Winning His Heart by Lara Van Hulzen

Michael St. Claire, a widower and single father, fears his heart could never make room for another. Between raising his young daughter Annalise and rebuilding his dreams as a race car driver, love isn’t on his mind… Until feisty Franchesca shows up and changes everything.

With her mom’s health failing, Franchesca needs extra income. An offer from Mike St. Claire to be his daughter’s nanny is an offer she can’t refuse. She has always dreamed of making it on Broadway and living in New York, but her immediate attraction to Mike challenges all she thought she wanted.

Mike can’t deny his feelings for Franchesca, even with the risk of losing his heart again. But he doesn’t want to stand in the way of Franchesca’s dreams. Will his past and what she wants in the future tear them apart?

Series: | Publisher: Tule Publishing | Release Date:  June 26, 2017| Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Publisher | Rating: 2 Cups

Here’s what’s going on. When Michael rescues Franchesca from the side of the road after her car breaks down then proceeds to be her knight in shining armor by offering her the job as his daughter’s nanny, Franchesca finds herself falling hard for the widower. And Michael feels the same but he’s afraid to let himself love again. And there’s also Franchesca’s dream to be actress to considers, especially after his father uses his connections to land her an auction for a Broadway play.

 

So, this one was a quick read. It was cute but it left me feeling a little meh.

 

Mike and Franchesca were both going through things. They both needed a little rescuing and some time figuring things out. He’s figuring out how to raise an adorable little girl all on his own and struggling with whether or not to get back into the racing scene. Franchesca’s dealing with a mother suffering from dementia and trying to figure out if she still wants to follow her dreams of being an actress.

 

They had a nice friendship going on but I just didn’t see much of an actual romance. Rather than showing a developing relationship, they mostly just talked about being together. I would have liked to have seen an actual relationship and some chemistry.

 

This one really suffered due to lack of dialogue. Pages went by before someone actually said something to another person. So, not only did I find parts of it boring, I didn’t feel any connection between the characters.

 

Then there was the conflict. I understood some of it and it was valid but the majority of it was one-sided and made Michael come off as a jerk. And this was another case of keeping things zipped up rather than talking about things.

 

Overall, this one wasn’t my favorite. It was the second book in the series (they all work as standalones) but I’m not sure this series is for me.

 

The Marietta St.Claires Series

Recipe for Romance

Winning his Heart

 

 

   

Not My First Rodeo 2 Boxed Set by Donna Alward, Jenna Bayley-Burke, Sarah M. Anderson

In Donna Alward’s Seducing the Sheriff, Cassidy’s first foray into online dating is an unqualified disaster. Witness to a bank robbery, she’s now in danger. Sexy sheriff Joe Lawson is willing do whatever it takes to protect her, even if that means hiding her away in his secluded mountain cabin.

In Roping the Rancher by Sarah M. Anderson, all Tommy knows is girls his own age don’t do it for him. Carly has no interest in being anyone’s cougar, but when Tommy says he’ll do whatever she tells him to, she can’t resist the chance to take what she wants from a man with no strings attached. But no one said anything about scarves...

In Jenna Bayley-Burke’s Captivating the Cowboy, aspiring designer Jules is about to head to New York. Before she leaves, she’s going to help widower Slade Weston find the perfect ranch wife, but finding his forever turns into schmexytimes. Jules doesn’t want to be a wife and mom, and Slade isn’t moving across the country. It’s just a fling, until she’s not sure where she truly belongs.

Publisher: Entangled: Select Contemporary | Release Date: June 26, 2017 | Genre: Contemporary Romance| Source: Publisher 

Seducing the Sheriff by Donna Alward

Rating: 3.5 Cups

This was cute, quick, and way too short.

 

When the bank Cassidy is at is robbed, not only is she shocked and scared, she recognizes the robber from his profile on the dating site, Not My First Rodeo. With no way to tell if the robber recognized her from her profile, Joe, the sexy sheriff she’s had her eye on, decides to hide her away at his home in the mountains. One thing soon leads to another but he’s the sheriff and she’s the woman he’s protecting. She knows people will talk, but are they willing to risk it?

 

This was fun with a slight element of suspense. Cassidy and Joe both feel something for the other but they both have some baggage from their pasts they have to get over first. It was a little slow in some spots. Still a fun read although this felt more like an intro into a series. I really would have liked more from this one.

