Book picks similar to
A Cowboy State of Mind by Jennie Marts


romance
netgalley
contemporary-romance
cowboys

The Charmer in Chaps


Julia London - 2019
    He intends to turn the overworked pasture land his father left him back to its natural beauty. There's just one problem—a woman with sparkling eyes and more fight than a barnyard cat is grandfathered into some acreage on his portion of Three Rivers Ranch.After years of living in foster homes, Ella has exactly three things to her name: A dog, a pig, and the rundown house she just inherited. Luca may not remember her from high school, but she definitely remembers him. He is as seductive as he was then, but Ella isn't about to fall for his flirting—if only she could stop melting at his touch.What begins as a game of seduction for Luca quickly turns into something more, but Ella has learned the hard way to trust no one but herself—especially when it comes to her deepest secret. Yet the closer Luca gets to Ella, the more he wants to be the one she leans on. For once, Luca is determined to do something right and give the woman he loves the home she deserves.

The Second Chance Rancher


Kate Pearce - 2019
    . . There's a reason Jackson Lymond left the Air Force, but he's not telling a soul. He'd rather keep things simple, while trying to start a new life helping his older brother on their northern California ranch. At least Morgantown's flirty local bartender can keep his mind off the past--that is, until he runs into Daisy Miller . . . Daisy doesn't really expect Jackson to remember her. Back in school she did her best to blend in--and pretend she didn't have five brothers who'd hogtie any boy who even looked at her. These days though, she and Jackson might have more in common than just their ranching relatives. After all, they both left home only to return. Trouble is, under the watch of her fiercely protective family, Daisy is longing for some privacy. Letting Jackson into her life could make that even more difficult--or it might be the second chance they're both looking for . . .Praise for Kate Pearce's The Bad Boy Cowboy"HW and Samantha are unique and memorable, and this is the strongest story yet in Pearce's excellent series." --Booklist

My One and Only Cowboy


A.J. Pine - 2019
    But news that her ex sold their property—without legally removing her from the deed—means heading back to claim her share of the land—and possibly her dream.Sam Callahan, co-owner of the Meadow Valley guest ranch, is barely keeping his head above water. He bought the land for a steal, but keeping a new business afloat is another story. When a gorgeous blonde barges onto his property on a quiet Friday afternoon insisting he bought the place in a fraudulent sale—and that she's there to prove she still owns half the land—Sam realizes he's got much more to worry about. He could lose everything—including his heart.Includes the bonus novel, Toughest Cowboy in Texas by Carolyn Brown.

Can't Hurry Love


Melinda Curtis - 2020
    Now, after one year of marriage and one year of widowhood, Lola finds herself stranded in Sunshine, Colorado, reeling from the revelation that Randy had secrets she never could have imagined. She swears she's done with love forever but the matchmaking ladies of the Sunshine Valley Widows Club have different plans...Sheriff Drew Taylor also knows what it feels like to be unlucky in love. So when Lola comes to him for help uncovering Randy's hidden life, Drew finds himself saying yes against his better judgment - especially with the Widows Club eyeing them both. Soon enough, Lola is upending Drew's peaceful, predictable world...and he kind of likes it! But will this big-city girl ever give her heart to a small-town guy again?Includes the bonus novella Kiss Me in Sweetwater Springs by Annie Rains!

Last Kiss of Summer


Marina Adair - 2016
    . .Kennedy Sinclair never dreamed she'd own a pie shop and an orchard in a small town like Destiny Bay. But nestled between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean, it's the perfect place to cross something off her "Life's short so eat the icing first" list and start her life over from scratch. Her shop, Sweetie Pies, is famous for its hot, flaky apple turnovers and sinfully delicious deep dish pie. For Kennedy though, nothing is more enticing than the tall, strapping slice of temptation who keeps coming back for more.Luke Callahan is determined to make his hard cider business a success. With his beloved father's cider recipe and the opportunity of a lifetime in his grasp, he'll stop at nothing to get this deal done. There's just one catch: he needs Kennedy's apples. At first, he thinks it'll be as easy as pie to charm those apples right off her trees. But Kennedy isn't falling for his tender charms or his wicked ways. When the negotiations start heating up, so do the feelings they have for each other. And it takes just one kiss to seal the deal . . .

