Title: Four Cowboys and a Witch
Author: Cheryl Dragon
Publisher: Changeling Press
Buy Link: Buy Four Cowboys and a Witch Here!
Rating: 
You Could Read
Reviewed By: Janelle
Blurb:
Danielle left Texas for plenty of good reasons. The psychic had been called a witch and a lot worse. The only thing she missed was the four men who’d never let her down.
Back in Houston to settle her aunt’s estate, Dani is drawn into their fight against a mysterious creature. A lot has changed, and they want her in their life and their one, very Texas-sized bed. A quiet ranch life with a paranormal mission and four hot cowboys eager to share her is more than she ever dreamed of having.
Review:
There is an old saying: write what you know. That is to say that, if you don’t know something, research. In this case, it is painfully obvious that author has never actually been to Texas. I’m a Texas native, born and raised. I can ride, rope, barrel race, and pole bend. The research on this story feels lazy. They don’t even talk like Texans, and out accent is fairly recognizable with all its ‘ya’ll’s and quirky little colloquial phrases like ‘that dog’ll hunt.’ The ‘you guys’ that features heavily in the story is a yankee phrase.
And then there is the Paganism, which again feels lazy. There are candles and crystals for a bit of mystic feel, but no real indication of a spell or ritual beyond that. Paganism, like any other religion, has rites and rituals that are observed. Granted, Paganism is more flexible then most other religions, but some things are fairly universal.
One moment that did stand out to me was when one of the boys suggested a rattlesnake round up. Anyone who claims to know and love the natural world as much as these guys do, know these are a terrible practice, not only morally, but economically and ecologically. Yeah, it’s possible a snake might bite someone, but having mice over run your grain is far worse in the long run.
When it comes to the characters, they are very much like the last installment I read from this author: flat. The men are basically interchangeable with bland personalities and physical description done in broad strokes. Dani only stands out by not being a guy, even though she shares their tendency for assuming their little group has all the answers. In all honestly, they come off like bullies.
For example, they go to the home of a local shifter pack, and flat out demand they kill their own rogue member or the boys will just have to do it for them. And when they do capture the creature alive, again it is not the pack who gets to decide his fate. To further humiliate these non-human characters, Dani goes to their home, lays down the law about what they can and cannot do, making accusations with no evidence beyond what her psychic powers tell her, and then assaults the alpha in his own home without provocation.
The sex is okay, very clinical. The biggest problems is that it gets in the way of the story. At no time can the characters have a serious conversation to allow for character development without someone sticking something in someone else. And when several of these little gang bang revolve around getting Dani to uproot her life and move in with the boys, it comes off as more than a little manipulative.
Overall, this story is just…dull.
