About the Book: Save a Horse, Keep the Cowboy (Summer Lovin' collection) by Jessica Peterson

New York Times bestselling author Jessica Peterson’s short story of a ride through first love into forever follows a country music star who returns home for a family affair—and faces the cowboy who once watched her walk away.

Josie Reid abandoned her Texas hometown six years ago, when Weston Jessup chose his family’s ranch over her. Now a country music sensation, she’s back where it all started to officiate her brother’s wedding. Wes is the best man, and he’s determined to make things right. But can he convince Josie to give him another shot, or is their love song played out?

Jessica Peterson’s Save a Horse, Keep the Cowboy is part of Summer Lovin’, a sweet and sultry collection of short summer romances that turn up the heat—and the heart. Read or listen to each short story in one easy, breezy sitting.

About the Book: Summer Staycation (Summer Lovin' collection) by Sarah Grunder Ruiz

In Sarah Grunder Ruiz’s sweet summer fling of a short story, a neurodivergent heroine meets a kind out-of-towner who’s just what she needs to shake up her life—and makes her feel like she’s finally on solid ground.

If you ask Beck Penrose, Florida summers aren’t relaxing so much as roller coasters of sensory overload. But her nervous system settles down with Lucas Holiday, a travel blogger who gets her like no one else does. It’s easy to say yes to living like tourists for a weekend. But it’s harder to say goodbye when that weekend comes to an end.

Sarah Grunder Ruiz’s Summer Staycation is part of Summer Lovin’, a sweet and sultry collection of short summer romances that turn up the heat—and the heart. Read or listen to each short story in one easy, breezy sitting.

Review

So far, I have read two installments of the Summer Lovin’ Collection, and while my feelings are mixed, I don’t particularly dislike this collection.

Save a Horse, Keep the Cowboy was the weakest of the two for me. I found Weston’s effort to win Josie back sweet; however, I never fully connected to their romance. The story lacked the depth and substance needed to make their relationship truly resonate with me. There needed to be a few more pages to flesh out the story. I will admit that it definitely had summer vibes and was an easy and quick read.

Of the two stories, Summer Staycation was easily my favorite. Beck and Lucas were absolutely adorable together, and it's honestly a crime that this wasn't expanded into a full-length novel. I would gladly read an entire book dedicated to their relationship. I loved Beck as a lead and how much she knew what she liked. While Lucas wasn't quite as fully developed as Beck, he was incredibly sweet, patient, and understanding of her needs. Had this story been given the space to fully explore their relationship, it could have been something truly special.

Final Thoughts

Save a Horse, Keep the Cowboy was an easygoing summer read; however, it wasn’t exactly memorable. Whereas, in addition to feeling like summer, Summer Staycation completely stole my heart and left me wanting more. I'm looking forward to seeing what the rest of the collection has to offer.

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