Cowboy Dragon's Next Door Neighbor (Cowboy Dragon's Inn, #1) by Serena Meadows

Cowboy Dragon's Next Door Neighbor (Cowboy Dragon's Inn, #1) Reviews

• 
  Grapie Deltaco

  A story about a bunch of cowboy dragon-shifters forced to run an inn if they wanna keep their shares of an inherited ranch, a woman and her child getting a second chance at life after being separated from their abuser, and a lackluster romance.
  
  The fact that I forgot the main dude was a dragon should speak to the lack of worldbuilding in this story. They might as well have been humans having an insta-love plot.
  
  The thing with stories like this, though, is that so much of a woman’s healing from years of abuse relies heavily on a new romance. Lauren gets zero time to heal from her marriage when her romance with Mitchell begins, leaving no room to breathe between relationships. I know he’s supposed to show her what a good man is or whatever but it’s just objectively unhealthy. Lauren hasn’t been her own person for over a decade and gets just a few weeks (maybe a month) to settle into a separate identity from Mike before being pursued by Mitchell. She even tells him that she needs time and Mitchell keeps pushing that he’ll “take what he can get” but nothing about the conversation implies that Lauren is ready to even give anything. Instead understanding that she needs space and time, he pushes to get as close as possible in spite of that and that is so…ugly. It felt like Lauren being worn down by another man who can’t take no for an answer, not true love.
  
  On top of that, the choice to go back and make Ellie almost heartless felt so cheap. It felt like the author was trying to eliminate any guilt or discomfort the reader had when having this couple get together after establishing that Mitchell still had some love left for his late wife. Theirs relationships issues had while she was still alive could’ve been handled in a way that didn’t make Ellie out to be an asshole. It feels lazy and convenient.
  
  Another thing I couldn’t get over, though, comes in how this entire town was fully aware of how abusive Mike was to his wife and child and everyone just chose to ignore it. People, including the hero of this story, claim that they didn’t know a thing despite being in the room and watching how Mike would grab and speak down to Lauren. Lauren is visibly upset anytime she’s in public with him and people either do nothing because it isn’t their business or they somehow warped it into her being equally as bad as Mike ?? Also this entire town completely abandons Lauren and her child after they’re made homeless and penniless from Mike attempt to set them on fire as a means of murdering them. No one bothers to check in? No one bother to offer any help or sympathy ?? You can’t explicitly write uncomfortable witnesses of mistreatment into the story and just make those witnesses’ carry on as if they were completely in the dark with zero clue that their marriage wasn’t a good one.
  
  The villains of this story are also cartoonishly evil and I got so sick of Lauren constantly being abused in every possible way for the sake of being saved by Mitchell. This author is OBSESSED with a damsel in distress constantly running away from the threat of rape and it gave me a headache, so much so that Mitchell and Lauren’s first sex scene happens minutes after a very violent attempted rape outside and witnessing a death.
  
  The conflict between Meredith and Lauren makes zero sense and came out of nowhere. It was built up to be significant and then got solved within a single chapter. There are so many layers to the poor quality of the writing. Usually I’d still find enjoyment in books like this by reading it like it’s a parody but it genuinely can’t be ignored.
  
  CW: spousal abuse/domestic violence, sexual assault + on-page attempted rape, murder, death, grief, kidnapping
• 
  WTF Are You Reading?

  Mitchell and Lauren's story is so captivating that it is very easy to forget that it is also the first offering in the series. Therefore, also making it the story that houses the set up for the backstory and main players in the soon to unfold drama.
  
  Lauren's guilt at her implied role in the death of Mitchell's wife. Only serves to add to the emotional depth that their shared tragic pasts brings to the fore. At Mitchell's return to town to assume his role at the ranch and hotel that Mitchell's mentor Dean left to our leading man and his five friends upon his death.
  
  Leaving Lauren trapped with Dean's volatile and very abusive relative. A.k.a. her husband, stewing, plotting revenge, and taking his anger out on her whenever he can.
  But all of this becomes a moot point when the two lovers meet and passions rekindle. After Lauren takes a job Mitchell's ranch.
  And old desires are reignited.
  
