Brenda Minton is one of those writers who keeps me coming back for more. In this tale which seesaws between being amusing and reflecting desperation, a well-off young woman in Austin, Texas doesn't realise she needs help. Lucky for her that her father hired a bodyguard to shadow her from a distance. HER RANCHER BODYGUARD moves fast from the start.

Boone Wilder is the bodyguard in this fifth book in the 'Martin's Crossing' series. He has been discreet and young Kayla Stanford hadn't known he was there; nor did her stalker. When the three meet it's not by accident. Reeling from pepper spray - Kayla wasn't entirely defenceless - Boone can't see who the stalker is, and Kayla, who has been knocked about, can't identify him either. Looks like she needs the jeans and boots clad bodyguard whether she likes it or not.

Boone decides that Kayla, a half-sister to the Martins, would be safer on the home ranch where her relatives live than in Austin, so after a conversation with her dad they head off to the town of Martin's Crossing, otherwise known as nowhere. The stalker would easily be spotted if he showed up, while Kayla, who doesn't have any reliable friends, needs some simple country living. Home cooking, ranch chores and lively people start to clear her head. Boone, who is ex-Army, knows that a lot depends on this job - not just Kayla's safety, for his salary pays the family school fees and medical bills. He'd better keep a clear head.

Boone lost a limb on overseas service, and this book does a great job of showing how people living with disability can work, be responsible and generally get on with life. Attitude is the main factor. Boone has managed to accept his situation and make a new place in the world for himself. Kayla, who is far from a spoiled brat and originally wanted to teach, has also got issues from her youth to overcome and blames herself for something that was not her fault. While the cast is not large, Brenda Minton helps us get to know everyone and see how they fit in to the family of her series.

Tension rather than violence is the order of the day and the developing romance is built on establishing trust, so HER RANCHER BODYGUARD is suitable for all age groups.