ARC REVIEW Cowboy Tough by Stacy Finz

Dry Creek Ranch #2, Jace, Cash, and Sawyer are still trying to figure out how they can keep their ranch in one piece and still have enough to pay the taxes which are coming up and on top of all that Jace is up for re-election as Sheriff and this time he has competition. Jace also needs a new babysitter for his boys, even though the oldest, Travis, is old enough to watch Grady they don't always play nice. Charlotte is on the run from her fiance with the help of an organization that specializes in her situation she's trying to get as far away from him and San Francisco as possible she only made it as far as Dry Creek. Charlotte's former fiance cost her everything and now she has to start over. When Jace earns her trust enough for her to confide in him he talks her into staying at least for a little bit and file a restraining order. Charlotte helps around the house, watches the boys when they need it, helps out with the re-election campaign, and she start to find something to help her make money, refurbish and upcycle stuff she found at an old barn. She is well on her way to falling in love with the town, the boys, and Jace now she only needs to stop worrying about what her ex-fiance is going to do when he finds her.

Overall, it was another fabulous read from Stacy Finz. Wonderful characters love Charlotte heartbroken but resilient, Jace hesitant to start a relationship with a woman who has up until now been a city girl and one who might leave him and his boys and they have been through that before he can't do it again. This a a wonderful romance, Stacy Finz has a way with words, she pulls you in and makes you feel like your part of their family. I am really looking forward to Sawyer's book and finding out about what happened to Angie. 

ARC REVIEW Cowboy Up by Stacy Finz

 Dry Creek Ranch #1, New series I'm so happy. This was a good read, just like so any other Finz stories you have witty banter, complex characters with enough baggage in their past and present to make them interesting, quirky side characters, and hunky cowboys. This is a great start to the series with wonderful character introductions and vague background on the other two cousins who live on Dry Creek Ranch.

Jace, Sawyer, and Cash are cousins who inherited the ranch from their grandfather, the Ranch was already starting to go belly up when they got it now they are arguing about keeping it or selling the main bulk of the land off. Jace and Sawyer are against it Cash on the other hand is being realistic about the three of them running the ranch. Jace who is also Sheriff with two boys, Sawyer who is also a writer, and Cash former FBI and just recently moved to one of the cabin on the property. He needs to fix up the cabin to liveable conditions because he just found out he has a daughter, Ellie, from a one night stand 12 years ago. 

Across the creek from Cash's cabin is another cabin which is occupied by one of Jace's best friends, Aubrey, who walked out on her fiance two weeks before the wedding. Aubrey is now the town pariah, apparently her ex-fiancee is covered in teflon because shit don't stick to him it's "all her fault" and now rumors are going around that her and Jace had an affair and that's why she left. Aubrey isn't telling the truth about what really happened because she doesn't want to hurt a very dear friend who came back from his military service without his legs, the truth that his wife was the one cheating with Aubrey's fiance and she caught them. Aubrey is having to deal with snide remarks, vandalism, and clients canceling jobs.

Aubrey and Cash don't start off on the right foot but soon he has her coming over to help decorate his daughter's new room to make her feel more at home in her new home. While Aubrey and Cash do this slow seduction friends to lovers thing Cash is also trying to build a relationship with a preteen Ellie who thinks he never wanted her in the first place and keeps thinking that she will be going back to Boston. There is also some funny business going on around town that has pulled in Cash to help investigate.

Overall, another great story from Stacy Finz. I liked the romance between Cash and Aubrey and the building of a relationship between father and daughter. I look forward to the other books in the series.