Rescuing the Cowboy - Cathy McDavid (HWR #1615 - Oct 2016)

Series: Mustang Valley (Book 8)

WRONGED MAN. RIGHT WOMAN?

After three years of wrongful imprisonment, Quinn Crenshaw is ready to rebuild his life and find the daughter he has never met. A job training horses at his cousin's Arizona cattle ranch becomes something wonderful when Quinn meets Summer Goodwyn and her special-needs little boy. The single mother believes in him…and is raising this former rodeo champion's spirits sky-high!

The equine therapy program is helping Summer's young son connect with others -- including one super-attractive rancher determined to be a father to his own little girl. Despite the obstacles in their path, can she make Quinn see they have a future worth fighting for?

Very good, very emotional story. Quinn has been released from prison after new evidence proves him innocent of the charges. His cousins have offered him a job on their ranch, training horses for them. It gives him a chance to rebuild his life. He also discovered that his former girlfriend had been pregnant and never told him. He is trying to find her, determined to be a father to his little girl. While waiting, he meets Summer and her autistic son, Teddy.

Summer is a single mother with her hands full. Teddy is severely autistic and a participant in the ranch's equine therapy program. She is surprised by how quickly Teddy connects with Quinn - and he isn't the only one! She's been cautious about new relationships, but something about Quinn tells her she can trust him.

I really enjoyed seeing the relationship grow between them. Both of them are wary, having been hurt before, but the connection between them can't be denied. Because of what he has been through, Quinn has become much more patient, which becomes obvious in his dealings with Teddy. I loved seeing his patience and mellow demeanor have a calming effect on the little boy. His obvious care for Teddy was also one of the things that made Summer fall for him. At the same time, Summer sees past the ex-con label that Quinn is stuck with to the man he really is. She sees the tender and sensitive side that others do not, which helps Quinn believe that a future is possible for them. 

My heart ached for them both, but especially Quinn, when his past comes back to bite him. It underscored the difficulty that people like him have when they resume life on the outside. I was really disgusted with Summer's ex and his attitude, and loved his new wife's actions. He also had the whole situation with his daughter and her mother to deal with. I didn't care for Jenny at all, with the way she flip-flopped back and forth. I really understood Quinn's desire just to chuck it all, even though he hated the idea of leaving Summer and Teddy.

I loved the support he received from his cousins throughout the whole story. I really liked the way that they stood with him during his problems with the parents. Best of all was how they found a way for him to have everything work out for the best possible outcome.

*copy received in exchange for honest review

Having the Rancher's Baby - Cathy McDavid (HAR #1597 - June 2016)

Series: Mustang Valley (Book 7)

SETTLE DOWN, COWBOY! 

His family's Arizona cattle ranch is just the place for Cole Dempsey to hang his hat before he heads back to the rodeo circuit. That is, until Violet Hathaway makes Cole think twice about his future when the livestock manager delivers her game-changing news: she's pregnant! 

One passionate mistake could cost Vi her job at Dos Estrellas. And whatever growing feelings Cole and Violet have for each other, she knows the professional cowboy hadn't planned on settling down in Mustang Valley. When he hits the road again, he'll take her dream of them making a life together. Or is a rancher's legacy about to come full circle?

Good book. Cole is the brother who has had no intention of settling down. Inheriting a share of his estranged father's ranch has brought him there, but he's been counting the weeks until his two brothers can buy him out and he can return to the rodeo circuit. Then ranch foreman Violet gives him her life-changing news: she's pregnant and he's the father.

I liked Cole, though he certainly had his moments of cluelessness. He and his brother Josh had been taken away from their father and the ranch when their mother divorced their father. He grew up on his grandparents' ranch, listening to his mother's bitter rants about his father, and wondering why his father hadn't fought to keep them. He hadn't been at all happy about having to go to the ranch in Arizona and can't wait to leave. I found it interesting that, as much as he complains about the place, he still stepped up to do his part to keep it running. He also spends time training the horses from the mustang rescue that his future sister-in-law runs. Vi's news hits him right in his insecurities, as his example for a father wasn't a good one.  He's determined to do his best, but is afraid that he'll screw it up. He wants to take care of Vi and the baby, but feels that he has nothing to offer. His only way of making the money needed to support them is by going back to the rodeo circuit, but Violet has made it clear that she wants him to stay in Mustang Valley.

Violet is an independent woman, used to taking care of herself. She had been married before, but the marriage fell apart when she and her husband couldn't deal with the fallout from three miscarriages. Now she's pregnant with a baby she really wants, afraid that she'll lose it too, and worried that she'll lose her job on top of it. I liked the way that she told Cole, without playing any games or trying to manipulate him. She wants Cole in her life, but knows he has no plans to stay in Mustang Valley. Giving her heart to him is a sure way to get it broken, but she can't deny her feelings for him.

