Bryce Duncan thinks hiring a party planner for his dad’s 60th birthday is downright silly.

But when his mother leaves him no choice, he has to toss his idea—a family BBQ and a bucket of beers—in the trash. His mother, ever the meddler, hires party planner Lindsey Mackey, a vibrant young woman with a gift and dedication for memorable events. From the moment he meets her, Bryce finds himself annoyed by her constantly upbeat attitude.
It’s going to be a long month of planning…

Lindsey Mackey finds the grumpy cowboy disagreeable, but at least he doesn’t talk much.

Making sure the Duncan family’s party runs like a dream is as natural as breathing—going above and beyond to make sure people have a good time is her favorite part of the job. When she can’t get in touch with Bryce, she hunts him down on the family ranch and quickly realizes this job might be the toughest she’s ever faced. Bryce isn’t making things easy.

But after an accidental kiss, she can’t stop thinking about him.

As Lindsey’s feelings grow, Bryce seems to feel the same… until he messes up. He’s going to have to make things right… or lose her for good.

Titles in The Brothers of Duncan Ranch series include — A Party Planner for the Cowboy —♥— A Second Chance for the Cowboy —♥— 

This is a romance that includes no swearing, no violence, and no sexual content (beyond a few light kisses).

Booksprout ARC

Title:  A Party Planner for the Cowboy
Series:  The Brothers of Duncan Ranch
Author:  April Murdock
Genre:  Modern Western Romance
Published:  May 31, 2022
Publisher:
My Rating:  4.5 stars

A Party Planner for the Cowboy begins The Brothers of Duncan Ranch series with a delightful romance between one rather grumpy cowboy and a woman who has sworn she’ll never fall in love again.  Things are about to get interesting for Lindsey and Bryce when she is hired to plan his father’s 60th birthday party over the objections of the oldest son and current owner of the Duncan Ranch.  She has cute, fun ideas, he’d rather grab some beers and chips… guess who is going to win this one.  Actually, they both are when it comes to finding that just right for you person, but it’s going to be a bumpy road to get to that happy ending they both deserve.

As the first story in the series there is some world-building, there has to be, but it flows smoothly through the narrative, the dialogue and the natural introduction of characters who play a part in Bryce and Lindsey’s romance and will one day have their own stories told.  I enjoyed myself so much in this story.  Two stubborn, determined, and successful people who believe their way is the right way are about to get a reality check and learn to loosen up those attitudes enough to let others in.

As Bryce and Lindsey begin to reluctantly (on Bryce’s part) work together to pull off this surprise birthday party we get to see the complex layers that have made them into the slightly closed-off people they are today.  When Lindsey ended a relationship that only hurt her and disenchanted her on romance she vowed to keep her heart to herself where it was safe.  An event happened in Bryce’s childhood that has completely changed him from a fun-loving brother to a man determined to take on the responsibilities of the family ranch… almost single-handedly if he could.  Bryce does not understand the word: delegate.

Slowly throughout the preparations for the birthday party, these two will begin to acknowledge the draw they have toward each other.  And perhaps even start to rethink those hard-held rules of theirs as well.  Through annoyance, attraction, accidents, and chaos Lindsey and Bryce will be falling in love… and only two people as stubborn as they are could fight against that emotion so hard.  I had fun in this world with engaging characters, believable events, and an easy flow to life-changing events they were experiencing.  Plus, there are four Duncan brothers so… we have even more romances to look forward to.  Sign me up for that.

If you love a grumpy hero and a determined heroine, ranch life, missteps and eyes opened to the past and the present then you’d enjoy the beginning of The Brothers of Duncan Ranch.  I’ll be keeping watch for the next story, and once you experience Lindsey and Bryce’s story I’m betting you will be, too.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from Booksprout. The opinions expressed in this review are my own – good, bad, or indifferent. I was not financially compensated for this review and no expectation of a positive review was promised.*

Release Date: May 31, 2022

Available for the Kindle (as this title will be in KU)