DiDi's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews 
 4 STARS 
 LOVING CARA is the first book in Kristen Proby's LOVE UNDER THE BIG SKY series. I was excited to find out she had a new series coming out because I love her WITH ME series. And then I found it the LOVE UNDER THE BIG SKY series has a lot of my favorite things: set in Montana, Alpha men, Ranchers, small town, family based and heroines who are sassy, independent and fun. 
 Josh and Carolina grew up together, kinda, Josh was two years older than Cara and the popular, handsome, popular guy all the girls loved. Cara was chunky, frizzy haired and shy, with a crush on Josh. 
 Present day, Cara is a school teacher and has seen Josh around town but hasn't had any interactions with him. Josh is a rancher, who loves his family and works hard. Unexpectedly his twelve year old nephew, Seth, comes to live at the ranch with Josh and Josh's parents. Seth is angry, sullen and having a hard time in school. So Josh asks the school principal to line up a tutor to come to the ranch during the summer to get Seth up to speed. 
 Cara shows up at the ranch and neither Josh nor Cara can ignore the instant chemistry between them. Josh pursues Cara, but she has a hard time believing his interest in her, because she still feels like the chunky, frizzy haired girl she was in school. Josh and Cara's journey to their HEA is funny, sweet and HOT. I wouldn't say this is an erotic romance, but the smexin' is most definitely extra, extra spicy. A couple things I absolutely love about this book are, once Cara gives in to Josh, she is not afraid to let her freak flag fly, she knows what she wants and goes for it. Josh ~ FINALLY an Alpha hero who isn't a manwhore and who immediately takes up for Cara and tells off one of the town floozies when she tries to stir up trouble. I love when Josh gets all Alpha possessive and cranky. The love and patience Cara and Josh have for Seth is heartwarming. Seth is adorable in all his troubled, pre-teen grumpiness. You can tell he's just a boy who needs love and affection. 
 The secondary cast of LOVING CARA are interesting and complex. When Josh's brother, Zack, comes back from Afghanistan there are some really touching moments between Zack and Seth. Jillian, Cara's best friend, is funny, snarky and hiding some deep pain. Ty, Josh's best friend and Lauren both caught my attention too. I really can't wait to see how the rest of the series plays out. 
 If you are looking for a sweet, sexy, fun, emotional, romance without the deep angst that is so popular in a lot of books today, you must read LOVING CARA.