Sadie's teenage-self was a bit of a wild child. She got arrested (not charged) at 17. She left her small town as soon as she could. Now an adult, she's moved around. A lot. She's decided she needs to put down roots and stay in one spot. Back to her small town she goes, signing a 5 yr lease and planning on opening a B&B. 
Eli's family happens to own both the B&B and land. Eli is a full time deputy (running for sheriff) and part time rancher. He also happens to be the one who arrested wild child Sadie at 17.
I did not like Eli. I thought he threw Sadie's arrest in her face one too many times. Judgmental asshole. I also thought he was controlling and unwilling to change. Sadie was a little better, but I thought she was a little too "all over the place." Maybe flighty is a better word.

Part Time Cowboy

by Maisey Yates
Book 1 of Copper Ridge

Bear with me here, because this rambling is going to get very bipolar.  And before we start thinking that I completely despised this book after the next three paragraphs, the truth is, the book somehow managed to win me over.

I considered dropping this book after Eli was introduced.  Eli was introduced in the first chapter.  And I already didn't like him.

There's broody, and then there's douche-nozzle, and in my honest opinion at that time, Eli landed very clearly in the latter.  He wasn't just broody, and even calling him "straight-laced" or "no-nonsense" was probably way too nice (and misleading) a descriptor.  Eli was just a jack ass--an arrogant, judgmental jackass... who also plays at double standards.

Meanwhile, Sadie isn't the best heroine in the world either.  She had a penchant for being reckless and seemed to have trouble respecting boundaries.  However, Eli's reactions to her actions were overly intense and extreme.  If he didn't like what she was doing, he could have just said so without resorting to insulting her person, or referring back to her wild child days.  But the moment that Sadie set foot back in Copper Ridge, Eli was already bound and determined to judge her by the one incident of her trouble youthful shenanigans, immediately seeing the worst in all of her actions, certain that she was in town to cause trouble and, gasp, gasp, cost him his run for town sheriff!

But here's the kicker... Eli admits that he only wants to be town sheriff to satisfy his need to be a control freak and run things his way.  He's not in it for the people; he doesn't even seem to like the people, despite what he claims.  He wants everyone to stay off of his property and leave him alone and stop talking to him about community events...  Or so it seemed.

My first thoughts after reading about a third of the book was that this book had a lot of potential for a cute, contemporary romance.  It had the all-too-familiar and pretty well liked "Bickering Couples" trope--this is something that sometimes draws my attention.  You've got a straight-laced cowboy slash small town sheriff, versus a free-spirited, devil-may-care wanderer...  (Sawyer and Chloe?  Though not an exact replica, I'll give you.)  And that cover is super, super cute, and just oozes "Cute Contemporary Romance" to the max!

But the bickering between Sadie and Eli got pretty old, pretty fast, and started turning into a verbal display of juvenile hair-pulling between the two.  Their arguments were eye-roll inducing, and a lot of times I felt like the two were arguing like teenagers just for the sake of arguing like teenagers.  There was childish taunting, with the occasional extension of an olive branch by one side, only to be shot down when the other party just decides to be insulting about it.  And usually it was Eli being insulting in his judgmental, holier-than-thou way.

By this time, still only about a third of the way into the book, I was dead set on being annoyed with both story and characters.  I'd thought to drop it and the series, but I kept on with it if only because I wanted to see how this relationship imploded in on itself.  Whether or not Eli stopped being so arrogant and judgmental.  Whether Sadie stopped being so childish.  And also, I did find myself liking Connor and Kate, the other two Garrett siblings, in spite of their brother's character flaws.  Connor at least displayed a sense of humor, and Kate is just a nice, normal young woman who knows how to interact with people without being a jerk.

Incredible thing of all things...  This book somehow managed to win me over and I'm not even sure when or how it happened.  Like I said, I was set on being annoyed with it and was sitting firmly in a 2-Star rating.  The next thing I know, I'm plowing through the rest of the book, unable to put it down.

