COMING HOME TO MUSTANG RIDGE by Jesse Hayworth

 

Publisher:    Signet

Published:   August 4, 2015

ISBN:        978-0451470829

Genre:       Contemporary Romance

Format:     Ebook

Obtained via:  Publisher  

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

THREE HEARTS

Ashley Webb hasn’t had the most steady of lives, mainly because of her own actions.

Tyler – Ty – Reed has spent a lifetime running. Running from commitment, running from people, running from anything there is to run from.

Artistically talented and creative, Ashley has decided it’s time to settle down, pick a goal and follow it through.  She’s put everything on the line to buy Another Fyne Thing—a vintage clothing store in Mustang Ridge.

Ty has returned to Mustang Ridge to help out an old friend, Foster, by leading trial rides and doing what needs to be done at the Mustang Ridge ranch. 

When Ty and Ashley meet it’s not a pretty sight—at least the second time, which no one else really knows about. The first time they met was actually pretty steamy hot…but with Ashley trying to start on a new path, the last thing she wants is for anyone to know about one very hot kiss she shared with Ty at her brother’s wedding. And Ty certainly doesn’t want any ties to the town—once his summer helping out Foster is over, he’s on his way to a new adventure. 

But the residents of Mustang Ridge see the potential for true love when others may not see it and despite Ty and Ashley’s best efforts they see what these two people who have spent lifetimes running don’t. Can Ty and Ashley stop running long enough to see what is in front of them?

I’ve been reading Jesse Hayworth’s Mustang Ridge series since book 1 and have enjoyed each and every read.  Her characters have so much emotion, so much passion for their lives and each story has warmth that reaches into the reader’s heart. 

RETURN TO MUSTANG RIDGE was a good story—but something was missing.  I didn’t connect to Ty or Ashley. While I understood why they took the paths they did—especially when their own histories were revealed, I still felt they were self-absorbed and just no someone I really wanted to know. Something was missing.  It’s not a bad story—just not the best.  I will definitely continue with the series if more books come out—Hayworth is a favorite author after all.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

FIRELIGHT AT MUSTANG RIDGE by Jesse Hayworth

Publisher:   Signet

Published:   February 3, 2015

ISBN:  978-0451470812

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Format:  Ebook - Netgalley

Obtained via:  Publisher  

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Gina@loveromancesandmorereviews.com

FIVE HEARTS

The Traveler family motto has always been “If you’re not competing, why bother?”  Danielle “Danny” lived that motto to the fullest until one day her world came crashing down—figuratively and literally. Trapped in a chimney—a small space between two rocks with only a glimpse of sky visible, she waited hours upon hours for rescue.  She wasn’t completely alone, but there in that dark place she could only fight to breathe and wonder if each breath would be her last.

Her injuries put her in months of rehab, but no amount of therapy could stop the nightmares.  Nothing could take her out of that dark, airless place in her mind.  Needing a change, something to hold on to, she comes to Mustang Ridge, Wyoming.  There she meets the Skye family and is quickly taken under their wings.  They give her what is essentially her own space—Jenny and Krista’s parents’ Rambling Rose RV, to stay in.  But Danny can barely stay in what is really a comfortable space.  To her it is too small and too airless. 

But the someone comes into her life, someone who turns her life upside down and suddenly everything is righted.

Sam Babock has made a nice life for himself.  At a relatively young age he found quite the gem mine and is able to buy himself pretty much anything he wants.  At the time he came into his fortune he bought a motorcycle, a big ole Harley.  And within hours of getting it his father decided to take a ride…a ride he did not return from.  The guilt of his father’s death has haunted him.  If Sam were to assess his life and tell you his life, he would tell you how every person he loved died.  He simply cannot take another chance on loving another person.

But that doesn’t stop him for seeking out Danny and being there to support her, to show her that she really can make it back and be her own person.  But is he strong enough to let Danny do the same for him?

From the very first Mustang Ridge book, SUMMER AT MUSTANG RIDGE, I have a Jesse Hayworth fan.  Each story brings to life the struggles and ultimate renewal of the main characters.  FIRELIGHT AT MUSTANG RIDGE is no different, but I do think it is the best one yet.  There is a sense from the very first words that in this story Ms. Hayworth drilled down into her own dark place and found her own light.  Either that or she has such a strong sense of what people can struggle through and how the lucky ones can make it out of their own personal caves. 

When Ms. Hayworth describes the darkness in the cave Danny ventures into she doesn’t just paint a picture of a woman trying to get out into the fresh air.  You know what it feels like to struggling for the next breath and how your lungs fill when you are once again out in the sun.  You feel Danny’s courage when a little girl reaches out to her and she puts her own fears aside to be there for little Sonja. 

Sam’s story is no less poignant.  His battle parallels Danny’s and while her demons came from nature and his come from his own losses, the two are such incredible mirrors to each other. 

Hayworth’s characters are amazing.  They are true to life.  They could be people you meet and you would want to know.  Her stories are true to life and can be read for the simple enjoyment of a good story or to sit back and look at the ins and outs of your own life.

