The Bad Boy of Redemption Ranch (Gold Valley)

The Bad Boy of Redemption Ranch
by Maisey Yates
Release Date:  June 23, 2020
Publisher: HQN Books
Book #9 in the Gold Valley series
Number of Pages: 416
Kindle Edition
Source:  Amazon purchase
Contemporary Romance/Western M/F
Rating:  NC-17
Read 7/3/20 to 7/4/20

 

This rebel cowboy is looking for a fresh start–will he find more than he’s ever hoped for in Gold Valley?

Police officer Pansy Daniels is the poster girl for responsible behavior. Orphaned as a child, she has dedicated her life to safeguarding her local community. The last thing she needs is a hot-headed cowboy with attitude cruising into town. He may be her new landlord, but that’s no excuse for provoking her…or sending her heart into overdrive.

West Caldwell has come to Redemption Ranch to put his past behind him. Flirting with a pint-size police officer who thinks he’s bad news is definitely not part of the plan, but it’s deliciously easy to get under Pansy’s skin. Then West discovers the vulnerability Pansy keeps so well hidden, and suddenly this renegade cowboy is in over his head. In her arms, West feels like the man he always wanted to be–but can he become the man Pansy deserves?

I always strive to be as honest as possible in my reviews. You all know I adore this author and her cowboys and heroines. Full disclosure, I wasn’t sure if this one would hit me, so to speak, in the same way her other stories have. I was greatly enjoying the story, especially the banter between Pansy and West. (The ways he would come up with to annoy her just tickled me.) But I wasn’t getting all the feels. Sure, they had chemistry. I was just doubtful this story was going to pull me down this author’s usual avenue of making my heart break for one or both of the main characters.  That is, until about a quarter of the way through.

That’s not really even that far into the book. Like I said, I was enjoying the story so it didn’t seem like any sort of toil to keep reading. I guess that’s the magic of Maisey Yates, I’m usually firmly swooning by this time. But she made it worth the wait. I seriously went from, “these two are fun together and I’m enjoying the will they/won’t they” to, “don’t you see how much you’re hurting her? don’t you see that he only walked away to protect you both? why does this author always make me cry?!?” In. An. Instant. All the feels, all the emotion, all the heartache I’ve come to expect from this author.

By the end of this book, I was 110% all in with this couple. They are such an amazing counter to one another. Alike in the ways that matter, but different enough to keep things fresh and exciting. Able to be the calm to the other’s storm when needed.

Other than the fantastic love story in this book, we are introduced to Pansy’s family. I’m sure all of which we will see get their HEA eventually. If not in this series, then in a spin-off series. Their upbringing and circumstances are interesting and will provide a lot of material for the author to delve into.

You would think I’d learn by now not to doubt this author or the journey she has mapped out in her stories.

4.5 stars