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A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog

Review: ‘The Cowboy She Loves to Hate’ by Maisey Yates

December 8, 2025

Review: 'The Cowboy She Loves to Hate' by Maisey Yates

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Review: ‘The Cowboy She Loves to Hate’ by Maisey Yates

The Cowboy She Loves to Hate

by Maisey Yates
Series: Four Corners Ranch #0.6
Published by HQN Books on December 1, 2021
SubGenres: Contemporary Romance
Format: eBook
Pages: 64
Source: Purchased
Audience: 18+/Adult
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four-stars

She’s finally taking the cowboy’s bet…but at what cost?
When librarian Nelly Foster shows up on Tag McCloud’s doorstep on her thirtieth birthday, the cowboy knows exactly what she’s come for. Prissy, stubborn and downright irresistible Nelly is finally taking him up on the bet he made her years ago—to relieve her of her unwanted virginity.
Nelly can’t believe she’s finally cashing in her chips. But no man has ever gotten under her skin the way irritating and too-charming-for-his-own-good Tag does. Ever since he pulled her pigtails in school, she’s hated him…but he’s still the only cowboy she wants. And one earth-shattering night in Tag’s arms has Nelly realizing they are bound together by something much more intense…and impossible to walk away from!


The Cowboy She Loves to Hate by Maisey Yates is a Four Corners Ranch novella featuring a memorable enemies-to-lovers romance between a small-town librarian and a cowboy with whom she shares a complicated history. Their sizzling chemistry and emotional storyline make this story especially intriguing for fans of this trope, as well as other tropes listed below my review. 

This romance story heated up the moment that Nelly showed up on Tag’s doorstep to cash in on that promise he had made her years ago. The only issue is that promise he made, he knows once he gives Nelly what she asked, he’ll have a hard time letting her go on, because there has always been something about Nelly that has intrigued him. 

I found this novella more entertaining than the first novella in the series, largely because the established connection between Nelly and Tag adds greater depth and believability to their romance. Their shared backgrounds and gradual emotional proclamation kept me invested, especially as Nelly helps Tag open up and Tag, in turn, gives Nelly the love and understanding she truly needs. 

Overall, I give this novella four stars, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. Maisey’s sneak peeks in these novellas keep me invested and eager to read the rest of the books in the series. 

POV: Third Person (Dual POV)

Standalone or Part of Series: An interconnected standalone in the Four Corners Ranch series.

Would I recommend this novella? Yes. If you want a quick read, especially for your reading challenge, consider The Cowboy She Loves to Hate. It’s short and delivers a steamy enemies-to-lovers, opposites-attract story between a librarian and a cowboy. 


What to Expect:
✔️Small Town Romance
✔️Enemies to Lovers
✔️Opposites Attract
✔️Hero Fell First
✔️Librarian Heroine


About Maisey Yates

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit. In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book.

Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.

She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | X(formerly Twitter)


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FranJessca
Owner/Reviewer at A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog
I guess I should type a bio here. I'm FranJessca, or Fran for short. I'm the owner/reviewer behind A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog. I've been reading and reviewing books on my blog since leaving the Navy in 2011, and I will keep doing it as long as possible. My favorite genres will always be Romance & Fantasy, and I read every subgenre underneath those two genres. (Sorry, not a fan of nonfiction, so don't try to convince me to read it.)
My obsession with reading started over 30+ years ago when I went to my first Scholastic Book Fair and found R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. Later, I came across Anne Rice's novels at my public library when I was fourteen when my obsession with vampires started. I was the girl who preferred to be a vampire over a princess any day. My husband says I would leave him a heartbeat for a vampire that looked like Spike or Angel (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) or Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries. (It's true, though, and he's accepted it.)
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