I love this kind of story. Cal and Charlotte are at the center of it, but we also get to read about the things happening with the people that they care about. Cal's family isn't the only one that is dealing with upheaval. Charlotte and her mother have to reorient their relationship. And Harper, a childhood friend of Cal and Charlotte's, has to remake her entire life. There is quite a lot going on, but it feels like getting to know the lives of the two people falling in love. Because Cal and Charlotte have known each other for so long, they have lovely banter and great communication. I got swept away by the story.

Cal and Charlotte’s story is engaging and fascinating. It includes some soul-searching, coming to terms with the past, and dealing with family expectations, as well as personal limitations and aspirations. Cal is at a crossroads in his career and not sure of which direction he will take. He feels burned out and dissatisfied and is looking to change that. His family definitely wants to weigh in on his decision and the direction he should take, but Cal soon finds that there is another person to consider when he makes a decision. He never expected to fall for Charlotte, to want to be near her rather than stationed or deployed thousands of miles away.

As for Charlotte, she has her own family drama and expectations to deal with and her own new direction to contemplate. She needs a fake fiancé to help her secure the land she needs to establish a veterans respite. A shared kiss and plenty of sparks between them have them both taking notice and wanting more than to play pretend. Could they possibly have a future together? While they ponder the ins and outs of that question, there is a whole lot going on with family and friends, sometimes a bit too much that distracts from their story.

I enjoyed reading this book and would be happy to recommend it.

Good continuation of the Cowboy Brothers in Arms series. Cal is one of four Donnelly siblings, all of whom are serving in the military. Cal is an Air Force pilot at the top of his game. But something happened that made him rethink his plans to make a career of it. He has returned to the family ranch on thirty days leave to consider his options. The other thing weighing on his mind is his promise to deliver a breakup letter to his best friend's girlfriend.

Charlotte and Noah were childhood sweethearts. They've been a couple for years but haven't seen much of each other because of his air force commitments. She is also an attorney in town but has big plans to buy a ranch and turn it into a rehab facility for veterans. Charlotte found the perfect place, but the elderly owner hesitates because she isn't married. She is talking with Mr. Becker about the property when Cal arrives to speak with her.

Matters become complicated very quickly when Charlotte begs Cal to play along with her declaration that he is her fiancé and lays a scorching hot kiss on him. He cooperates, but Becker still delays answering. After he leaves, Charlotte fills Cal in on her plans. Then comes telling her of Noah's breakup. We get the convoluted background of the friendships of Cal, Charlotte, Noah, and Harper (who is behind Cal's current dilemma). Charlotte's calmness about the breakup surprises Cal.

Cal's day becomes more difficult when he informs his family about his plans to resign from the Air Force. To say they are shocked would be putting it mildly, and the protests are intense. Worst of all is the reaction of his stepmother, the general who has mentored his career. I ached for Cal and the pressure he felt from his guilty feelings and his family.

Neither Charlotte nor Cal expected the attraction that flared up between them. They initially try to ignore it, but the sparks are too strong. They spend a lot of time together working on her plans for her facility, Port in a Storm, and their feeling for each other continue to grow. I loved the way they supported each other. However, trouble looms when Noah shows up wanting to resume his relationship with Charlotte. I loved her reaction, though Noah is more focused on his desires than what she says. I liked seeing Cal and Charlotte deal with him. Meanwhile, they continue to resist admitting their feelings for each other. When Cal gets an offer that would be hard to turn down, he must look deep to decide what he wants. I loved the ending and Cal's big moment with Charlotte.

I also enjoyed following along with Charlotte's Port in a Storm project. I loved her motivation and determination. I admired Noah's brother, Alden, the first resident of Port in a Storm. I would love to see him get a story of his own. Harper is a little harder to like after what she said to Cal, but I was more sympathetic to her after seeing what her father is like. Even grouchy old former owner Becker got in on the action. There are tense scenes with Harper and her father that are balanced by the supportive relationship Alden has with his father. I liked the realistic depiction of what some of our wounded warriors experience.

Other secondary characters included Charlotte's mother, Izzie, who I thought was controlling and selfish. She was more focused on the effect of Charlotte's breakup on her own plans than on what it meant to Charlotte. We also see Cal's two brothers and their ladies from the previous two books. I liked catching up with their lives. Cal's sister, Remi, makes a brief appearance. Cal's dad, Derek, is there with his opinion of Cal's plans. He is also front and center of another family issue - Rowan Cullen, the illegitimate son of Derek and Audrey. That situation is tense, and I'm looking forward to following its progress in the next book.

