Series:
Lost Legacy (Book 3)
A Lone Star hero offers his protection…
…but it comes with a catch.
Rodeo star Ryan Hale-Walker is irresistible to women --
except for icy Amanda Greenfield. As she begins to warm up to him, he discovers
that her hidden past makes her afraid of being vulnerable. Now her husband's
mysterious death has put her in the middle of a bitter land dispute. When
threats against her intensify, someone has to help her…and he wants that
someone to be him.
Good combination of suspense and romance. Ryan is the
youngest brother who, after the loss of the family ranch, went to work as the
foreman on a neighbor's ranch while hitting the rodeo circuit in his spare
time. His goal was to earn enough money to buy his own ranch. As the book opens,
he discovers that his crusty boss is missing after reportedly suffering a
"medical emergency." Preston's mercenary grandson has taken control
of the ranch and is throwing his weight around. The confrontation goes south
quickly, with Trey firing Ryan and then shooting him in the leg.
Amanda is the local real estate agent who has been
looking for the right property for Ryan. She hasn't had an easy life, first
growing up in foster care and then marrying a man who became abusive. When her
husband disappeared, his family blamed her, even though his death was ruled
accidental once his body was found. In the year since his death, Amanda began
to find herself and her strength despite her mother-in-law's constant
harassment. When her home is vandalized, Amanda must find proof of the vandal's
identity to get it stopped.
From the beginning, Ryan has done his best to support
Amanda in whatever she needs. Not only is she a good friend of the family, Ryan
is deeply attracted to her. I liked how he stepped up to help her deal with the
vandalism and investigate who was behind it. At the same time, Amanda helps
Ryan uncover the truth of Preston's whereabouts. As much time as they spend
together, it is no surprise that their feelings for each other begin to grow.
But Amanda's past experiences make trusting any man difficult, and Ryan's
reputation with "buckle bunnies" doesn't inspire confidence.
It is evident from the first that Ryan's feelings for
Amanda are deep and genuine. I loved his protectiveness when she was in trouble
and his kindness, patience, and compassion as she worked through her fears.
Amanda is afraid to trust her judgment and tries hard to keep Ryan in the
friend zone. Fortunately, the more time she spends with him, the more she
realizes he is one of the good guys. But can she let go of her fears enough to
let him in? I loved the ending and seeing her finally give in to hope and love.
The epilogue was fantastic.
The suspense of the story was good. There were two
mysteries to solve: where Preston was, whether he was safe, and who was behind
the vandalism of Amanda's house. I could feel Ryan's frustration at being
unable to find his friend and mentor. I liked Amanda's willingness to help. The
scene where they showed up at the nursing home was fantastic, and I ached for
what they found there. An unexpected twist in Ryan's investigation nearly cost
him his life, except for a friend's intervention. The resolution was anti-climactic
but satisfying.
The other mystery of who was behind the vandalism was
mainly one of finding the proof. Amanda had a good idea of who it was. Complicating
matters was the ongoing feud with her former mother-in-law. I loved the scene
at the businesswoman's luncheon and Amanda standing up to the woman. As Amanda
and Ryan began to close in on identifying the vandals, an attempt was made to
abduct Amanda. It was a combination of a nail-biter and clown show, as the
perpetrators were pretty bad. I wasn't surprised by their identities, but an
unexpected revelation came out of it.
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