Name: Freight Trained
Rating: 4.00 (2 reviews)

The heart knows what the heart wants…cookies.

Biscuits/cookies are my weakness. I have a very bad habit that I’ve tried to break numerous times…dunking biscuits in my coffee. There’s a particular one that works best, Nice biscuits by Arnotts. They’re a plain biscuit with a sprinkling of sugar on the top. The coffee (strong with a little milk, no sugar) soaks into the biscuit and you have to rush it to your mouth before it breaks off and it either falls to the bottom of your cup, lands on a surface, or you wear it. Now, I have tried to break this habit with no success. That is mainly because hubby, being the sweetheart he is, keeps buying the bloody things because I like them. Ohhh, isn’t that sweet, you all say. No, it's not bloody sweet because I can’t resist the bloody things. OK, maybe it’s a little sweet. Anyways…chocolate chip cookies are my second favourite biscuit. Why am I gabbing on about biscuits/cookies you ask? Well I think Sarah Curtis has the right idea. Make the man in your life prove his love by baking chocolate chip cookies. Now, maybe I’m being a little tough by narrowing it down to chocolate chip cookies. Maybe we should just make it a general bake something or cook something. If he takes the time and effort to make you happy by giving you cookies…then he’s a keeper.

Freight Trained starts off with a little snippet to a mystery. We’re not given a lot of information, but it does set you up to question every character that you meet. Even though it’s very limited information given, you know that the situation is dire and someone’s life is in danger. I was convinced a couple of times throughout the story who the baddie was, but then I’d start to doubt myself and I’d be back to square one.

We meet Abigail O’Neal sitting in a little diner in a small country town. She’s just moved there from the city after inheriting her Grandmother’s house. This was a perfect opportunity for Abby to change her life. Being extremely shy and practically a hermit has led her to live a very lonely life. I actually think in this case it was her parents holding her back. We only meet them fleetingly, but I did not like them at all and I especially didn’t like the way Abby was around them. It was a good decision to be away from them and between getting the house and a job as a teacher in the small town, all her cookies were lined up in a row. Time to step out of her comfort zone and get Freight Trained.

Coleman Garrison is an ex-rodeo champion. Freight Trained is a rodeo/bull riding term.... supposedly?? I’m an Aussie who’s never been to a rodeo in her life, so it was news to me. So, Cole’s faced a few tragedies in his life that he blames himself for. To punish himself, he decides to quit the circuit and train horses on a property not far from a little town. Cole thinks he doesn’t deserve happiness and that he should live his life by himself. Then one day, he walks into a little diner and sees a woman who changes everything. Can Cole get past the past? Will he be willing to put his heart on the line? Well, at first it's definitely a no. But...who can resist a cute little mouse.

Turns out that Cole and Abby are neighbours. Cole at first tries to ignore his attraction to Abby and pushes her away so he can’t hurt her. Abby being so shy has not had much experience dealing with people and doesn’t know how to read Cole. To thank him for a favour he does for her she delivers him a plate of cookies. As soon as the plate is handed over, Cole realises he’s going to keep the plate…and Abby too.

I really enjoyed reading Freight Trained. It definitely kept my attention and had me smiling, smirking and a wee bit overheated. Cole is a dirty talker. When he decides that Abby is his woman he does not hold back on telling her exactly what he wants. Abby is so inexperienced that she’s a little overwhelmed. His patience was pretty admirable considering he’s a man who’s had women throwing themselves at him for years. With his good looks and career Abby can’t understand what he sees in her. Cole certainly knows what he wants, and unfortunately, someone else wants her too.

The mystery was not the main focus of the story but it wasn’t a dump and run either. We weren’t thrown a mystery at the beginning, left hovering to have an Aha moment in the last chapter. Little bits are given to us throughout so that all the puzzle pieces can be laid out to make the final picture.

I liked both Abby and Cole and I think they were a great couple. Abby’s personality definitely got stronger as the story unfolded, but like I said before, I think her separation from her parents really helped. Cole was a little harder to love in the beginning…and the end to be honest. He has his douchewaffle moments that make you want to smack him, but luckily he gets his baking tray out and works his way back into Abby’s heart.

Freight Trained was definitely a winner for me and I’m kind of hoping that Sarah Curtis will take us back to the little town to match up some of Abby’s new friends.

To buy Freight Trained from Amazon - http://amzn.to/29FYuy7

****

Here's some other stuff...

Click on the cookie to see my favourite chocolate chip bikkie/cookie/biscuit/bickie recipe.

Abby, Maggie, her co-worker and new friend, and a few others are heading to a bar for Girl's Night Out!! Here's a Style Setter Tribute for Abby's outfit.

I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -

Eve1972

Written on Jul 16, 2016

This is the story of Abby, a shy and socially awkward school teacher, and Cole a former Rodeo star turned rancher.

"I don't deserve you, but damn if I'm not going to keep you anyway."

I enjoyed this one. It was sweet with no OW/OM drama. Cole was a likable character that didn't come across like a man-whore. I LOVED his dirty talking (reminded me of a KA hero) Abby was sweet and thankfully NOT over the top annoying (a problem I had with the heroines in this author's other books) The stalker storyline wasn't that strong. It was pretty well advertised from first introduction who it was going to be. Plus it just felt underdeveloped and put in the book just to add a little angst and drama. Overall though this was an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

SIDE NOTE: I LOATHE "Little Mouse" as an endearment. It isn't sweet, it isn't cute, it isn't lovable. It's DEMEANING! Especially when it is used on a person who is shy and has social interaction issues (as did the heroine in this book) Every time Cole uttered it, I wanted Abby to tell him to go shove it up his ass.

stacey_is_sassy

Written on Jul 11, 2016

Freight Trained

by Sarah Curtis

Freight Trained

by Sarah Curtis

Reviews

Eve1972

stacey_is_sassy