This Anthology had three stories written by three different authors. The three stories did not 'connect' with each other, however the last 2 stories did have the theme of cowboys to tie them together.
*The first story, The Hawk's Shadow, written by Diana Palmer, was my least favorite of the three stories because it felt like the characters, or maybe the plot, was just disjointed . I'm not sure why but it just didn't flow smoothly for me . I did like the characters but just something was a little off for me so I didn't enjoy it as much as the other two stories.
*The Second Story, Rescue: Rancher Style, written by Rebecca Zanetti was my favorite story of the 3. I liked the characters, the second chance Romance, and how Rebecca Zanetti connected this story with her Redemption, Wyoming series. Having previous characters in this story was awesome and I enjoyed reading about all of the characters including how Greg and Tara are thrown into a situation that helps them realize what they truly need in life.
*The third story, A Cowboy Kind of Romance, by Delores Fossen was a quick and fun read. This was another second chance romance between Brenna and Theo. Brenna came home from the military to lots of changes that her High School love, who had broken her heart to take off for a successful Rodeo career, had to tell her about. There were a lot of crazy antics that happened throughout the story because the entire town was trying to play matchmaker with Brenna and Theo. The end turned out as it should be because sparks were definitely flying between those two characters.
-Overall, this was a great Anthology that I definitely enjoyed reading.

I love anthologies! They are a good way to discover new authors or are a quick read when you’re pressed for time! And you just can’t go wrong with cowboys! Yes, please!

THE HAWK’S SHADOW by Diana Palmer ⭐⭐
This is my first read from the author and I was kinda sad reading this story. I didn’t really notice a cowboy and I did not like the heroine at all. She was a little too rough around the edges, had a big chip on her shoulder and was a bit mean. Well, Gil was too and that dynamic made me lose interest in the story. Even though this one wasn’t for me, I’d definitely check out the author again.

RANCHER STYLE by Rebecca Zanetti ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Now this one is more my style! I love a second chance romance story and really enjoyed this one! The characters are easily loveable, the storyline kept me engaged and I was disappointed when it ended because I wanted more!

A COWBOY KIND OF ROMANCE by Delores Fossen ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was my first read from this author as well and I enjoyed the story. This one is another second chance romance but had a couple secondary relationships in the mix too! The more the merrier I say. The story made me smile and I’d love to learn more about this world. I hope there are more stories.

Overall, He’s My Cowboy is a solid read. It started off a little wobbly but finished strong. I’d definitely recommend this anthology and I’m looking forward to learning more about the authors!

A trio of fun cowboy romances by some great authors. They were short, sweet, and heartwarming. Predictable but entertaining. Easy to read.

Although I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher all thoughts and opinions are my own.

He’s My Cowboy
Diana Palmer
Rebecca Zanetti
Delores Fossen
June 27, 2023

He’s My Cowboy is a book that contains 3 novellas, Diana Palmer’s The Hawk’s Shadow, Rebecca Zanetti’s Rancher Style, and Delores Fossen’s A Cowboy Kind of Romance. It’s a delightful read that provides a different look at cowboy romance via these famous author’s style. They were all fun to read with some love and suspense thrown in. It is a worthy purchase or library selection that gives the reader a shorter pick up for a day at the beach or a rainy weekend.
He’s My Cowboy was published on June 27, 2023 by Zebra Books of Kensington Publishing Corporation. They allowed me to read and review this selection via NetGalley. Really enjoy the works of these authors so spending time on their novellas was a treat. A long novel is great but sometimes there is such a reward of having a few selections under one title. Each well written story gives us a look at three different women who are enthralled by their sexy cowboy picks. Do enjoy this one!

For those who don’t know, I no longer read and/or review Diana Palmer’s stories. She’s an author whose style just doesn’t mesh with me and after giving her a few tries I felt it was unfair to knowingly review an author I know isn’t going to work for me. It wastes my time and it feels a bit like I’m bullying. It’s like reviewers who pick up a book about sex and then complain there’s too much sex. I digress. My point is that this review is on only two of the three stories in this book, and the rating is an average of the two. What can I say? Ms. Palmer often has compilations with my favorite authors and I just can’t pass them up. The stories in this compilation do not interconnect so there are no issues on reading however many you want.

Rescue: Rancher Style by Rebecca Zanetti

While this story can easily be read as a standalone, I want to mention that two previous short stories take place in this same story world and they are all prequels to the Redemption Wyoming series which will be coming up…hopefully soon. I have been enjoying these peeks into the Cattleman Club and the town immensely.

