This is a good book. The two main characters are Tori and Delon. There is an instant attraction. They have weekend fling. Several years later Delon has an accident at the rodeo, has surgery, now is going to therapy. He has a new therapist, who is Tori. She helps Delon to see what kind of training he needs. They start dating. They each have trust issues it togeththey work them out and fall in love.

This was a slow burn romance driven by both character development AND the plot. As a country girl who loves horses and all things rodeo, I was keen to get stuck into this book. I enjoyed the layers to this story, with the challenging topics it explored, along with the humour and second chance trope- which isn't usually my go-to trope.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Plot:
Delon is a successful bull rider and has a job at the family business, Sanchez Trucking waiting for once his rodeo career ends—an adorable son with Violet to almost complete the family. A fatal and career-threatening accident later everything changes. Joe (Violet’s new love interest) getting welcomed by the Jacobs and hero-worshipped by his son, is the last straw. Grappling with intense loss and anger at hitting rock bottom, Delon needs a break. Can the new therapist make things better?
No longer the naive girl Delon knew, Tori lost her husband to an accident and tabloids feasted on her grief. Scrutiny, slurs, and societal appropriation, she is fed up. Fending off her mother’s manipulation, Tori finds herself back home in Dumas, to live, grieve, and rope as she pleases. A highly skilled therapist, her interest in Delon is purely professional. She is too emotionally exhausted for anything else. Her mind knows it, but does her body obey? And his distasteful past treatment of her is too deep a wound to heal. Why would she walk down that same path now?

Premise: Spanning out of dysfunctional family settings, our characters have many emotional challenges stripped bare in their doomed history. Fear of abandonment complimented with fear of control makes for a commitment-resistent + angsty/jealous dynamics. A messy situation creates room for significant character development.

Character: The central characters are rife with human failings. Delon and Tori aren’t caricaturish, their development, struggles, and actions, all ring with a raw reality. Their mistakes, individual and shared, have spiraled into destructive consequences. Isolated in their ways, it would take courage to let down the walls and entertain the hope of reconciliation, with each other and the others. Address attitudes, issues, and insecurities, the characters take charge of their life, changing them for the better.

Writing: Beaut! The imagery had a visceral appeal and the characters were naturally loveable. One show stealer barn cat. Two, impressive secondary characters: Gil, Cole, Shawnee, and Beni. Third, the rodeo focus. The tactile details of the glamourous arena and the back-breaking hard work; the flashy sport and the harsh livelihood reality; the glory and the potential for fatal injuries, all made the rodeo circuit come alive from within the lines. The weaving of rodeo into the story, strong enough to be grounding without overshadowing the story, speaks for the expertise of the writing.

Emotions: There is fiery passion but there’s also tender consideration. The mature handling of substance abuse, co-parenting, and family dysfunction is winsome. A nuanced portrayal of grief and loss in its different stages was thought-provoking. Instead of a ‘love fixes everything’ story, this narrative allows for confrontation, self-reflection, and making amends. From misunderstandings and assumptions to frank communication, from avoidance and escape to acceptance and behavior change; this book depicts resilience foundational to good relationships.

Vibe: Second chance romance, rodeo vibes, found family, rediscovering your life post-tragedy, sexual chemistry, slow burn romance, a match in stubbornness.

Conclusion: I loved it. It reminded me why I read so many romances. The multi-layered and well-developed protagonists are made memorable by the authenticity and vibrant details of rodeo life. Unlike the combust-at-first-sight kind of smutty reads, this book features a wholesome romance. It features some over-the-top stuff but gives an old M&B vibe.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this wholesome read. I loved every second of it!

I love a cowboy and this one was perfect! Great story about healing and second chances. Amazing read that you won't want to put down.

