Nobody's Cowboy

Nobody's Cowboy by Debra Salonen

Austen Zabrinski's might own a ranch, wear a cowboy hat, and ride a horse, but he is miles away from being a cowboy.  Having bought the ranch as a tax-incentive and political show-piece, the place has turned into his safe haven as his world came crashing down.  Trying to pull himself up and decide what to do next, Austen's life takes an unexpected turn when he meets his hot, new, alpaca-breeding neighbor, Serena James.  Inexplicably drawn to the strong and fiery beauty, Austen can't help but wonder what spell she has weaved around him that has him helping tend sick alpacas and thinking about the f-word...Forever.

Serena James had a very unconventional upbringing.  Adopted and raised by hippie, alpaca breeders who lived mostly off the grid in Northern California, Serena decided to move her herd to Montana not just for financial reasons, but some definite personal ones as well.  Trying to move on from a scary stalker incident, Serena has changed her e-mail address, cell-phone number, business name, and has shut down her blog.  She also vehemently avoids anything to do with publicity or her picture being taken.  So maybe getting involved with a high-powered attorney and former politician isn't the best idea in the world.  Can she handle it when his old life collides with her new reality?

This is the second book by Debra Salonen to feature Austen Zabrinski, and I have to say, because EVERYONE is thinking it...in the first book Austen Zabrinski was an asshole!  Oddly enough, when I heard that Austen was going to be the hero of this book I knew that if anyone could pull off a believable redemption of character for him, it was Debra Salonen.  She did it in Cowgirl, Come Home with OC Jenkins, and she succeeded beautifully in this book.  Not once did she sacrifice his true character in redeeming him, she simply managed to open his eyes in some very emotional ways.

The character of Serena was beautifully written as both a counter to Austen's static point-of-view and an anchor to his careening lifestyle.  I found it very ironic that the stereotypes here are very mishmashed.  Serena's hippie upbringing has given her an open mind, yet she is very grounded with a lifestyle that requires her to remain in one location.  Austen, on the other hand seems to have adopted a very narrow mindset that is highly contrary to his fast-paced, ever changing career path.  A true example of where opposites really do attract.

Overall, this story gave me something to cheer about on many levels.  Debra Salonen knows how to write a story to captivate and hold a readers attention the whole way through, and then leave them begging for the next book.

Continuity/Flow – 5
Sex – 4 

Characters – 5

Storyline – 5

Overall – 5

Cowgirl Come Home

Cowgirl Come Home by Debra Salonen

At the age of eighteen Bailey Jenkins was cursed by her broken-hearted boyfriend at the top of a Ferris Wheel.  Told that if she went through with the gut wrenching decision that she was about to make, then he would call down his grandmother's gypsy curse on her for the rest of her life.  Unfortunately, it seems like the curse might have been real, because Bailey has had nothing but bad luck ever since.

Fifteen years later there is nothing Paul Zabrinski regrets more than cursing his first love...whom he has never really gotten over.  But how can he still love a woman that made a decision that affected them both all by herself?  Now that she is back in town, broken in every sense of the word, to help her mother care for her cantankerous father, can both of them find it in their hearts to forgive each other and move on?  Or is the curse too strong to allow love to win?

This was such a refreshing book.  Not exactly a "feel good" book, it transcends its own concept and comes out as a shining example of great writing and masterful character building.  With its heavy subject matter, it was always going to be an emotional book.  You can't discuss subjects like abortion, addiction, theft, grief, and recovery and still remain shallow and lighthearted.  But this book takes those subjects and removes the melodrama, making them raw and powerful without making them sob-worthy.  In a word, they are honest.

The main characters are both flawed and broken by a life that proved that life itself is not fair.  However, they are both strong and willing to pull themselves up by the boot straps and keep trudging along.  These are admirable qualities and very well received in this book.

The supporting characters are where the true magic in the story lies.  Ms. Salonen took a character who is basically an abusive bully on a power trip, and is candidly described as "the town drunk", and completely makes him likable.  She is actually quite fearless when it comes to making unlikable characters sympathetic.  That kind of gumption is just too admirable not to recognize and applaud.

Overall, I needed this story.  I had been rather disappointed with my own opinion of the last few books I had read, and was actually worried that I was burning out.  This book revived my soul and gave me a reason to keep on reading and reviewing.  Thank you, Debra Salonen!

Ratings:

(1=unacceptable, 2=poor, 3=acceptable, 4=good, 5=excellent)

Continuity/Flow – 5

Sex – 5 

Language – 4

Storyline – 5

Overall – 5