Ryan once again brings us some wonderful characters who
quickly find a way in our heart. There's no denying her
talent in developing great multidimensional personalities
faced with sometimes difficult life changing events. But
what captures my imagination is her inclusion of some
magical moments that can only be accepted with a measure of
faith.
The story begins in 1982 in the tiny town of Paintbrush
Wyoming with the picture of three boys trying to get past
the trauma of losing their mother - a woman who disappeared
without a trace. Jake was the youngest at just seven whose
life was dominated by a loving but grieving father Cole
Conway and paternal grandfather Big Jim.
Then fast forward to the present with Meg Stanford
returning to Paintbrush reluctantly to say the least. She
never planned to step foot on her father Porter's ranch
ever again. This was a man who systematically chased away
his first two wives. Upon her arrival she discovers a seven
year old half brother Cory whose mother died two years
before. Now with Porters sudden death Cory is left alone,
scared and has been living in the barn with his beloved
horse. So sad, and yet he has managed being all alone until
her arrival.
Meg is instantly taken with the plight of this young boy.
Cory seems determined to keep her at arm's length. Her
first job is to settle the estate, auction off the ranch
assets and get the ranch ready to sell. Next step would be
to decide what to do with her newly discovered brother. She
thought it could be accomplished in a relatively short
time -- covered by her temporary absence from her law firm
but it quickly becomes obvious that this is going to take
much longer.
In fact this may wind up a very eye opening visit to her
past, one ripe with bad feelings and events better left in
the past. There seems to be no denying that an important
part of Meg belongs on this ranch and in this town. And the
attraction to her neighbor Jake is still another pull. The
Conway's open their hearts and ranch to help out when life
on the ranch gets precarious for Meg to face alone with a
little boy. The longer Meg stays the more of her heart she
invests in the ranch, town, brother and truthfully Jake and
his family. But before she can come to grips with this new
wrinkle in her life, she must face the demons of her past
and her relationship with her father.
I'm hard pressed to decide what I like more, stories about
cowboys or Native Americans. JAKE satisfies my need for
both, capturing life on a modern ranch complete with rugged
ranchers and characters with a connection to the tribes
that inhabited those lands with an innate bond with the
land and belief in the powers of their predecessors.
Although this book completes the series based on the three
Conway brothers it definitely stands on its own. Once again
a glorious picture of the west from one of my favorite
authors.
Wild at Heart . . . Jake Conway is good with his hands. A veterinarian known for his gentle touch, he's also the most eligible bachelor in Wyoming. But like any wild animal, Jake longs to roam free . . . until a sultry redhead with a smile from here to heaven turns up in town.
When her estranged father dies, Meg Stanford inherits his rustic ranch-and all the painful memories that come with it. She's determined to settle the estate and face down the ghosts of her past. But a series of midnight break-ins have Meg running from the ranch-and into the arms of the sexy cowboy next door. As their passion grows hotter, the attacks grow bolder. Can Jake keep her safe, or will he lose the only woman he's ever loved?
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