This book was so good and it gave me so much heartache! I really enjoyed the characters and I enjoyed this book so much that I ended up reading the first book in the series because I enjoyed Dell's writing so much! Thank you so much to NetGally for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

So this is a new to me author. I liked Tori she was fun read she seemed at first this girl who just took crap from everyone and was easy to push around, however with life and how things were thrown at her she was not as it seemed. She was a pistol and had no problem telling you what she was thinking. I liked how even if she didn't like someone she always tried to find the best in everyone she came in contact with. Delon he was ok to me he had some frustration and demons he dealt with but he came of like a spoiled use to getting his way kind of person. I loved Miz Iris she was everyones mama and there was no messing around she said what needed to be said and did what needed to be done and loved all her "kids". Overall this was a fun story to read will have you laughing for sure. There is adult content so it may no be suitable for all readers.

This is the second book in a wonderful series by the late Kari Lynn Dell. Delon Sanchez is in a funk. He has a career threatening injury. His son would rather be with his mothers new boyfriend. And to top it off his old girlfriend has moved back to town. Good story.

My Honest Review:
As a girl who loves rodeo and lived in Texas for a little while, I was so excited to get approved for this NetGalley ARC and for the most part, I enjoyed the story: a small-town romance, a second chance at love, FWB to lovers (not a trope I read often). Tangled in Texas is a slow burn standalone romance that had a lot of depth and was both character- and plot-driven. Throughout the story, we see a lot of emphasis on working on personal issues and moving on from past mistakes. Tori and Delon each must work through their own problems of loss and grief, family drama, and injuries that could mean hanging up your boots for good.

Why This Rating?
I chose to rate it 3.5 stars rounding up to 4 stars because it was just too much of a slow burn for me. There was a ton of backstory, which adds to the relationship aspect of the plot and shows that it isn’t just lust in our main characters’ eyes, but the book took longer for me to read because it was so slow. I was hoping for something a little faster-paced. One thing I beyond loved about the book was the rodeo focus where readers are almost taught about the ins and outs of rodeo – how it works, the practice that goes into the sports, how high the stakes are, the potential injuries, etc. Kari Lynn Dell made it a point to not only touch on rodeo but really give readers a front row view into the rodeo sports and how these riders depend on rodeos as their livelihood.

Something I Noticed:
At the end of the book, it’s mentioned that it was Delon’s first-time having sex without a condom, but he has a son and it’s implied that the son isn’t from a “the condom broke” situation but from a “there was no condom” event. This isn’t a huge deal but was an inconsistency I noticed.

Do I Recommend It?
While it was a slower burn romance for me, I definitely recommend it if you love rodeo or are interested in rodeo, like a slow romance, and don’t want a lot of spicy romance. It was an overall cute read and I plan on going back and reading the other five books in the series.

This is the second book from the series and it is about a second chance between Delon and Tori. I loved the story and the characters all unique well well-developed with depth. It is great to see how both Tori and evolve even stronger and better. I loved it; the humor, sarcasm life, and love.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly

Quick Summary: A second chance with a cowboy

My Review: Tangled in Texas by Kari Lynn Dell is associated with the Texas Rodeo series. It is book #2.

About the Book: After suffering life altering challenges, a cowboy and a therapist are unexpectedly reunited. As they learn how to deal with major life changes all around, they also have to come to terms with where their hearts belong. Can they find love, satisfaction and contentment together or is it best that they remain apart?

My Final Say: This novel had multiple layers. It explored some pretty heavy issues, such as substance abuse, co parenting, and family dysfunction. Readers who prefer a gen-fic story with a complicated past to second chance trope will certainly get it in this one.

Rating: 3.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Series: Yes
Status/Level: 👍

Thank you to the author, to the publisher (SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca), and to NetGalley for granting access to this title in exchange for an honest review.

Delon and Tori have a complicated past. They were involved, but she disappeared with no explanation. Now she is back as a widow with a lot on her shoulders. Delon is dealing with the potenial loss of his career and family issues. This story is full of realistic grappling with life and its difficulties.

