The Cowboy and the Cougar by Helen Hardt

This is my first read from author Helen Hardt and it will NOT be my last! I don't know why this title called to me, but you are always hearing so many negative things about Cougars, why is that, so it is ok for a man to be 10 plus years older than a woman but vice versa and she is a Cougar on the hunt? Hum????

So I thought I would read this book from Helen called The Cowboy and The Cougar! This is the story of Holly and Jack, she is 40 and he is 29! Who ever said that maturity came with age. I am sure all of us can attest to a few people in our lives that need to grow up who are much older than ourselves!

Holly has received some horrible news, life changing news that just about devastate her, but what does she do? Wollow in self pity? No way, she heads to the bar and finds Jack, offers him one night, no holds barred sex, no commitment and A LOT of fun. She needs to get her mind off this heartbreaking development in her life and he is just the man to do it. Helen smokes up the pages with Jack and Holly's romp only to have Holly flee in the wee hours of the morning, leaving Jack stunned and a little POed frankly. He really liked her and wanted to get to know her better. What might have started as a one night stand, he was more than willing to find out what keeping Holly around might feel like.

Let's jump about 6 months later, Holly is trying to focus on what she wants in life and that includes her passion for the arts, so drawing a nude model in class is something she is looking forward to, until she realizes it is Jack. Doing a favor for his Uncle is the best thing Jack has done in a while when he realizes it has re-connected him with Holly. What happens next is a bit of cat and mouse. And the hungry old cat (Jack), always captures his prey (Holly). What pulled me more into this story was that although Holly was older she couldn't help her attraction to the younger man and the pull his young son had on her once she meets him. Life is turned upside down for her, and although she fights it she can't stop falling in love with him. Helen created a great character in Jack, so what, he is in his late 20's, he was mature, responsible and had all this life together. Age didn't matter, his love for Holly did and he fought hard for her, very hard. But with all relationships comes struggle and I was thrilled to see that despite the fact I knew my HEA was coming, Jack and Holly's problems were so real and often times painful to bear. At some points Holly for me needed to grow up and learn to communicate, give Jack the benefit of the doubt, but all in all, I can't say that I didn't love every word from beginning to end!

Book Junkie's Rating: 4.5/5

Synopsis: "A hot time with a gorgeous young cowboy is just what the doctor ordered for forty-year-old Holly Taylor. But after a night of amazing passion, she leaves discreetly. Life has other plans for her at the moment.

After the best sex of his life, single father Jack Sherwood isn’t ready to give up his mystery woman. When he runs into her several months later, he’s relentless in his pursuit, and he doesn’t care a whit about their eleven year age difference.
Holly’s life has taken a new course since her first meeting with Jack, and she’s convinced she’s not what he and his adorable son need. Can her new friends at The Cougar Club persuade her to stop running? Or will she lose the best thing to ever happen to her?