 

Captivating the Cowboy by Jenna Bayley-Burke

Rating 4.5 Cups

This one had to be my favorite from the set. I could not put it down.

 

When Jules takes it upon herself to help Slade find a wife that’s suitable for life on a ranch, she doesn’t intend to fall into bed with him but that’s exactly what happens. Although she’s made it clear from the start, she’s leaving in a few weeks so sexy fun time is all she’s offering. But, they’re starting to fall for each other and when Slade sees how Jules and his two-year-old daughter interact, he knows he’ll do anything to make her stay, even if she’s intent on running.

 

Slade and Jules were amazing. They were sizzling but what was so great about them is that they were so open with each other. But they have a lot of hurts from the past they need to work through and she’s afraid she’s won’t be enough for him and his kids. This one did start out with insta-lust but quickly developed into something more. And Jules was so headstrong, I really wanted to shake her and ask her to open her eyes and see what was in front of her, but she finally figured out what she was searching for.

 

In Roping the Rancher by Sarah M. Anderson

Rating: DNF

 

I just couldn’t get into this one. I’m not a fan of romances where the heroine is so much older than the hero.

   

What’s your favorite romance trope?

         

Tru Blue by Melissa Foster

He wore the skin of a killer, and bore the heart of a lover.

There's nothing Truman Gritt won't do to protect his family - including spending years in jail for a crime he didn't commit. When he's finally released, the life he knew is turned upside down by his mother's overdose, and Truman steps in to raise the children she's left behind. Truman's hard, he's secretive, and he's trying to save a brother who's even more broken than he is. He's never needed help in his life, and when beautiful Gemma Wright tries to step in, he's less than accepting. But Gemma has a way of slithering into people's lives and eventually she pierces through his ironclad heart. When Truman's dark past collides with his future, his loyalties will be tested, and he'll be faced with his toughest decision yet.

Publisher: Melissa Foster | Narrator: Paul Woodson  | Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Ratings:  4 Cups

Seriously, why can’t I meet a guy like Truman in Wal-Mart? Le sigh.

 

Here’s what’s going on. To protect his brother, Truman confessed to a murder he didn’t commit. Now he’s out of prison and ready to get his life back on track. Although when his mother overdoses, he finds himself stepping in to raise his two young siblings he never knew about while trying to convince his brother to get clean. He knows he’s going to need help, but he didn’t think it would come in the form of Gemma, a beautiful woman he met at Wal-Mart. She’s good to his kids and he finds himself falling hard but he’s worried his past will scare her off because why would a woman like her want to be with someone like him.

 

I have no idea how long I’ve had this in my audio downloads or where it came from (giveaway, maybe?), but when I received Truly, Madly, Whiskey for review I went to buy this one to catch up (since they share characters) and found out I had it in my audiobook library. So, yay! for me, lol

 

I really enjoyed this one. It had some dark parts but there was humor and lightness to give it a nice balance.

 

Gemma and Truman were great together. He definitely had some walls up but she wasn’t going to stop until he let her through. There’s also some demons that he’s dealing with.Truman’s about one thing, protecting his family at all costs. And I loved how he stepped in to raise his siblings without batting an eye. He even went to prison to protect his brother. He’s all about honor, family, and protecting what’s his but he also knows when enough is enough. Gemma may have grown up with money, but she’s never really had that type of family. So all she wants is a place to belong and she sees that in Truman.

 

The romance was nice and steady with amazing chemistry. They actually took the time to get to know each other before falling into bed. They also talked to each other about things and important issues.

 

Oh and the kids will totally melt your heart. Just watching the way Truman cared for them and protected them earned him a spot on my favorite heroes list.

 

So, this was nearly a 5-Cup read, the only thing that made me lower it to a 4 was the fact the ending was so rushed. Given the it was finally revealed that Truman wasn’t a murderer, I was expecting to see it play out on the page but, instead, the story moved forward and just gave a recap of what happened.

 

Paul Woodson narration of this one was spot on. The depth of emotion and that haunted-ness he brought for Truman really added a lot to the narration and I liked that his female narration was soft rather than nasally.

 

Overall, I enjoyed this one and I couldn’t get enough. A little dark at times, but still a worthy read filled with worthy characters.