The "Bickering Couple" morphed into a more agreeable "Friends With Benefits."  And while their bickering still felt kind of juvenile, the banter was MUCH more akin to fun and flirty rather than childish taunting and pulling of hair.  You start learning more about both Sadie and Eli, and it was as if each of their characters made massive personality developments you didn't really see coming.  And yet, at the same time, that transition wasn't all that jarring.

You learn that Eli is quite aware of how controlling and judgmental he is, and that he has his reasons.  I'm not saying that his reasons give him a right to be insulting to random people, but it's more understandable from his perspective, why he's so uptight.  But because he's also a caring and good man, I'm guessing it was just easier to accept that his arrogant front was more of an exterior defense mechanism--a public persona as a part of his campaign running for town sheriff.  And what made it so much easier to start liking him was that he starts to curb his judgmental, holier-than-thou attitudes, and lessen his controlling tendencies.

And he admits that he was wrong for insulting Sadie's lifestyle without understanding the history behind her need to wander.

Meanwhile, Sadie also drops her childish taunting; though if I were to nitpick, her development was less prominent than Eli's, probably because I didn't really have much a problem with Sadie in the first place.

In the end, this couple just kind of worked.  They clicked and that chemistry just started sparking.

The romantic development was MUCH more credible as the two started getting to know each other.

I would have liked for some of the more serious issues to be addressed a bit more properly.  Both Sadie and Eli come from rather broken families, and their histories shape the type of person they started off the book as, as well as continues to influence their actions throughout the story.  I'm not sure if they were truly handled all that well, or if we just pulled a "Jill Shalvis" and cloaked the resolution under a "love cures all" machination.  The truth is, I got so caught up in those last few chapters and the resolution of the romance that I didn't really notice... aside from the whole Alison episode with her abusive husband and how that incident seemed to resolve itself way too easily for my liking.

But the kicker is that these issues are also left pretty open-ended, as if there were room for more exploration, off-the-page.  At least that's what it felt like to me.

So yeah...  This book totally screwed around with my review, because I couldn't think of the best way to talk about how annoyed I was by this book... and yet at the same time, how much I ended up enjoying it, without this whole post becoming a messy rambling.  In a way, I'm glad I stuck with it.  However, the first third of the book probably could have benefited from having a less intensely judgmental and arrogant hero, and better outlined bickering... and maybe not have the couple have sex against a wall while they still dislike each other?

Maybe it's my own lack of reference or experience, but if a guy is nothing but insulting, rude, and judgmental towards me within the first couple meetings, I don't really find that much of a turn on.  Insulting my lifestyle doesn't really add points either.  Although I DID find it amusing that the two of them decided to start learning to get along after setting up their Friends With Benefits plan...  I suppose if they're going to sleep with each other, it would help them to actually try to like each other.

Will I read the next book?  Yeah, probably.  I'm not going to rush out and get it immediately, but this is definitely a series I'm interested in following, and Maisey Yates' writing is pretty solid.

Ah, the last of my Best of 2015 lists! 

The top New Contemporary Romance Series I have already mention in other lists

1. The Deal (Off-Campus, #1) by Elle Kennedy

2. Truth or Beard (Winston Brothers, #1) by Penny Reid

3. Trade Me (Cyclone, #1) by Courtney Milan

4, Once Upon a Rose (La Vie en Roses, #1) by Laura Florand 

5. True North (True, #1) by Liora Blake 

6. All for You (Paris Hearts, #1) by Laura Florand

But below are great books I have heard good things about and plan to read!

My lists are never in any particular order.

1. Treble Maker (Perfect Harmony, #1) by Annabeth Albert 

2. Major Misconduct (Aces Hockey, #1) by Kelly Jamieson

3. When Somebody Loves You (The Southern Belle Book Club, #1) by Shirley Jump

4. Opening Up (Ink & Chrome, #1) by Lauren Dane

5. Carry Me Home (Paradise, Idaho, #1) by Rosalind James

6. Part Time Cowboy (Copper Ridge, #1) by Maisey Yates

7. Second Chance Summer (Cedar Ridge, #1) by Jill Shalvis

8. Montana Actually (Medicine River, #1) by Fiona Lowe

9. Driving Heat by Zuri Day

10. Nobody's Angel (Willow Park, #1)  by Sarah Hegger

Do you have a favorite new series? Let me know!