I loved the second chance second time around romance between Tori and Delon, if they can just be real with each other and start talking to one another.
She had a marriage and he had a kid in between their chances.
It was a pure pleasure to read this romance but it’s one of those books where a secondary character stole the show. Shawnee was hysterically acerbic and blunt. I loved her sit down session with Delon and Tori and set them straight. I couldn’t stop laughing.
A close second was the snarly barn cat.
Shawnee needs her own book!

Tangled in Texas by Kari Lynn Dell is a rerelease, apparently Ms. Dell has died. It was a terrific cowboy romance, with plenty of cowboy in it. Many romances mention the ranch and the hat once and that is it. Not so this wonderful story about Delon Sanchez who is recovering rom an injury he had sustained while riding bareback, his rodeo event of choice. When he arrives at his therapy appointment he is surprised to discover that his therapist is a woman from his past, Tori Hancock. She used to be Patterson so she must be married. Well, time to give it a whirl. She seemed to know what she was doing. He had missed her for a long time after she just up and left. So much he’d hooked up and had a son. He regretted the hook-up. He didn’t regret the son, Beni. He was living in an apartment over the garage of his family’s business: Sanchez Trucking. It wasn’t much. His attitude didn’t require much more. His brother, Gil, ran the business now, but his dad was still around. His mother had run back to the res years ago. He still missed Tori, but he’d missed his chance so he was determined to work his way back onto the circuit.

Delon learned a lot in the space of this book. He shook off his attitude and realized that everything was available to him but he had to do something to deserve it. His son wanted a father who did more than sit and brood. Tori’s heart was still broken from the death of her husband. Why had she come back here, anyway? She had a house, a bit of a dump, and twenty acres, with a practice arena. Was it just going to sit there? This was an emotional journey for both of them. They both had things to over come, not the least of which was their previous relationship and the immaturity of it. Tori had to adjust to people she hadn’t liked in the past and she had to adjust to her father and his desires for a new life. It was a lot, but it was a terrific read with a compelling storyline and interesting characters beyond the two leads. Thanks Kari Lynn Dell!

I was invited to read Tangled in Texas by Sourcebooks Casablanca. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #SourcebooksCasablanca #KariLynnDell #TangledInTexas

This second chance at love romance features two people who are in need of a new direction in life. They have been traumatized by past events and have fears, insecurities and emotional pain that they find hard to put aside or control. Both Delon and Tori are in mourning for a life that is lost to them. A horrific accident has left him with injuries that make a life on the rodeo circuit he loves nearly impossible. Along with a failed marriage, Delon is feeling rather lost, angry and frustrated. Tori is grieving the loss of her husband and trying to carry on without him while also staying out of the limelight that comes with her father’s career as a senator. Her mother’s effort to control or manipulate her again is another reason to leave the big city behind. She is emotionally numb and just going through the motions of life. Neither ever expected to see each other again after so many years, but Fate has seen fit to give them an opportunity to find clarity, healing and maybe another chance at love.

Delon and Tori were once sweethearts until she just walked away. Neither have forgotten each other, but they both moved on and had other relationships. Now Tori is a physical therapist and Delon is a patient in need of her help. At first, there is just a tense awkwardness between them, neither recognizing the new version of each other. The coldness, the brittleness of Tori and the terse, frustrated Delon. They both realize that during their brief five month affair, they only saw what they wanted to see and never really knew each other. Moving forward becomes a dance of advance and retreat, avoid each other then can’t get close enough. Both have to let go of the past, deal with the fears, insecurities and trust issues before they can build a future together. Their families just add to the list of things they have to confront, deal with and resolve.

Delon and Tori are fascinating, as is their story. This book has funny and emotional moments, some heartache and angst. It has it’s slow moments, but overall this book is a great read.

My sweet country heart exploded!

This second chance love story was too sweet to let go of.

A little slow in the beginning as we got to know Delon and Tori. Their dynamics, their damage and especially their hearts.

