HOW TO WRANGLE A COWBOY (COWBOYS OF DECKER RANCH #3) is a contemporary romance that is set in a small town in Wyoming that has seen better days and lots of cowboys. The book opens at a funeral for Bud, the owner of the Lazy Q Ranch, who is a larger than life character even in death.


Kennedy's HOW TO WRANGLE A COWBOY kept me emotionally involved throughout even though I haven't yet read the first two books in the series. There was enough background information that I didn't feel lost. We are introduced to multifaceted characters that have a depth to them as well as a rich history to each other and the town. There are several stories going on at once but all are interrelated even when they don't appear to be. This is Shane and Lindsey's story and what a story it is.

The descriptions of the scenery, the ranch buildings, the town, the trailer park and the animals are so vivid I feel that I am there. There are family and friends, animals, dreams, jobs, reminisces, surprises, laughs, happiness, fear, danger, threats, anger, hurt, sorrow, secrets, distrust, lots of heat up the sheet moments and love in various forms - between parents and children, spouses, grandparents and grandchildren and even people and the animals. Cody, Shane's son that he was reunited with after six years, is a cutie but wise beyond his years given how he lived with his mom who was looking for the good life. Grace, Lindsey's grandmother and Bud's widow, is aging with some dementia but still has a lot of life left in her and keeps everyone on their toes. There are a variety of townspeople but they have a bond that helps to keep the town going. There was some closure especially with the epilogue and a happily ever after with a few twists of its own but there were several loose ends that needed to be addressed. Not knowing if there is going to be another book in the series since there are three brothers and three books but it would be nice if there was even a novella written to give me the closure I'm looking for and tie up the loose ends.

Kennedy is a new to me author and I look forward to reading more of her books if this is her style of writing since I love most books set on western ranches with cowboys. I do want to read the first two books in this series, HOW TO HANDLE A COWBOY and HOW TO KISS A COWBOY, as well as other books she's written.

I rated the book 4.5 but rounded up to 5 stars here and on other sites.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book and to be an early reader via NetGalley! However, I will not be writing a review for this title at this time, as my reading preferences have since changed somewhat. In the event that I decide to review the book in the future, I will make sure to purchase a copy for myself or borrow it from a library. Once again, thank you so much for providing me with early access to this title. I truly appreciate it. Please feel free to contact me with any follow-up questions or concerns.