A Cowboy for Keeps (Colorado Cowboys Book #1)

Jody Hedlund

Jan 2021 · Colorado Cowboys Book 1 · Baker Books

About this ebook

Greta Nilsson's trip west to save her ailing little sister, Astrid, could not have gone more wrong. First, bandits hold up her stagecoach, stealing all her money. Then, upon arriving in Fairplay, Colorado, she learns the man she was betrothed to as a mail-order bride has died. Homeless, penniless, and jobless, Greta and her sister are worse off than when they started.

Wyatt McQuaid is struggling to get his new ranch up and running and is in town to purchase cattle when the mayor proposes the most unlikely of bargains. He'll invest in a herd of cattle for Wyatt's ranch if Wyatt agrees to help the town become more respectable by marrying and starting a family. And the mayor, who has promised to try to help Greta, has just the candidate in mind for Wyatt to marry.

Ratings and reviews

A swoon-worthy cowboy hero, a steamy yet clean romance, an exciting plot, and relevant spiritual lessons make A Cowboy for Keeps by Jody Hedlund one of my favorite Christian fiction books of all time. I absolutely love marriage of convenience stories, but when you add mountains and cowboys I am totally hooked! Greta has brought her sickly little sister to Colorado in hopes the mountain air will heal her, and the only way she could so was to serve as a mail order bride. However, when she steps off the stagecoach having been recently robbed of every penny by bandits, she finds that her intended has died. She is homeless, penniless, and needs to find a way to stay in Colorado to help her little sister heal. Wyatt McQuaid is a new rancher who needs an investor to purchase cattle and get his ranch started. The town’s mayor offers a solution to Wyatt which helps Greta too—the mayor will invest in Wyatt’s ranch if Wyatt marries Greta to help the mining community become a respectable place for families. Thus begins a whirlwind love story that is packed full of adventure and will keep you totally riveted until the very last page! I read this book in one sitting because I was so caught up in the wonderful romance and exciting storyline of this book. The chemistry between Greta and Wyatt is steamy, but remains clean and tasteful, which is perfect for a marriage of convenience story. The plot has so many twists and turns and is full of surprises that keep you guessing until the last chapter, which makes this an incredibly thrilling read. Of course, cowboy Wyatt is at the center of the adventure and is one of the most swoon-worthy heroes I have read to date! Best of all, this story touches on dealing with failure and giving God control of the future, which are incredibly important and relevant spiritual lessons. I absolutely adored this book, and I wholeheartedly give it the highest rating possible. Jody Hedlund has delivered yet another wonderful historical romance, and I recommend A Cowboy for Keeps to anyone looking for their next great read. I was given a copy of this book by the author and publisher for review purposes. My thoughts are my own. I really did love it!

Yay! My first Jody Hedlund read and absolutely LOVED it! Such a good book! The author’s writing style was incredible! I haven’t read anything in a long while that had me actually feeling the mist and the mud, hearing the insects and the hoofbeats and seeing the dust, the dew and the majestic purple mountain sunsets like this book did. It reawakened my love of beautifully descriptive writing and brought me back to my Anne of Green Gables days! I don’t know how she did it, but this story was so ALIVE to me! The characters, too, were great! I loved the very cowboyish way that Wyatt spoke, lol, and Greta’s determination and perseverance in everything that she did. I loved Judd’s quiet yet straightforward and practical presence and Astrid’s non-stop activity and spitfire attitude. The shocks and awkwardness, laughs and hurts, scares and anticipation all came together to create an amazing and beautiful story. Add in a dastardly villain and I just couldn’t put it down! I tip my hat to Ms. Hedlund for this one and declare that I shall read many-a-book of hers to come!

A Cowboy for Keeps Colorado Cowboys #1 By Jody Hedlund Greta Nilsson will do anything to save her little sister's life. With the promise that the mountain air of Colorado will cure Astrid's consumption, Greta agrees to become a mail-order bride. But the final stage of her trip to Fairplay, Colorado, is one disaster upon another. Her expected groom has died, stagecoach robbers took all her savings. With nothing to her name, Greta has few options in a town that is comprised almost entirely of miners and ranchers. So when a rancher claiming to be a friend of the man she expected to wed offers her a proposal of marriage, Greta quickly realizes that is her only choice. Wyatt McQuaid has been working to get his ranch profitable so that he can send for his ma, brothers, and sister. But starting a ranch in this new land isn't easy. He doesn't have time or the funds to even think about marriage. But when the latest stagecoach arrives in Fairplay after a holdup the mayor offers him a deal - marry Miss Nilsson and, in return, Wyatt will get the funds he needs to expand his herd. But marrying a complete stranger who was set to marry his friend is something that will take some thinking. But Mayor Steel needs the town to grow, to add families of good repute if he hopes to convince his wife to leave the civilization of the East behind. As Wyatt and Greta deal with their new situation they both have to deal with their pasts. But the past has a way of marking a person and Wyatt and Greta are no exception. Can they see past the hurts to a future of promise or will they allow their insecurities to tear them apart before they even begin? Without giving away anything - I will say there are a couple of interesting twists that occur that add an interesting element to the story. So be sure you don't jump ahead while reading (I have a family member who does this and then ruins the element of surprise or shock from her books), seriously don't do it. If I had known of these elements before their proper placement in the story it just won't have had the same impact that it did. A Cowboy for Keeps is the first book in Jody Hedlund's new Colorado Cowboys series and it is another enjoyable read from a skilled writer. Greta is a character with whom one can empathize, basically kicked out by her family along with an ill younger sister, she is willing to do almost anything to save. But Greta has to learn that going it alone isn't the best way. With her plans crumbling around her she needs to learn in who to place her trust and concerns. Not an easy lesson for any of us to learn. Wyatt on the other hand has a plan to rescue his family from the very situation that he left behind years ago. But he is dealing with the guilt of leaving his family behind, of failing them. Then there is Judd who we learn very little about but what we do learn gives a glimpse into his past. I really like Judd who helps Wyatt see what he needs to see. He is just what Wyatt, Greta, and Astrid need as they live and work together. I'm looking forward to the second book in this series - if the final chapter is any indication of what is to come it should prove most interesting. I was provided a complimentary copy of this with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the author

Jody Hedlund is the author of over 20 novels and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy Award, Carol Award, and Christian Book Award. She received a bachelor's degree from Taylor University and a master's from the University of Wisconsin, both in social work. Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and on her blog. Learn more at www.jodyhedlund.com.