I love how a short story forces the characters to speak their minds instead of holding things in. There are multiple times in this tale where, instead of wondering what the other is thinking, the character straight out asks. You don’t want to platonically share a bed? Instead of hurt feelings lingering, Greg flat out tells Tara he won’t be able to keep his hands to himself. There is still enough miscommunication to keep a low level of will they/won’t they, but it’s so condensed I didn’t have time to get annoyed.

Greg has a lot of demons, but he loves hard and cannot help his protective instincts. He has a lot to learn about sharing his life with others. He became an instant father to three teens and wants to control the situation to keep everyone safe and happy, instead, he is driving wedges into all the relationships. With Tara’s help, he learns to allow others to help him and to talk about his feelings. I really enjoyed this story.
~ 5 stars

A Cowboy Kind of Romance by Delores Fossen

This story started quite cute, but I felt as though there was possibly a book about the sister and brother that came first. It didn’t make the story between Brenna and Theo confusing, but it made certain things seem out of place.

For a very quick story that doesn’t delve too deeply into feelings or why people did the things they did in the past, this works perfectly. The townspeople and families are nosy, the MFC and MMC are still in love even though they broke up years ago, their siblings are getting married (to each other!) so they are thrown together quite often…it’s all there. Yet I was left feeling as though I wanted more.
~ 3 stars

Summary: I found these to be perfect summer day reads. They are fast reads perfect for the beach or poolside when you have a little time to yourself.

Overall Rating = 4 stars

**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

I only read ‘Rescue: Rancher Style’ by Rebecca Zanetti

3 stars

Rescue: Rancher Style is the third novella in Rebecca Zanetti’s Redemption, Wyoming series. It’s a short and sweet second-chance-romance with a single (sort of) dad, and a fake marriage.

Tara and Greg were high school sweethearts who were madly in love, but it all fell apart when Greg joined the marines. It wasn’t an easy break up, but Tara moved on, and it’s now around ten years later and Greg has returned to their small home town of Redemption, Wyoming following the death of his brother, to care for his teenage nephews and niece.

Greg is a hardened marine, now rancher, and he’s working hard to balance everything that’s going on in his life. He’s alpha and a bit broody, and he doesn’t talk much, but he has a big heart, and wants only to provide and care for the family that he loves so much. So when a custody battle begins, he needs a wife to complete the picture of a stable home environment, and Tara just happens to be there. It's all a bit unexpected, but they agree to marry for two months while everything gets sorted, and then go their separate ways… but it doesn’t work out like that.

It’s a great set up with lots of fun tropes, and as a romance junkie, I was fully on board to watch all of this play out. But the romance is not so prominent in this book, I didn’t feel the love story as much as I was hoping. There was definitely a spark between Greg and Tara, but not a lot of dialogue, and we don’t really see much of them together. I actually enjoyed the family side of the story more – Greg trying to help his grieving nephews and niece, who are all struggling in their own ways, and I loved seeing them work through it all together.

“Your world is wide open, Lucas. But this is your home, and it will always be here, and so will I … I’ve got you, bud. I really do.”

There is drama and feels, and there is a mini-suspense storyline brought in at the end that brings a bit of excitement to the story, and it all wraps up nicely with a happy ending.

I’m looking forward to this series kicking off for real. We’ve had three novellas now, but I feel like we haven’t gotten to the crux of it yet, particularly when it comes to the “Cattle Club men”. Hints have been dropped, and I’m excited to eventually delve into their stories.

This book can easily be read as a standalone, and it’s an easy, enjoyable read.

3 stars.

**The Hawk’s shadow by Diana Palmer

Probably my least favorite story in this collection.

At first, I was very intrigued. Nemara was an interesting character, and the way she worked with Gil kept me entertained for a while. But then, I guessed the culprit way before professional investigators apparently, and it was wrapped up pretty quickly at the end.

Add to that a little woo-woo that I didn’t care for, and a very prude romance, and I couldn’t wait for the story to end.

Also, multiple changes in the point of view in each chapter confused me. I felt this story was rushed.

**Rescue: rancher style by Rebecca Zanetti

This was my favorite story. I thought the second chance between Tara and Greg wasn’t badly written, although the fake marriage appeared out of nowhere.

The way Greg adapted to his new life–guardian of three grieving teenagers and with an old love as a wife–was quite interesting. The struggles felt real. I wanted to slap the girl, but her rebellious attitude is what puts her in trouble, and gives a little more action to the story.

I didn’t enjoy much the ending though, as it was pretty similar to the ending of another story by the author in the same world. But I loved seeing the Cattle Club again, and I can’t wait to see more of them.