  Overall this is a very sweet and well written romance. The only drawback being that there is not enough attention paid to the shifter aspect of Mitchell's nature. Making the fact of the story being marketed as a shifter romance seem a bit of a bait and switch. And therefore taking this story of of the running for the five star status to which it would have otherwise been entitled.
  But given the aforementioned emotional superiority of the story. Coupled with the descriptive detail of scenes, settings, and characters. As well as the ease and richness of character interplay. There is no denying that this is a story well worth its weight in literary gold.
  
  This is the first book in an interrelated series. It can be read as part of its intended series. Or as a standalone.
  This review is an honest critique of the literary work discussed above and has in no way been influenced by any outside party.
  It may be purchased on Kindle or read for free as part of Kindle Unlimited.
• 
  Alys Baldwin

  Nice short read. It has drama & romance. Book one of the Cowboy Dragon series.
• 
  Angie Barnes

  Serena Meadows has written a 5-star book. This book is the story of Lauren and Mitchell. Mitchell and his friends have gone to Dean's Inn to meet with the lawyer for the reading of Dean's will. When it's read, the 6 friends get what Mike thinks is his. When he finds out that he gets nothing, he blames Mitchell. Soon afterward Mike kills Mitchell's wife, Ellie, and left Mitchell with his daughter Lilly. Mike is married to Lauren and he blames her for everything bad that happens to him. He makes her do things she doesn't want to do and if she doesn't, he beats her. Mike takes Lauren and Meredith to a party and things don't go the way he plans. He tells Lauren that if it wasn't for her and their daughter he would be out of that place. He sets the house on fire with Lauren inside. Meredith had gotten out and ran to Mitchell and told him what was going to happen. While Mitchell is talking to Meredith, they hear a loud explosion and see a large fireball in the sky. Mitchell shifts into his dragon and goes to Lauren's house. He has to shift again to find her. Mitchell is the one who tries to lock his feelings down for Lauren. Years before he liked her before he met his wife. Lauren has been working at the inn where she had been staying with Meredith when her boss Rick calls her into his office and tells her of a new job working on the ranch. She takes the job but when she finds out that Mitchell is going to be going on the trail ride, she thinks better of the job. Things are fine at the start of the trip but then one of the men tries to give Lauren a hard time and Mitchell steps in. After that, Mitchell makes sure that someone is always around Lauren. One time that she goes off by herself, the man goes after her. She tries to get away from him at first but he hits her. She ends up getting away and she decides that she is not going to let him hurt her. She grew up in the mountains and knew her way around. Mitchell goes after Lauren when he sees the man, not with the group. It takes him a little while to find where Lauren was. Things don't go well for the man. When Mitchell finds Lauren, her clothes are rip and she is cold. Mitchell tells her to close her eyes and to keep them closed and he was going to warm her up. She opens her eyes and she is looking at his dragon. At first, she is scared until she sees his eyes. Lauren and Mitchell get together after Lauren's divorce is finished and Meredith finds them in bed together and runs away. Mitchell asks his daughter, Lilly if they had seen Mike around and she tells him that they saw him at the park. Lauren gets upset and knows that Mike has Meredith and will use her to get to Lauren. Mitchell gets all the ranch hands to start looking for Meredith and then calls the sheriff to let him know what is going on.
  Will Lauren and Mitchell get their happy ever after with the girls?
  This was a wonderful book and I would recommend it to anyone.
  