Best New Contemporary Romance Series 2015

Uniforms add a certain something to a romantic lead as does a profession whose mission it is to protect and serve.

Enjoy these love stories featuring Sheriffs in Contemporary Romance.

My lists are never in any particular order. 

1. Head Over Heels by Jill Shalvis 

Free-spirited Chloe lives life on the edge. Unlike her soon-to-be married sisters, she isn't ready to settle into a quiet life running their family's newly renovated inn. But soon her love of trouble--and trouble with love-draws the attention of the very stern, very sexy sheriff who'd like nothing better than to tame her wild ways. 

Suddenly Chloe can't take a misstep without the sheriff hot on her heels. His rugged swagger and his enigmatic smile are enough to make a girl beg to be handcuffed. For the first time, instead of avoiding the law, Chloe dreams of surrender. Can this rebel find a way to keep the peace with the straitlaced sheriff? Or will Chloe's colorful past keep her from a love that lasts . . . and the safe haven she truly wants in a town called Lucky Harbor?

2. Angels Landing by Rochelle Alers 

Kara Newell has a big-city life that needs a major shake-up. Her dedication as a social worker is unwavering, yet her heart tells her that there is more to life than just work. Kara gets the push she needs when she shockingly inherits a large estate on an island off the South Carolina coast. Now the charming town of Angels Landing awaits her . . . along with a secret family she never knew she had.

After surviving war, loss, and heartbreak, ex-marine Jeffrey Hamilton takes his position as sheriff of idyllic Cavanaugh Island very seriously. So he is the perfect person to watch over the beautiful, confident woman who has turned her new family's expectations upside down-and stepped into the crosshairs of angry local residents. 

But soon Kara becomes more than just a job to him, and he begins to need her in ways he never expected. As Kara and Jeffrey confront the town gossips together, they'll learn to face their fears and forgive their pasts in order to find a future filled with happiness in Angels Landing.

3. I Want Candy by Susan Donovan 

Candace Carmichael was just getting used to the lavish life when everything went sour. Now the down-on-her-luck real estate agent is back in Bigler, North Carolina, jobless and illegally rooming with her her mother in a swank retirement community. All this makes her wonder why she ever considered her BFF Cheri's invitation to move back home. Life in this small mountain town may not be as glamorous as the one she had in Tampa, but she knows a girl can't be too choosy in this market. Besides, everyone's happy to welcome Candy back—especially one handsome widower named Turner…

Turner has grown up to be one fine-looking piece of man candy—and looks even tastier in his sheriff's uniform. Maybe that's why she couldn't resist kissing him when he pulled her over for a traffic violation. Even if a relationship was part of Candy's business plan, Turner would be off limits—he still wears his wedding ring, four years after his wife died. If falling in love too fast is a crime, Candy is soon guilty as charged and ready to be fingerprinted. But is she ready to lock away her dreams and hand Turner the keys to her heart?

3. Addicted to Love by Lori Wilde 

Growing up in Valentine, Texas, can make anyone believe in happily ever after. But newly declared recovering romantic Rachael Henderson has decided that love stinks. After having not one but two grooms ditch her at the altar, she announces her disenchantment in an uncharacteristic act of rebellion. She feels liberated...until she's arrested by Sheriff Brody Carlton.

4. Crazy on You by Rachel Gibson 

Lily Darlington's been called crazy in her day—and, yeah, driving her car into her ex-husband's living room probably wasn't the smartest move ever made—but the louse deserved it. Now Lily is happily single, and she's turned it all around. She knows she's a good mom, a homeowner, and a businesswoman, all wrapped up in one good-looking package. 

A package that police officer Tucker Matthews is dying to unwrap. This ex-military man sure doesn't need another woman in his life. His last girlfriend left him with nothing but memories and a cat named Pinky! But living next door to Lily has been driving him nuts. He dreams about her long blonde hair and even longer legs. And maybe it's time to go a little crazy . . . and fall in love.