**A cowboy kind of romance by Delores Fossen

I wasn’t fan of the premise–the matchmaking gave me second hand embarassment–but Brenna and Theo were a nice couple.

It was a lightning fast second chance though, and I felt they didn’t have enough time to fall in love again. Actually, the author is quite clear at the beginning, writing about their lust, but sometime during the story, it becomes love and I couldn’t see it.

Some of the side plots–Brenna’s parents’ relationship, the love campaign, Theo’s accident and recovery–deserved to be more developped. Like this story was only a detailed summary of a longer, better one.

As it was, it wasn’t bad at all though, and it was probably the sexiest.

**Conclusion

Quality wasn’t consistent, and there wasn’t much of a common thread between the stories. I mean, Gil wasn’t even a cowboy, while the second and third stories had similar elements–like a character back from the army, and the second chance part. That kind of collection is still a nice way to discover new authors.

Quickie

- Series: collection of interconnected stories (linked to other books by the authors)
- Hashtags: #cowboy romance #second chance #workplace romance #small town romance #fake marriage
- Triggers: past death, mention of human trafficking
- Main couples: Nemara Landreth & Gil Barnes / Tara Webber & Greg Simpson / Brenna O’Sullivan & Theo Cameron
- Hotness: from 1/5 to 3/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + quality and sexyness were highly variable between the stories
- – I feel like second chance is just another way to write instalove

Hawk's Shadow by Diana Palmer
Gil has a new job and is trying to prove he can do the job but when they find a buried body, they have to call in an expert to help them solve the mystery. The problem is Gil and Nemara don't get along right from the start. The problem is they both have some baggage that kept them from being as friendly as they should have been in the beginning. But as the mystery unfolds as to whom the body belongs to, they find they have things in common and are a lot more likable than the other one thought they were. Of course there has to be a small misunderstanding what causes some drama between then before they finally talk and clear things up. It was a fun story.


RESCUE: RANCHER STYLE by Rebecca Zanetti
Greg now has custody of his three nephews and niece after a bit of a custody battle. But the judge only granted him custody after he heard that Greg was getting married to Tara, his first love. If they don't get married and fake their way through for a few months, Greg will lose custody of the kids and part of his ranch and Tara can't let that happen so she agrees to this fake marriage, for now. I love a second chance romance and that's what we get here. These two care about each other even though they don't think they other still has feelings. But sometimes faking your way in a relationship and being in close proximity to each other can rekindle the feelings. Dealing with three teenagers is another thing all together and he really needed Tara's help in that department.


A COWBOY KIND OF ROMANCE by Delores Fossen
Brenna and Theo broke up a long time ago but those feelings never really went away. So when Brenna comes home to a whole lot of new news including the fact that her parents are getting divorced, Theo isn't the first person she's wanting to be seeing but Her mom and his mom seem to want to throw them together every chance they get. Not to mention that Brenna's sister keeps throwing them together for one reason or another. There's so much match making going on from both sides of the family. But it was obvious that they still had feelings for each other even if it took them a little while to admit it to themselves and start to let those feelings show once again. This was such a sweet second chance romance.

I really liked these novellas but Hawk's Shadow wasn't as good as they other two for me and I read this because I love Diana Palmer most of the time. It was still good but it was slow to start.

Disclosure: I was given an e-ARC of this book by NetGalley but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

THE HAWK’S SHADOW *by Diana Palmer - 2*
Gil and Namara didn’t really work as a couple for me. This is more of a cold case crime mystery with a deputy Sherriff and forensic archaeologist forming a good working relationship to solve it. No romance and no cowboys either, which is confusing given the title of the anthology.

RESCUE: RANCHER STYLE * by Rebecca Zanetti - 5*
This is very different from the type of books the author usually writes, but utterly engrossing despite that! Greg and Tara have a complicated history, but both step up to help his orphaned niece and nephews. I loved how parts of the story were told from the niece’s perspective, so you really get a sense of everyone’s perspectives and motivations. It’s a fairly clean romance, but there is palpable chemistry and a deep emotional connection between Greg and Tara. This is the second novella I’ve read in this series and I really want to read more - hopefully a full length novel next time?!

A COWBOY KIND OF ROMANCE * by Delores Fossen 4*
I loved this book and thought Brenna and Theo were a great couple. similar to the previous novella, the two main characters have a history - in this case work took them to different places. Finally te stars are aligned and both are back in their home town for good. The setting is lovely, from the name of the town to the legend of finding true love under the tree - just adorable! There is some gentle humour and plenty of romance when both families scheme to get these two back together. I’m looking forward to reading more about Loveland from this new-to-me author.

