If you are looking for a way to belittle someone then putting disparaging titles on them is an excellent choice. Levi Granger couldn’t get rid of one of the Sullivan sisters, Quinn, who had self-elected herself as the one who would get Levi’s permission to construct a road leading from the main one to her sisters’ farm stand. Well, that’s thinking rather small. The Sullivan sisters built a remarkable produce market on their farm. But for it to make a profit and provide necessary support for them it needed to be more accessible. Hence the need for a better road. Hence the need to cut one through the Granger ranch.

Levi compared Quinn to his sister who was about her age. Their parents had passed when Levi was eighteen leaving him in charge of his siblings. He took his role seriously.

Now with Quinn trying to cajole Levi with an offer to help him with his ranch in exchange for the access road, the situation morphed into quite a dilemma for them both. Quinn looks at Levi and sees this big, strong, stubborn man who candidly treats her with scorn. Levi has his own set of labels for Quinn that include carrot, tiny, little windup toy. The problem is that Levi also privately sees a pretty sexy independent person. And that is the rub.

The more you get to know a person, the more you accept the differences and similarities.

Both have suffered through the loss of their parents. Quinn’s parents walked away from their daughters and ranch. The Sullivan girls reshaped their reality without any male influence or help. Quinn still holds harsh feelings for her father and doesn’t see trusting her life in the hands of a male figure.

Quinn has book smarts. Levi has life skills. Sounds like a good team. If they can get over their ingrained prejudices. So Maisey Yates has some work to do and fans of this author and amazing series are holding on for that miracle. THE RIVAL is book number seven in the Four Corners Ranch series. Each story was entertaining and a stand-alone. THE RIVAL easily rose to the top of my list. The entire concept of the four corners ranches is an ingenious way to plot several tales that easily mesh together. Through character development and dialog, Maisey Yates has endeared all the folks we meet.