They’ve found exactly what they weren’t looking for…

Archaeologist Rosalinda Morales is focused more on what’s in the soil and caves of the famed Legacy Ranch, rather than what’s on it—the sexy and charismatic cowboy heir. As a single mom to her special needs son, she knows what it’s like to struggle, so even though Toby Dixon has charm pulsing through his veins, she’s determined to resist.

Despite trying to mend bridges, Toby Dixon’s brothers have no interest in coming home, so he’s taken the reins of his family’s historic cattle ranch. Having vowed to his dying mother to settle down, he’s still considering how to move the company forward when Dr. Morales, armed with a sense of humor, a keen intellect, and a love for adventure, arrives with her team of students. Suddenly Toby begins to see more possibilities for his family’s ancient land and his future.

Toby can’t flirt his way into Rose’s life. He’ll need to up his game and earn the trust of the woman who isn’t just excavating his soil, but digging into his heart.

Titles in The Dixons of Legacy Ranch series include — The Cowboy’s Texas Rose —♥— The Cowboy’s Texas Sky —♥— The Cowboy’s Texas Heart —♥—

This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  The Cowboy’s Texas Rose
Series:  The Dixons of Legacy Ranch #1
Author:  E. Elizabeth Watson
Genre:  Modern Western Romance
Published:  February 15, 2022
Publisher:  Tule Publishing
My Rating:  4.5 stars

I had the immense pleasure of binge-reading The Dixons of Legacy Ranch series this past weekend.  And what an engaging, enjoyable experience it was.  To be frank, I had the first two stories for a while now, but life got in the way of getting carried away to another world for a time – it happens to us all.  Yet, reading the stories back to back gave a whole different feeling to devouring this series.  And, should I fall behind on a series again (and I will) then this is the perfect way to get caught up without leaving that world for the months between new releases.  Most of what you’d want to know before picking up The Cowboy’s Texas Rose can be found in the cover description so let’s move on to the emotional impact this story had on me.

I absolutely adored Toby.  Yes, he’s been a hard man to pin down for a romance, not because he’s a true player but simply because he wasn’t ready and the right woman hadn’t come along yet.  That changed when Rose and her team showed up for their annual trek to study the property’s caves and history.  Toby is already putting plans in place to protect his family’s land, and while he might not have all the answers just yet the attraction he’s feeling towards Rose is opening him up to the land even more.  An archaeologist can get a glimpse of the past on any portion of a land mass, but what Toby is setting out to do is to ensure his family’s legacy is protected and kept in the best shape possible for the future.  With Rose at his side he’s seeing even more possibilities, but convincing her that he’s a safe bet for their future might be a challenge that he’s completely up for.

I loved Rose from the first meeting and simply loved her more as her life was revealed.  She’s passionate about the land, about learning of the past and the stories that the land can explain.  She’s a fierce mama bear where her son’s best interests are involved, protective almost to a fault.  I understood her, I got her, and her story touched my heart deeply.

Watching this couple come to understand each other, fall in love, and eventually have to fight for a future was an emotional journey.  We have the necessary bad guy, more like a bad jerk in reality – but mostly we have two people coming to understand themselves, and their dreams through the eyes of someone they’re falling in love with.  I loved Toby’s interactions with Rose’s son.  He didn’t try overly hard as some folks do, Toby simply was himself and that was all that was needed to set that bond in place.  Yes, there is “that moment” when I wanted to sit them both down for a stern conversation but overall The Cowboy’s Texas Rose is an emotional story of finding the right fit in a partner and celebrating that with love.

If you love a Romance with strong characters not afraid to show their strengths and weaknesses, a couple who light sparks off of each other long before they do anything about it, or just a good, solid story that will keep you flipping pages… then The Cowboy’s Texas Rose is perfect for you.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from Tule Publishing. 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.*

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