Delon is a prickly one having torn his knee apart in a horrific rodeo accident. Tori is coming home heartbroken after her “normal” husband died saving a group of school children. Coming back together after years apart they need to find more than just the magic. They need to find the staying power.

Add a 6 year old given a whistle, a best-friend turned coparent, her new man, a surely brother, an ambitious mother and a senator dad that just wants the best for his babies and you’ve got a recipe for meddling, needling, and sweet sweet love.

This book was a little slow off the hop. But once it moved, I couldn’t put it down. The writing was beautiful, the imagery was simply stunning and the characters were naturally loveable. Even the damned barn cat!

If you love rodeo and cowboys and broken men (and women) who just need fixing… this is the story for you!

What a lovely slow burn cowboy romance. I really enjoyed this story.

This second chance romance has been written with so much heart and care. I cared about Tori and Delon and was rooting for them to have their HEA.

I didn't realise this was the second book in the series but this didn't seem t matter as from the very beginning I was transported into the world of the rodeo. I now want to go back and read the first book in the series.

This book is VERY SLOW BURN, but I love that and liked the build up and tension it created between the two leads.

A very enjoyable read. Highly recommend.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I love Second Chance Romances. This one was pretty good. I was pleanstantly surprised that I was getting back into them. It's been awhile since I've read one.

I have been provided with a review copy of Tangled in Texas from NetGalley for an impartial review. This book was just so easy to get lost in. I completely got lost in the story and I just loved getting to see these new characters come together. I just absolutely love this story and I just didn’t want to put it down. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

Tangled in Texas, the second book in the Texas Rodeo Series by Kari Lynn Dell is a second chance story of life and love. Delon Sanchez’s life may look calm on the outside or at least it used to look that way. However, even before his major injury, it was a hot mess. The very same can be said for Tori Patterson. Both have worked so hard for where they are in life but they both carry a ton of baggage. Now after a perhaps career ending injury the two of them meet up again.

This slow burn romance does a powerful job of showing how the characters needed to address attitudes, issues and struggles in their lives. No one thing will make their lives perfect but working together especially on Delon’s rehab brought it all out, along with feelings that they had never truly addressed. Throughout the story, resilience, healing, and acceptance are woven.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is all about seizing second chances and rethinking the direction of your life, and as a second chance romance this is all I wanted! Delon, who is the ex of the first FMC in the series, has kind of taken for granted what his life will be - he is a successful bull rider, he has a kid he adores and he assumes that he’ll finish up his rodeo career, walk into a job in his family’s trucking company and get back with his ex and the family that they have created. But by the end of the first book, all that comes crushing down and he must now deal with a career-threatening injury. And who should be his new physical therapist? Tori the woman he had tangled with years ago. Tori is also running - her husband has died in a tragic accident and being the daughter of a senator means that she is trying to avoid her grief becoming gossip fodder for the masses. Both reeling from their brief relationship when they were young and trying to make up for the mistakes that they had made - Delon who had treated her as convenient even when he wanted her to be more and Tori who had set Delon up to fail in a test he didn’t even know he was taking.
Both characters are dealing with a boatload of issues - both have difficult family lives and histories and their fear of being all in when the other isn’t holds them back and causes most of the tension in the book. Delon is afraid to mix his two worlds and Tori is resentful of the fact he is keeping her at arms length. A lot of their issues stem from their past, and they spent most of the book trying to come to terms with it both as a couple and in their individual lives. Delon feels left out of his family business, but it is partially his fault for pulling back, and Tori feels lonely and left out socially, but it is partially her fault for her distrust in others. Both actually work on these issues across their life and it is not just a ‘love fixes everything’ story. I really enjoyed both of these characters, and they felt like realistic and flawed people. Their relationship conclusion felt satisfying and earned, and their own personal struggles felt tackled in a rewarding way. There is a wide cast of characters in the book, and there is definitely a lot being set up for their own future romance!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!