 

 

The Whiskeys

Tru Blue #1
Truly, Madly, Whiskey #2
Driving Whiskey Wild #3

 

 

   

Third Base by Heidi McLaughlin

Since becoming a major league baseball player, I've learned a few hard lessons. Like never give out your home address on social media (sorry, Mom). Never shoot your mouth off without thinking . . . and never, ever let your personal life interfere with your game. But then I saw her - sitting alone behind the enemy dugout, watching me - and I just had to meet this girl.

Now I know that Daisy Robinson has her secrets, but there's something about her that drives me crazy. Maybe it's her innocence, her absolutely amazing knowledge of baseball, or just the fact that she is so unbelievably beautiful. I have to take it slow. Prove to her that the rumors about me are just that - rumors.

Daisy might be my ultimate lifetime win. . . if I don't get hit by the curveball that's coming my way.

Series: Boys of Summer #1 | Publisher: Hachette Audio | Narrator: Alastair Haynesbridge  | Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins | Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance | Source: Publisher| Ratings: 3.5 Cups

Challenges Read For: Blogger Shame

This was my first baseball romance and I had fun with it. Well, most of it.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Ethan’s been known to do things without thinking them through but when he has the usher to bring the woman that caught his eye back to the locker room, he knows exactly what he’s doing. He knows there’s something about Daisy Robinson and he’ll do everything in his power to get to know her and to prove to her what the BoReb blogger said about him was just rumors. Even though he had his eye on her, he never intended to fall for her or her family. But Daisy has secrets that could cause them to implode.

 

Ethan’s kind of great. Yes, he was little rash and done things without thinking, but it happens to the best of us. He was kind, caring, compassionate, and just a good guy. And he went above and beyond to do things for Daisy and her grandpa.

 

Daisy’s not really high on my list of favorites. Yes, I had to applaud her taking care of her grandpa but other than that, there’s nothing. Once a certain tidbit of information was revealed, I lost all respect for Daisy.

 

So, have you ever had a book where you knew something pretty much from the start but hoped you’d be proved wrong? Well, this was that this book. Seriously, I spent the majority of the book saying ‘prove me wrong.’ When I was proved right, I had the whole ‘darn it! Why did you have to prove me right thing?’ going on.

 

For me, the romance was one-sided. I truly felt Ethan falling for Daisy. I don’t feel that Daisy fell for him. I think she used him and there’s no coming back from that. Seriously, Ethan should have walked away from her and never looked back.

 

So, this was my first baseball romance and I enjoyed it. There was a ton of baseball jargon, which I had no clue about, but I found it added to the story and gave it that solid sports romance feel.

 

This was my first time listening to Alastair Haynesbridge and I really enjoyed how he brought this book to life.

 

Overall, I liked Ethan so it was a good thing that the book was told solely from his POV. Daisy just made my skin crawl. People shouldn’t treat people that way, especially since Ethan was so good to her and her grandpa.

 

Boys of Summer Series

Third Base

Home Run

Grand Slam

 

 

 

   

Cody by Megan Crane

Skylar Grey lost everything when her fiancé died. But her move back to her hometown, Billings, Montana is not the fresh start she seeks, as too many people know her tragic tale. But then she meets a bull riding cowboy who treats her like she’s made of fire and everything changes.

Cody Galen joined the American Extreme Bull Riders Tour to make money, not friends. He enjoys whiskey, winning, and women and he doesn’t care who he pisses off while he pursues the hell out of all three. He figures he only has a few years left before his body gives out and he might as well go down hard in a blaze of glory. He knows the pretty thing he meets his first night in Billings is no buckle bunny, but if she wants to play that role, who is he to argue?

Neither one of them is looking for anything lasting. But there’s only one thing more dangerous than riding bulls—and that’s love.

Series: American Extreme Bull Riders Tour #4 | Publisher: Montana Born | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Publisher| Rating: 1.5 Cups

 

I’ve been enjoying the American Extreme Bull Riders series but this one, sadly, not so much.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Skylar’s finding her feet after her fiancé’s death and being back in her hometown hasn’t made it easy. Cody’s earned the reputation of being a ‘bad boy’ and that’s fine with him because all he wants to do is win the money so he can help his half-sisters. Although now that Cody’s met Skyler, he’s starting to wondering if there can be more for him than bull riding.

