Montana has a relatively low crime rate, but one man is hiding in shadows, ready to grab a woman and stuff her into his car trunk. Out shopping late, McKenzie Sheldon has her mind occupied for long enough to be attacked. Remembering a series of self-defence classes, she fights back, determined not to let the man take her away from the parking lot.

RESCUE AT CARDWELL RANCH gets off to a vigorous start as Texas man Hayes enters the fray and calls the police. He's a relative of Dana Cardwell, and has come up to stay with the family on the Cardwell ranch. Hayes's brother Tag is going to marry a local girl called Lily and the town of Bozeman is all excitement. This creep stalking and attacking women is bad news, but the police haven't much to go on. There is a guy called Gus Thompson in McKenzie's real estate office who has been making her uncomfortable for some time, but that's not evidence. Just in case, she fires him. Now two men hate her.

Hayes and his brothers own a barbecue restaurant chain, and Hayes also works as a private investigator. The Texan doesn't want a branch of the family business opening in Montana, so Tag's determination to stay and open his own place puts the brothers at odds. I actually couldn't see the difficulty here. McKenzie is invited to stay in a guest cabin at the ranch for safety. Will that be enough to protect her from a psychopath who's afraid she can identify him? Especially when she has to attend a major real estate conference?

The author BJ Daniels makes good points - women in small towns feel safer, while the abundance of isolated spots aids an abductor. The police in these areas are understaffed with a huge area to cover, while a serial killer may cover a wide swathe of the country. Having taken a self-defence course saved this girl's life.

I always enjoy the Cardwell ranch stories for realism and romance, with great looks at the big sky setting of Montana and all its varied people. RESCUE AT CARDWELL RANCH is a romantic suspense story with a real flair for drama, and an adult love story to make you catch your breath. We learn lots about barbecue too! This book is teamed with another called WANTED WOMAN set in Puget Sound, for a change of scenery. Fantastic value!