The Truth About Cowboys


Lisa Renee Jones - 2019
    Now, like in some cheesy romantic comedy, my car has broken down in the pouring rain on my way to “find myself” in The Middle of Nowhere, Texas. Cue hot guy coming to my rescue and changing my tire. This is the part where we flirt and have a meet-cute, right? That’s how it works in romance novels, and I should know—after all, I’m coming to Texas to write my own cowboy romance. But nope. This sexy cowboy lights into me about not being prepared for the country roads and how inappropriate my high-heeled boots are.Little did I know, Jason Jenks would tilt my world into a new dimension with his sinful smirk and his bad attitude. Every time I turn around, he’s there to reluctantly save the day. And every time, I think there may be something to that spark we ignite. But there’s a reason the majority of country songs are about broken hearts. The closer I get to this man, the closer I get to learning the truth about cowboys.

First Kiss with a Cowboy


Sara Richardson - 2020
    With her latest novel due and her teaching contract at an end, returning home to help plan her best friend's wedding is a welcome distraction. Yet when Jane discovers that the too-hot-to-handle boy who once tempted her is now the best man -- and the rodeo circuit's sexiest bull rider -- her distraction is in danger of becoming a disaster . . .Toby Garrett is no stranger to risk. But this latest injury could end his rodeo career for good. Thankfully, his recovery at home isn't as awful as he'd imagined, especially when he comes face-to-face with Jane. The kiss they once shared still fuels his fantasies, but when she walked away, he let her go. Now Toby is determined to fix his mistakes. Can this sweet-talking cowboy prove that the passion still burning between them is worth braving the odds?

The Rancher's City Girl


Leslie North - 2020
    After her aunt dies and leaves her a small fortune, Becca immediately knows what she wants to do with her inheritance: buy a ranch and live her dream life. Finding one for sale near her childhood camp seems like fate. Unfortunately, the owner, smoldering-hot cowboy Cade Wells, makes it clear he’s more than skeptical about her ability to handle ranch life. So she makes a deal. She’ll stay on the ranch for one month to prove to Cade she can handle the ropes. While Cade maddeningly sticks to his old-school ways, Becca is determined to introduce him to modern technology. As the two clash heads, they can’t deny the red-hot attraction they have for each other. And as time passes, Becca’s not certain if she loves the ranch or the cowboy more.Single dad Cade has his own demons to vanquish and fully believes selling his ranch is the way to do it. His 10-year-old daughter Jocelyn deserves more than a life among cows and empty fields. And he needs to rid himself of painful memories of his mentally ill ex-wife who nearly destroyed everything he loved. Though he doubts Becca is tough or knowledgeable enough to run the place, he grudgingly gives her credit for knowing what she wants and her willingness to learn. Why couldn’t she be a bit less pretty? A tad less cheerful? A smidgeon less sexy? Now the only demon Cade is fighting is his attraction to Becca, but he doesn’t want to go down the relationship road again. Not even for her. With their time together running out, Cade finds himself torn between protecting his heart or keeping hers forever...

Spring at Saddle Run


Delores Fossen - 2021
    But when she’s thrown together with the sexy rancher who shares in her tragic past, new rumors begin to fly in Last Ride, Texas.Single dad Joe McCann is focused on running his ranch and raising his daughter. He has no desire to help Millie unearth his late wife’s past, especially if it means revealing painful secrets. Until his daughter teams up with Millie and the widower cowboy finds himself agreeing to help them with their project—and opening the door to a deep attraction he thought he’d never find again.

Lost Rider


Harper Sloan - 2017
    After one too many head injuries, he’s off the circuit and in the horse farming business, something he’s never taken much of a shine to, but now that it’s his late father’s legacy, familial duty calls. How will Maverick find his way after the only dream he ever had for himself is over?Enter Leighton Elizabeth James, an ugly duckling turned beauty from Maverick’s childhood—his younger sister’s best friend, to be exact, and someone whose heart he stomped all over when she confessed her crush to him ten years back. Now Leighton is back in Maverick’s life, no longer the insecure, love-stricken teen—and Maverick can’t help but take notice. Sparks fly between them, but will Leighton be able to open her heart to the one man who broke it all those years ago?