 

Okay, so this one had potential to be interesting but everything about it seemed forced and repetitive. Yes, I felt for Skylar because she lost her fiancé but the fact that she was constantly going on about getting sympathetic looks from people and practicing her ‘widows smile’ just got a bit old and when she finally decided to break free and get a little wild, it felt forced. And Cody was constantly going on and on about how he was a ‘bad boy’.  Every page stated that he was a bad boy, so it got old real quick.

 

The romance was more like insta-lust. Seriously, they went from meeting for the first time at the door of her father’s house to wild monkey sex on the picnic table in less than an hour. And it continued like that from there. I didn’t really buy the romance that they were selling.

 

So, this is the second book by Megan Crane that I’ve read and I really don’t think her writing style is for me. Both books have had the same effect on me and, honestly, I had to force myself to pay attention to both of them.

 

Overall, this one just wasn’t my cup of tea.

 

 

American Extreme Bull Riders Tour Series

Tanner

Chase

Casey

Cody 

 

 

 

Connected Book: In Bed with the Bachelor by Megan Crane

 

 

   

Blog Ahead Mini #2 Starts Today (June 15-30)

Anna over @ herding cats & burning soup is hosting her second mini blog head and it kicks off today.

The goal is to schedule an additional 15 posts during the challenge.

Scheduled Posts: I’m starting with 10 scheduled posts and hoping to finish with at least 20 additional posts. I know the goal was just 15, but I figured 5 more won’t hurt.

Posts I intend to work on: I have a handful of reviews that I need to get around to writing up, a few I need to finalize, and hopefully I’ll manage to work up a few discussion posts.

 

 

Are you participating in Blog Ahead?

What do you do to make blogging easier?

 

 

   

Imagines: Getting Some Action by Rachel Aukes; Scarlett Drake; Bella Higgin; Michelle Jo Quinn; Dmitri Ragano; Katarina E. Tonks

Fanfiction at its best, from your favorite Wattpad authors! In this collection drawn from the Imagines anthology headlined by Anna Todd (After, Nothing More) comes six stories putting “YOU” alongside your favorite action heroes—Tom Hardy (Mad Max), Nick Bateman, Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead), Matt Damon (Jason Bourne), and Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades of Grey).

A unique and daring series of imagines in which you get to uncover the real men behind the big screen hotties! Told in the second-person, “you” get to step into these swoonworthy and unpredictable adventures.

In a post-apocalyptic world, Tom Hardy appears to rescue you. During a massive blizzard, Charlie Hunnam stops into your store, and romance ensues. Norman Reedus is your loving husband. Nick Bateman runs your dojo, and soon your heart. Matt Damon and Jamie Dornan, they’re, well, up to something.

Dive into the fantasy worlds of your favorite stars now!

Publisher: Pocket Star| Release Date: June 12, 2017 | Source: Publisher

So, this was one those ‘just for fun’ reads. I wasn’t sure what to expect when the review invite arrived but the fact it featured a short about Charlie Hunnam had me saying ‘yes, please!’.  Seriously, the guy is just yummy and I’ll take him anyway I can get him!

 

The just of this one is that the stories are told in second person and each one features ‘you’ and a different celebrity. I didn’t read all the stories, Norman Reedus, Matt Damon, and Tom Hardy just don’t thrill my soul. Winter’s Kiss (featuring you and Charlie Hunnam) was cute and fun. Knockout (featuring you and Nick Bateman) was a bit grittier. An Occasional Friday (featuring you and Jamie Dornan) was, sadly a 50 Shades type. Not thrilled about that, I would much more have preferred this one to have been like his character on Once Upon A Time. While they were fun, the ones I read, the ‘you did this’, ‘you walked here’ got a bit old.

 

Overall, this was just one of those books to have a lark about. Not the best, not the worst, just something to fill in when you want a bit of fluff.

 

 

Which celebrity do you fantasize about?

 

 

 

   

Wanted: Texas Daddy by Cathy Gillen Thacker

All small towns have their secrets. No one in Laramie, Texas knows about Sage Lockhart’s friends-with-benefits relationship with the handsome cowboy, Nick Monroe. However, Sage wants something more from Nick—something that could change the very nature of their arrangement. She wants to have his baby.