Absolutely loved this compilation, all three authors gave great romantic and suspenseful stories and I loved that the per wolf's of the heroes tied everything together.

Great set of novellas from three established and extremely good authors.

He’s My Cowboy
by Diana Palmer, Rebecca Zanetti and Delores Fossen

In order of preference:

Rescue: Rancher Style by Rebecca Zanetti 5 Stars

With the death of his brother, Greg left the Marines to take care of his teenage nephews and niece. He is finding out that dealing with the teenagers is more difficult than dealing with the soldiers in his command. Each one is handling the death of their father differently and Greg has to figure it out fast. Sharon, the brother’s former wife is suing for custody which would also include half of the ranch. Tara, the girl Greg left behind may help solve his many problems.
Although a novella, Rebecca Zanetti does a great job with this story. There are some minor characters in the Cattle Club I would like to read more about.

A Cowboy Kind of Romance by Delores Fossen 5 Stars

This is the first story I have read by Delores Fossen and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Captain Brenna O’Sullivan is retiring from the military. On her way home, she encounters some interesting messages on signs that direct her to her ex’s family ranch. Once there her ex Theo has the job of telling her some news that her family hopes will not upset her.
This was a good story with a HEA ending.

The Hawk’s Shadow by Diana Palmer 3 Stars

Skeletal remains are found near a water pipe break. Gil, the sheriff’s new investigator needs the help of a forensic archeologist. He calls the state crime lab for help and the boss can’t wait to send Nemara to get her out of the office. She is awkward and has a problem dealing with others. There first encounter does not go well.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC.

This is a 3-in-1 book with books by Diana Palmer, Rebecca Zanetti, and Delores Fossen. The tie-in for all 3 stories is that they are all ex-military members.

Book 1 is The Hawk’s Shadow By Diana Palmer. Gil needs to prove himself in his new role as sheriff’s investigator. That means working alongside a hotshot expert from the state crime lab who’s come to Colorado to help untangle a long-ago mystery. But if they stop butting heads, they might discover a surprising connection.

So, I didn't really care for this story. Gil and Nemara didn't really seem like they even liked each other, let alone had a romantic interest in each other. The suspense portion of the story wasn't bad. I just didn't feel like there was any romance to the story at all. I'd give this one 2 stars, as I really didn't like them together.

Book 2 is Rescue: Rancher Style by Rebecca Zanetti. Leaving the Marines and returning to Redemption as heir to the family ranch—and guardian to three wayward teenagers—Greg is in way over his head. But he’s learned some deadly lessons since leaving his first love behind. And when she’s in danger, nothing will stop him from saving her.

I am always a sucker for anything this author writes and this story was no exception to that. Greg and Tara have not only a history together, but they have this chemistry that you can't help but love. Along with them having to be parent figures to teens (and we all know how teenagers act!) they have to learn to trust one another again. And figure out if they can truly be together and happy. Throw in the suspense portion of the story, and I was completely hooked and didn't want it to end! I'd definitely give this story 5 stars and wish it had been longer!

Book 3 is A Cowboy Kind of Romance by Delores Fossen. After eight years in the Air Force, Brenna’s hanging up her uniform and returning home to Loveland, Texas. News of her parents’ separation has shaken her faith in love, even if the whole town is eager to matchmake between Brenna and her high-school flame. But never underestimate a cowboy’s powers of persuasion.

This story was pretty good as well. Usually it's kind of hit or miss with me and this author, so I was pleasantly surprised with this one! Brenna and Theo have a history, and he hurt her when he left. But they still have this chemistry together which I liked. The only thing I didn't like-yes, the town was playing matchmaker and throwing them together A LOT, but it also seemed like they were constantly trying to push Brenna into being with him without letting her actually get to know him NOW vs then. It kinda annoyed me at times, but not to the detriment of the actual story and reading it. I'd give it a solid 4 stars.

So all in all, not a bad read at all. I'd give the whole set a 4 just because of how much I loved the 2nd story and liked the 3rd. Definitely well worth the read!

Three great authors together again! Loved all three, but my favorite is still Rebecca Zanetties story. Really a second chance story. Greg and Tara are thrown together and must work through lots of baggage to get where they need to get. Strong secondary characters.

These three super light and fluffy romances are a great way to spend an afternoon. They are sweet and fresh, and a little bit silly, so an easy read. Quite the variation as well - sheriffs and snakes, matchmakers and found family.

Nice to meet some new authors as well. Recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the authors for the ARC. This is an honest review.

