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The Texas Brands #1
The Littlest Cowboy
Baby on his Doorstep!
Sheriff Garrett Brand has raised his entire brood of siblings single-handedly, and he’s done his best to teach them some values, to mold them into honorable, responsible, and trustworthy human beings. So when a baby lands on the doorstep of the Texas Brand, his first question is which younger brother is in for a butt-kicking? But the little fellow isn't named after Ben, or Wes, or Adam, or Elliot. The little feller is named after him – Garrett Ethan Brand–according to the note his mama left behind.
He’s still racking his brain to figure it all out, when a woman shows up at the ranch in the dead of night, spitting, fighting mad, and accusing Garrett of murdering her sister and stealing the baby!
Chelsea is confused, heartbroken, and too mad to think straight, and the same trouble that found her poor sister is right on her tail. But of all the places she and the baby could've wound up, Garrett thinks this ranch is the best one.
Because this is one family that knows how to pull together and trouble doesn't stand a chance against The Brands of Texas.
246 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 1996
About the author
Maggie Shayne
311 books2,533 followersI live in the teeny, tiny town of Taylor, NY, (Alliteration Alert!) though my mailing address is Cincinnatus, my telephone exchange is Truxton and I pay taxes and vote in Cuyler. All of these are at least in the same rural county in the southern hills of New York State; Cortland County. There are more cattle than people here. The nearest “big” cities are Syracuse and Binghamton and they are an hour away, in different directions, and not really all that big by most standards, though they both seem humongous to me. I look out my window to see rolling, green, thickly forested hills, wildflower laden meadows and wide open blue, blue skies. My road is barely paved. The nearest neighboring place is a 700 acre dairy farm.
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 439 reviews
July 22, 2016
The Littlest Cowboy is one of the cheesiest, cornball romances ever AND I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! I should really give it a three, but I was charmed by the characters. Correction: I was charmed by the male characters.
Romances can be defined or driven by a variety of things: plot, sexual dynamics, sturm and drang, angst, great heroes, and/or great heroines. This book doesn't just have one great hero, it has a whole family of them.
Garrett, the star of this book, is a gentle giant and a man of few words but a great sense of honor and protectiveness. Wes, his half brother (a half-Comanche brother) is an angst-ridden brooder who both resents and adores his half-siblings. A man you really want in a fight. Elliot is more whimsical and apparently wants to be a cowboy which I found pretty cute in a relatively grown man. Ben and Adam?? are off pages for most of the book, but have been dealt terrible hands dealt to them when it comes to women, but are awesome and broody from a distance. Little sister is sassy and isn't just the best shot or best tracker of the family, she's also studying to be a vet. This story is about Garret and the baby and woman who fall into his life.
Then there's the heroine. I can recall almost all the other characters names, but not hers. The h is a feisty, honorable and very damaged character. She grows and softens though the book from a scarily defensive character into a softer more loving one, but I could never warm up to her. Not important as the H, Garrett does. Toss in an adorable chubby moppet and a charming bad guy and there you go. I will definitely read more in this series as I loved the family and want to know more.
Basic plot:
The h identifies the emaciated corpse of her sister and finds out she had a child. About the same time, Garret and his family wake up to find a baby on their doorstep that has been named for Garret down to the middle name. Oops, the big G is given the stink eye from everyone especially his brothers (he has lectured on safe sex on more than one occasion apparently), but he protests it's not his baby. The h shows up and ends up staying. More good guys and bad guys enter the fray. HEA.
Romances can be defined or driven by a variety of things: plot, sexual dynamics, sturm and drang, angst, great heroes, and/or great heroines. This book doesn't just have one great hero, it has a whole family of them.
Garrett, the star of this book, is a gentle giant and a man of few words but a great sense of honor and protectiveness. Wes, his half brother (a half-Comanche brother) is an angst-ridden brooder who both resents and adores his half-siblings. A man you really want in a fight. Elliot is more whimsical and apparently wants to be a cowboy which I found pretty cute in a relatively grown man. Ben and Adam?? are off pages for most of the book, but have been dealt terrible hands dealt to them when it comes to women, but are awesome and broody from a distance. Little sister is sassy and isn't just the best shot or best tracker of the family, she's also studying to be a vet. This story is about Garret and the baby and woman who fall into his life.
Then there's the heroine. I can recall almost all the other characters names, but not hers. The h is a feisty, honorable and very damaged character. She grows and softens though the book from a scarily defensive character into a softer more loving one, but I could never warm up to her. Not important as the H, Garrett does. Toss in an adorable chubby moppet and a charming bad guy and there you go. I will definitely read more in this series as I loved the family and want to know more.
Basic plot:
The h identifies the emaciated corpse of her sister and finds out she had a child. About the same time, Garret and his family wake up to find a baby on their doorstep that has been named for Garret down to the middle name. Oops, the big G is given the stink eye from everyone especially his brothers (he has lectured on safe sex on more than one occasion apparently), but he protests it's not his baby. The h shows up and ends up staying. More good guys and bad guys enter the fray. HEA.