COWBOYING UP – Delores Fossen
Cowboy Brothers in Arms, Book 3
Canary Street Press
ISBN: 978-1335146953
September 24, 2024
Contemporary Romance

Texas – Present Day

Lieutenant Cal Donnelly is home for a few weeks of leave, but he must first deliver a Dear John message to Charlotte Wilson. She takes the news reasonably well, but she then involves him in her plan to obtain a ranch she wants to use for assisting veterans rehabbing from injuries. What does Cal have to do? Only pretend to be engaged to Charlotte because the persnickety owner will only sell to engaged or married couples. He goes along with it but deep down, he kind of wishes their engagement was real.

Charlotte had a long-distance relationship with Noah for twenty years and he repays her by dumping her and getting Cal to deliver the news. She had banked on getting Noah to agree to a temporary engagement so she could obtain the ranch. Turns out the landowner accepts that Charlotte and Cal are engaged, and she gets the property. Cal agrees to help her clean it out and start sprucing it up. The more they are around each other, the closer they become. Will it lead to a romance sparking between them? What will happen to their relationship once he leaves to return to his military assignment?

Cal came home for rest and relaxation while he pondered whether he should return to military duty. He didn’t expect he would be the bearer of bad news but after Noah presses him to deliver the news to Charlotte, he has no choice. The three had been friends for years, though it was Noah whom she started dating. Cal has seen his share of death and grief, and he’s still reeling from the attempted suicide of another friend, Heather, from their little town in Texas. Charlotte’s plan to open a veteran’s rehab center is a good one and he wants to help her achieve it. So, getting engaged was okay with him. Meanwhile, their friendship is quickly turning into an attraction. But can Cal offer Charlotte anything?

Charlotte is a popular attorney in town but now she plans to redirect her attention to helping people in other ways. Her mother is the town’s mayor but during the course of COWBOYING UP, their relationship is tested because her mother wants Charlotte to marry Noah. It doesn’t help that Noah shows up in town wanting to reunite. But she has had enough of him. Twenty years together and this is how he treats her? Besides, her attention is now on Cal. He’s helpful and supportive, and he's handsome. While getting married and having babies might be in her future someday, she is going to enjoy being with Cal now. For much of COWBOYING UP, their romantic interludes keep getting interrupted. Will they finally be able to act upon their desire for each other? Will Cal decide if he is going to retire from the military or will he re-enlist? Add in a secondary plot about a newly found Donnelly brother who finally shows up in this tale, and readers will be flipping the pages to find out what happens next.

There are plenty of colorful minor characters in COWBOYING UP but the focus—and romance—is about Charlotte and Cal. They make a great couple, and readers will surely be cheering them on to make it work out. What will they decide for their futures? Find out the answer by grabbing a copy of COWBOYING UP.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

So much going on in this novel

I wanted to love this book but I didn’t quite get there. The characters and premise were amazing but it seemed like there was so much going on that I was distracted by wanting more of the supporting characters stories over Cal and Charlotte. Maybell and Becker...Alden and Harper. Audrey and Derek. Even Izzie and Taggart. And definitely the mysterious Rowan!

I liked this storyline with Cal and Charlotte teaming up to start the veteran house. I felt like it was missing something minor, but really enjoyed the ending.

Cal was dreading doing the Dear Jane thing to Charlotte for his buddy but boy did it turn out ok. Charlotte is much more than Cal expected and he's happy to do the fake engagement thing, especially since it's for a good cause, And then, of course, their friendship becomes more. While there might not be many surprises for fans of the genre, fans also know that it's all about the journey. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

A part of the Cowboy Brothers in Arms series. This is Cal’s story. Cal’s best friend ask him to tell his girlfriend that they are over. Charlotte doesn’t seem to mind too much. Lovely story. Military/cowboy romance

This was the second book I have read by Delores Fossen. I loved it and plan on reading more in the future. This was heartfelt and romantic. The ending was really good. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

Oh boy!!!! Ladies, get ready for a fun ride with this book! I was drawn in from the moment i started. This was just amazing! Loved the main character, and storyline.