The Cowboy Takes a Bride - Lori Wilde (Avon - April 2012)

Series: Jubilee Texas (Book 1) 

Welcome to Jubilee, Texas

Ex-champion bull rider-turned-cutting-horse cowboy Joe Daniels isn't quite sure how he ended up sleeping in a horse trough wearing nothing but his Stetson and cowboy boots. But now he's wide-awake, and a citified woman is glaring down at him. His goal? Get rid of her ASAP. The obstacle? Fighting the attraction he feels toward the blond-haired filly with the big, vulnerable eyes.

When out-of-work wedding planner Mariah Callahan learns that her estranged father has left her a rundown ranch in Jubilee, she has no choice but to accept it. Her goal? Redeem her career by planning local weddings. The obstacle? One emotionally wounded, hard-living cowboy who stirs her guilt, her heartstrings, and her long-burned cowgirl roots . . . 

Good book.  I really liked both characters and the other people of the town.  Mariah came to Jubilee after her father died.  She was still feeling a lot of hurt from his abandonment, and planned to simply sell the land and go back to Chicago.  Joe wanted the land but wouldn't have the money for a couple months.  She agreed to stick around until he did, and decided to start up her own wedding planning business while she was there.  Joe was glad she was giving him a chance to get the money needed. Joe was still in recovery mode from losing his wife a couple years before.  The more he got to know her, the more he liked her.  There was a lot of back and forth between the two, due to their individual issues.  Mariah was afraid to commit because she thought Joe was just like her dad.  Joe didn't think he could love again after losing his wife. Part of the problem they both had was that neither wanted to be the first to say "I love you". I liked the way that Joe was so supportive of Mariah's business and did so much to help.  I also liked the way that the people of Jubilee also made her feel welcome.  I liked the side romance between Ila and Cordy and the way they helped Joe and Mariah at the end.  I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.