I really enjoyed reading this book. Two books for the price of one. It made a perfect book to read while on vacation.

Ian and Suzanna had instant chemistry. A lot of healing was needed though, and not just with them. There were kids, animals and them. What seemed like too much was just enough. The magic and healing stole my heart and the secret Suzanna’s sister carried had me reeling. I have always been a fan, but Linda Lael Miller has beat her best. Now I could stop there, but this book treated me to a second book by a new author to me, Maisey Yates. Birdie and Gunnar, hated neighbors were the least likely pair of misfits. After being thrust together by an unforeseen circumstance, healing for each of them started to happen and a lot of unexpected feelings. Their tale left me with the biggest feeling of warmth that all I could do was smile.

We get two stories about small towns. Linda Lael Miller shares with us the story of Susannah who rushes to Arizona to take care of her niece. On the way, she runs across an accident and meets paramedic Ian. Will they both be open enough to see where things may lead? Will city girl Susannah try to make things work with small town paramedic Ian? In our second story, Maisey Yates brings us the story of Birdie who decides she needs to liberate neighbor Gunnar's horse so she can a job. The problem is that she gets caught and now has the choice to either work off her debt or get the police involved. Both Gunnar and Birdie start learning about each other and find out that there are more similarities than differences between them. Will this be enough for them to get past their prejudices and start seeing each other as a possibility?

Linda Lael Miller and Maisey Yates brings us stories about life in small towns where everyone knows everyone and their business. They bring us stories of what happens when circumstances happen to individuals and how their perspectives can change because of them. Will they be open to what may happen and be brave enough to take that leap with each other?

I have read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Publishing | Kensington for this privilege.

Every now and then I am in the mood for a short and sweet novella and these two stories in Small Town Hero fit the bill.

I really liked Linda Lael Miller's story, One Lonesome Cowboy. Susannah cared so much for her sister and niece and dropped everything to go help them. She was kind and so deserving of her own great romance with Ian, who was also a wonderful man who loved his stepdaughters so much.

Cowboy, Take me Away by Maisey Yates was my first book by Maisey and I will definitely be looking for more by her in the future. Birdie has always felt less-than and now she's just had a run in with long time neighbor Gunnar who just might show her she's had wrong thinking about herself for quite a while now. Very easy read with a little spice!


Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 24 June 2025

Small Town Hero is a collection two Western romance novellas written by Linda Lael Miller and Maisey Yates, who are well known writers in this genre. Both stories center around how past trauma and abuse continue to affect the victim into adulthood and even into the next generation. In both these stories help from family, neighbors or friends is shown as making a great difference in helping to heal old wounds. Miller and Yates have each created fine story lines with appealing characters and satisfying conclusions. Strongly recommended for readers of Western romance.

I am a fan of both Linda Lael Miller and Maisy Yates and could not pass up the chance to read this book compilation. Novella length romances appeal to me because I enjoy reading them between longer, heavier reads. Both stories, centered around small town cowboys, gave me my sweet romance fix. I highly recommend this book to fans of this trope and/ir authors. TBR and Enjoy!

These were two great western romance stories and worked with everything that I was looking for and enjoyed from the authors. The stories were everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel of this. I always enjoy the way Linda Lael Miller and Maisey Yates wrote this and am excited for more.

this book contains two stories by two of my favorite authors. I loved both stories. always a good story from these authors.

Sinopsis en español :


Las ciudades pueden ser pequeñas, pero los corazones de los héroes vaqueros en este dúo de novelas románticas son tan descomunales como la tierra escarpada que los rodea...

UN VAQUERO SOLITARIO
por Linda Lael Miller
Cuando una crisis familiar lleva a la diseñadora web y flipper a tiempo parcial a casas Susannah Holiday a Arizona para cuidar de su sobrina, pronto hace malabares con el trabajo, el cuidado de los niños y sus crecientes sentimientos por el paramédico local y susurrador de caballos Ian McKenzie. Tienen más en común de lo que parece, incluyendo ser cautelosos cuando se trata de amor. Pero cuando surge una revelación inquietante del pasado de Susannah, Ian está allí para consolarla, y ambos encuentran que sus corazones anhelantes se abren a un futuro mejor, juntos...

VAQUERO, LLÉVAME LEJOS
por Maisey Yates
Después de que Birdie Lennox, hija de un notorio ladrón de ganado, sea atrapada robando un caballo de la tierra de Gunnar Parsons, termina acostada en su granero para pagar su deuda, además de la de su padre. Pero Birdie apenas tiene paciencia para la moralización de Gunnar. El hombre heredó su rancho y siempre ha odiado a su familia. Aún así, es mejor que la cárcel. Tal vez. Lo que ninguno anticipa es descubrir que tienen más en común de lo que soñaban posible. Aún más inesperado es la chispa entre ellos, y el amor que podría encender...