I really enjoyed the developing relationship between Cole and Vi. There had been sparks between them from the time Cole arrived on the ranch, but neither was willing to cross the boss/employee line. Then one night of unexpected passion left them dealing with the consequences. I loved the way that Cole was immediately willing to step up and accept responsibility, but also went beyond that. He was pretty sweet in his protectiveness, as he tried everything he could to relieve her stress. As they spend time together actually getting to know each other, the feelings of attraction grow into more. Cole is torn because he wants to stay on the ranch and be with Vi, but if he does, he has no way to support them. But returning to the rodeo circuit holds even less appeal. Until he can figure it out, all he can do is be there for her. I loved seeing the way that he took care of her and supported her as she dealt with her parents. I really enjoyed seeing him stand up to them without confrontation. Vi acknowledges her feelings more quickly, but doesn't know what his are and is afraid to ask. She doesn't want to drive him away by asking for more than he is willing to give. I liked the way that she understood his feelings about his father, but also tried to show him the good side that he didn't know about. When Cole was given the chance to do what he'd been dreaming about, he had to look deep inside to see if that was what he still wanted or if his dreams had changed, then decide if he had the courage to go after it. Violet also had to let go of her fears if she wanted a chance to have everything she dreamed of. I loved their big moment at the end when they finally opened up with all their feelings.

The family dynamics were also really interesting. I liked the way that Gabe, Josh and Cole had earned each other's respect and that they became a good team for running the ranch. Vi's parents were a real piece of work. I completely understood her need to get away from them and the way they used her to get at each other. Cole's mother was also a selfish woman and her attempts to get Cole and Josh back to California were pretty obnoxious. The big family dinner was so horrible that it was almost funny as the three of them pursued their own agendas with absolutely no consideration for anyone else's feeling. I loved seeing them all get shut down.

Come Home, Cowboy - Cathy McDavid (HAR #1581 - Feb 2016)

Series: Mustang Valley (Book 6)

A COWBOY'S SECOND ACT

To provide stability for his two young children, retired rodeo rider Josh Dempsey returns home to his family's Arizona ranch, part of which is used as a mustang sanctuary run by Cara Alverez.

Working with horses helps Cara deal with a tragic loss. When Josh asks her for parenting help in return for his support with the sanctuary, Cara is torn. She is captivated by his adorable toddler son and baby daughter but isn't sure she can survive another blow to the heart. Unless a cowboy looking for his own second chance can show her how to love again.

Very good and highly emotional book. It opens with Cara desperately trying to deal with her grief on the anniversary of her son's death. The last thing she wants to do is face Josh, single father and part owner of the ranch that houses her mustang sanctuary. There's been tension between them since he and his brother tried to get her to give up her claim to part of the ranch in Her Holiday Rancher. But she won't give up the one thing that gives purpose to her life as it now is.

Though Josh hadn't been happy with the terms of his estranged father's will at the beginning, it has turned out to be a good thing. He needed a stable home to bring his children to after retiring from the rodeo and gaining custody from his drug addicted ex-wife. But now that he has them, he's feeling overwhelmed by everything he doesn't know about parenting. So he offers Cara a bargain: he will help her with her mustang rescue operation if she will help him learn how to care for his kids.

I hurt for Cara as she was so weighed down by the grief and guilt over her son's death. She blames herself for what happened to him rather than seeing it as a tragic accident. It affects her to the point where she isn't sure that she should be trusted around Josh's kids. But his belief in her combined with the time she spends with the kids, the easier it gets.

There is also a definite attraction between the two of them, something that Cara fights just as hard as she can. Josh is far more willing to pursue it and see where it might go. Though his marriage hadn't been a good one, and his parents' had been even worse, he hasn't given up on the idea for himself. I loved his patience in waiting for Cara to be ready, though he certainly had no problem with pushing the limits a little bit here and there. 

I also loved his support of her and her mustang sanctuary. She doesn't have an easy time accepting help and tries to keep him at a distance at the beginning. But Josh has more than his fair share of charm and humor to go along with his good looks and he has no trouble using them to get his way. There are some really sweet moments when his care and patience take precedence over his own feelings. And when the strength of her growing feelings cause her to panic and pull away, he overcomes his own hurt to show her the depth of his feelings and what they can have together.

Also running through this book is a continuation of the struggle to bring the ranch back to financial health. More debt is discovered, making their position even more precarious. Cara feels especially bad because of the additional strain of the mustang sanctuary. I loved seeing them all work together to run a successful fundraiser to help it become self-sufficient. I especially loved the big part that Josh played in it and the sweet surprise he and his young helper provided. There was also a fantastic development that came out of that surprise that made things even better. I'm really looking forward to Cole's story and hopefully a happy resolution for the ranch.