Each book is a standalone and the series does not need to be read in order.  That said, you don’t want to miss a one. 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

HARVEST AT MUSTANG RIDGE by Jesse Hayworth

Book Three in Series
Penguin/Signet
August 5^th, 2014
978-0-451-41916-3
Contemporary/Women’s Fiction
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)
Obtained by Author
4 Hearts


 

For Krista Skye, life on a working dude ranch was pure bliss until her head wrangler got injured and she had to scramble for a replacement. Enter Wyatt Webb, the one man who broke her heart into a million pieces years before in college. Now she needs a wrangler and fast so she takes a chance on Wyatt and hopes that history won’t repeat itself.

Wyatt thinks working for Krista is a really bad idea especially with their history together but sparks fly between them as they work together for an upcoming county fair. Even as their relationship rekindles, the memories threaten to kill the relationship fast. Krista and Wyatt will have to take that one last chance to see if they can last a lifetime because this time, Krista is determined to have her own happy ever after...that is if Wyatt can take a chance on their love together or risk losing the one woman who had stolen his heart long ago.

I got to admit Jesse Hayworth is a marvel at making her readers think they are with the Skye family and their ranch with her series, Mustang Ridge. I was thrilled to meet some new faces as well as some familiar ones as well. I just love this series to pieces. I laughed, cried and then laughed some more while crying as I flipped the pages of HARVEST AT MUSTANG RIDGE and I got to admit I was rooting for Wyatt and Krista by Chapter three.

The characters take center stage here in the series and this time around we got Krista and Wyatt in the bulls-eye. I just loved the premise of second chances the author did for this installment. Krista and Wyatt had a really bad breakup so for Krista to trust Wyatt a little bit was a big thing. The author does an amazing job in showing what made Wyatt the person he is and how forgiveness and love can turn someone around. Wyatt and Krista are older and wiser (or so they hope anyways) and the author does a great job in showing their vulnerabilities as well as their strengths too. You got to see what happened with past characters of the first two books (Summer at Mustang Ridge & Winter at Mustang Ridge) and I loved seeing what happened after these characters stories were done. The author weaves a spell around you in her latest installment and I, for one, am eager for more.

HARVEST AT MUSTANG RIDGE is more than man meets woman and falls in love. It is about forgiveness, courage and second chances. Ms. Hayworth delivers a story that will tear you up then have you laughing several pages later. I do have to admit a dog named Klepto and a cow named Betty Crocker were such fun scenes. You just have to check it out since I refuse to say more about these two scamps. If you are looking for a series that has heart, great characters and strong storylines, then Mustang Ridge is the one for you. I just have one thing to ask this author- More Please!

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

HARVEST AT MUSTANG RIDGE by Jesse Hayworth

Publisher:  Signet

Published:  August 5, 2014

ISBN:  978-0451419163

Genre:   Contemporary Romance

Format:  Ebook
Obtained via:  Publisher  via Netgalley

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Gina@loveromancesandmorereviews.com

THREE HEARTS

Once upon a time Krista Skye had her life pretty much planned out.  At a certain age she’d marry, have children and a happily ever after.  When she met Wyatt Webb and the twosome began to date and she, to fall in love, there was no doubt in her mind he was her happy ever after.  So on graduation night, with a meet the family dinner and celebration planned Krista’s world fell apart.  Leaving only a farewell note Wyatt took off to parts unknown.  From that moment on Krista closed off her heart and changed her lifetime plans.  Now, a dozen or so years later she runs the family business at Mustang Ridge, hosting a variety of theme weeks featuring horseback riding and round ups.  When the town of Three Ridges stages its Harvest Fair Mustang Makeover Krista heads to town with her twin, Jenny to bid on a mustang to “makeover” she comes face to face with her past.  Before she can outrun, or outride that past, however, head wrangler Foster ends up in the hospital.  Faced with a summer without a head wrangler or dealing with Wyatt Krista reluctantly offers him the job.  Agreeing that the job will be for the summer only and that Wyatt will then return to his parts unknown, the twosome begin an awkward arrangement.  However, despite how much their heads tell them this is all wrong, their hearts begin to say otherwise. 

I really, really, really enjoyed the first two books in Jesse Hayworth’s Mustang Ridge series.  She tells a wonderful story of family, friendships and the bonds that bring them together.  She deals with life changing issues in an open and matter of fact way yet with compassion that helps the reader to understand what someone going through those experiences endures.  Book 3, HARVEST AT MUSTANG RIDGE takes readers into yet different life experiences—resolving an old relationship and how aging can change a family.  As with the first two books, both issues are dealt with with compassion and an open mind.  Kudos to Hayworth for tackling events that can affect the full life spectrum not in a gratuitously emotional or sensationalist way. 

I would have liked to read more about Marshmallow and what was going on with the other horses.  I would have liked to have a bit more of Lucky’s backstory—what happened between him almost dying at birth in book 1 to where he is in book 2.  And while I liked the way she brought out the realizations of how Krista and Wyatt got to where they are today, I never really related to either character.  I had no vested interest in whether they made it as a couple or not.  While a good read I just wasn’t as emotionally invested in this story as the others. 

That said, I am looking forward to the next book in the series—I haven’t seen any word that one is coming but I’m really hoping for the series to continue.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.