In THE RANCHER young Maddie Lane is desperately trying to
keep her ranch up and active after her father's untimely
death, with the help of her Great-Aunt Sadie. Part of her
plan to stay solvent is to raise chickens and supply free
range eggs to neighbors and businesses in town. Part of the
problem is the rooster she named Pumpkin, he is suppose to
be a gentle, sweet bird but on the contrary he is a
feathered hellion. He is an attack bird and has
unfortunately taken a special dislike to her neighbor Cort
Brannt, going out of his way to find Cort and attack him.
Cort, the wealthy neighbor who she has been in love with
forever, but who considers her nothing compared to the
lovely Odalie Everett. He has been infatuated with Odalie
forever and is impatiently waiting for her to come to her
senses, while she is training her voice for the opera in
Italy. In the meantime he has to deal with life on the
ranch and a blasted rooster from the pesky neighbor.
After a confrontation with Maddie, Cort feels guilty
especially after he is told what almost happened to her in
high school with Odalie's instigation. He tries to help her
with learning more about running her ranch and in doing so
finds she really is a special young lady. Before he can
decide what to do, Odalie returns and immediately expects
Cort to be at her beck and call. In an attempt to make sure
that Maddie knows Cort is hers, a near tragedy occurrs
that changes three people's lives. Close to losing the
ranch Maddie must depend on two people she never expected
would be there for her.
I love books by Diana Palmer; she has a way of taking the
reader away to a world where the good guys always win out
and the bad guys get theirs. THE RANCHER is no exception, it
is warm, funny and deeply touching as the couple learns
that everything they believe isn't necessarily the truth.
I own a number of her books and re-read them whenever I
need a lift and this one will join that group.
Days are hot on Skylance Ranch, and the nights even hotter! New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Diana Palmer brings her readers back to Branntville, Texas, with Cort Brannt's story. The heir to the Skylance Ranch empire has women gallop into his life, but the handsome lone wolf sends them just as quickly on their way?until a pretty, vivacious neighbor appears on the range. Has the most eligible bachelor in Branntville met his match?