Nick has always wanted to take things with Sage to the next level. Having a child wasn’t exactly what he had in mind, but it’s an adventure he can’t refuse. Of course, neither of them realized just how complicated things could get.

Now, with a baby on the way and all of their careful plans unraveling, Sage and Nick must face the one secret they’ve been hiding from themselves…and from each other.

Publisher: Western Romance | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: MLM Media | Rating: 3 Cups

Friends-with-benefits can get a little messy at times, especially when a baby is involved. Honestly, I found myself wanting to shake both Sage and Nick and tell them to use their words.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Sage wants a baby but she wants to know her baby’s daddy, so no trip to the sperm bank for her. In fact, she has her eye on the perfect father: her best friend Nick, who just happens to be the other half of her friends-with-benefits.  Nick’s always wanted to see where a real relationship with Sage would lead, but a baby wasn’t exactly on his mind. After a bit of convincing, Nick finally agrees but neither one of them expected just how complicated friends-with-benefits-who-have-a-baby could be.

 

Seriously, people, use your words. Especially when entering into an arrangement like this. Sage and Nick are so head-over-heels for each other it’s maddening but they just won’t admit it. It’s enough to make me want to scream at my book: USE. YOUR. BLOODY.WORDS.

 

Conflict resulting from lack of communication annoys me to no end. And Sage and Nick seem to be pros at it. From the first chapter it was obvious that Nick and Sage both wanted more from each other than just a baby but they spent the entire book keeping it under wraps, getting angry at each other, and advoiding the truth.

 

I liked Sage and Nick. They were great people with drive and heart and heat. They knew what they wanted professionally and went after it with all their might. They really should have put that type of drive into opening up to each other because they were great together, they just didn’t use their words.

 

Overall, while I liked the premise and the characters, this book was frustrating. If you’re ready to have a baby together, then you should be adult enough to have an actual conversation.  

About the Author: CATHY GILLEN THACKER is a full-time wife, mother and author who began writing stories during “nap time” when her children were toddlers. She wrote seven books as she taught herself how to be an author, and her eighth attempt was published in 1982. Since then she has written and published more than 70 novels. 

 

Chipotle Chicken Roll-Ups

From the Kitchen of Cathy Gillen Thacker

Spread flour tortillas with thin layer of chipotle mayonnaise.  Sprinkle on shredded Monterey jack, and Cheddar cheese.  Add shredded roast chicken, thinly sliced tomato, red onion, avocado, and cilantro.  Roll up, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to eat.   (Available for a quick lunch at Sage’s bistro, The Cowgirl Chef café.)

 

 

 

   

Casey by Kelly Hunter

Rowan Harper has traveled the American Extreme Bull Riders tour circuit with her stock-contractor father since she was four years old. She’s seen the best rides and the worst wrecks. And then there’s TJ who impressed her most when he didn’t ride at all.

T.J. Casey walked away from his rightful place in last year’s bull riding finals in order to bury his father. His sponsors are gone, but he’s back to stake his claim. He wants the buckle, sure, but he also wants the woman who treats her bucking bulls like lambs.

Can T.J. really score the championship and the girl? Or will he have to choose between the two..once and for all?

Series: American Extreme Bull Riders Tour #3| Publisher: Montana Born | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4 Cups

The woman or the championship? What’s a bull rider to do?

 

Here’s what’s going on. Last year, Casey walked away from the bull riding finals to bury his father. His fans have deserted him, his sponsors left, and people are calling him a part-time cowboy so he knows he needs to keep his head on straight and cover his bulls if he wants to claim the championship. He doesn’t need a distraction but he can’t get Rowan off his mind. Rowan’s a woman in a man’s world, so she keeps her head down, focuses on her work, and leaves the cowboys alone. But Casey’s proven he’s more than just a bull rider and when he listens to her advice about how to ride one of her bulls, she knows she wants to get know him a bit better.

 

I’ve been having so much fun with this series. Each one focuses on a bull rider in the American Extreme Bull Riders circuit and, like most series book from this publisher each book in by a different author, so they all have a different flavor to them.

 

Casey could make a girl swoon. He’s independent, handsome, puts family first, and earning money to put him through veterinary school. He’s also determined and headstrong. Rowan doesn’t really know where she belongs. Her mother passed away when she was young so she raised by a father who would have preferred her to be a boy. She’s trying to figure out who is she.

