Book Review: "Taming Rafe" by Susan May Warren

Bucking broncos couldn't stop me from reading this book

Rafe is a cowboy who's a professional bull rider. Katherine is a city girl who is trying to raise money to help out those in poor countries. The two collide when frustrated Rafe drives his car into the hotel where Kat is trying to fund raise for her cause. Sparks fly between the two when Kat tries to get him to donate his money to make up for damages. Soon the city girl visits the ailing cowboy on his own turf as they try to reconcile their differences. While she's at the ranch, Kat also tries to find out her family's past. Meanwhile Lolly, the owner of the diner, tries to hide secrets she's kept hidden for over twenty years as the man who's loved her forever tries to win her heart.

Westerns usually aren't my cup of tea, but this series has really grabbed my attention. And I'm not just talking about the covers, even though they are SUPER HOT! This book taught me a lot about bull riding and the dangers that go with this sport. I've never really been a big fan of watching bull riding (and I still don't necessary agree with the sport even after reading the book) but I do have a lot more respect for the riders. It's a sport where you never know what's going to happen because you're not in control of the situation. I really liked Kat as a character. She has enough money to be a rich socialite but her heart is in the right place because she is focused on helping others. Her relationship with Brad adds suspense to the story with twists that the reader doesn't see coming. Rafe is a character that changes throughout the story. It's a interesting ride as the reader watches him grow. I loved the story within a story with the book that John wrote. It was actually quite a good read and I would have loved to have it more fleshed out as a story on its own. The only thing that irked me a bit was Lolly. I just wish she would have told Kat right off the bat who she was instead of clamming up. Of course it would have ruined the story, but I just hate it when things could have been resolved easily if there wasn't unnecessary drawn out drama. Also I didn't like the way she treated John. And women complain that there are never any good guys out there. All in all though, this was a wonderful story that I couldn't stop reading. I'm looking forward to reading the next book to find out more about Stefanie.

Taming Rafe by Susan May Warren is published by Tyndale (2008)

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