December 1, 2019
This is well written, entertaining romance novel with a strong, likable hero, some suspense, a wonderful sense of family, and a happily ever after ending. I am looking forward to reading the other entries in Ms. Shayne's "The Texas Brands" series.
May 19, 2020
3.5*
A lovely book with the sweetest giant of a H, and his horde of siblings who can give you serious sibling-envy. And that 'littlest' guy should be banned for the cheery cuteness overload.
So, can not blame the h as she faced tough competition, to wiggle out a space for herself. Even though she had valid reasons to be a doubting cynic from the city, she just comes across as a sourpuss amidst the all pervasive goodness.
I like the book with the little suspense bit on the side, but not something I'll remember forever. But I did tear up at few places, especially when the h compares her abusive childhood to the loving family before her.
A lovely book with the sweetest giant of a H, and his horde of siblings who can give you serious sibling-envy. And that 'littlest' guy should be banned for the cheery cuteness overload.
So, can not blame the h as she faced tough competition, to wiggle out a space for herself. Even though she had valid reasons to be a doubting cynic from the city, she just comes across as a sourpuss amidst the all pervasive goodness.
I like the book with the little suspense bit on the side, but not something I'll remember forever. But I did tear up at few places, especially when the h compares her abusive childhood to the loving family before her.
August 16, 2015
3-3.5 stars
This was a very sweet story. The baby was adorable. Unfortunately, he was barely in the story after 50%. But the beginning was great!
This is more a story about trying to keep safe from a very bad man than anything else. The heroine is seriously messed up from a terrible childhood so she is not looking for "love" and the hero just wants to keep her and the baby safe so he is kind of oblivious. This is clearly the introduction of a series because you get to know most of the Brand kids. This is low steam/heat, medium angst. Totally safe.
Safety Gang safe
Only read spoiler if you have to know where the baby came from before reading the book!
This was a very sweet story. The baby was adorable. Unfortunately, he was barely in the story after 50%. But the beginning was great!
This is more a story about trying to keep safe from a very bad man than anything else. The heroine is seriously messed up from a terrible childhood so she is not looking for "love" and the hero just wants to keep her and the baby safe so he is kind of oblivious. This is clearly the introduction of a series because you get to know most of the Brand kids. This is low steam/heat, medium angst. Totally safe.
Safety Gang safe
Only read spoiler if you have to know where the baby came from before reading the book!
November 29, 2020
Wow I just read this and I came to review it only to find out I’ve read it before! I had absolutely no memory of it. And it was just as crappy the second time as it evidently was the first.November 2020
I read a later volume in this series and liked it really well but this one just didn't work for me. Too hokey I think. The girl was TSTL also. I did like that the hero was supersized. I felt like a lot of elements that I like were there but the writing was just meh. Still this is an early work by this author and I'm sure she's improved since then.
I read a later volume in this series and liked it really well but this one just didn't work for me. Too hokey I think. The girl was TSTL also. I did like that the hero was supersized. I felt like a lot of elements that I like were there but the writing was just meh. Still this is an early work by this author and I'm sure she's improved since then.
September 19, 2014
Enjoyed this story mainly because of the hero. He was a sheriff, a cowboy and a cut above other men when it came to his size, his strength and his demeanor. Known as the Gentle Giant, he was perfect for Chelsea, who had been abused by her father as a child and swore she'd never love any man. How could she resist someone like Garrett? He was tender, gentle and a bit naive when it came to romancing a woman. Fortunately, his little sister was all too willing to help in that respect. She even wrote notes on index cards telling him what to say. However, when Chelsea' s life was endangered, there was nothing gentle in the way he insisted on protecting both her and her nephew even if it does mean taking on organized crime. A delightful twist to the baby-on-the-doorstep theme. Loved the entire Brand family and the way they looked out for one another.
July 25, 2024
I enjoyed this much more than I anticipated I would. Chelsea and her sister were raised with an abusive father, who hit both of them, but more often beat their mother who did her best to deflect his abuse away from them and towards herself. Until he finally killed her. So Chelsea has grown into a woman who cannot stand for a man to touch her, who cannot trust any man, who is convinced that every man, no matter how nice he seems to be, will turn out to be like her father. While I understand where she is coming from and why she feels the way she feels, I started to get a little weary of her constant declarations that she was going to kill the man she was sure had killed her sister, that she would kill any man who tried to hurt her, etc. It's like she was obsessed with killing men.
I also don't particularly like the trope, for lack of a better word, where the hero is a big man, constantly described as having big hands, a barrel chest, huge arms. In Garret's case we're also told multiple times that he tries extra hard to talk in a gentle voice, to make himself appear non-threatening, that holding or touching a little baby makes him feel clumsy and awkward. We get it, he's big! And then to counter that, the heroine is always tiny, and we're constantly reminded of how small she is, how she's just a little mite of a woman. We get it, she's small! At least in this one we didn't have a scene where she sees his manhood for the first time and is worried or frightened that he's too big for her! Though that usually happens more in historical romances.
