Series:
Resting Warrior Ranch (Book 8)
Psychiatrist Rayne Westerfield has found purpose in
helping patients, especially those with PTSD, heal at the Resting Warrior
Ranch. For her, there’s no greater calling than equipping people to fight the
worst of their demons.
But she’s never allowed anyone to help her fight her own.
She’s kept her distance. Kept herself buttoned up tight.
Even the people in the small Montana town she’s known for years—the ones she
calls friends—don’t know who she really is, and the fears she hides.
And that’s okay.
But it’s not okay to Cole Phillips.
The FBI agent’s first interaction with the Resting
Warrior Ranch a few months ago wasn’t under the best of circumstances, but he’s
determined to make up for that now.
Where everyone else sees ice in Rayne, he sees fire. And
he’s not going to let her fears keep him at a distance.
Especially not when Rayne witnesses something she
shouldn’t and a killer comes after her. Cole will battle the criminal
determined to silence her, and the fears she’s buried so deep.
The healer has fought for everyone else. Now this warrior
will fight for her.
Terrific ending to the series. Cole first appeared in
Montana Freedom, where he was part of an FBI team. He didn't know then that his
partner was in cahoots with the bad guys. Now, he's dealing with the mistrust
of his fellow agents, so he takes a leave of absence to deal with his feelings
and get some distance from the workplace stress. He's also determined to mend
fences with the men at the Resting Warrior Ranch and see if there is anything
to his feelings for Rayne.
Rayne is the psychiatrist who works with the wounded
warriors at the ranch and anyone else who needs her help. Though she has become
close to the people of RWR, there are parts of her past she keeps locked away. Though
she is equally attracted to Cole, she refuses to do anything about it because
she believes terrible things happen to those she cares about.
Rayne is able to maintain her distance from Cole until a
chance encounter in Chicago brings them together, and the sparks are stirred up
again. While she's relieved to go home and put distance between them again, she
has no idea that Cole is headed to Garnet Bend for the next four months. I
loved her first encounter with him and how he puts her on notice that he's
determined to pursue their attraction. He won't pressure her but lets her know
he isn't going anywhere.
Things change when she sees a news story about a Chicago
murder, and then her office is broken into. The team at RWR is looking into it
and is not convinced it's a coincidence. When her home is broken into,
Rayne barely escapes discovery. The first person she calls is Cole, who rushes
to her side. It doesn't take long to figure out what has happened and that
Rayne is in danger. I loved seeing Cole's protectiveness come out.
Cole whisks Rayne off to his cabin, hoping to keep her
safe while the team at RWR works their way through the possibilities. Rayne is wary
of being alone with Cole, afraid that her resolve to resist him won't last. Things
get complicated when a freak blizzard snows them in. All of this alone time
gives the attraction between them time to build. At the same time, Cole's
understanding and patience enable Rayne to finally open up about the trauma in
her past that keeps her from allowing herself to care about anyone. Breaking
free of that guilt lets Rayne give in to her attraction to Cole, and they find
plenty of ways to stay warm.
But their peace doesn't last long, and with the end of
the blizzard comes the end of their safety. The action picks up as those
looking for Rayne find their hideout. There were some tense moments as Cole and
Rayne avoided detection, but they knew their options were limited. The only
thing to do is to return to Chicago and deal with the issue. The action was
intense, with threats, kidnappings, and a ticking clock. The final
confrontation had me glued to the pages with its twists and turns. I loved the
ending, especially Cole's plans for the future. The epilogue was a terrific wrap-up
for the book and series. I'd love to see a return to the ranch sometime in the
future.
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