It was supposed to be just a vacation fling…

43-year-old Beth Dykeman’s life is spiraling—her 20-year marriage is over, as is her career in Nashville’s Chamber of Commerce. Now back home in River’s Edge, Indiana, she’s grieving the end of her dream to have a family. Hoping to restart her life, she books a relaxing long weekend at a spa in beautiful Montana. But Beth arrives only to discover she accidentally booked a stay at a working dude ranch in the middle of Marietta’s 87th Copper Mountain Rodeo celebration weekend.

When he’s not competing, 36-year-old bronc rider Del Foster works at the Aspen Springs Ranch. He’s ready to hang up his spurs. This rodeo will be his last competition before he finally settles down and buys his own small spread to train cutting horses.

Their instant chemistry shocks them both, and on her last night, Beth indulges the attraction, knowing she’ll never see Del again. But fate has a way of changing plans and challenging assumptions. Can Beth and Del both have what they never knew they always wanted?

Titles in the Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys multi-author series include: Unforgettable Cowboy by Jeannie Watt ~ Headstrong Cowboy by Nicole Flockton ~ Rogue Cowboy by Sinclair Jayne ~ Forever Cowboy by Nan Reinhardt ~

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title: Forever Cowboy
Series:  Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys #4 ~ Juniper Falls Ranch #1
Author:  Nan Reinhardt
Published:  September 25, 2025
Publisher:  Tule Publishing
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Forever Cowboy is the fourth title in the multi-authored Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys series, and also the first story in the Juniper Falls Ranch series.  We’ll meet Beth, who is reeling from a recent divorce, and she’s returned home to River’s Edge, to her family and friends.  It’s obvious that Beth is not dealing with the divorce and the reasons behind that action very well.  Her dreams have been shattered, and she sees no clear future for herself, not if she cannot be the one thing she most desired.  So, her family and friends do what those who have our back do: they sent Beth off on a vacation to a spa in Montana to recharge, regroup, and heal.  Only, a mix-up in the names of this vacation location will lead Beth down a very different path, perhaps to a future she couldn’t have imagined possible.

Del is a working cowboy at the Aspen Springs Ranch.  Not only a functioning ranch, but a vacation resort as well for those who want a touch of the cowboy life.  He’s also a rodeo cowboy who is coming to realize that his dreams lie elsewhere, in owning his own ranch.  He’s almost decided that this will be his last year on the rodeo circuit, and the Copper Mountain Rodeo in nearby Marietta, Montana, is the perfect time to walk away… while he still can.

When Del and Beth meet, it isn’t a lights flashing, instant love attraction; in fact, Del is seeing Beth at perhaps one of her worst moments.  It’s more of a slow burn, a recognition of someone who could matter, someone who could be what each has been unknowingly searching for… someone who gets them, who accepts them for exactly who they are in this moment.  They only have a week to see if their future can become more than a dream.

I have enjoyed Ms Reinhardt’s River Edge world over the years, and it was fun to revisit some old friends again, even if only briefly.  Marietta, Montana, is a world that Beth will be stunned by in so many ways, as this town nestled in the valley of the Copper Mountains works its magic on her wounded soul.  And the beginning of a new series, with Beth and Del as the starting point.  Three intertwined worlds.  This is one of the reasons I enjoy this author’s stories so much.

There are some heavy subjects addressed in Forever Cowboy, treated with compassion and tender grace.  I loved how the characters were shown as human, emotional, at times, devastated humans who were dealing with what life handed them in the only ways they knew how.  Healing isn’t always easy, grief comes in many forms, and watching both Beth and Del heal alongside each other was an emotional, satisfying journey.  I loved this couple and cannot wait to continue the Juniper Falls Ranch series.  If you love a well-written, emotional, believable romance with characters you’ll fall in love with, then Forever Cowboy by Nan Reinhardt is perfect for you.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or the author’s team via Booksprout, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review, giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Do you love anything (any story) that’s even slightly connected to Marietta, Montana?  Yeah, me too.  Be sure to visit our Marietta, Montana pages (this link to where this series is located – there are three pages :)) to catch up on the series that you might have missed over time.  It’s quite an amazing and diverse community, with happily ever after endings guaranteed.

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)