As the oldest of three brothers, Shane Tyler takes his responsibility to the family ranch seriously -- and it's clear to him that the younger man who wants to marry his widowed mother is only looking for a meal ticket. He's determined to stop the nuptials whatever it takes, but the shy wedding planner his mom hired is harder to intimidate than he expected.
When Cora Preston worked up the nerve to leave her abusive ex and move with her young son to Gracely, it was a huge step. Accepting the position as wedding planner at brand-new Mile High Weddings took even more courage. But Cora's biggest challenge is turning out to be the bride's handsome -- and stubborn -- oldest son, Shane, and the way the strong-willed cowboy makes her feel.
Can the heat crackling between them warm two hearts suspicious of love?
Excellent and emotional book that sucked me in from the start. Cora is the single mother of a twelve-year-old boy and the survivor of an abusive relationship. With the help of her sister, Cora began a new position as a wedding planner. Her first job is to plan the wedding of Deb Tyler, the Tyler ranch matriarch. Unfortunately, she must deal with Deb's oldest son, Shane, who is very much opposed to the wedding.
Shane became the man of the family at the age of twelve when his father died in a ranching accident. He helped raise his younger siblings and still takes his responsibility to family and ranch very seriously. He doesn't trust his mother's fiancé, a man a decade younger than his mother, and makes his feelings very clear.
I loved the first meeting between Shane and Cora. While they disagree about the wedding, there's no doubt about the sparks that fly between them. Cora needs to succeed at this first wedding gig, and Shane and his siblings want to stop the wedding entirely. I liked how Cora refused to give in to Shane's attempt at intimidation, reminding him that Deb is a grown woman who knows her own mind. Shane can't let go of the idea that Ben wants the ranch more than Deb and will do anything to prove it.
I liked the development of the relationship between Cora and Shane. Though ostensibly on opposite sides of the issue, they connect over their common need to do anything to protect their loved ones. When Cora has problems with her son, Micah, Deb insists that Cora bring him to the ranch. She knows a thing or two about rebellious sons and that hard work and horses are an excellent remedy. Micah quickly bonds with the entire Tyler family, and Cora is pulled in also. The attraction between Cora and Shane continues to grow, and their flirty banter is fun to watch.
Cora is wary of letting things go too far with Shane. The abuse by her ex left Cora with some confidence problems. She works hard to be independent but frequently second-guesses her decisions. She keeps her past to herself, fearing that Shane and the others would look at her differently if they knew. This tends to make her relationship with Shane something of a yo-yo because she pulls back, then moves forward, then pulls back again. Shane suspects the truth and has a fantastic amount of patience. He often finds himself walking a fine line between pushing for answers and giving her space.
At the same time, Shane has his own demons to fight. His protectiveness frequently puts him at odds with his family. I ached for him when he shared the reasons behind that protectiveness with Cora and waited for her to do the same. Their joint issues come to a head when a crisis forces them to look at how they let their pasts control their presents. I wanted to shake Cora for pushing Shane away just when she needed him the most. It takes some straight talk from an unexpected source to open her eyes to the way she sabotages her own happiness. Shane gets similar advice and must decide how best to repair things with Cora. I loved the ending.
The secondary characters were great. I loved Cora's son, Micah. He was a realistic blend of sweet and sullen, typical of that age. The reader also gets a good look at the effect of his father's abuse on Micah and his view of the world around him. The dynamics between Shane and his siblings were interesting. Even though they are now all adults, Shane still tries to tell them what to do "for their own good." This especially doesn't sit well with his youngest brother, Boone, who joined the rodeo circuit in rebellion. One of the most interesting characters was Deb's fiancé, Ben. Initially, I understood Shane's reservations. Ben's attitude was annoying, smug, and "in your face," and I wondered what Deb saw in him. But as the book went on, there were hints that there was more to him. I liked how Cora encouraged Shane to speak honestly and without animosity to Ben and see if it made a difference.
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