Caffeinated Reviewer | Dust Storm by Maggie Gates

6^th Oct

Dust Storm by Maggie Gates is the first novel in the Griffith Brothers small-town, western romance series. A widowed father of two young girls, a scene-stealing cow and a career-driven, headstrong woman find each other in this cowboy romance.

Dust Storm
by Maggie Gates
Series: The Griffith Brothers #1
Genres: Romance
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible | Libro.fm *affiliate

Rating:
Heat Level:

A single dad rancher and a rich city girl bump heads—and more—in this first cowboy romance in the Griffith Brothers series.

For Christian Griffith, his number one rule is: You ride in my truck, you let me open the door. Another problem in his busy life was the last thing he needed. Unfortunately, argumentative Cassandra Parker showing up on his family’s ranch and sticking her nose in their business isn’t even his biggest problem—neither is the fact that with nowhere else to live, she’s in his house. The biggest problem? The engagement ring on her finger.

Cassandra has a life motto: If you’re going to kill someone, make it look like an accident, cry at the funeral, admit to nothing, and deny everything. Exiled from New York and stranded on a cattle ranch, she didn’t exactly choose to be Christian’s problem. Living with the single dad and his daughters was a downgrade from her high-rise office and city comforts, but she agreed for one simple reason: desperation to save her job and salvage what’s left of her career. And this hot cowboy won’t lasso her into staying a second longer than necessary.

I love book series with brothers and couldn’t resist Dust Storm by Maggie Gates, the first novel in the Griffith Brothers series.

Cassandra Parker, a successful PR agent from New York city finds herself exiled to a cattle ranch while her fiancé takes on the client who caused the issue to begin with. Christian Griffith, the eldest brother, and widowed father of two young girls, has taken over the day-to-day operations of the family’s cattle ranch so he can be at home evenings for the girls and allow his father to retire. While he hates handling the books, his girls are his number one priority.

I liked Christian from the start, even if he wasn’t happy to have Cassandra looking over their books and making suggestions on how to improve their ranch. Their meet-cute was complicated by Cassandra’s fiancé, who, for the record, was/is an arse. Cassandra when we first meet her is wound tighter than a spring and all kinds of prickly. The author slowly thaws her out as we get to know her, and Christian and the girls grow on her.

This was a slow-burning romance as the two got to know each other and things grew from mutual respect, attraction, and character growth. I loved the girls who wiggled their way into my heart and Cassandra’s too. We get to know the other Griffith brothers and family.

The author blended city girl meets cowboy with humor, tender moments, Cassandra’s trouble with her fiance and her career with family moments, a scene-stealing cow that made me giggle and life on the ranch. I am looking forward to reading Downpour, which shares the story of Ray Griffith, whose life is forever altered in Dust Storm.

Side note: When we meet Christian’s brother Nathan, he and his wife are expecting their first baby. His story is not part of this series. You can read about his romance in The Stars Above Us.

Amazon* | Audible | Libro.fm

*kindleunlimited

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat.

BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram