From the author of Once Upon a Cowboy (“Sexy, charming, and perfectly heartwarming.”—Lauren Layne) comes another sweet novel of the Whisper Creek Ranch, where sizzling Montana men melt the most stubborn hearts.
After Alexis Maguire’s wedding day comes and goes without a groom, she decides that it’s time for a change. Tired of being the dependable, steady—and apparently boring—one, Alexis hopes that a cross-country road trip will help her loosen up and find her inner sparkle. Her first stop is the Whisper Creek Ranch, where the hot wranglers are sure to bring out her inner party girl. The trouble is, she can’t stand pretending to be someone she’s not—especially around the cowboy who tempts her to stay put.
Gunnar Peterson has spent six months working at Whisper Creek, and he’s never been happier. Having grown up an army brat, he’s ready to put down roots, and the only thing missing is a woman to share his life with. When Alexis blows into town, Gunnar thinks he may have met his match, despite the wild-child facade he sees right through. But Alexis swears she won’t settle down anytime soon—so it’s up to Gunnar to convince her that what she’s looking for . . . is right here.
Review
Alexis needs something new. The man whom she thought was her life partner ditched her right before their wedding. Encouraged by her younger, care-free sister, she creates a new her. She’ll be all the things her ex-fiance wanted her to be. More fun, more adventurous, read for anything. That’ll show him, and he’ll come running back to her open arms.
Unfortunately – or maybe not – fate partnered up with a too-hot-for-words cowboy and came up with a different plan. Gunnar doesn’t deny his attraction to Lexi (the new Alexis), but he will not get hooked on a woman who’s so hooked on the Idiot (his nickname for her ex) that she’s willing to change everything about herself (everything Gunnar himself is attracted to) to win him back. She should love who she is, and expect the same from any man lucky enough to get with her.
When she seeks out Gunnar’s help to indulge in some of her adventures, she finds herself thinking less and less about the Idiot and more and more about Gunnar. Gunnar starts to see her focus shifting, but he remains reluctant to get too deeply involved, although his heart has a mighty big tug on his actions. The change in the relationship is subtle enough that it’s believable without being too slow. The supporting characters are just that – supportive- not to mention extremely charming and lovable, just like the Lexi and Gunnar. I enjoyed their outings and watching Lexi discover that she’s fine just the way she is. McGinnis did a wonderful job wrapping up the story. I wasn’t the least bit disappointed that the resolution to their problem was not what I expected. It was definitely a happy ending after the unexpected turn.
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: 1 cup of coffee