Review and Blog Tour: Jenna's Cowboy by Sharon Gillenwater

Romance on the Ranch:

When Jenna’s cowboy returns to their small hometown in Texas,
she discovers that the memories of the past aren’t so easy to shake after all

Jenna's Cowboy by Sharon Gillenwater

My Review:

Rating: 10/10

Jenna's Cowboy is emotionally-gripping and beautifully done romance.  I think I ran through all of my feelings in a good way while reading Jenna's Cowboy.  The characters of Jenna and Nate have been through so much, Jenna a divorce and Nate service to the country in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The romance is set up from the beginning so the book is more about Nate's healing as the romance progresses.  There are a few surprises along the way and the plot moves at a wonderful pace.  There is never a dull moment and some moments you will feel tears in your eyes and some you will be laughing. 

One other thing I really liked was the fact that they were both Christian from the start of the book, they were not perfect, but they both had a strong belief in God.  So the Christianity was just there through the whole book and the whole book was a testimony to believing in God and trusting Him to know what is best for your life.  Don't get me wrong - I enjoy the stories where someone comes to Christ also, but I felt the use of both hero/heroine as Christians from the start was a refreshing change. 

The characterization is also stunning, Nate and Jenna who are fleshed out so well I feel like I am friends with the two.  Jenna's son Zack adds another interesting dimension to the story - I can just imagine this adorable little toddler and his speaking sounds so much like my boys when they were little ones.  I loved getting to know the Callahan family and look forward to getting to know them better in future books.  Will and Chance are interesting as Jenna's brothers and Nate's friends and look forward to them finding women of their own.  Sue and Dub are also great as the parents to the clan.  I like how Dub is tough yet deep down he is a teddy bear.  He also makes some mistakes but like Jenna and Nate, he makes good on them.

Jenna's Cowboy should fit with anyone who loves the romance genre - Nate and Jenna are one of those perfect-for-each other couples and I enjoyed getting to know them for the time it took to read the book.  The small town of Callahan's Crossing is also wonderful - this is one of those Texas towns where football is king, but the family is still most important and neighbors help neighbors when they need it.  This is also a book that will stay with me because of the subject matter it deals with.  I knew little to nothing about Post-traumatic stress disorder and how it can affect our soldiers.  Now I feel a little more informed and it will make me pray each day for the men and women who are serving our country whether here at home or abroad fighting the war on terror.  Thank you to Ms. Gillenwater for highlighting this disorder and the love and support needed to get through it.

Rating Breakdown:
Characterization:    2.0/2.0
Plot:                      2.0/2.0
Writing:                 2.0/2.0
Attention-holding:   1.0/1.0
Ending:                  1.0/1.0
Believable:             1.0/1.0
Genre:                   1.0/1.0    
Rating:                10.0/10.0

About the Book:

Popular author Sharon Gillenwater releases a new novel, Jenna’s Cowboy, set in the beautiful part of West Texas where she grew up as the debut novel in The Callahans of Texas series.

Readers meet Jenna Callahan, who has a young son and is working hard at her father's ranch. She's content with her life. But she never expected to see Nate Langley back in town—the first guy she ever noticed, the very same one her father sent away all those years ago. And she never thought the attraction they felt would be as strong as ever. 

Jenna's cowboy has some healing of his own to do, though, after two tours of duty in the armed forces. With the help of good friends, strong faith, and a loving family, he hopes to put the horrors of the past behind him—and become the man Jenna deserves. 

With an emphasis on simple acts of love, Jenna's Cowboy gives romance readers what they want most: a love story with a Texas touch. This contemporary novel will appeal to fans of Debbie Macomber and Lisa Wingate.
 
About the Author:

Sharon Gillenwater was born and raised in west Texas, and loves to write about  her native state. The author of ten novels, she is a member of ACFW and Romance Writers of America. When she's not writing, she and her husband enjoy spending time with their son, daughter-in-law, and adorable grandson. She lives in Port Angeles, Washington.

Available January 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Thank you to Donna Hausler and Baker Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of Jenna's Cowboy for review.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life.  They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.

For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.