Anyway, I liked Chelsea more and more as I got to know her, and I loved Garrett from the beginning, along with his brothers and sister, and of course little baby Ethan was adorable. That doesn't mean I didn't get mad at Chelsea when she decided she had to face her enemy alone so Garrett wouldn't step in to protect her and get himself killed, because her actions were incredibly stupid. But, all's well that ends well.
I also don't particularly like the trope, for lack of a better word, where the hero is a big man, constantly described as having big hands, a barrel chest, huge arms. In Garret's case we're also told multiple times that he tries extra hard to talk in a gentle voice, to make himself appear non-threatening, that holding or touching a little baby makes him feel clumsy and awkward. We get it, he's big! And then to counter that, the heroine is always tiny, and we're constantly reminded of how small she is, how she's just a little mite of a woman. We get it, she's small! At least in this one we didn't have a scene where she sees his manhood for the first time and is worried or frightened that he's too big for her! Though that usually happens more in historical romances.
Anyway, I liked Chelsea more and more as I got to know her, and I loved Garrett from the beginning, along with his brothers and sister, and of course little baby Ethan was adorable. That doesn't mean I didn't get mad at Chelsea when she decided she had to face her enemy alone so Garrett wouldn't step in to protect her and get himself killed, because her actions were incredibly stupid. But, all's well that ends well.
January 22, 2015
The Littlest Cowboy is set in Texas and involves a family - all grown up now and overseen by the eldest Garrett. It is the first in what is a series of books about the various members of the family. While it didn't drag me into wanting to read any more of the books it was a pleasant enough read.
Garret is a fine upstanding man, his brothers Elliot and Wes are fascinating in themselves and the one girl in the family is good hearted. When a baby turns up on the door step it provides all kind of fun and turmoil for the family.
There is some mystery and suspense to the story because there is a dead mother, a sister who wants to take the baby and run and an evil drug lord out to get his son back and get rid of the sister. So there are a number of near escapes as he endeavours to carry out his mission.
Light reading that didn't wow me but didn't turn me off either.
August 19, 2015
Sweet safe story. Although it wasn't the best and at times I kind of lost interest I'm glad I stuck it out. Garrett was such a sweet gentle giant:DI loved all the brands and will read
their books(hopefully there safe)!
their books(hopefully there safe)!
July 26, 2015
This was a cute story overall. I can safely say that I wasn't really a fan of Chelsea though, she just seemed overly stupid in my opinion. There were several times throughout the story where she either did or said something that just left me wanting to smack her. I'll list them below.
First example of Chelsea being stupid:
When she finds Garrett's name, what in the world made her think that her sister would have left his information directing Chelsea to her nephew, if Garrett was the bad guy?
Second example of Chelsea being stupid:
After Chelsea wakes up from basically passing out from all the stress after arriving at the farm, she doesn't realize that she's naked until she's had her talk with Garrett. How is that possible? How could she not feel the sheet touching her bare skin?
So Garrett went out for a while (an hour has gone by since dinner finished), Elliot and Wes are cleaning up dinner dishes, and Chelsea's just hanging out IN FRONT OF THE FIRE (read below). As Chelsea is watching Jessi feed a horse, she notices the sky as being a "sapphire sky as blue as little Ethan's eyes". For whatever reason I would have imagined it as being either dark outside or when the sun was setting. Unless they ate a really early dinner?
Third example of Chelsea being stupid:
So basically throughout the story, Garrett is nice and friendly to everyone that he comes into contact with. Yet, Chelsea, living in an imaginary world, thinks till basically the end of the story, that Garrett is only being nice to her because he wants to sleep with her. Seriously?
Fourth example of Chelsea being stupid:
"And she tried to think of why he'd (Garrett) been so nice to the baby. What could he be hoping to get out of him?" Is she for real? It's a baby! Maybe he likes babies!!!!
When Garrett is trying to come up with an idea to keep Chelsea on the farm, why in hell didn't he just tell her the truth? I mean come on! Instead he does the date night thing with dancing and candles. Stupid! Considering she'd told him multiple times throughout the story that she wasn't interested in having a relationship...yes, it makes sense to make her think Garrett was in love with her to keep her there, rather than telling her someone wanted to kill her. Perfect sense!
I don't remember the author mentioning a month of when the story takes place, but I do remember how it was really hot during the day. Therefore, I would assume it's summer time maybe? Well then why did they keep building fires? I can't imagine it would be that cold at night.
There wasn't much time that past from the cow stampede to Garrett's date night. Yet, with all the ouchies and bruises Chelsea has, she shows up wearing a little summer dress and high heels? And doesn't seem to be having any pain? Right.
Unless you're a mechanic, which Chelsea is not, who would be checking the water levels in the car radiator?
Garrett and his naivety actually thought Chelsea would listen to him by not going to de Lorean's place?
When Jessie and the baby and whoever else are trying to sneak off the farm while de Lorean's men are watching, how exactly did they think they wouldn't be seen/caught? Of course in imaginary land they weren't, but still. They're out front the house, climbing into the bed of Mariella's truck and no one saw them?
