Back in the Saddle

Back in the Saddle by Ruth Logan Herne      304 pages

Years ago, Colt, the oldest of the Strafford brothers, left the Double S Ranch for Wall Street. He exchanged his boots for wingtips and became successful. But one bad investment, and his world came crashing down around his ears. Readers aren’t privy to Colt’s demise, but Herne provides enough information that readers can’t help but know if they’ve read a newspaper or heard a news report. He has come to the Double S. Not only due to his setback, but the family patriarch, Sam, is ailing.

The Double S’s housekeeper is the beautiful Angelina Morales. She not only cooks and cleans, but helps with Sam. She has secrets of her own that she’s trying to hide. She is well-respected by the Strafford clan and those who live in Gray’s Glen, Washington. It’s a tiny town, made up of ranchers and small business people.

There is no love lost between the town and Sam Strafford, who had always been more interested in creating an empire than paying attention to his boys or other people. 

Spark start to fly the moment Colt and Angelina meet…and they both feel them. I loved that Back in the Saddle is not your typical romance where boy meets girl, they hate each, boy and girl fall in love. There isn’t much conflict in the first half of the novel. It’s not all bad considering that this is the first book in a series. Herne does an excellent job in allowing readers to get to know who the characters are, so I’m sure that they’ll be popping up in other novels. Still, that slow, slow beginning is why Back in the Saddle receives 4 stars out of 5 in Julie’s world.

This is Book One in the Double S Ranch Series.

 I received the book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.