I received an early copy, read Zanetti’s novella and wrote my honest review. While there are three novellas in this book I read one of them because it was part of a series that I’m familiar with and really enjoy. Rescue: Ranger Style takes place in Redemption, Wyoming among ranchers and a special group of ex-military that seem to have a keen interest in protecting the town. Greg, a Marine, and Tara, a high school teacher, were high school sweethearts when life got in the way and separated them. Now they must work together to save his family, the kids his brother trusted him with after he passed, and realize how perfect they are together. The story is quick, light yet suspenseful and intriguing. It’s not necessary to have read the previous books.

In the first book Hawk’s Eye, we have Neymar’s and Gill with the mystery to solve tons in common and something that turns in to Love. She’s a big city specialist and he’s a good old boy from the small hometown. I really enjoyed this book and long that they came together not from an intense sexual attraction but from things they had in common and they sent that each other we’re really good people. I found this one to be the smartest because were attracted by a mutual respect as opposed to a base instinct. This in the next book were totally my favorites. The next book is Rescue, Ranger Style, This one is with Tara and Greg it is a second chance romance with a fairytale story line and ending even though Sunny💕 on my this one is with Tara and Greg it is a second chance romance with a fairytale storyline AN ending even though some may find the storyline hard to believe the writing style is enough that you get swept away and invested enough you want a happy ending. This one also involves a Ranger coming home to take care of his deceased brothers kids all on his own. The third and final book is A Cowboy Kind of Love, this is also a second chance romance with Mandy and Ralph but there was something about it I just did it like I want to say it was stereotypical but weren’t they all? I just found I like the other stories way better than death or not to say that one wasn’t good because OMG I loved the last chapter with the wedding so I guess all of these books are great but one and two Orathai and three is definitely second place altogether they’re still so worth reading they all come from great romance writers and with cowboys and good old hometown boy do you can’t go wrong with any of these riders in this book and you get three stories for the price of one. this is a great book and one I highly recommend. I received this book from NetGalley and The publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

What a great combination of authors in this book! Diana Palmer's "The Hawk's Shadow" - while there is no hawk so to speak Diana is a reliable author and does not disappoint with this novella, especially for those who enjoy cold case mysteries.

Rebecca Zanetti, my go-to for many genres she shares with us, and they NEVER disappoint - "Rescue: Ranger Style" is the perfect second chance story with Greg and Tara, but you won't find out for sure until the end! Rebecca always gives amazing insight into her characters which really lends to the push and pull of the story.

Delores Fossen is a new author for me, and I enjoyed the strong female character found in Captain Brenna Sullivan, a veteran of the Air Force. Nothing like a meddling family to interfere with best-laid plans. Good characters, Interesting family dynamics, and still has me wondering what is really going on in Texas.

I really like these anthologies They read quickly and you can get your romance, mystery, and western fix easily - along with exposure to new authors and those that we know and love to read!

Thanks to Zebra and Kensington for the ARC, More anthologies, please!

This was a really good anthology. I enjoy the stories by all three authors. If you are in the mood for cowboys, this is the anthology for you. For the Diana Palmer story, I enjoyed the connection between the hero and heroine In the Rebecca Zanetti story I really enjoyed that. We saw characters from redemption Wyoming once again. I enjoyed the second chance aspect of the story. For Dolores Lawson, I enjoyed the pace of the story and was entertained throughout. All in all this is an excellent anthology and quick reading.

If you’re looking for a boxset of cowboy romance that will have you thinking about packing up your car and moving to find your own Stetson wearing guy this is the read for you! These authors wrote fantastic stories with great characters, beautiful settings and varied levels of spice. I was a very happy reader.

This anthology is comprised of three short stories that are very different in nature.

In Palmer’s story, I was disappointed that there is no cowboy involved unless I missed the nuance altogether. I thought that was a bit odd. The story was decent, but there is no romance in this book at all. The main characters had a decent connection, but this author cannot write romance. No steam. No feelings. No Emotion. It was quite a disappointing read for me. 2 STARS

In Zanetti’s story, I really enjoyed the interconnection between the main characters. This was a longer story than the first and nicely written. The big twist was a bit cheesy but endearing. They really did belong together. Sweet story! 4 STARS

Fossen’s story was my favorite. We got a bit of spice with our romance in this one. The family and small-town antics were a bit over the top, but the fire that burned between the two was worth the eye rolls. I wish this one would have been a bit longer. 4 STARS

Overall pick up He’s My Cowboy for books two and three. They are the type of cowboy story we like to read even though they are a tad urban cowboy-ish.