How did the other two brothers get to the farm so fast? Adam and Ben? They were both in different states, a good ways away, but after coming up with the plan to sneak off the farm, they're both suddenly there like...not even a few hours later.
First example of Chelsea being stupid:
When she finds Garrett's name, what in the world made her think that her sister would have left his information directing Chelsea to her nephew, if Garrett was the bad guy?
Second example of Chelsea being stupid:
After Chelsea wakes up from basically passing out from all the stress after arriving at the farm, she doesn't realize that she's naked until she's had her talk with Garrett. How is that possible? How could she not feel the sheet touching her bare skin?
So Garrett went out for a while (an hour has gone by since dinner finished), Elliot and Wes are cleaning up dinner dishes, and Chelsea's just hanging out IN FRONT OF THE FIRE (read below). As Chelsea is watching Jessi feed a horse, she notices the sky as being a "sapphire sky as blue as little Ethan's eyes". For whatever reason I would have imagined it as being either dark outside or when the sun was setting. Unless they ate a really early dinner?
Third example of Chelsea being stupid:
So basically throughout the story, Garrett is nice and friendly to everyone that he comes into contact with. Yet, Chelsea, living in an imaginary world, thinks till basically the end of the story, that Garrett is only being nice to her because he wants to sleep with her. Seriously?
Fourth example of Chelsea being stupid:
"And she tried to think of why he'd (Garrett) been so nice to the baby. What could he be hoping to get out of him?" Is she for real? It's a baby! Maybe he likes babies!!!!
When Garrett is trying to come up with an idea to keep Chelsea on the farm, why in hell didn't he just tell her the truth? I mean come on! Instead he does the date night thing with dancing and candles. Stupid! Considering she'd told him multiple times throughout the story that she wasn't interested in having a relationship...yes, it makes sense to make her think Garrett was in love with her to keep her there, rather than telling her someone wanted to kill her. Perfect sense!
I don't remember the author mentioning a month of when the story takes place, but I do remember how it was really hot during the day. Therefore, I would assume it's summer time maybe? Well then why did they keep building fires? I can't imagine it would be that cold at night.
There wasn't much time that past from the cow stampede to Garrett's date night. Yet, with all the ouchies and bruises Chelsea has, she shows up wearing a little summer dress and high heels? And doesn't seem to be having any pain? Right.
Unless you're a mechanic, which Chelsea is not, who would be checking the water levels in the car radiator?
Garrett and his naivety actually thought Chelsea would listen to him by not going to de Lorean's place?
When Jessie and the baby and whoever else are trying to sneak off the farm while de Lorean's men are watching, how exactly did they think they wouldn't be seen/caught? Of course in imaginary land they weren't, but still. They're out front the house, climbing into the bed of Mariella's truck and no one saw them?
How did the other two brothers get to the farm so fast? Adam and Ben? They were both in different states, a good ways away, but after coming up with the plan to sneak off the farm, they're both suddenly there like...not even a few hours later.
January 27, 2015
Predictable? Yes.
Enjoyable? Yes.
Well written plot? Yes
Characters that were both realistic, adult, and believable? Yes.
A real western with good guys? YES
And bad guys? Yes.
Do characters seem to reappear in other books about the Brand family of Quinn, TX? Yes.
Would I read more by Ms Shayne? YES! YES!
Enjoyable? Yes.
Well written plot? Yes
Characters that were both realistic, adult, and believable? Yes.
A real western with good guys? YES
And bad guys? Yes.
Do characters seem to reappear in other books about the Brand family of Quinn, TX? Yes.
Would I read more by Ms Shayne? YES! YES!
June 7, 2017
I wanted to punch this woman. I finished the book, but want those couple of hours of my life back. Ugh.
December 27, 2019
Maggie Shayne has become a favorite author of mine this year. I decided to pick up a couple of books to read over the holiday and this just so happened to be one of them.
I thought the story was well-written and transitioned well to the end. This Brand brood of characters make for a delightful bunch of siblings and had me smiling more than once throughout the story.
It was a good comfort read and I enjoyed very much.
4-stars
I thought the story was well-written and transitioned well to the end. This Brand brood of characters make for a delightful bunch of siblings and had me smiling more than once throughout the story.
It was a good comfort read and I enjoyed very much.
4-stars
Want to read
August 13, 2017Freebie 6/6/17
November 28, 2014
The first installment from the Texas Brands series used a very cliched and typical storylines. But this was written in the early 90s so I'd say it's forgivable? You decide. What made me want to read this though was the synopsis and the overly cute baby boy in the cover image who was left by his mom at the Brands' doorstep to be in the care of his very shell-shocked father, Garrett, who was dead sure the boy wasn't his and who also happened to be the town's sheriff. It piqued my curiousity on how the story will play out. Did Garrett have a drunken one night stand he couldn't remember? Was he tricked into it? Was he drugged? How will he take it as the truth became very clear to him? Having taken the responsibilities of managing a family ranch business and looking after his 5 younger siblings after his parents met a fatal acccident also made the story all the more interesting to me.
