Review: Once a Cowboy (The Raffertys of Last Stand, #3) by Justine Davis

He’s a cowboy through and through…

Rylan Rafferty was a cowboy long before interest in his leatherworking artistry and saddle making for the rich and famous catapulted him to national fame. He values his privacy, so when a popular Texas magazine wants to feature him, his first inclination is to run. His military father who died in combat when Rylan was a teen was the artist, not him. But then he meets the photographer, and Rylan suddenly no longer wants to bury himself in his work.

Kaitlyn Miller values three things above all else—the memory of her father, her photography, and the mentor who first handed her a camera. Her beautiful but flawed mother may have chipped away at her self-esteem as a child, but Kaitlyn has confidence in her work. So she’s thrilled to be back home in Texas for her first big break—a photo shoot of a local Last Stand artist.

When plain Kaitlyn collides with gorgeous Rylan, unexpected sparks fly. But can he convince her that her generous heart and artist's eye make her more than beautiful to him? 

 

My Review:

Their love was meant to be. 

Having read the previous books in the Raffertys of Last Stand series, I couldn’t wait to learn more about Rylan, the artist of the family.  This book was everything I thought it would be, and then some. 

Rylan and Kaitlyn were perfect for each other, but they both had some issues they needed to work out.  They were both broken people.  Rylan was in self-doubt about how good of an artist he was.  His father was the real artist of the family and Rylan had a hard time seeing himself being as good.  Kaitlyn’s alcoholic mother mentally abused her to the point she didn’t think she was pretty enough or worthy enough for a man like Rylan.  As they work together, for a magazine article, they become close and learn how good they are for each other.  They help each other get past what is holding them back and in the end fall in love, but not without a few hurdles to cross first. 

This book was brilliantly written.  I was pulled in from the start and it held my attention to the very last words.