Texas on My Mind

I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes when I saw the ‘cowboy romance’ label—how many times can we revisit the brooding rancher trope? But *Texas on My Mind* won me over by refusing to play it safe. Riley McCord isn’t just a wounded hero; he’s a man whose military trauma and family baggage collide in ways that feel brutally honest. When he locks horns with the heroine (a local business owner with her own chips on her shoulder), their chemistry crackles because it’s built on *conflict*, not just insta-lust. Fossen writes dialogue that snaps—these people interrupt each other, hold grudges, and yes, eventually surrender to the inevitable, but it’s the *how* that makes it compelling. Now, about that narration: Kaleo Griffith is a powerhouse. His Riley has the perfect mix of weariness and wry humor, and he nails the secondary characters, too—especially the McCord brothers, whose sibling dynamic feels lived-in. My only critique? The pacing drags slightly in the middle during a subplot involving a rival rancher; it’s clear Fossen wants to raise the stakes, but the detour feels a beat too long. And while Griffith’s female voices are strong, his heroine occasionally veers into a breathiness that doesn’t quite match her otherwise sharp-tongued personality. Still, the audiobook’s production is polished, with just enough atmospheric touches (a crackling bonfire, the hum of cicadas) to immerse you without distracting. If you love romances with teeth—where the happy ending feels earned, not inevitable—this one’s worth the ride. Just maybe speed up the playback during the ranch feud scenes.