their respective businesses successful. Keely is a designer from New York and Jacob is a rancher from Texas. Their two lives intersect while Kelly is in town designing a wedding gown for the soon to be wife of one of Jacob's friends. I enjoyed seeing how their lives intersected and the various things they go through to see if they can make a relationship work. The story also allows you to meet their friends and co-workers and see how they help to solve various issues that arise. I highly recommend this book.

If LaQuette writes it, I am definitely going to be reading it! My goodness, this woman can write steamy scenes…and hot as heck MMCs. Not to mention her female leads are always strong, independent women.

Designs on a Rancher was a fun enemies to lovers, opposites attract read.

Keely is focused on growing her fashion design business, and she travels to Royal, TX to finish designing the career-making wedding dress for a movie starlet. Jacob is a successful rancher - running a horse training ranch that takes up all of his time and focus.

The banter between Keely and Jacob was so much fun. And LaQuette brought me right to Texas and to the horse ranch, and the quaint small town of Texas.

I loved this book - the banter, the steam, the spark between characters.

This is book 2 in the Texas Cattleman’s Club series from Harlequin Desire, but I read it as a standalone no problem.


—Quick read (188 pages)
—Opposites attract
—Enemies to Lovers
—Forced Proximity
—Curvy Female Lead

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Harlequin Romance.

This was a short and cute romance. Opposites definitely attract and bring the heat.

This book got me hooked within the first 3 chapters. Every girl needs a Jacob Chatman in their lives. Both MC were written perfectly. The story was a quick read but you definitely felt like you got to know the characters.

LaQuette is an author I’ve had on my reading wishlist for a while now. In fact, her Devereaux Inc. series graces my bookshelf. Making her Royal, Texas debut with Designs on a Rancher, the standalone second book in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Wedding series is what moved her from my one-day read list to new to me author list.

In Designs on a Rancher, Brooklyn, New York native Keely Tucker who owns Low-Kee Designs is attempting to go from being a stylist to B-List celebrities to becoming a designer to the stars. Keely has been picked by actress Ariana Ramos to design her wedding dress when she marries Royal’s own best-selling author Xavier Noble in Royal. Keely is in Royal to get some ideas in order to incorporate some of Texas into the design.

Jacob Chatman is a name I think I’ve heard before. He’s a horse trainer and owner of Slick Six Stables. He has spent the last eight years working and sacrificing toward his dream of turning the ranch into the number one horse stable in the world. With sheer focus and determination, it’s just a matter of time before he reaches his dream.

The entire town of Royal is experiencing a blackout. Since Jacob is on a different grid than the rest of the town, he and his ranch are one of the few to still have power. Jacob’s good friend Tripp Noble, Xavier’s cousin who is helping out with the wedding asks Jacob to host Keely in one of his cabins. Jacob reluctantly agrees, not knowing that his life is about to change. Keely is unlike any heroine I’ve read before. Upon her first meeting with Jacob, she doesn’t mince words, which he definitely appreciates.

I loved Designs on a Rancher for a multitude of reasons. This is an opposites attract story where they each support and want the best for each other. Keely and Jacob understand one another to their core and don’t want to change them. I loved that Jacob is this big guy who doesn’t really like or want to interact with people, but he has such an amazing soft spot for horses. I love their passion and the way they challenge each other. Their banter is fun and they pull no punches with being honest with each other. What I really loved more than anything about this story was the way it made me feel. I’m a Texas girl and black rodeo and cowboys were literally within reach and I never understood the rich culture and importance of it. LaQuette via Jacob gave me that.

~ Favorite Quotes ~

“Beggars can’t be choosers.”

“Never let anyone’s ignorance define who you are or who you want to be.”

“There’s no greater regret than the one of not trying at all.”

Really enjoyed this book. I love the idea of the career focused woman with needs taking charge of her desires. I also love a rugged and hardworking man. Check and check! Keely is fierce and highly capable and Jacob is the strong, silent type. I wouldn't necessarily call them opposites, but the vibe is totally there until we explore the characters more.

Every single moment that Keely and Jacob are on the page together, even when they aren't getting along, I absolutely loved their dynamic. It was like two firecrackers going off near each other. The character development for each of them is spot on and makes them feel very real.