5. Heartbreak Cove by Lily Everett 

Sheriff Andie Shepard may be new to Sanctuary Island but, like everyone else who comes here, she's already fallen under its healing spell. Andie is determined to leave her mistakes behind her and make this scenic haven her home. But she just might have to change her plans—as well as open her heart—when an unexpected visitor shows up on her doorstep…

Caitlin is the ten-year-old niece Andie never knew she had. Silent, wary, and shy as can be, Caitlin only responds to the horses that run wild across the island. Andie has no idea how to deal with Caitlin—until Sam Brennan enters the picture. A tall, handsome loner who rehabilitates abused horses, Sam is able to help Caitlin break out of her shell. But that's not all: He finds a way to touch something deep in Andie's heart, opening her up to the healing power of love. Together, these three lost souls must face the darkness in their past to build a brighter future. Because here, on Sanctuary Island, anything is possible…

6. Confessions Of A Wicked Woman by Susanna Carr

his is the reason Stephanie Monroe ran away from small-town America in the first place - this insane sense of buttoned-up propriety that's managed to get her thrown in jail. It's not her fault people can't tell the difference between her haute couture and lady-of-the-evening wear! But now, after several citizen complaints, Stephanie finds herself booked by one of Mayfield's finest...and finest is definitely the word. Everything about Jack Logan, from his strong jaw to the way he wears his holster, is irresistibly appealing. And now, the biggest temptation in town - a man in uniform - is resurrecting Stephanie's longburied, apple-pie good girl...and she needs to do something about it fast...It took a lot of hard work for Sheriff Jack Logan to turn away from his bad boy past and become the voice of authority and integrity in this town. So far, he's managed to keep that devilish wild streak buried beneath his badge and his duty. But the minute he looks into Stephanie's eyes, he knows he's in trouble. The big-city lady fights back with a style he admires, even if he suspects that bad-girl come-hither walk is nothing but an act. More and more, Jack can't decide whether to drag her across the city limits or into his bed. One thing's for sure - the longer she stays in town, the more ready this reformed bad boy is to shed his uniform and show Stephanie a whole new side to serve and protect...

7. Return to Homecoming Ranch by Julia London

Curly-haired Libby Tyler never stops smiling…until her beloved boyfriend suddenly forces her out of their home and away from his adoring kids. When she learns he dumped her for his flighty ex-wife, Libby’s sadness turns to fury—and she very publicly smashes his truck with a golf club, earning herself a trip to a mental health center for some “rest.”

Handsome, hazel-eyed deputy Sam Winters has been sober for two years. Afraid of backsliding, he lives in the mountains and keeps his distance from people. Yet he never forgot Libby, his former colleague at the sheriff’s office whose charm and cheerfulness always warmed his days.

Now Libby’s back, ignoring the townspeople’s whispers (and her ex’s restraining order) while desperately trying to make Homecoming Ranch a successful event destination. She keeps causing trouble for Sam, but he finds her smile more beautiful than ever…and his touch gives her thrills she’s never felt. Could these two lost souls mend each other’s broken hearts?

8. The Loner by Lindsay McKenna

n all her years as deputy sheriff, Shelby Kincaid never met a man as stubborn as Dakota Carson. Practically eaten by a grizzly bear and still that man insists on returning, alone, to his isolated cabin in the Tetons. Shelby's not even sure why it ruffles her—but she suspects it has a lot to do with the instant, powerful connection she feels with Dakota. If only he'd let down his guard with her….

Ten years as a Navy SEAL took its toll on Dakota's body, his mind and his heart. Since being released, he's endured months of painful physical therapy…and brutal nightmares. Dakota wants nothing more than to hide from the world, so why does Shelby's gentle presence suddenly make him question his seclusion? But when Shelby's life is threatened, Dakota knows his warrior spirit won't hide any longer. He just hopes it's not too late….

9. Deep Freeze by Lisa Jackson

Her Biggest Fan. . .

When she wakes up, she's very cold. Colder than she's ever been in her life. She can't move or speak. And then she sees him. The one who took her. And before she dies, she wishes she could scream. . .  

Is About To Become. . .

