Monday, January 1, 2018

Review: The Pines of Winder Ranch by RaeAnne Thayne


Publication Date: January 1st 2018 by HQN
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

Come home to Winder Ranch in these two beloved stories, where broken hearts can find exactly what they need to heal — and love again

A Cold Creek Homecoming

When Quinn Southerland returns home to Winder Ranch, Idaho, to find former high school queen bee Tess Claybourn serving as his dying mother’s hospice nurse, he’s far from pleased. But recently widowed Tess has done a lot of growing up since then. And as the two reconnect, she can’t help but wonder if there’s room in Quinn’s tortured heart for forgiveness — and maybe even love…

A Cold Creek Reunion

After Taft Bowman lost his parents ten years ago, he buried himself in a grief that shut fiancĂ©e Laura Pendleton out completely. But now she’s back, recently widowed with two kids in tow, and Taft refuses to let her slip away again. Laura just wants a fresh start, but that’s easier said than done when seeing Taft stirs up feelings she thought she’d left in the past…

My Thoughts:
My review is for A Cold Creek Reunion, Taft and Laura’s story, as my copy only had that book. 

I just adored this second chance romance! Even though Laura is the one who ended their engagement I felt her crushed heart more, because she loved Taft and he shut her out.  Taft’s parents were murdered and instead of drawing comfort from Laura or confiding in her he spent more and more time at the local bar and hangout.  Taft wouldn’t admit to there being problem or agree to postpone the wedding, so Laura did what she thought she had to.  Since being in the same town with Taft and hearing of his exploits would shatter her further, Laura left the country and eventually married another. 

Now Laura’s back in Cold Creek with her two young children after her husband’s death six months earlier, needing the emotional support of family to help raise her kids.  It’s a mutually beneficial situation since the family’s inn is sorely in need of updates and repair, and Laura’s just the person for the job.  Unfortunately, being back in her hometown means running into Taft again, dredging up all the hurt, but also all the memories of their love before everything went downhill.  Laura is determined to protect her heart and the feelings of her children by keeping Taft at a distance, and I could understand why she wanted to do that, especially when I felt how badly it hurt for Laura to let Taft go. But life (and maybe a relative or two) had other plans.

By the time Taft realized what a monumental mistake it was to let Laura go, she was married to another.  Having her back home presents a second chance to win her over again, and I appreciated his determination!  He was so sweet with Laura, and especially her kids, and I think that made it just about impossible for her to shut him out.  The fire they had between ignites all over again, and I just wanted them to sort things out and get on with their long-overdue HEA!

Sweet, sentimental horse rides, getting caught in a storm, a gorgeous setting, adorable kids and animals are just icing on the cake for this emotional second chance romance.  

4 Suns



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