The novel opened with a delightfully eye-rolling what-was-that-sound-i-heard scene, weapons of all kind in hand, as everyone searched for the suspicious movement. Only to find a baby crouched in a basket on their doorstep with a note claiming the sheriff to be the father. If you are an avid reader like me whose respiratory tract produces grumbling sound at overused plots such as this, you might want to be reminded that this was published in the 90s.
Still, the mental images of Ethan, aka Bubba, the baby, basking you with pleasurable infantile sounds and bopping the head of an ancient mutt quite a few times in the book were a delicious treat that will keep you leafing the pages through and through.
Of course, Bubba wasn't the only star in the Brands ranch. The Brand siblings themselves made up the book. A stubborn maiden, a child trapped in a 25 year old man's body, a darkly hot-tempered Native American and a burly sheriff with the gentlest hands as the hero painted a kaleidoscope of personalities that magically mashed into a home protected with love, understanding and unbreakable bond. My personal favorites are Jessi's strong-will and Elliot's childlike disposition. Women who can command men at their feet are such a turn on; and men with bottomless candor, in my opinion, have a certain edge of danger etched on their laugh lines which becomes a major turn on when they suddenly felt wounded and betrayed. Throw in Wes's dark mood together with Ben's desolation and Adam's romantic turmoil and you get a marvellous promise to the progression of the siblings' romantic saga. And who wouldn't be smitten by a huge man whose heart was as big as his unparalleled integrity yet softer than a jelly? Surely, they would captivate your hearts and leave you deeply enamored unto them.
That is... if you are willing to overlook details such as:
Thank goodness Bubba and the Brands were lovable!
The novel opened with a delightfully eye-rolling what-was-that-sound-i-heard scene, weapons of all kind in hand, as everyone searched for the suspicious movement. Only to find a baby crouched in a basket on their doorstep with a note claiming the sheriff to be the father. If you are an avid reader like me whose respiratory tract produces grumbling sound at overused plots such as this, you might want to be reminded that this was published in the 90s.
Still, the mental images of Ethan, aka Bubba, the baby, basking you with pleasurable infantile sounds and bopping the head of an ancient mutt quite a few times in the book were a delicious treat that will keep you leafing the pages through and through.
Of course, Bubba wasn't the only star in the Brands ranch. The Brand siblings themselves made up the book. A stubborn maiden, a child trapped in a 25 year old man's body, a darkly hot-tempered Native American and a burly sheriff with the gentlest hands as the hero painted a kaleidoscope of personalities that magically mashed into a home protected with love, understanding and unbreakable bond. My personal favorites are Jessi's strong-will and Elliot's childlike disposition. Women who can command men at their feet are such a turn on; and men with bottomless candor, in my opinion, have a certain edge of danger etched on their laugh lines which becomes a major turn on when they suddenly felt wounded and betrayed. Throw in Wes's dark mood together with Ben's desolation and Adam's romantic turmoil and you get a marvellous promise to the progression of the siblings' romantic saga. And who wouldn't be smitten by a huge man whose heart was as big as his unparalleled integrity yet softer than a jelly? Surely, they would captivate your hearts and leave you deeply enamored unto them.
That is... if you are willing to overlook details such as:
Thank goodness Bubba and the Brands were lovable!
October 9, 2014
Garret Brand has had a lifetime of being responsible so when he finds a baby on his doorstep along with a note stating that the baby is his, he knows for a fact that something fishy is going on because there is no way that he is anyone’s daddy. His younger brothers and sister are not so easy to believe him though. Being the town Sherriff has its advantages though and he will get some answers first thing Tuesday morning. He only has to harden his heart for the long three day weekend.
When Chelsea Brennan discovered that her sister was dead and that her six month old baby was missing, she knew that she had to find the baby and kill the baby’s father because she knew in her heart that was the person that killed her sister. After finding a clue that leads her to the Brand Ranch, she wasn’t expecting to meet to a giant of a man that seemed more gentle then anyone that she had ever known but she wasn’t going to let stop her from doing what she had set out to do.
This was a great book and I really enjoyed the Brand siblings. Jessi, the youngest of the Brands and the only girl, was by far my favorite though. Tough as nails and she knew how to put her brothers in place. As for the two main characters, Garrett really was a gentle giant but his technique needed some work (this is mostly true in the last chapter) and as far as Chelsea was concerned, I believe that someone that had been through as much as she had and as hard as she struggled in life with men, I don’t feel that would have given in as easily as she did but other than that, I really enjoyed the book.
This book really does have it all, mystery, suspense, true family values and a sweet romance to boot. I’ve already purchased book two which features Jessi and Lash. He was somewhat of a mystery in this book and I look forward to seeing Jessi show him that she’s not a child but a women.
When Chelsea Brennan discovered that her sister was dead and that her six month old baby was missing, she knew that she had to find the baby and kill the baby’s father because she knew in her heart that was the person that killed her sister. After finding a clue that leads her to the Brand Ranch, she wasn’t expecting to meet to a giant of a man that seemed more gentle then anyone that she had ever known but she wasn’t going to let stop her from doing what she had set out to do.
