Book Review: Rescued by the Ranger by Dixie Lee Brown

ISBN-10: 0062328425
ISBN-13: 978-0062328427
Publisher: Avon Impulse (October 13, 2015)

Blurb

Protecting those in trouble is what Army Ranger Garrett Harding does best. But after

helping a feisty redhead toss a couple of losers from her Idaho bar, the woman is

anything but grateful for his assistance—in fact, she seems to know him. Worse, she

almost certainly hates him.

The only thing Rachel Maguire wants is to send this smart-mouthed, muscled military

man packing. She knows Garrett has his own reasons for staying, so when he offers

Protecting those in trouble is what Army Ranger Garrett

Harding does best. But after helping a feisty redhead toss a couple of losers from her Idaho bar,

the woman is anything but grateful for his assistance—in fact, she seems to know him. Worse,

she almost certainly hates him.

The only thing Rachel Maguire wants is to send this

smart-mouthed, muscled military man packing. She knows Garrett has his own reasons for

staying, so when he offers Rachel a deal—two days to prove his worth or he leaves—she

reluctantly agrees. Despite wanting to loathe him, Rachel finds herself drawn to his quiet

confidence…and the way he fills out a t-shirt.

But when Rachel receives a phone call

from the past, everything changes. The stalker who destroyed her life ten years ago is closing in

once more. Refusing to put anyone else in harm’s way, Rachel hits the road hoping to lure

danger away from those she loves. But Garrett won’t leave this sexy spitfire to face her stalker

alone. He’ll do anything to protect her. Even if it means risking his life—and his

heart.

Review:

Garrett, and his dog Cowboy, are quite alluring. The bond and history they share are heartwarming, and I must admit, the commands Garrett uses on the dog are quite creative. Garret is strong, dedicated, and family-oriented. I loved them.

Unfortunately, the heroine is a different story. I did not care for Rachel at all. It was not the typical character-you-love-to-hate, but just a weak, unrelatable, one. Instead of coming across as a strong, independent woman who’s doing the best she can to deal with a bad situation, she reads more like a spoiled brat who should be in a young adult novel, not an adult one. She overreacts to everything, gives him a hard time without hearing his side of the story, and then makes comments like he needs her approval in order for his life to be meaningful, which is funny coming from someone he’d just met. Even by the end, she had not grown at all, and it made me wonder why Garrett wanted her, which in itself made him look bad.

Where I normally root for the relationship, I could never understand why a man like Garrett was so enamoured of her, and more than anything, I wanted him to help her with her situation and then move on, not stick around to be with her.

The plot was good, the suspense engaging, but overall, it’s hard for me to enjoy a romance when I don’t want the hero and heroine together.

Rating system: Cups of coffee – the less the better

0: You won’t need any coffee to stay up for this one. It’s intriguing enough all on its own.
1: You’ll stay up late, but not all night. Brew one cup.
2: You’ll read as long as you’re not tired. If you are, two cups should do the trick.
3: I hope you got plenty of rest; you’ll need it, or at least 3 cups.
4: If the cable goes out, read the book. It’s better than nothing, I guess. Oh, don’t forget your brew!
5: Find anything else to do- it doesn’t matter what it is. Don’t waste your coffee. Too much caffeine is bad for you.

My rating: 3 cups of coffee