Every time Carolyn Brown puts pen to paper, or actually in this day and age fingers to her keyboard, the end result is a cowboy who epitomizes strength, honor, dedication and loyalty.

Pax sure fits this description. He is the perfect example of a cowboy living the Cowboy Code of Ethics. He’s not perfect but I greatly admire him and Alana both. Their determination to make Alana’s Daddy’s last days happy ones is admirable for sure.

Ms. Brown’s cast of characters in this story is a fun bunch to read about and they all, except Alana’s nemesis Rachel Freeman, make me want to live among them. This story touches at your heartstrings and evokes smiles and tears at the couple’s situation. I sure was rooting for them throughout the book. I liked the surprise appearance towards the end of the story. This book is heartwarming; sunshine for your heart.

Cowboy Strong is the seventh book in the Longhorn Canyon series, but if you haven't read any of the other books, you can easily pick this one up and enjoy it without issue.

Alana Carey is rancher through and through and she loves it! When she learns that her father is terminally ill, the only thing she can think of is the numerous times that he has told her he just wants to see her married and settled before he passed. With her mind whirling, she goes to the one person she knows will help her out and agree to a ruse of a marriage so she can make her father happy.

Paxton Callahan has recently come back to the ranch that he runs with his brother next door to Alana's family ranch. He's known for enjoying the ladies, but when Alana comes to him and tells him what is going on with her father, he doesn't hesitate to say yes to marrying her.

As the two of them begin the wedding planning process, they are also working overtime to make sure that no one figures out that they aren't as "together" as everyone believes. What neither has shared, is that they both have harbored feelings for the other for years. Will this wedding really end in a split after Alana's father passes or is this the real deal and it will just take some time for them to figure it out?

I enjoyed this book from the second I started it. There was something about Alana and Pax that just drew me in. I was invested in what happened and how everything played out with them. It was sweet how their romance ended up unfolding. I look forward to any upcoming books that Carolyn Brown has to offer.

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**