This was a great book and I really enjoyed the Brand siblings. Jessi, the youngest of the Brands and the only girl, was by far my favorite though. Tough as nails and she knew how to put her brothers in place. As for the two main characters, Garrett really was a gentle giant but his technique needed some work (this is mostly true in the last chapter) and as far as Chelsea was concerned, I believe that someone that had been through as much as she had and as hard as she struggled in life with men, I don’t feel that would have given in as easily as she did but other than that, I really enjoyed the book.
This book really does have it all, mystery, suspense, true family values and a sweet romance to boot. I’ve already purchased book two which features Jessi and Lash. He was somewhat of a mystery in this book and I look forward to seeing Jessi show him that she’s not a child but a women.
October 8, 2014
This book is one of my all time favorites. It had suspense, action, romance, humor, and was very emotional in places.
Shortly after Chelsea found out her sister died, and identified the body, she found out where her nephew was. Chelsea was sure the man that had him, was responsible for her sister's death. She rang the door bell, and once she saw the face of a man she threw the first punch, and asked questions later. I enjoyed her take action personality in this story.
I loved Garrett, and his one sister Jessi, and all of his bothers. The family was close and had each other's backs. They all worked hard on the ranch, and pulled their own weight. Garrett was the sheriff of the small town. He was shocked to find someone had left a baby on his door step. The story had me laughing so hard when Garrett had to change his first diaper.
He was more shocked to open his door and seconds later felt the punch of a small little spit fire. She had no idea he was the sheriff. I loved how Garrett and his family banned around Chelsea to protect her from the person that killed her sister.
This is just one of those books that you have to read. This review does this book no justice.
Shortly after Chelsea found out her sister died, and identified the body, she found out where her nephew was. Chelsea was sure the man that had him, was responsible for her sister's death. She rang the door bell, and once she saw the face of a man she threw the first punch, and asked questions later. I enjoyed her take action personality in this story.
I loved Garrett, and his one sister Jessi, and all of his bothers. The family was close and had each other's backs. They all worked hard on the ranch, and pulled their own weight. Garrett was the sheriff of the small town. He was shocked to find someone had left a baby on his door step. The story had me laughing so hard when Garrett had to change his first diaper.
He was more shocked to open his door and seconds later felt the punch of a small little spit fire. She had no idea he was the sheriff. I loved how Garrett and his family banned around Chelsea to protect her from the person that killed her sister.
This is just one of those books that you have to read. This review does this book no justice.
February 28, 2015
FREE KINDLE DOWNLOAD
“The new day crept in with its fresh, dewy air and its birdsongs. The horizon glowed with brush strokes of fire & gold”
“A broken heart can’t be filled. It just keeps leaking. I want those cracks all patched up.”
Excerpts from ‘The Littlest Cowboy’
Chelsea Brennan has just ID’d her murdered sister. Now the murderer is out to kill her and get Baby Ethan back, but Sheriff Garret Brand and his family have a completely different idea. Garret is an all-round good cowboy and he’s falling in love with Chelsea & little Ethan, this man will do anything, absolutely ANYTHING to protect them.
This book is wonderful. The descriptive words of the author simply draw you in; you can actually feel part of the story, very highly recommended.
“The new day crept in with its fresh, dewy air and its birdsongs. The horizon glowed with brush strokes of fire & gold”
“A broken heart can’t be filled. It just keeps leaking. I want those cracks all patched up.”
Excerpts from ‘The Littlest Cowboy’
Chelsea Brennan has just ID’d her murdered sister. Now the murderer is out to kill her and get Baby Ethan back, but Sheriff Garret Brand and his family have a completely different idea. Garret is an all-round good cowboy and he’s falling in love with Chelsea & little Ethan, this man will do anything, absolutely ANYTHING to protect them.
This book is wonderful. The descriptive words of the author simply draw you in; you can actually feel part of the story, very highly recommended.
November 17, 2015
This book made zero sense. They got almost trampled to death by a bunch of raging bulls and the next scene is the hero and the heroine dancing and her worrying her high heels might get caught in the carpet or such nonsense (1,5 hours after she got kicked in the ribs by before mentioned bulls). I felt like a lot of story lines were not explained especially well. I did like the hero's brothers but Garret seemed not that bright tbh. He seemed like a not-so-smart individual.
Chelsea- her story is tragic so I should have had every reason to feel bad for her and sympathize but after a while it seemed like she was intentionally being mean to poor dumb Garret. Was not a huge fan of this book-
Chelsea- her story is tragic so I should have had every reason to feel bad for her and sympathize but after a while it seemed like she was intentionally being mean to poor dumb Garret. Was not a huge fan of this book-
May 16, 2016
~3.5 stars~
I've had this book on my kindle for the longest time and just got around to reading it. It was offered as a freebie on amazon, which is always a nice gesture. This read was sweet and simple. I didn’t really feel any "suspense" when reading this but it was still a cute and light romance. Not a lot of drama and definitely a safe read. No OM or OW.
