A slow-moving romance that has two competent main characters at its center.

I liked that the pacing of the story is adjusted to Lacey's travelling and competitions but centers our two leads as the driving force behind the romance. We get enough time to learn what makes Lacey and Wil tick. For a book that would lend itself to some high-adrenaline moments, we end up concentrating more on the quiet moments in between as the two slowly bond with each other.

And I was surprised at how much I liked the ex-drama in this one. Brittney was not written as a super-clichée but a well-rounded character. I can't say I liked her as a person but she was a perfect addition to the book and added the tension I needed to spice up a mellow reading experience. Wil's involvement with her, past and present, made sense, it felt natural, as did the resolution to it all.

Not a bad book but very predictable and straightforward. The characters are not very fleshed out and the plot is summed up nicely by the description on the back. The characters get together and are attracted to each other right off the bat. Their relationship is cute but simple. I really like Wil but Lacey oftentimes annoyed me with her inferiority complex and insecurities. This is a great summer read and overall a fine book.

I really enjoyed reading Will and Lacey's story. D. Jackson Leigh created something new in this tale of rodeo love as I've been super into sports related romance storylines lately. So I thoroughly enjoyed learning about competitive barrel racing and other rodeo events.

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

Two cowgirls meet and fall in love. One is working to save the family ranch and the other lives life on the road with no real family of her own. Can they find a happy medium to build a life together.
Goodreafs

D. Jackson Leigh has created another winner with her newest novel, Here for You. I love to read stories with animals as secondary characters, and I can always count on that with this author.

In this book we meet Lacey Bishop, a competitive barrel racer who makes her living (barely) on the rodeo circuit, traveling around the country from one rodeo to another with her horse Denver. Then she meets Wil (Wiloree…I love that name) Rivers, an occasional rodeo contestant and co-owner of a ranch that raises and sells trained horses. Lacey begins to hope that she might have found “the one” for her. If only life, love, and the sport of rodeo were that easy.

This is a sports related romance that you are going to totally enjoy. It has characters, both human and animal that you will fall in love with. The tale of these two women finding each other and navigating the pitfalls that could derail their romance will keep you glued to the pages. The rodeos are well described. It’s almost like you are right there with Lacey and Wil.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. I recommend it to all who love rodeos, horses, and happy-ever-afters.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

I hadn't read anything by D. Jackson Leigh, so was excited to try a new author. She did not disappoint. Love the perspective of someone who technically isn't homeless, but doesn't have a home. The relationship people have with their horses is magical, so loved reading about that. Fun book, easy read and thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read.

What an amazing story of learning to get back on your feet again!
I finished this novel in one day because I just couldn't put Lacey's story down!
I loved every minute of it.
More so because of the horses that were in it.
I enjoyed learning about barrel racing. A fantastic subject and the training that goes into this sport. Just wow!
I had quite the adventure in this book.
Well written and amazing characters.
A wonderful story that will melt your heart and make you feel like you're a part of this story too.
There are also some twists and turns that I didn't see coming and that's what made it an excellent read for me.
5 stars for a well written book. I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

About the book

Competitive barrel racer Lacey Bishop has worked her way from homelessness and poverty to needing only a few points to qualify for the National Rodeo Finals when her only horse suffers a career-ending injury. Without the money to buy a new horse, Lacey has no choice but to trust an offer from Two Rivers Ranch to lease one of their best barrel-racing horses.
Horse trainer Wil Rivers is working hard to get her family’s ranch profitable again after the coronavirus pandemic shut them down for more than a year. Her best chance to save the ranch from foreclosure is a million-dollar-plus offer to buy the one barrel horse that could defeat the mare she’s leased to the bewitching Lacey Bishop.
When Lacey discovers Wil’s plan to sell the Two Rivers “money” horse to her fiercest competitor, she sees their chance for a future together and her chance to qualify for the finals disappearing in the rodeo arena dust.
(Source: Bold Strokes Books )

My opinion

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lacey is barrel racer and moves with her horse from event to event collecting important points to decide the championship for herself. She does not have much contact with her fellow competitors and tends to keep to herself. A female competitor sees her as a danger and when she makes acquaintance with his ex-girlfriend, it could lead to difficult tensions…
I found Lacey rather aloof and not particularly likeable, even though she seems to see animal love and only wants the best for her horse.

Wil is fighting for the family ranch, which is not doing very well after the Corona Pandemic. On top of that, she’s having an affair with a barrel racer who won’t let her off the hook. Lacey has noticed Wil, but she could never work up a heart to approach the young woman until they happened to run into each other.
I didn’t find Wil particularly sympathetic either, but maybe that was also because I didn’t find any access to her.