 

The romance was a bit slow burn and Rowan didn’t really make it easy for Casey but he was persistent. I liked that the relationship developed as she became more comfortable in her own skin and that Casey was there for her no matter what she decided to do.

 

What I really liked about this one was how much of the bull riding aspect the book contained. I mean, it wasn’t over the top but there was enough to sink my teeth into and make things interesting.

 

Overall, I really had a fun time with this one. The writing flowed and I was hooked from the start.

 

American Extreme Bull Riders Tour Series

Tanner

Chase

Casey

Cody 

 

 

Lean more about Jett Casey, T.J.’s brother

 who makes an appearance, check out What a Bachelor Needs by Kelly Hunter

 

 

 

   

In the Cowboy’s Arms by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Matt Forrest was born to be an actor, but grew up at Thunder Mountain Ranch as a cowboy. So when things go haywire after shooting his first Hollywood movie, he retreats to his childhood home where he knows his parents and foster brothers can help him figure out what he really wants out of life.

But PR agent, Geena Lysander, isn’t about to lose one of her best new clients—so she follows him. And things get complicated because she’s attracted to Matt, and not just for his handsome, movie-star good looks. As she gets to know the man behind the cowboy, their professional relationship becomes passionately personal. Could Matt’s next big role be as Geena’s leading man?

Series: Thunder Mountain Brotherhood #9 | Publisher: Harlequin Special Edition| Release Date: | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: MLM Media Relations | Rating: 2 Cups

I’m a bit behind with this series but I devoured the first three books so when this one popped up, I was each to get my hands on it. Sadly, this one just didn’t hold my interest.

 

Here’s what’s going on. When Matt finds himself in a scandal, he heads back home to Thunder Mountain Ranch and to the love and support of his foster family. Not wanting to make her PR company look bad, Geena, his agent, follows him and soon the line between personal and professional become blurred.

 

I’ll admit it: this book bored me, which was a pity considering how engaging the first three books in the series were. I just couldn’t get invested in either Matt or Geena. If he’s going to be an actor, he needs a tougher skin. Seriously, it’s Hollywood, the place was built on scandal. And Geena only thinking about what looked good for her company just left a bad taste in my mouth. So, it definitely wasn’t the best introduction to the characters and it really pulled me out of the story. For me, PR agents as characters sort of fall into that same iffy category as journalist.

 

I’m sort of wondering if it had something to do with this being the first in the series printed under the Special Edition Imprint rather than Blaze (since Blaze is no more). Whatever the reason, this one just wasn’t for me.

About the Author: VICKI LEWIS THOMPSON is a New York Times bestselling author who worked as a journalist and a high school English teacher before deciding to become a romance novelist. She was the recipient of Romance Writers of America’s Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award, and has published more than 100 books.

 

 

Movie Star Cast: The author picks movie stars to play the characters in a movie. 

Matt Forrest: Because Matt actually is a movie star in the story, I wanted an image of a traditionally gorgeous guy. I’d picked out Henry Cavill to play Matt before I ever started writing.

Geena Lysander: Instead of a movie star, I chose Kate Middleton to play Geena. I’m hoping that Will doesn’t mind.

 

Rosie Padgett: I’d cast Kathy Bates as Rosie. Yes, she played a memorable villain in Misery, but she’s a fabulous actor and would do a great job as the matriarch of Thunder Mountain Ranch. She’s the one who worked in social services and who started the ranch’s legacy by bringing a homeless boy home with her.

 

Herb Padgett: I had to search for Herb, but I finally found him. Singer and actor James Darren is about fifteen years older than Herb would be, but he has the right face for a man who’s both a large animal vet and the devoted foster father of more than two dozen boys.

 

Cade Gallagher: I’d cast Channing Tatum as Cade, the first boy to arrive at the ranch, the one who created the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood and arguably the most memorable of the foster brothers. Because Cade is related to the Chance brothers from the Sons of Chance series, he’s the link between the two. He appears in all the Thunder Mountain books.

 

Lexi Simmons: I picked Audrey Tautou to play Lexi because she rocks the short curly brown hair look that is so Lexi. Audrey starred opposite Tom Hanks in The Da Vinci Code. Although she’s French, I’m sure she could manage an American accent for the role of Cade’s soul mate.