I also really enjoyed the settings in this book. I like the ranch feel and the fish out of water kind of setup for Keely, even though she's a boss in all locations!

Overall this was a good read! I received an ARC from NetGalley in return for my honest review.

Up and coming stylist Keely Tucker is in Royal, Texas to finalize design and construction of the wedding dress of her biggest client so far. Keely knows that if she nails this assignment her whole career can change.
When a local blackout forces Keely to move in with local rancher and horse trainer Jacob Chatman, who is also building his empire. The pair do all they can to ignore the sparks they fly between them as they banter over meals. How long can two career focused people with no time for love, fight their feelings?

Fairly quick category romance. The author keeps the storyline tight and well paced. I wished for twenty more pages (a little more runway) so the ending didn’t feel so rushed.
But overall very satisfying and I look forward to other books in the series.

Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

I've recently discovered LaQuette's romances and they are so wonderful. Designs on a Rancher is what we've come to expect from her: fun, flirty male leads meet amazing, capable women who don't need rescuing but also don't mind being swept off their feet (within reason, they have things to do dang it). I loved Jacob and Keely, who just want to live their lives and be the amazing businesspeople they are but can't deny the chemistry that sizzles as soon as Keely needs a place to stay during a blackout. Jacob is so kind and wonderful and Keely seems like a hoot.

I appreciated that the stakes in this were fairly low, but each lead character felt like they were making good compromises to be with the one they loved. And as always, steamy scenes were steamy as they should be.

I can't wait to read more LaQuette and more of this series!

4.5 Stars. Brooklyn fashion designer, Keely, has been hired to make the dress for a celebrity’s wedding that will take place in Royal, TX. When power goes out she ends up staying on the horse ranch of a friend of a friend, Jacob. The two are instantly attracted to one another but they both know that Keely is only in town for a few weeks. They agree to a situationship while Keely’s in town but neither want their relationship to end and must figure out a way forward.

This is the first book by LaQuette I have read and it was wonderful. I’m not usually one for “westerns” but this one worked for me, I adored both Keely and Jacob. Having read Beverly Jenkins books I know a bit of the history of Black cowboys but I enjoyed having that information reiterated in a contemporary romance. I loved that Keely was a full figured woman who loved her body and Jacob only found her more attractive because of it. The chemistry between the two was there from the first meeting and I just really enjoyed them on the page together. A warning to readers, this is the second book in a series of six interconnected stories from various authors, which meant that the overarching wedding plot line was not concluded within this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the digital ARC, and Harlequin for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Good book about two seemingly opposites who have more in common than they expect. I enjoyed this city girl meets country boy story.

Keely was born and raised in the Brooklyn projects. She took the drive and ambition she learned from her parents and applied it to her dream of a career in fashion. Her business is everything to her, and she puts it first in her life. After years of hard work, she will take her business to the next level with her custom-designed wedding dress for movie starlet Ariana. When the power goes out in her hotel and most of the town of Royal, Ariana finds a new place to stay.

Jacob is a rancher and horse trainer who is married to his work. He has no time to make nice with some city woman but agrees to let Keely stay in his guest cabin. He plans to ignore her, but that idea disappears when he meets her.

The sparks flew between Keely and Jacob from the moment they met. Some of those sparks were antagonism, but most were attraction. Fighting it doesn't work, and since neither is interested in a relationship, they decide to go for a short-term friends-with-benefits arrangement. Two or three weeks should be enough time to get it out of their systems.

I liked Keely. She knows what she wants and doesn't beat around the bush when going after it. She's confident in who she is, and her backstory adds depth to how she got there. I loved her focus, determination, and creativity evident in her collaborations with the other vendors.

I also liked Jacob. His goal of being a top-rated trainer is within reach, and nothing will get in the way of making it happen. He's driven but not obnoxious about it. He has a good relationship with the people who work for him, and it's obvious that they respect him.

I enjoyed seeing the development of their relationship. Keely and Jacob go into their affair with the clear understanding that their work comes first, and they aren't interested in anything permanent. Though they see themselves as opposites because of the city vs. country thing, they have more in common than they realize. I enjoyed some of their time together as they shared meals, rides, life stories, and fantastic chemistry. As they spend more time together, each realizes they want more than they agreed to.

