"hard headed cowboy meets his match"
Reviewed by Sandra Wurman
Posted September 11, 2012
Romance Contemporary
Here's the introduction to a new series -- the Men from
Battle Ridge and if it's any indicator then this series
is
going to be a delight. The Howard and Jones team have
developed a great entry straight into the heart of any fan
of cowboys and the ladies who match wits with even the
toughest guy. RUNNING WILD is definitely a book destined
to be dog-eared
and read over and over again.
The economy is hitting Battle Ridge hard but Zeke Decker
knows the job opening he has doesn't have universal appeal.
Working at his ranch which is pretty isolated makes his
choices rather slim and meager. He needs someone who
borders on desperate and Carlin fits the bill.
Carlin is being stalked by a cop leaving her to fend for
herself and her choice is to run hopefully covering her
tracks so that even a cop can't find her. But then the
unimaginable happens -- her stalker cop Brad found her --
and in his demented state of mind he shoots at a figure
wearing a familiar red raincoat. Luckily it isn't Carlin
but her friend and coworker Jina isn't as lucky.
Zeke is desperate with his housekeeper leaving after thirty
years. Now he has to figure out where to find a cook and
housekeeper who won't balk at working at a ranch pretty
far from the nearest town. He has family he could turn to
but his pride just won't let him go down that road.
Still on the run Carlin winds up in Battle Ridge Wyoming
and quickly realizes that the town probably won't have
many opportunities for her even for the short time she
plans on staying. Carlin doesn't actually stay anywhere
for any length of time -- with a stalker possibly still
looking. She becomes a pro at watching for anything that
doesn't look like it belongs. Her life depends on it.
Perhaps her luck is changing even just a little with her
unplanned stop in Battle Ridge. First she gets a
waitressing
job in a café owned by a woman who manages to win Carlin's
trust enough for her to admit her plight. The job comes
with
a place to stay. But Carlin is a realist. Even if this
place looks like a good place to roost for a short time --
relaxing her guard could get her killed.
Zeke is still looking for a housekeeper and has pretty
much decided it would have to be a man -- a woman on his
ranch is just looking for problems. His ex wife hated
the ranch, and so far his luck finding Libby's replacement
is all bad.
When Kat's cousin Zeke comes into the café Carlin's first
impression is that here is a good looking cowboy who
unfortunately asks too many questions and might make her
hit the road again. Too bad since this small town felt
rather homey. Kat has made it clear that once winter
arrives Carlin's job at the café will be done. But Kat has
an idea that would help both Carlin and Zeke.
Too bad Carlin's first impression of Zeke is that he is a
jerk after he refers to her as one of Kat's strays. And
Zeke isn't too keen on hiring this good looking blonde to
work on his ranch even if he has to admit she would keep
him on his toes. Life is full of surprising twists and
turns and Carlin becomes reluctantly entrenched at the
ranch
before danger somehow catches up with her once again. Flight
was always her first choice but leaving the ranch and Zeke
will hurt worse than she can admit. But Carlin's
conscience won't let her put these people who have become
rather dear and important to her in jeopardy.
If you're in the market for a western with lots of sass and
humor RUNNING WILD is it. Howard fans will welcome her new
series.
I for one can't wait to meet the next Battle Ridge man.
SUMMARY
Carlin Reed lives in fear, off the grid, moving from place
to place. So Battle Ridge, Wyoming, a small town in the
middle of nowhere, seems like a good place to lie low for
a while. But after becoming cook and housekeeper to cattle
rancher Zeke Decker, Carlin suspects that she’s made her
first mistake. Rugged, sexy, and too distracting for his
own good, Zeke is pure temptation mixed with something
deep and primal that makes Carlin feel almost safe. Soon
things are getting way too hot in the kitchen.
Zeke doesn’t challenge Carlin’s terms: cash, dead bolts,
and no questions. It is easy to see that she’s a woman in
trouble. Problem is, he’s so blindsided by his attraction
to her he can’t think straight. Zeke tries to stay all
business, no complications—but that game plan is sabotaged
the second Carlin gets under his skin. And when her
terrifying past follows her to the ranch, Carlin faces a
heartbreaking choice: run away from the man she loves, or
put him in the crosshairs of a madman.
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