Susan F. (scoutmomskf) - , reviewed on 4/9/2015 + 2617 more book reviews

Fun book. Emily has inherited a small ranch in West Texas from her grandfather. But before she settles in to run it, she promised her grandfather she would deliver a letter to an old girlfriend of his. She had also promised him she would take a month away from the ranch and think about what she really wants. Her plan is to find the old lady, drop off the letter, and head to the beach. But best laid plans...

When Emily arrives in Ravenna her grandfather's old flame, Clarice, asks her to stay on for a little while so she can talk to Clarice about her grandfather. Clarice's grandson, Greg, has been after her to hire an assistant, so Clarice talks Emily into doing it for the next month. Of course, Clarice has another reason to ask Emily to stay - she thinks Emily would be perfect for Greg.

Emily is happy to help Clarice out. She loves ranching and when she isn't being assistant to Clarice she's helping out with ranch work. She's made it clear to Clarice that she's only there for a month, that she has her own place to get back to. She considers her roots well buried in West Texas. The only fly in the ointment of her plans is Greg. She has been attracted to him since the moment she met him, but getting involved with him would not be a good idea.

Greg is a bit suspicious of Emily and her "lost letter" story at first, but he's willing to let her play assistant to his grandmother while he keeps an eye on her. He quickly realizes that she is exactly who she says she is. He's also attracted to her, but hesitant to get involved because he knows she's leaving.

I loved seeing the romance develop between Greg and Emily. They have so much in common with their love of ranching that it's easy for them to spend time together. Especially at the beginning, Emily constantly surprises Greg with what she can do. I really loved that first day when she blew him away with how much she accomplished. They are also quite sensitive to each others feelings. Both have lost their grandfathers, whom they loved, and they are able to express their grief to each other where they've hidden it from others.

Greg is really sweet at times, such as when he found Emily crying over her grandfather, and when he gave the two kittens to her. He can also be a bit on the alpha side, showing some jealousy when he thinks other men are paying her too much attention. It was fun to see him change from the straight up business oriented rancher who doesn't really believe in romance, to a man who finds that romance and business can coexist. I loved the way he started writing letters to Emily, following in his grandmother's footsteps, and seeing the romance of sharing his feelings that way. I loved seeing the way that he gave Emily the time she needed at the end, but that he wasn't too patient to be believed. I loved what he had waiting for her when she came back.

I loved Emily's sense of her own worth. She knew what she was capable of and she wasn't going to let Greg get away with patronizing her. She has a terrific sense of family, and I loved how important it was for her to carry out her grandfather's wishes. She was conflicted by her feelings for Greg, because her plans had been to go back to her ranch, but the more time she spends with him the more his ranch feels like home. I really liked the way that she fit in so easily. She also tries to resist her growing feelings for him, but her heart is pretty much set on him. She also had some jealous moments that made her realize just how deep she was into him. I liked the ending as she faced her past and put it to rest so she could have the future she wanted.

Some of the funniest parts of the book involved Greg's grandmother Clarice and her friends. When Emily arrives they are already deep into a scheme to find Greg a wife, by setting up profiles for him on online dating sites. They pretend to be him, and things get a bit out of hand by the end. There were a couple great scenes where Emily, who has discovered their scheme, rescues Greg from some of the more forward candidates. I also love how the ladies take advantage of their ages and are pretty outrageous in the things they say. Their scholarship fundraiser at the end shows their community spirit, but also the trouble they can get themselves into.

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