The writing style is kept simple and easy, so that you can read the story without comprehension difficulties. The story is dual POV (Lacey and Wil), which gives a good insight into the respective emotional and mental world.

Reviews can be so subjective. What might be your cup of tea might not be mine and this book was not to my taste. I couldn’t get excited about the theme around the rodeo and the two women developing feelings for each other. Sadly this was a DNF at 29% for me.

I enjoyed this book very much. The author did a great job bringing the details and description of the rodeo scene to life. It also shows how hard one has to work to make it to the top it's not easy. The characters were fully developed and very likeable and were made for each other. I enjoyed getting to know them and the horses as well. The relationship between animal and human was, so beautiful to see. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family and I look forward to what's next from this author.

Not for the first time a story by D. Jackson Leigh is set in equestrian sports. Her love for it is shown in the story. This time it is about different disciplines in the rodeo sport, mainly barrel racing. As a Swiss, I don't know much about rodeos, so it was once again exciting for me to read a story set in this environment. And who knows, maybe I can visit a rodeo on a trip to the USA, as I always wanted to become a riding and lassoing cowgirl as a child.

Lacey Bishop is a professional barrel racer, her big goal is the Nationals at the end of the season. Growing up in humble circumstances, she was abandoned by the most important people at an early age. With no family and hardly any friends, she is on her own, both in her job and in life. Her horse Denver is the most important partner in her life and her home is her horse trailer/camper. The disappointments of being abandoned are deeply ingrained and trust in others is virtually a foreign word to her.

Wil Rivers runs the Two Rivers Ranch with her father, where they breed and train horses for the various rodeo disciplines. But the ranch is still suffering financially from the effects of the pandemic. Wil desperately needs to sell a few horses to have any chance of keeping the ranch.

From a distance, Wil and Lacey have seen each other many times at rodeos but had never spoken. When the two finally meet, sparks fly from the start. The attraction is instant, and the chemistry between the two is crackling, but Wil only wants a real relationship or none at all, and Lacey doesn't dare commit thanks to her fears of loss. Not the best conditions for a healthy relationship. And then there's rich, spoiled Brittney, who tries to trip them both up with nasty tricks.

Both women are interesting and likable characters who struggle with prejudice, rash assumptions, fears of loss, and financial burdens as well. Lacey, who bubbles with confidence in sports but still has a lot to learn when it comes to love and trust, doesn't make it easy for Wil to woo her. But Wil's struggles are also real, worrying about her father and the ranch weigh heavily on her and she has difficult decisions to make. But Wil is determined to win the woman and keep the ranch, giving it her all. Seeing how the two of them grew from the tasks and challenges was nice.

The rodeo circus is exciting and the horses were beautiful, important, and game-changing second characters. Lovable human supporting characters are also very well integrated into the story and had quite a big impact.

ARC was provided by Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.

Lacey Bishop has been on her own for most of her life. Her worldly possessions are her barrel racing horse Denver and her truck with an attached horse trailer/camper combination. Lacey owns no forwarding address. While competing in rodeo’s throughout the season she meets horse trainer Wil Rivers. There is an instant attraction between the two women that they cannot resist.

It has been some time since I have read a D. Jackson Leigh novel and I have no legitimate reason why. Her stories are always well researched and quite well written. In my absence and with this novel I see a certain new gravitas in her work that is absent from earlier books. This story is made richer for it.

This is an insta love romance which appears early and heats up quickly. I can imagine with the transitory lifestyle of following the rodeo that lovers must make the most of the little time they have together. The barrel racing scenes are exciting and fun to read. The ex girlfriend of Wil is too far over the top in her villainy for my liking. Others may think differently.

I received an advance review copy from Bold Strokes Books through NetGalley.  I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a fast paced f/f romance with some spice. Both Lacey and Wil are lovable characters which makes you root for them from the start. They are both strong, independent women with very different living situations but have both suffered loss. There are so many adorable supporting characters and I loved Lacey’s relationship with her found family. It was so sweet how they all rally to support her and show her she’s not alone and that family doesn’t have to mean blood.

As a horse girl, I love a book with a horsey element and I was a huge fan of the rodeo setting. It was described so well that I felt like I was there. Brittney was a great villain and anyone in the horsey world knows that some horse girls can be mean. I found her supposed redemption arc wasn’t fleshed out enough to make it believable but she was an entertaining addition and provided the angst needed.

The end felt a bit rushed especially as so much of the book is focused on the finals being Lacey’s dream. However, the epilogue ties everything up nicely and was the perfect ending.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This is a story about Lacey Bishop who is professional horse barrel racer. She’s on the rodeo circuit living out of her horse trailer/camper. Going from town to town living a solitary life. Wil Rivers is in partnership with her dad running a horse ranch. They raise and train their horses to be very competitive in the rodeo circuits in various competitions. Lacey and Wil meet at a rodeo and it’s instant attraction. This story has a few plot twists with some bad people trying to separate Lacey and Wil and some great people trying to keep them together.

