"Your secret is safe with me."
Science teacher Vanessa Cruise is spending her summer
working in Bronco. Rekindling her short-term fling with the hottest rancher in
town? Not on her to-do list -- especially since commitment is her number one
don't. But Jameson John promises to keep their relationship hidden from the
town gossips, then finds himself longing for more than just a summer affair.
Convincing Vanessa he's worth the risk might be the hardest thing he's ever had
to do…
Terrific start to the new Montana Mavericks series.
Vanessa was born and raised in Bronco. She went to college in Billings and
moved there after graduation, vowing that she would never live in Bronco again.
After her high school boyfriend betrayed her twice, and the school mean girls
made her life miserable, Van looked forward to happier times far from those
memories. Unfortunately, her love life didn't improve, leaving her gun-shy when
it came to relationships. On New Year's Eve, while in Bronco visiting her
family, she indulged in a one-night-stand with Jameson, with the understanding
it would never be repeated or spoken of again.
Jameson was also born and raised in Bronco. He and his
family have a successful ranch, and he has no plans to leave Bronco. One of the
popular kids during high school and after, Jameson had a reputation as a player
for a long time. After a failed marriage, Jameson put his player days behind
him. On New Year's Eve, he felt a little lonely with no one to kiss the New
Year in with. Then he met Vanessa, and the night improved immensely. Though he
accepted her conditions, he came to regret it because he couldn't forget her.
Fast forward to the summer. Van finds herself back in Bronco,
teaching science to young teens at a summer program. She spends a lot of time
looking over her shoulder, worrying about seeing Jameson again. When she does,
he makes it clear that he'd like to see her again. Van shuts him down hard
because she refuses to risk her heart on anyone again. Finally, after thinking
about it, she agrees to a summer fling, IF and ONLY IF they keep it secret. Van
doesn't want to deal with her family getting their hopes up about marrying a
local boy and moving home. Initially reluctant to accept her conditions,
Jameson eventually agrees, hoping to use the time to convince her that he's
worth the risk.
I liked both Jameson and Vanessa. Jameson is an
all-around nice guy who gave up his player ways long ago. He has a great
relationship with his family, especially with his little sister, Charity, and
hers with him. I loved that Vanessa was an unusual heroine for a romance. She
is a glasses-wearing, curvy, slightly geeky science teacher. Van has a
fantastic relationship with her Young Adventurers, and their love and respect
for her are evident. I loved how she encouraged them to work for changes in the
Miss Bronco contest and how they repaid her by secretly writing her in as a
contestant. Her shock when she was named the winner was hilarious. Her issues
made her feel that she wasn't up to the task, but the support she received from
Jameson and Charity proved otherwise.
I loved seeing the relationship develop between Jameson
and Vanessa. Jameson was all in from the beginning. He wanted to see where the
attraction between them would go because he felt she was special. Van thoroughly
enjoyed their time together but flat-out refused to consider taking it public
or continuing past the end of summer. Van frustrated me on several occasions
because she allowed the events from high school to run her life a decade later.
I felt that Jameson showed extraordinary patience as he tried to show Van that
she could trust him not to hurt her. Van panicked when she realized she was
falling for him anyway and pulled away, desperate to protect herself. I ached
for both of them, as Jameson saw his hope for the future disappear and Van want
what she was too scared to reach for. I loved seeing Jameson go to Winona for
advice. Meanwhile, Van's friend Callie has some advice for her that opens Van's
eyes. I loved the ending, with Van stepping way out of her comfort zone to show
Jameson how she feels.
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