A dinner engagement with a significant potential customer brings out Jacob's nerves, and he talks Keely into coming along for moral support. But that dinner opens their eyes to their growing feelings, which sends Keely scrambling to put distance between them. I ached for Jacob, who had no idea what had happened, and I liked how he called her out on it, leaving her to do some soul-searching. The ending was good as they realized that loving each other wasn't the hindrance they feared but a chance for their dreams to come true.

Designs on a Rancher places the reader back in Royal, Texas. Keely Tucker was born and bred in Brooklyn. She’s growing her designer business from B-list celebrities to A-list, thanks to a great opportunity to style a wedding gown for actress Ariana Romos. As Keely settles into her suite in Royal, the power goes out in most of the town. Ariana comes to the rescue and finds the perfect place for Keely to spread out and work on the gown.

Jacob Chatman owns the premier horse ranch in Royal. He’s also married to his work. He begrudgingly agrees to let Keely stay in one of his cabins. The original plan is to ignore Keely, however that is hard to do as Jacob notices that Keely is thick, curvy and sexy, which is how he likes his women. She’s not what he expected and is equally caught off guard. His deep voice rumbled through the night air. Jacob tried to make snarky comments to fight his attraction, but Keely wasn’t having it and prepared to go toe to toe with him. She felt he had no right to be so sexy and a pain in the butt at the same time.

The theme is definitely opposites attract on the surface. Keely is from the big city and Jacob is a cowboy through and through. However, they also have a lot in common. Their careers are their priority, and they don’t have time to cultivate a relationship. Keely wanted “friends with benefits” but had trouble getting the “friend” part satisfied in the past. They were blunt when it came to what they wanted, but they are also thoughtful and caring. They became in tune with each other pretty quickly and the physical scenes are steamy.

Curvy and confident women are a theme in Laquette’s books. I enjoyed this story and recommend it. I received an ARC from Netgalley, in return for my honest review.

This is the 2nd book in the “Texas Cattleman’s Club Series”. I have been reading about these super sexy alpha Texas Cattlemen for some time now and I have been truly enjoying reading about their journeys to romance. This is an entertaining read that is fast-paced, witty, action packed, a little drama, page turner, great characters and a plot that held me captive. Keely is in the fashion world and making a name for herself. She is designing Ariana’s wedding dress. She hails from the big apple NYC and finds herself in Texas doing the finishing touches on Ariana’s dress. Jacob is a rancher horse trainer. Keely ends up on Jacob’s ranch in his guest house when a black out occurs in the hotel she is staying in. Both Keely and Jacob both have demanding lifestyles leaving very little room for romance that is until they meet and their attraction for each other is mutual. Keely proposes a friends with benefits relationship and Jacob graciously agrees. As the two are spending time together in and out bed enjoying each-others company they find that they both want more than a friends with benefits relationship. I so loved the camaraderie between the two of them; they are so cute. I loved Keely’s bubbly personality, speaking her mind and Jacob was giving as good as he received. If you have never read a book by LaQuette I suggest you read “Designs On A Rancher” you will definitely enjoy it just as much as I did. Less not forget the book cover it is awesome.

Can these to workaholics find a happy medium and sit back and enjoy what is brewing between them?

I received an ARC via NetGalley and HARLEQUIN - Romance (U.S. & Canada), Harlequin Desire Romance and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

A blackout leaves fashion designer Keely stranded in the guest house of rancher Jacob. Though both are married to their jobs, they fall into a passionate affair. When they catch feelings, can they make room in their lives for each other?

This is a smart, steamy, innovative romance where the characters challenge each other's expectations. They realize they can live unconstrained by convention and find a solution that works for them.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

3.5 stars

Jacob's house ranch is getting more recognition.
Keely is moving up the ranks as clothing designer. Making a name for herself.

Both recognize that while successful, they are lonely. They form a friends with benefits type relationship.

Jacob and Keely struggle with finding the perfect balance. Will business always come before pleasure?

The book was cute. It's about knowing when to compromise.

Thoughts
- The constant need to affirm she's from Brooklyn was too much
- Forced Proximity
- Quick, easy read

Honest review in exchange for ARC

3 1/2 STARS!

