TOUGH TALKING COWBOY, the third book in the Wild Rose Ranch series, is bittersweet, thought-provoking and heartbreaking. This series is about four young women who consider themselves sisters-- though not by blood. Jennifer Ryan does a wonderful job of taking you through all the emotions, hardships and accomplishments her characters go through. These stories deal with the world's oldest "profession," greed and manipulation, drug addiction, sexual abuse, and PTSD. In TOUGH TALKING COWBOY, you see just how heartbreaking drug addiction is for the addict but also for love ones. And in the case of PTSD, it just rips your heart out when you see what our military men and women go through after serving in the service. Hats off to Jennifer Ryan for giving an eye-opening account.

Ex-Army Ranger Drake McGrath is suffering from PTSD. He is in a silent battle with himself, lashing and alienating himself from his family and dealing with the breakup with his fiancee. His family is at a loss as to how to help him. But because of her own pain, Adria Holloway sees beyond Drake’s tough talk to the raw pain beneath.

Adria and her twin sister Juliana were raised by a neglectful mother at the Wild Rose Ranch. Adria struggles to put the trauma from her past behind her. She also goes through the heartbreaking struggle of helping her twin deal with her drug addiction. Because she can clearly see what Drake is going through she makes a shocking deal with him to have a no-strings relationship that’ll help them both face their demons.

The heat between them is instant and incredible and grows into more. But the biggest challenge will test this new relationship in a major way. Adria has spent her life trying to save Juliana from her drug addiction and also helping Drake to deal with his issues. But when tragedy happens Drake makes a mistake that may be unforgivable. Will Drake and Adria choose love over tragedy?

A well-written story about love, hope, survival, and strength after tragedy and loss through dark periods.