  I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Dee

  Are you debating whether or not to read (Cowboy Dragon’s Next Door Neighbor) Did you see the title and alternate between a hum-drum "not another (dragon shifter romance) book" and an excited "ooohh, another (dragon shifter romance) book!" ... Let me set your mind at ease. Within the first chapters you get the panoramic view of whom you’re dealing with! This is book is part of the Cowboy Dragon's Inn series why just read one when you can start at the beginning and keep reading through the series it won’t be a waste of time. Dean and his six friends grew up together playing in/around a hotel/ranch and when the current owner passes away (Dean) he leave the ranch/hotel to the other six boys with a condition bring life back into the hotel and ranch. The owner had a nephew (Mike) when he finds out he has been cut out totally, he is furious and vows revenge against the six and the property. Mitchell a sexy as all get out part owner, works on the ranch side of things and runs the trail rides. His wife passed several years leaving him a widow several years earlier and leaving him is raise his daughter Lily alone. Lauren intelligent, married to the bitter nephew Mike, and a mom raising her daughter with no help from the jerk of an abusive husband. She would have left him long ago if it wasn’t for her daughter Meredith. Mike cruel horrible man to not only her, Meredith but to everyone, and she can’t leave him until Meredith is grown or so she thinks but she should have followed her mind and left. Mike has been threatening to end their lives, one night he makes good on that threat. He set his house on fire, locked Lauren inside a closet and their daughter ran to the ranch for help. After Mitchel saves her and realizing Mike left them to fend for themselves, which was a good thing although, it didn’t seem like it at the time but him leaving allowed her to get her life back, raise her daughter in a happy environment and find herself falling for the man who saved her life. The chemistry is insanely intense, and the magnetic pull can’t be ignored but for some reason no one wants to see them together especially Mike so will they prove to everyone that love withstands any/all things, how low will Mike go since he already tried to kill her, will they figure out that Mike killed his wife, will they finally shut him down, and can they find happiness?
• 
  Alisha Rowe

  This review was originally posted at
  http://bit.ly/3g2uSB6.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  After the murder of his wife Mitchell was convinced he would never love again. Especially not the previous wife of the man who killed her, leaving him a single father. But, Lauren was just as much a victim of his abuse. Now that she has escaped his clutches a spark is igniting between the two that only gets stronger during a trail riding expedition. She knows his biggest secret, but can she accept him for who he is? Can he move past what her ex did to him and his daughter?
  This book was suggested to me on Facebook ads, so if you're wondering if those actually work apparently they do. I have a thing for paranormal romances and even more so when those things involve dragons. Everything about this book, in theory, did it for me. Country male. Female who, at least eventually, stands up for what she wants. Dragons. And sex.
  
  That being said, there are only two instances in the entire book where dragon's are seen. Otherwise they're just human. This acts like it wants to be a second chance love story, which I'm all for considering I got back with my high school sweetheart a few years back and have been happily married to him for going on three years. The problem is the author doesn't seem like they could decide if that is what they truly wanted, saying things like they loved each other before he met his dead wife then going on to say they were never together. It's contradictory.
  
  That is my only complaint point. I wasn't sorry to see what happened to Mike. He deserved exactly what he got. This book wraps up everything nicely with the epilogue being the set up for the next book, which will be a second chance love story. I am very sure I will read these books in the future, but with all the review requests I have right now it is going to be a minute before I impulse read anything.
• 
  Ann Marie

  'Cowboy Dragon's Next Door Neighbor' by Serena Meadows is the first book in her new series Cowboy Dragon's Inn and tells the story of Lauren and Mitchell who are next door neighbors and both single parents to their daughters. Although Mitchell was a widower while Lauren's husband just disappeared after he tried to kill her.
  
  Mitchell and Mike had their own history because Mitchell worked for Mike's Uncle Dean on his ranch and when Dean died he left his ranch and old hotel to Mitchell and five other friends who all worked for Dean and left Mike nothing. Mike blamed Mitchell for taking advantage of his uncle. He became a very angry and bitter man taking it out on his wife and daughter, Meredith, physically and emotionally abusing them. Lauren stays because she doesn't want to lose Meredith as Mike has threatened her with no custody privileges or death. One night Mike locks Lauren in the closet and sets the house on fire finally made finally making his death threat a reality. Luckily, Meredith was able to run to the Mitchell's ranch and ask him for help and Mitchell was able to save Lauren.
  
  Ms. Meadows has kicked off her series with a fantastic story. Lauren and Mitchell's chemistry was hot and sizzling. This story has drama, mystery, suspense, laughs, passion, family meddling, and plenty of steam. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of drama with their romance. I can not wait for the next book.
  
