The Heart of a Cowboy

About the Book:

Title: The Heart of a Cowboy
Series: Colorado Cowboys #2
Author: Jody Hedlund
Publisher: Bethany House Fiction
Release Date: October 5, 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction

When he agreed to guard her, he never bargained on having to guard his heart.

Brilliant scientist Linnea Newberry is on the adventure of a lifetime, traveling the Santa Fe Trail with her grandfather, Dr. Powell, on a botanical expedition to Colorado Territory.
She longs to be valued for her contributions and not seen as a helpless liability. But at every calamity she faces, her grandfather threatens to send her home.

After watching his ma suffer and die in childbirth, Flynn McQuaid has sworn off women and marriage forever. Headed west to start a new life, he has his hands full not only taking care of his younger siblings but also delivering cattle to his older brother. He doesn’t need more complications.

When Flynn rescues Linnea from drowning during a river crossing, Dr. Powell promptly
hires Flynn–unbeknownst to Linnea–to act as her bodyguard for the rest of the trip. As
Flynn fights against the many dangers of the trail, he soon finds himself in the greatest
danger of all–falling for a woman he’s determined not to love.

Book Review:

Wow! This book was even better than the first book! I am always amazed by all of the books that Jody Hedlund has written because they all manage to be so good! The Heart of a Cowboy is the second book in Jody Hedlund’s Colorado Cowboys series. I was excited to read this story because I wanted to learn more about Wyatt’s family and finally get to see Flynn. The Heart of a Cowboy was such a sweet and heartwarming book.

Flynn wanted to prove that he was better than his older brother, Wyatt. He was determined to deliver cattle to his brother, and no matter the cost, he would keep the cattle alive. Linnea Newberry is loving traveling the Santa Fe Trail with her grandfather, Dr. Howell, on a botanical expedition to Colorado Territory. She wants to prove to her grandfather and the others on the team that she is trustworthy and just as capable as the men. What Linnea and Flynn never expected was to grow a bond as they traveled together.

Flynn was an awesome hero. He wanted to protect his family and do his best to bring his brother’s cattle to him. I loved his relationship with his siblings and how he tried to be the best big brother he could. He was strong, but he had to learn to trust that he could not save everyone or stop bad things from happening. He was grappling with how to care for his family and let them grow. It was sweet to read about him falling for Linnea. She was fearless and helped him see the good in life again. 

Linnea was really cool. She was a botanist in a time where women could not do much. I adored her, and I loved how much she loved God’s creation. It was also fun to read about her interaction with Ivy, Flynn’s younger sister. However, Linnea had to learn to trust God’s plan and stop trying to force her way of things. It was so cool to see Linnea grow in her faith. She was a lovely character!

Linnea and Flynn were cute together. They balanced each other. They were able to actually talk to each other, which I always love. Bantering is one of my favorite things that can be written into books, and I really enjoyed Linnea and Flynn’s bantering. I liked the progress of their romance, and also, the balance with the rest of the story. I was really interested to read about them transporting cattle and to read about Linnea’s rescue. There was so much going on, and I kept on wanting to read more.

Some of my favorite things about Hedlund’s books are the great quotes. Here are two of my favorites: “If we tuck tail and run everytime we’re scared, we’ll end up running in circles, never getting anywhere.” This quote reminded me that sometimes we have to push through the hard things and just try our best. The second quote was “Was it finally time to stop trying so hard in her own strength and to let God carry her where He would, working things out in His way?” I loved this quote because it reminded me that I need to trust in God’s plan and not my own. 

The Heart of a Cowboy was a great book! There were some twists and turns and I ended up staying up late reading. I am excited to read Dylan’s book. I know it is going to be good! I would totally recommend The Heart of a Cowboy! It is a clean Christian romance but it is a little heavier on the romance so I would probably recommend it to at least 13 and up.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.