At Wolf Ranch by Jennifer Ryan
Series: Montana Men #1
Published by Avon Books
Publication Date: February 24th 2015
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 384
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC
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Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.
After years on the rodeo circuit, Gabe Bowden wants nothing more than land of his own and a woman who will claim his heart for more than one night. When he has the chance to buy the enormous Wolf Ranch spread, he snaps up the incredible deal. Everything is set, until Gabe rescues a woman on the deserted, snowy road leading to the property, and the half-frozen beauty changes everything.
Ella Wolf rushes to her family’s abandoned Montana ranch after her twin sister is murdered. She knows she’s next…unless she can uncover a secret hidden somewhere at Wolf Ranch. The last thing Ella expects is to be rescued by a rugged rancher with his own agenda. A man who almost makes her forget how dangerous love can be…
As an unlikely partnership sparks into something so much more, and a killer closes in, can Ella and Gabe learn to trust one another before it’s too late?
Do you know how, when watching a movie where a character is walking into danger you start yelling at the screen? That was me while reading the first chapter with my heart racing fast! Right from the first chapter I got pulled in and was focused on finding out how the story ended.
After witnessing her twin sister’s murder, Ella Wolf retraces her steps to their sprawling Montana ranch to figure out what she had uncovered that led to her murder. Woefully unprepared for the harsh weather in Montana, she finds herself in danger and abandoned by the side of the road. Gabe Bowden has always wanted to settle down on his own ranch and start a family. He is finally back in Montana after years on the rodeo circuit to settle into his newly acquired property, Wolf Ranch and rescues a half-frozen female stranded by the side of the road. He initially mistakes Ella for her sister, Lela whom he had recently met, but when she confides in him, he takes it upon himself to help her in her quest, in spite of the fact that his dream has been destroyed before it could even take root. From the beginning, Gabe and Ella find themselves attracted to each other, but both initially ignore their attraction and instead focus on solving the mystery.
Ella was portrayed as the party girl, flighty, indecisive and always down for a good time but that was very far from the truth. Ella is actually very smart and hardworking and tough. Gabe is sooo dreamy and almost unreal! I don’t know that I would have reacted the way he did if my dreams were on the verge of being destroyed, but he protects Ella and helps her find what she needs. But how can a romance between them work out? Gabe is a cowboy through and through and Ella is a city girl.
At Wolf Ranch is so much more than just a romance about two people from very different backgrounds. The gripping suspense was well written, drawing me in from the first page and keeping me hooked. Even though we know who the villain is, getting to the why was a nail-biting experience. I believe that a sign of great writing is being completely connected with the characters and Ms. Ryan knocked this out of the park! I experienced Ella’s emotional highs and lows alongside her and even enjoyed her theatrical reveal of the villain. I also love that Ms. Ryan did not gloss over the difficulties of a relationship between them because of their different backgrounds, but took the time to share with us the sacrifices they made to make their relationship work. At Wolf Ranch is a keeper and I highly recommend it!
About Jennifer Ryan
Jennifer Ryan is the New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of The Hunted Series and The McBrides Series. She writes romantic suspense and contemporary small-town romances featuring strong men and equally resilient women. Her stories are filled with love, family, friendship, and the happily-ever-after we all hope to find. Jennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and three children. When she isn’t writing a book, she’s reading one. Her obsession with both is often revealed in the state of her home and in how late dinner is to the table. When she finally leaves those fictional worlds, you’ll find her in the garden, playing in the dirt and daydreaming about people who live only in her head, until she puts them on paper.
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