  I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  WILMA from the Netherlands

  This is book one of the Cowboy Dragon’s Inn series and tells the story of Mitchell and Lauren.  It's given us a wonderful start to this series.  Mitchell and Ellie had a daughter Lilly together, but some time later Ellie was killed, in a failed attempt to kill Mitchell. Everyone knew it was Mike! Mitchell was heartbroken after his wife’s death but had a daughter to raise.
  Lauren has a bad marriage and suffers from her husband Mike’s anger at losing what he thought should be his. He is not a nice man at all and abuses her at every opportunity. She should have left him years before, but feels tied to him by their daughter and won’t leave her with him.
  Mitchell comes to realise he still has feelings for Lauren which are more than when they were mere teenagers together, just before her husband tries to kill her by setting their house on fire! More danger is to come when Mike comes back for his revenge on Lauren, but Mitchell won’t allow him to hurt Lauren or her daughter Meredith.  How will this end? Will they have there happy ever after?
  The story keeps you turning the pages with fear, danger, action. Read it and love it, like I did.
  I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
• 
  Emily Pennington

  Lauren and Mitchell . . .
  
  This is Lauren and Mitchell’s story. Mitchell and some friends Dean had mentored over the years were called to meet with a lawyer for the reading of Dean's will. To everyone’s surprise, Dean left it all to the Mitchell and the other friends. Mike was left with nothing, and truthfully deserved nothing based on his actions. But he blamed Mitchell for his not getting anything. And he took out his displeasure on his wife with his frequent abuse.
  
  Mitchell’s wife was killed, and everyone knew who did it. Mike even attempts to kill his own wife, Lauren, by burning her alive as he set her house on fire. Fortunately, Mitchell came to her rescue. Mike later kidnaps his daughter, Meredith, putting her in danger. Will the Sheriff, Mitchell, and all the ranch hands be able to rescue Meredith? Will Mitchell, Lauren, and the two girls ever find happiness together with Mike out of their lives? And how will Lauren react when Mitchell reveals what he really is?
  
  There is so much happening in this story, so grab your copy and catch up on all the goings-on to see if they can ever get things sorted out.
  
• 
  Terri Pietrowski

  During the reading of Dean’s will, Mitchell’s boss, Mitchell and five employees learned they inherit Deans ranch and not his only living relative his nephew, Mike. They also found out there is one stipulation, they have to repair the run down old hotel and operate it. Now years later Mitchell and the others are running a successful ranch, hotels and restaurants. Mike of course is his same cruel self, abusing his wife Lauren and daughter, threatening to end their lives, until one night he almost did. That’s when Mike started his house on fire, locked Lauren inside a closet and their daughter ran to the ranch for help. Now Mike has disappeared, leaving Lauren and his daughter to fend for themself. After getting her life back on track and gaining her confidence, Lauren realizes she has feelings for Mitchell, but several people try to put a stop to their relationship, including Mike.
  I am volunteering to leave a ARC review of this book.
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Lisa Gibbs

  I like Ms. Meadows' stories about dragon shifters. I have read other shifter novels and never have come across a dragon with feathers. I did Google it and apparently, they are some dragons thought to have had feathers. Who knew?! This is a sweet story of second chances as Mith realizes that his first wife what not his soul mate but Lauren is. It's complicated though as Lauren has been married to Mike for the last 12 years and he is an abusive alcoholic who tried to kill her and their daughter. Mitch rescues her and tries to resist the pull that beckons him to her. Trouble follows the couple as she is hired on at the ranch.
  
  The only thing I had a bit of trouble comprehending was near the end with Mitch shifted into a dragon inside an abandoned mine. I know these are fantasy stories but even given that it was hard to wrap my head around. Having said that, I like the story well enough to pick up the next one in the series.
• 
  Dana Busenbark

  Who is Mitchell? Who is Dean? How does Mitchell know him? Who are Mike and Lauren? What do we learn about them? Who are Pierce, Brian, Roger, Cory, Rick, and Mr. Perkins? What brings all these people together? Where do they all meet up at? Why does my heart hurt for Lauren when I first meet her? Who are Meredith and Lilly? Where do we find the girls? What big event is happening that Lauren and Meredith are going to? What happened to Lauren after the event? Who are Tony and his friends? What do they do at the cave? Why are we meeting them? What happens when they confront Mitchell about the detour? What does Lauren do? Oh, wait until you see what Meredith and Lauren get the courage to do! Enjoy the read!
  
  RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT from Booksprout FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.
• 
  Trish

  This is the first book in the Cowboy Dragon's Inn Series. It's a steamy paranormal romance. Mitchell and his five friends receive the ranch and inn they now run much to Mike's, the owner's nephew, disbelief. This starts a chain of events that will affect everyone. Mitchell is a widower raising his young daughter alone. Lauren is trapped in an abusive marriage. They've known each other their whole lives. When Lauren's husband Mike tries to kill Lauren and their daughter Mitchell, and the guys help her out by giving her a job and a place to stay. Old feelings start to surface between Lauren and Mitchell but with all their history will it be wise to let those feelings surface? I really enjoyed this book and think it’s a very good start to the series. I'm looking forward to the next book.
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Denise

  This is a NON-SPOILER REVIEW of Cowboy Dragon's Next Door Neighbor by Serena Meadows, the first book in the Cowboy Dragon's Inn. I enjoyed this story opener. Second chances at love is a common theme, but this story was well written and emotionally enthralling which took it up a notch. This what could have been story is sweet and sad, cute and heart warming. When the owner of a rundown inn leaves the property to his employees instead of his family, a major grudge is born. A great opener and a fun read, I love the characters and the way they are introduced through the storyline. Mitchell and Lauren are our first story and while there is resolution to this romance, there is also a set up for the next book.
  
  This honest and voluntary review was made possible by obtaining a copy through Booksprout.
• 
  Charmaine Nouwen

  Cowboy Dragons Next Door Neighbor: (Cowboy Dragons Inn) by Serena Meadows is an emotional,intense,engaging,steamy with a bit of action and suspense..a shifter romance story that will captivate you while reading.. this is a second chance at heart romance story of Lauren and Mitchell. Mitchell wife was murdered by the husband of Lauren becaus of his depute over Mitchelle when the property that he wanted goes to mitchell..Mitchell known Lauren long time a shy girl that he found of but when his deceased wife move to their hometown he was in love or so he thought the only good thing that he got in that relationship is her daughter and he will do anything to protect her but when he found out that Lauren is in trouble and in danger his instinct is to protect her and her child..
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Lizette Novotasky

  Read but be aware
  
  
  I read this story but I have to admit that when I accept it I only saw : Oh! This is a dragon story, I Love dragons romance stories. But you have to be aware that this story have cheating, domestic violence, implied rape and kidnaping and violence against a minor. so if any of this things are a trigger for you, you have been already warmed. The story, even if it have this things, is good. The characters grow and get stronger during the story. I would not said more except that it was worth to read the story.
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  TRICIA

  Lauren's soon to be ex-husband set her home on fire in an attempt to murder both her and her daughter. Mitchell was the guy who saved her, as Lauren recovers from the incident, she begins to make a new life with her daughter and gets a job as a wrangler at Mitchell's ranch.
  
  Mitchell has always been attracted to Lauren but has fought it but after the incident with the fire he decides to give up fighting his attraction and when Lauren comes to work on the ranch their relationship changes. They become closer but then problems arise, will they be able to overcome them together and find their happily ever after.
• 
  Elizabeth Kemper

  Story is Solid
  
  Mitchell is a dragon shifting widowed cowboy and dad. Running a ranch and hotel with his five partners (5 more dragon shifters) takes up most his time. But his next door neighbor, Lauren, was his high school crush. She's married with a daughter and a very abusive husband. Circumstances change for Lauren and daughter Meredith. Mitchell is drawn right into the middle of it all. Although the characters are strong and the general plot interesting, there are gaps in details that leave the reader a bit at loose ends. Just a bit more background and the why of the isolated dragon shifters would have helped fill some gaps. Otherwise, well done HEA.