I've had this book on my kindle for the longest time and just got around to reading it. It was offered as a freebie on amazon, which is always a nice gesture. This read was sweet and simple. I didn’t really feel any "suspense" when reading this but it was still a cute and light romance. Not a lot of drama and definitely a safe read. No OM or OW.
March 31, 2016
Great find
I got this as a free book on Amazon and I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to find the time to read more about this family!!! My only draw back was I wish they would have interaction with the baby
I got this as a free book on Amazon and I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to find the time to read more about this family!!! My only draw back was I wish they would have interaction with the baby
December 18, 2017
Very cute enjoyable light read.
July 28, 2016
A romance and mystery.
January 22, 2019
Hotness Rating 3 out of 5
I enjoyed this sweet read so much! With the Littlest Cowboy you'll just get a sweet romance that gives you a hint at the passion but doesn't go into too much detail, lots of feels and a few laughs.
Garrett is the best hero - raised his siblings with love and patience, hard working, and self-aware. He knows he's a big guy and that his size can be intimidating to a woman that has had her own past traumas, so he's very careful to be kind and gentle. He loves babies and he's a cowboy - need I say more?
Chelsea is strong and stubborn. Not always a great combination when a person needs to know when to ask for and accept help. But, overall she was a strong character that didn't put up too much of a fight and knew when to give in and apologize.
I enjoyed this sweet read so much! With the Littlest Cowboy you'll just get a sweet romance that gives you a hint at the passion but doesn't go into too much detail, lots of feels and a few laughs.
Garrett is the best hero - raised his siblings with love and patience, hard working, and self-aware. He knows he's a big guy and that his size can be intimidating to a woman that has had her own past traumas, so he's very careful to be kind and gentle. He loves babies and he's a cowboy - need I say more?
Chelsea is strong and stubborn. Not always a great combination when a person needs to know when to ask for and accept help. But, overall she was a strong character that didn't put up too much of a fight and knew when to give in and apologize.
November 20, 2018
Who doesn't love a bunch of hot cowboy brothers?!
I loved Garrett and Chelsea 's story! I loved how stubborn they both were. Chelsea was determined not to let a man into her heart, but Garrett knew she was meant for him. Little Ethan was adorable. It was clear that Garrett and his brothers would do anything to protect the baby that was placed in their care. Chelsea quickly grew attached to Ethan as well and vowed he would not grow up like she did. They all loved Ethan, but could they protect him from a dangerous killer, without getting themselves killed?
I loved Garrett and Chelsea 's story! I loved how stubborn they both were. Chelsea was determined not to let a man into her heart, but Garrett knew she was meant for him. Little Ethan was adorable. It was clear that Garrett and his brothers would do anything to protect the baby that was placed in their care. Chelsea quickly grew attached to Ethan as well and vowed he would not grow up like she did. They all loved Ethan, but could they protect him from a dangerous killer, without getting themselves killed?
January 4, 2018
First of a two-book freebie for the kindle... thought it would be a fun holiday read for winter break - kind of like a cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie. It was pretty terrible. Only stuck with it because I committed to the reading challenge this year.
January 17, 2015
When Garrett Brand, town sheriff in Quinn, Texas, hears a noise, he is astonished to find a baby in a basket on his ranch doorstep. Even more amazing is that the note indicates that the baby has been named Ethan after him, which puts him up for ridicule from his brothers and sister. But while he knows he is not the father of this six month old baby, he soon falls under his spell and is determined not to turn him over to social services but conduct his own investigation. Shortly thereafter a fireball named Chelsea Brennan comes to his doorstep and accuses him of murdering his sister and taking her nephew. He finally convinces her that he is not the father but can he also convince her to let him help find the father. This becomes even more complicated when he receives a mysterious phone call about the baby's father, threatening to kill Chelsea and steal the baby away. Complicated because he has quickly fallen in love with Chelsea and needs to convince her to stay with him on the ranch for safety, if not for love. I really enjoyed reading this fast paced romantic story. This is the first book in a series, and I would guess that each new novel will be about one of the four brothers (Elliot, Wes, Adam and Ben) and his sister, Jessi. While these novels generally have a predictable outcome, it is always fun reading about the journey there. This one was no exception reading about Garrett (who has had the responsibility of raising his siblings after the death of his parents when he was 17) who has never taken much time for his own interest, least of all to fall in love and Chelsea who is totally soured on all mankind after experiencing violence early on in her childhood. How they learn to trust and love each other was an enjoyable read. I am looking forward to reading more in this Texas Brand series.
February 10, 2016
Sheriff Garrett Brand wakes up to a baby on his doorstep and note that says its his. Having raised his younger siblings on his own, he is no stranger to have young ones around the house, but this little one’s mama is in trouble.
Chelsea, grew up in home filled with violence. It is a past her sister hadn’t escaped. As Chelsea identifies her sister’s dead body, she once again is certain that she will never allow a man to have control over her life. She wants to find her sister’s son and make his father pay for what he has done.