Reseña:


Son dos pequeñas novelas que te hacen desear que fueran más largas porque tienen mucha tela de que cortar ( o sea que fácilmente podrían convertirse en libros completos).

Son ligueros, rápidos de leer, sin tanto drama y con vea asegurado.



Gracias NetGalley por el ARC.

Contiene dos novelas que fácilmente podrían ser libros completos. Qué lástima.

One Lonesome Cowboy. Trata sobre Susannah e Ian, quienes viven en diferentes estados y nunca se han conocido hasta que la hermana de ella es ingresada a un hospital psiquiátrico. Susannah debe hacerse cargo de su sobrina, por lo que se muda, y es ahí cuando conoce a Ian, un padre soltero con quien inmediatamente tiene una conexión.
Esta historia daba para más, ya que trata temas fuertes y sensibles, pero debido a lo corta que es, ninguno de esos temas se aborda a profundidad, y hay partes en las que parece como si me hubiera perdido algo.

Cowboy, Take Me Away. Birdie y Gunnar viven en el mismo lugar, pero no podrían ser más diferentes. El padre de ella es el delincuente del pueblo, mientras que la familia de él siempre fue respetable, lo que los hace como agua y aceite. Un día, ella intenta robar un caballo, pero él la detiene y le propone un trato: no llamará a la policía si ella trabaja para él. Ambos están solos: ella porque a su padre no le importa y la gente la evita por su reputación, y él porque toda su familia está muerta.
Me pasó lo mismo que con el anterior: es muy corto y no tiene un buen desarrollo, pero tiene mucho potencial para más.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Two books with characters that are dealing with difficult pasts but end up with new beginnings.

The first book by Linda Lael MIller deals with sisters, one with mental health concerns, and the other sister (Susannah) comes to take care of her and her sister's daughter. As Susannah gets acclimated to the town she meets Ian who is dealing with some of his own family issues. As the two grow closer together, Susannah remembers something from her past and her sisters circumstances that brought her to the mental Hospital. The ending of this book comes up pretty fast and it is a shorter story however Linda does give you a glimpse into their future which I enjoyed.

The second book by Maisey Yates deals with neighbors who have always been known as enemies however will Gunnar and Birdie move past the enemy stage and become more? When Gunnar finds Birdie on his land and up to know good he offers her a chance at redemption but they soon find out they don't have to be enemies but maybe they can be friends or more? Only time will tell. Maisey also gives you a glimpse into the future which is endearing.

Small Town Hero is what I like to call a slow burn romance. If you are looking for a quick read that is a clean romance this is a great one for you. I do wish we saw a little more build up to the main characters relationship at the beginning to draw you in more but overall I think it was a good read.

I was given a chance through NetGalley to read and review this book with my honest opinions. First I must say, I wasn't able to put this book down. From the very first page, I was hooked on these two Novellas!

First novella about Susannah and Ian. I feel the author did a great job involving the mental issues from trauma that arises in this book also. The only 'negative' thing I can say about this book, is it was a little rushed to be such a good book. I felt this book could have easily been its own standalone novel. So much was packed into a small novella. I will say, this had some adult content that I could have done without so be warned.

The second novella about Birdie and Gunnar captured me just as quickly. I loved how the author took someone whom everyone else looked down on, and made her feel such love.

I highly recommend reading these!!

In Small Town Hero Linda Lael Miller and Maisey Yates team up to bring two Novella’s. One Lonesome Cowboy,Linda Lael Miller writes about Susannah Holiday. Susannah comes out to Arizona to help her sister and niece. While there she meets Paramedic and Rancher Ian McKenzie. in Cowboy Take Me Away by Maisey Yates, Birdie Lennox is about to run from a cattle rustling father, by stealing a horse from Gunnar Parson. She is caught, but instead of jail, she has to work for Gunnar. This book was a fantastic read. I lived the Cowboy’s and the strong woman. I was able to read this through NetGalley.

Small town hero is a book with two stories that will pull on your heart strings. They have characters dealing with emotional situations and show how love can help heal.

Thank you netgalley for an arc of Small Town Hero by Linda Lael Miller and Maisey Yates

I can not say enough great things about this beautifully written story. It pulls all the heartstrings and just was wonderfully done.

If you’re craving sweet yet passionate stories of small-town heroes and emotional growth, this anthology is a must-read. These cowboys might be tough on the outside, but they’re soft in all the right ways when it comes to love.

This book with two very different stories was pretty good. I enjoyed the first story more so than the second one.