Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Rob runs to Crooked Tree determined to find a safe place for his nephews. A family for them is the final thing on his list, and then he can vanish completely. Falling for a local paramedic along the way is a disaster in Rob’s otherwise perfect plans.

 

Paramedic Aaron, the middle of five brothers, would like someone to love. A great believer in fate he is convinced though, that one day he’ll find someone. He just never thought it would be a man in so much pain, or that children would be part of the package.

 

Rob is ready to leave. Aaron wants him to stay. Their love has an expiry date, and it’s tearing them apart. Can they find a way to save what they have?

 

Book Review

“If anyone who knew him had seen he was being handed two children to take care of, they'd call the cops. Of course, he could handle the cops. He’d done it before, but the kids would slow him down. Unless he strapped them to his back and—” – Rob, professional assassin, Second Chance Ranch

This book took my breath away, so much so that I don’t even know where to start my review. On one hand, it is very much in line with the previous books in the series in terms of the main characters and the tough choices they have to make, the complications and obstacles their love encounters, and, of course, the partially shared backstory of the various families who live at the Crooked Tree Ranch. But on the other hand, ‘Second Chance Ranch’ is also so much more. It’s a breathtaking story and I am so glad it won’t be the last in the series!

Rob is a super tough guy, a former Navy SEAL turned mercenary/assassin to keep his country safe. He is not scared of anything or anyone, but he only has three months to live thanks to a bullet lodged in his spine. There were glimpses of him in previous books and he was one scary dude but clearly had a code of honor all his own, so I was really glad to find out more about him. Rob has managed to exit the team he and Justin (from book three) used to work for, only to find out that his sister died of cancer and left instructions for her two young sons to be left in Rob’s care. A plan Rob does not agree with, because what the heck does he have to offer two children? Never mind the fact that his time is limited. So he makes a plan to find a good home for the boys with his friend/former teammate Justin and sets out to execute it with military precision. No emotions allowed. Ha!

Aaron is a former Army soldier, now a paramedic, and as the middle of the five Carter brothers he has a great sense of family.  The only other man he loved died in his arms, but he has not given up hope that he will find someone to share his life with. Aaron can be as stubborn as they come and, as it turns out, he needs every ounce of insistence he has to deal with the walls that Rob has built around his heart. Aaron is also one of the few men who can understand (and accept) what Rob went through, so he is a great match in more than one way.

From the moment Rob and Aaron meet at the site of an accident, the sparks fly. Rob is super resistant to any sort of emotion, but he is also a great believer in protecting those who are weaker than he is. He doesn’t want to be anyone’s hero, but the kids have their own opinion and so does Aaron. As it turns out, it is a series of everyday situations that “get" to Rob, not any major danger or drama. Watching Rob unthaw and discover that admitting he has feelings is not the end of the world was quite an adventure! Aaron is there to push when needed, and Justin’s support is simply amazing!

If you like wounded men who find out that there are more reasons to live than they imagined, if you want to watch two stubborn men and two kids in need of a safe environment battle their demons to become a family, and if you’re looking for an intense read that might just make you cry before a sigh of relief at the much-deserved happy ending, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. It’s without a doubt the one I like most in this series – so far!

 

 

 

 

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Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novel, 201 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	25-August-2018
Price	$4.49 ebook, $10.99 paperback
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Second-Chance-Ranch-Montana-Book-ebook/dp/B07GV2CV3R