REVIEW ~ His Reluctant Rancher by Roxanne Snopek

The last place city girl Desiree Burke expected to find herself was living at and working on a ranch, much less butting heads with the ranch’s sexy cowboy owner, Zach Gamble. But that’s exactly where she ends up after an incident at work leads her to her best friend Rory’s doorstep. Desiree is a gifted physical therapist, and Rory knows exactly where her brand of tough love is needed the most.

 

Zach’s been through hell and back. A devastating car crash left his brother gone, his father paralyzed, and him with mental scars a mile wide. His survivor guilt alone makes him sure he doesn’t deserve to find love. But as Des works her way into his ranch, his family, and his life, suddenly the last person who belonged there is the only one he believes belongs…with him.

REVIEW

I will be the first to admit...in the beginning this book did not grab my attention and keep me captivated.  But when I finally got sucked in, it truly became a page turner.  If you read the first book in the series, THREE RIVERS RANCH, then you know there was an attraction between Desiree and Zach.  This is NOT the story I pictured for them.  Roxanne has taken Zach to the brink, just stopping short of pushing him over the edge.  

 

Desiree Burke and Zachary Gamble are the MOST unlikely couple.  She’s a city girl with a fancy little sports car, who’s addicted to Starbucks, and considers not wearing her Louboutins pure torture.  Zach, on the other hand, is a pickup driving kind of guy.  He’s single-handedly taking care of his family’s farm.  Zach wears old denim jeans, cowboy boots, and let’s not forget about his chaps.   

 

These two do have something in common...They love their best friends Rory and Carson Granger like crazy.  But Des and Zach have more in common than just their friends.  Each bares the scars of being orphaned as kids.  Des’ mother died when she was eight.  Zach was adopted by Marnie and Joe Gamble as an infant, when they thought they couldn’t have children of their own.  Des bounced from foster home to foster home.  Zach went on to become the older brother of Cale and Celia, the Gamble’s biological children.

 

Des’ mouth and attitude gets her in trouble at work and she is forced to take some time off.  During her “sabbatical”, Des returns to Three Rivers Ranch to help out Zach’s father, who is in desperate need of a physical therapist, after a deadly car accident.

 

Desiree and Zachary butt heads like no one else.  Their battles eventually become love.  But in the midst of everything, Des manages to help heal the broken Gamble family, including its beloved son.  Zach and the residents of this small town offer Des the one thing she’s wanted her whole life....a family.

 

I’m going to have to warn you, the book will make you cry, if not pull at your heartstrings.  So be prepared!

 

Rating: 4

 

Release Date: February 18, 2013

Book Length: 210 pages

Source: Entangled Publishing via NetGalley

Reviewed by: Kim

Reading Format: Available only in eBook

Purchase from Amazon or your favorite eRetailer

Places to find Roxanne Snopek:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Books in the Three River Ranch Novel Series

1.  Three River Ranch (review)