Forever (Hatchette Books)
February 2013 paperback
Obtained via: publisher
ISBN: 978-1-455-50244-8
Western Romance
3-1/2 Hearts
R.C. Ryan’s JAKE is a western romance with an edge of mystery and suspense thrown in to up the tension of this sweet and heartwarming family centric tale. Veterinarian Jake Conway is the most eligible bachelor in Wyoming and has no plans of changing that status any time soon. But when he is called to the neighboring Stanford ranch to nurse an injured horse and he meets Meg Stanford and her newly inherited seven-year-old brother, his protective side comes out and it becomes obvious his bachelor days are strongly in question.
Meg has been estranged from her father for over a decade when he dies suddenly and Meg inherits his ranch and young son. Meg is a high priced city lawyer intent on settling the estate within a week and getting back to her fast-paced life. She is completely unprepared to learn she is now responsible for a young brother and the emotions that coming home bring her. When the ranch is broken into and vandalized, Meg finds herself running headfirst into the arms of her sexy neighbor Jake. R.C.
Ryan’s JAKE is a sweet and emotion driven western romance that will have readers ready to visit the mountains of Wyoming if for no other reason than to experience the sheer majesty of the locale. The Conway family makes everyone they meet feel right at home. They are warm and generous and exactly what Meg and her shy unsure brother need. When Meg is threatened, they really circle the wagons and come to her rescue. The story has a comforting feeling that readers will treasure. The characters are as big as the Wyoming sky and you almost feel sorry for the villain for inadvertently tangling with this close knit clan. Almost.
This reader’s only confusion came from a few storyline details that may have been corrected by the time the book went to final print (I had an ARC). The cowboy on the cover just didn’t fit his description in the first chapter, “a tall, muscled cowboy, whose rugged good looks were enhanced by a spill of curly black hair always in need of a trim, and devilish blue eyes…” I could have overlooked this difference but in Chapter Twenty-Two, he is described by Meg as having, ”eyes the color of dark chocolate”. That might be the cowboy on the cover, but not what this reader had come to imagine Jake looked like while reading the story. A small sticking point I realize, but one that really caused me to stumble when reading.
All in all, R.C. Ryan’s JAKE was a comfortable and comforting western romance that fans of this genre should really enjoy.
Reviewed by T. Barringer tammyLRM@gmail.com
"This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book."
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