Lacey’s constant insecurities and mistrusts got old for me in this book. But Wil was a great character full of charm and compassion. Yes the sex and I-love-yous came way to quick for me but overall it was a good read.

I’ve ridden a barrel horse and I have felt the speed of when they take off after each turn, it very exciting. So the horse scenes in this book were my favorite parts. Lacey’s horse, Denver, seems like the perfect horse.

ARC received from NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review.

Saddle up for a wild, fun, sexy ride with Lacey and Wil as they navigate the Rodeo, barrel racing and love. D. Jackson Leigh takes you on an exciting journey through the life of traveling rodeo cow girl Lacey and her adventures as though the author has been on the circuit herself. The story is beautifully told and the characters are warm, humanly flawed and cowgirl tough. After reading this story, I am ready to go watch some cow girls in action. Who knows, maybe I can rope one of my own.

It’s obvious from the drama created in this novel that Ms Jackson Leigh knows her way around a horse and their care etc. It gives the book an honesty and depth that comes across to someone like me who’s only been on a horse for about seventeen seconds (I’d say long story but it’s actually extremely short ;-) ) and has no desire to actually watch barrel racing.

The author is an expert at developing her lead characters and this book is no exception. Lacey and Wil have huge issues in their lives but can’t help being drawn to each other. The push/pull, will they/won’t they allows us to travel the plot well. There are some great auxiliary characters (especially Lacey’s ‘surrogate’ parents) but I feel Brittney is just unrealistic and totally unlikeable. She’s so unlikeable, I’m not sure her critical plot point actually works.

But we need angst to drive the story and Ms Jackson Leigh provides it by the shovel load and I wanted to know how the story concluded, so it’s certainly worth a read.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

Let me start off with the important things. This is a solid, does-what-it-says-on-the-tin, f/f romance. You'll find no surprises here; girl meets girl, sparks fly, they make it work against all odds, HEA. I especially liked the rodeo element, as I'm a sucker for romances with sports or cowboy/cowgirl aesthetic.

Now, what took away two stars. First, the "mean girl" element. We get a two-dimensional character (and her equally flat entourage) straight out of some high-school clique, even though they're all adults. In the end, we're supposed to absolve her, but since she's not really fleshed out but exists only as a stereotypical antagonist to introduce obstacles to our couple, it's not that easy. The addition of the deadbeat dad is also not that well handled. It's supposed to be a huge shock for Lacey, but again this falls flat as we rush to get back to the romance. She is not really given time to process this, or at least acknowledge that she needs time to absorb this new development.

Overall, recommended. I've already put on my to-read list more books from this author, so that should also count for something.

I enjoyed the book very much. D. Jackson did a great bringing the details and description of the rodeo scene to life. It also shows how hard one as to work to make it to the top. The characters were fully developed and likeable. I enjoyed getting to know them. Well done, I recommend 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher Bold Strokes Book for this ARC via NetGalley.

Horses and a slow burn f/f romance
In my opinion D. Jackson Leigh is at her best when the story centers around horses. Her romance Here For You is a good example how she meshes her deep love and understanding of horses, horse-people and horse(wo)manship with a sexy romance.
I really liked how we get to know the characters, their backgrounds, their families / found families and their history. The romance is character-driven, likely and not only sexy but has depth in it. The addition of a rich-brat as arch-nemesis added a good pinch of spice.
I liked the descriptions of competition at rodeo circuit and would have liked to know a bit more about the finals. The conclusion was nevertheless satisfying and I loved how trust was build.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is left voluntarily.

I didn't have many expectations about Here for You. I just knew it was about barrel racing. I really liked the characters. Wil and Lacey had good backstories and were very relatable, as were the secondary characters. However, I thought the story itself fell flat. The author tried to push for strong female lead characters ,and she kind of did that but then the story was a bit....incomplete. Typical mean girl story. Deadbeat dad. It all just felt rushed and convenient.

But a fairly enjoyable read I suppose.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Many thanks to the author, publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review “Here For You”.

Set amongst the demands of competitive horse barrel racing on the rodeo circuit, this is an interesting romantic story between horse breeder Wil and horse racer Lacey.

It’s not just a romantic story. Instead the backdrop is gritty, covering the impact of poverty, bereavement and post covid complexities that deals with the realities of their individual situations.

But the all-consuming romance between Wil and Lacey makes this a fast paced sapphic tale aided and abetted with delightful secondary characters (and some unsavoury ones), who contribute to the success of this multi-layered story. 4.5*