I have a soft spot for rancher romances. Garrett Brand, of the Texas Brands, should be a cliche. He is a large, soft spoken, gentle man with a big heart, who has already proven himself a capable family man as he has raised his young siblings. In other words, too good to be true. Truthfully though, he isn’t. Instead he is the perfect hero for a story like this. He is just the right amount of swagger and confusion when dealing with the fairer sex. Chelsea should be a typical man-hating cynical heroine… wait, that is exactly what she is, though she comes around nicely in the end. Her character is a bit formulaic, but there is plenty of character in the Brand family. Each sibling is fascinating in his or her own way, and a story waiting to be told. The interaction between themselves and Garrett is heartwarming. It is obvious that little “Bubba” will have a place in that family if his aunt can get herself set straight The story itself was terrific. The great blend of cowboy, suspense and romance. I picked up this book as part of a set and I am looking forward to reading about the Oklahoma Brands. I actually have a few books from this author on #TBRList. She obviously can craft a story, she deserves a read for her Goodreads bio alone.
Chelsea, grew up in home filled with violence. It is a past her sister hadn’t escaped. As Chelsea identifies her sister’s dead body, she once again is certain that she will never allow a man to have control over her life. She wants to find her sister’s son and make his father pay for what he has done.
I have a soft spot for rancher romances. Garrett Brand, of the Texas Brands, should be a cliche. He is a large, soft spoken, gentle man with a big heart, who has already proven himself a capable family man as he has raised his young siblings. In other words, too good to be true. Truthfully though, he isn’t. Instead he is the perfect hero for a story like this. He is just the right amount of swagger and confusion when dealing with the fairer sex. Chelsea should be a typical man-hating cynical heroine… wait, that is exactly what she is, though she comes around nicely in the end. Her character is a bit formulaic, but there is plenty of character in the Brand family. Each sibling is fascinating in his or her own way, and a story waiting to be told. The interaction between themselves and Garrett is heartwarming. It is obvious that little “Bubba” will have a place in that family if his aunt can get herself set straight The story itself was terrific. The great blend of cowboy, suspense and romance. I picked up this book as part of a set and I am looking forward to reading about the Oklahoma Brands. I actually have a few books from this author on #TBRList. She obviously can craft a story, she deserves a read for her Goodreads bio alone.
November 9, 2017
Reviewed by Jen
Book provided by free book on Amazon
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
I picked up this book shortly after we featured Maggie Shayne on the blog as part of our anniversary celebration. I’d read some of her paranormals, but never one of her contemporaries. Since I enjoy westerns from time to time and I was in the mood for something mid-length, I pulled this read off my e-reader shelf. And let me say, this was an enjoyable read.
The blurb gives the run down of the plot, so let’s just jump into the character analysis. Garrett is almost too good to be true. He’s sheriff of a small town, oldest brother (and stand-in father) to his 5 siblings, runs a ranch and is an all around good guy. Then there’s Chelsea. She had a rough childhood and understandably it colors how she sees men. She ends up on the Brand Ranch to save her nephew from her sister’s murderer (so she thinks), but of course things don’t go as planned.
I actually enjoyed both characters. I think Garrett could have used a flaw or two. Honestly, it felt like his “flaws” were caring too much or perhaps not being smooth with the ladies. Chelsea on the other hand is very guarded, but is a good foil to Garrett. Watching the two of them fighting the attraction and fall in love had me turning the pages.
There’s a touch of suspense thrown into the story, but it’s pretty light. It enhances the story, but wasn’t necessary and if you’re looking for a romantic suspense, this probably wouldn’t be “meaty” enough for you. The romance itself was pretty developed and made sense and in the end I was rooting for the characters to find that happily ever after.
This was a fun introduction to the Texas Brands series and I can’t wait to revisit this interesting family ranch.
Book provided by free book on Amazon
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
I picked up this book shortly after we featured Maggie Shayne on the blog as part of our anniversary celebration. I’d read some of her paranormals, but never one of her contemporaries. Since I enjoy westerns from time to time and I was in the mood for something mid-length, I pulled this read off my e-reader shelf. And let me say, this was an enjoyable read.
The blurb gives the run down of the plot, so let’s just jump into the character analysis. Garrett is almost too good to be true. He’s sheriff of a small town, oldest brother (and stand-in father) to his 5 siblings, runs a ranch and is an all around good guy. Then there’s Chelsea. She had a rough childhood and understandably it colors how she sees men. She ends up on the Brand Ranch to save her nephew from her sister’s murderer (so she thinks), but of course things don’t go as planned.
I actually enjoyed both characters. I think Garrett could have used a flaw or two. Honestly, it felt like his “flaws” were caring too much or perhaps not being smooth with the ladies. Chelsea on the other hand is very guarded, but is a good foil to Garrett. Watching the two of them fighting the attraction and fall in love had me turning the pages.
There’s a touch of suspense thrown into the story, but it’s pretty light. It enhances the story, but wasn’t necessary and if you’re looking for a romantic suspense, this probably wouldn’t be “meaty” enough for you. The romance itself was pretty developed and made sense and in the end I was rooting for the characters to find that happily ever after.
This was a fun introduction to the Texas Brands series and I can’t wait to revisit this interesting family ranch.
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