Tantalizingly addictive! With the second book in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Wedding series, we get dress designer Keely and rancher Jacob’s story and it’s deliciously steamy! The characters were intriguing and I enjoyed their connection, but it wasn’t one of my favorites in the TCC line up because the writing style and overuse of slang was distracting to a point but the chemistry that the couple had made them win me over regardless. The ending needed a little more to make it less abrupt and more fulfilling. I’m looking forward to more in the series!

I loved this book! The story was on point. I really enjoyed reading the love story of Keely and Jacob. Two people from different worlds but the same understanding of life. This book was steamy and romantic. I didn't want to put it down. A must read! My first read from Laquette but not my last.

Quick Summary: A friends with benefits turned into a forever romance

My Review: Designs on a Rancher by LaQuette was a fast-paced Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Wedding Series installment. It brought together Keely, a career-minded, plus-sized beauty with goals, and Jacob, a classic, lonesome cowboy who was driven to make a success of his ranch.

About the Book: This love story followed the friends with benefits trope. In this book, two strangers were brought together at the behest of mutual friends. As such, they were placed in temporary proximity to one another, due to a need for accommodation. During their time of close contact, an attraction for one another was acknowledged. Arrangements of convenience were established and BOOM, fireworks happen.

Other: While I did enjoy this book and its body positive emphasis, there were a couple of things that I count as other. The two issues didn't dramatically negate or take away from the story overall, however, they did make me pause a bit.

My Final Say: The Texas Cattleman's Club books have a way of enthralling the reader. Designs on a Rancher is no less captivating. I would recommend giving it a read.

Rating: 3.25/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A

I voluntarily read this title via NetGalley. Thank you to the author and to the publisher for affording me an opportunity to review this digital ARC.

Keely is a Brooklyn girl, an ambitious stylist on the verge of to realizing her dream of becoming a big name designer. Jacob is successful and quite firmly a Texas rancher. Though both are African American they are as opposite as can be in every other way. But their attraction to one another is off the charts.There’s no way they have the time, or inclination, to sacrifice their ambitions to a real relationship so they decide to hook up. That should get the desire out of their systems, right? Well…

Keely is a driven woman who is forthright in her speech. She says what’s on her mind and we, and Jacob, like her the more for it. She doesn’t have a lot of that simpering internal monologue you just want her to come out with. It is fun to see her internally processing her desire for Jacob, though. She is described as curvy and thick and full figured and I love a heroine who looks like me. She refers to her hips as ‘happy hips’! And she is driven to be the best in her business. She doesn’t have time for a relationship.

Jacob, aside from being a dreamy muscled hunk, really knows how to treat a woman. He can focus on them when he’s with them but simply doesn’t have time to hack away from his business to create a relationship.

There’s enough backstory on both of them to make each more multidimensional. Even though this is all happening within a few weeks there is enough time given to their attraction and their coming to terms with it. It doesn’t feel forced or slutty. But there are some dreamy steamy times!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

ARC Review: Designs On A Rancher

Fire!

First, I’d like to thank NetGalley for the advance reviewer’s copy of Designs On A Rancher by LaQuette, which is being released via Harlequin Desire under Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Wedding.

From the first second, Keely Tucker sets foot on Jacob Chatman’s ranch, the sparks start to fly. She’s a no-nonsense, self-made, ambitious designer on a deadline. He’s a hardworking, horse-whispering big-time rancher that will let nothing get in the way of building his empire. The attraction between them is hard to deny, but neither of them has time for clingy relationships, so they decide to hookup. What transpires next is all heat and fire. The chemistry between these two characters is off the charts! Sexy.

LaQuette delivers smooth, realistic dialogue and chemistry between the two well-developed characters. She sets the stage perfectly for the story that unfolds. There is a little bit of angst, but in traditional Harlequin fashion, we don’t sit there too long.

Overall, this is a lovely opposites-attract story filled with passion and a definite must-read. My only issue is that the story felt rushed near the end, and several interesting supporting character arcs didn’t come to fruition. These have less to do with the author’s capability and, I suspect, more to do with the publisher and their parameters. Additionally, I received an advance reviewer’s copy, so edits still need to be made that I hope the publisher will fix before release.

If you’re looking for a steamy, feel-good opposites-attract story, Designs On A Rancher is it.