My Kind of Cowboy


R.C. Ryan - 2020
     Brand Merrick is a take-charge cowboy who loves a challenge and being in the thick of the action on his family ranch. When Brand takes a fall from his horse and the town doctor orders physical therapy, he doesn't intend to rest for long. They make a compromise that the physical therapist will come stay on the ranch for six weeks so Brand can do his exercises between his duties running the ranch. But Brand wasn't expecting to be working with beautiful, tough city-girl Avery.Avery Grant has no patience for the sexy cowboy who makes it clear therapy is a waste of his time. She won't back down, especially since she came to Wyoming for another reason... to get away from the mysterious threats she keeps receiving. But the threats have followed her to the Merrick ranch. And soon, Brand isn't feeling quite so hostile toward his new therapist... in fact, keeping her safe becomes his only priority.

The Start of Something Good


Jennifer Probst - 2018
    As a former Special Forces paratrooper, he saw his fair share of conflict, and he came home with wounds, inside and out. At his sisters’ B & B and farm, he can keep all his pain at a safe distance. But quiet time isn’t easy when a fiery woman explodes into his life…It’s business—not pleasure—that brings Manhattan PR agent Mia Thrush reluctantly to the farm. Tightly wound and quick tempered, Mia clashes immediately with the brooding Ethan. Everything about him is irritating—from his lean muscles and piercing blue eyes to his scent of sweat and musk.But as the summer unfolds and temperatures rise, Ethan and Mia discover how much they have in common: their guarded histories, an uncontrollable desire, and a passion for the future that could heal two broken hearts. But will their pasts threaten their fragile chance at a brand-new future?

Toughest Cowboy in Texas


Carolyn Brown - 2017
    Now, a little older and wiser, she’s back to run her mother’s café for the summer. Except something about this town has her itching to get a little reckless and rowdy, especially when she sees her old partner-in-crime, Brody Dawson. Their chemistry is just as hot as ever. But he’s still the town’s golden boy-and she’s still the wrong kind of girl.Brody hasn’t had much time lately for anything other than ranching. Running the biggest spread in the county and taking care of his family more than keeps him busy. All that responsibility has him longing for the carefree days of high school-and Lila. She may have grown up, but he still sees that spark of mischief in her eyes. Now he’s dreaming about late-night skinny dipping and wondering how he can possibly resist the one woman he can never forget…

The Good Ones


Jenn McKinlay - 2019
    He's everything a hero should be, and Lord knows, Maisy Kelly has read enough of her great-aunt Eloise's romance novels to recognize one when she sees one. But like all fairy tales, Maisy can't help but wonder if this Prince Charming is too good to be true...Ryder is drawn to the shy, curly haired professor who hires him to convert the Victorian house she's inherited from her aunt into a romance bookstore. Attracted to a woman for the first time since his divorce, Ryder finds himself wishing for a future with Maisy that he knows is impossible. Ryder has never wavered from his plan to leave the small town of Fairdale, North Carolina, so he can give his daughter the life she deserves. But suddenly he's not so sure. And the closer he gets to Maisy, the harder it's going to be to walk away...

Justified


Jay Crownover - 2019
    So as the sheriff of Loveless, Texas, he's determined to do everything by the book--until he's called to Aspen Barlow's office after a so-called break-in. The last thing he wants to do is help the woman who cost him custody of his son. But Aspen isn't the heartless lawyer Case remembers, and he starts to question his long-held grudge...Aspen is scared for her life, and Case is her last hope for protection. But to get him on her side, she'll have to reveal the painful truth from all those years ago. Now, as they work together to track down a dangerous criminal, Case and Aspen learn to trust each other. And as the threats escalate, it becomes clear there's a thin line between love and hate... because there's nothing Case wouldn't do to keep her safe.Includes It's All About That Cowboy, a bonus novella by Carly Bloom!