Former movie star Jenna Hughes left Hollywood for an isolated farm in Oregon to get away from fame. But someone has followed her--an obsessed fan whose letters are personal and deeply disturbing. And while Jenna's already shaken up by what she's seen on paper, she'd be terrified if she knew what Sheriff Shane Carter is investigating. It's a shocking case that started with the discovery of a dead woman in the woods. Now two more women are missing, one of whom bears a striking resemblance to Jenna. . .

Her Worst Nightmare. . 

10. Part Time Cowboy by Maisey Yates

Sadie Miller isn't expecting any welcome-home parades on her return to Copper Ridge. Least of all from part-time rancher, full-time lawman Eli Garrett. The straitlaced, impossibly hot deputy sheriff glares at her as if she's the same teenage hoodlum who fled town ten years ago. But running from her demons has brought Sadie full circle, ready to make a commitment at last. Not to a man, but to a bed-and-breakfast. On Garrett land. Okay, so her plan has a tiny flaw… 

Eli works too hard to let a blonde ball of trouble mess up his town. But keeping an eye on Sadie makes it tough to keep his hands off her. And if she's so wrong for him, why does being with her feel so right?

Got more Sheriff goodness? Gimme!

Vote on my Goodreads list: Sheriffs in Contemporary Romance. 

I admit when I first put this on my Kindle and opened it, I was a little bit apprehensive; I was worried about the 400+ pages length. I know, I know, it shouldn’t be a big problem, right? A good book is a good book. But I think for the past several years, I have become accustomed to shorter romance stories so that nowadays, whenever I see romance that is more than 400 pages, I am worried that it will be long-winded and tedious.

Well, the beginning did feel a little slow. Maybe because this is the first book in this new small-town romance series, so Ms. Yates takes her time introducing the major players and the set-up for the whole three books. However, once the heroine and hero start to connect a little bit more frequently, the intensity and chemistry between the two just made the rest of my reading feel like a breeze.

Eli and Sadie are total opposites in characteristics. Eli likes his life to be controlled and better planned. Eli’s mother walked out on the Garrett siblings, leaving their father drowned in alcohol, and his older brother, Connor, stepping up to take care of their ranch. So the responsibility of taking care of the household and his younger sister, Kate, fell into his shoulder. That is also why Eli entered the law enforcement field; being a deputy sheriff makes Eli feels like he has order in his hands. Not just for his home but for the whole town.

While Sadie? Well, Sadie is the opposite of order. For Eli, Sadie is a disarray. When she was 17 years old, Eli arrested Sadie for a drunk and disorderly conduct – a night that changed Sadie’s life. She left Copper Ridge soon after, and ever since, Sadie never settled down. She travels a lot, while practicing therapy for others, but one thing Sadie doesn’t do is put down roots. Until now… when a patient reminds her of what she has been missing. So Sadie returns to Copper Ridge, makes a 5-year commitment to build and B & B on Garrett’s land … and for Eli, starts to ruin his neat life.

Because of this, Eli and Sadie often clash – and I thought it was deliciously awesome!! Sadie sure could ruffle Eli’s feathers and she has fun doing so. I couldn’t help feeling giddy whenever Eli got frustrated with what Sadie was doing for building the B & B. Eli is such a grump!! *LOL* It doesn’t help that his younger sister, Kate, seems to like having an adult woman around. Their banter was fun and when they finally acknowledge the attraction, it was hot!!!

Ms. Yates also injected quite an emotional moment between the two of them, one that related to that fateful night a decade ago – what happened to Sadie after she was arrested by Eli. It got my heart tied up in knots. Definitely an added layer to the progress of Eli and Sadie’s relationship.

The ending felt a bit of a rushed for me though – I mean, Ms. Yates introduced a late conflict for Eli and Sadie, but it concluded rather quickly.

Seriously, this is definitely a new romance series for me to follow. I’m so happy that all three books will be released this year, meaning I don’t have to wait too long for all Garrett siblings to find their happily ever after. I wish it was May already, so I could read Connor’s story. I mean, he is a grieving widower, and it seems that his love interest will be his best friend. Oh yes, friend-to-lovers trope? I’m all in!