Bereft after the brutal loss of her parents, Dana Scott
sinks nearly every dime of her inheritance into buying Wildflower ranch,
believing that once she restores the rustic cabin, and farms the untamed
acreage, her soul will be whole once more. Hiring wrangler Colin Gallagher to
help out just makes sense. But as she works side by side with the handsome
loner, she feels an unexpected kinship, and a longing for connection she
believed was lost to her forever...
Colin is only in Silver Creek long enough to make some
money and move on. Restless, spiritually broken, the former Army Ranger has
nothing left to give after his harrowing time in battle. But helping Dana make
a life for herself has him yearning for more. Until the domestic terrorists
that destroyed Dana's family catch up with her, determined to silence her
forever. It's a threat that has Colin calling on all his considerable training
to keep safe the woman who has taken hold of his heart...
Another great visit to Silver Creek. Dana came to Silver
Creek looking for peace after the brutal murders of her parents. The daughter
of Oregon farmers, Dana researched growing conditions in communities around the
west before choosing to buy Wildflower Ranch. After sinking almost every penny
into the purchase, she needs a job to make ends meet until her first crops come
in. The story opens as Dana prepares for an interview with Mary Bishop, the
local organic market owner and force of nature within the community. One of
Mary's projects is to encourage and help newcomers to the valley, and Dana is
the latest to benefit. I loved the interview where Mary offered Dana unexpected
levels of help, from equipment to a guaranteed market for her produce to the
services of a wrangler. One of the things I've loved about this series is the
idea of a community working together for the common good.
Colin works for Mary's son Chase on his ranch. A former Army
Ranger, Colin has severe PTSD and wants a position where he can avoid being
around many people. Chase, former military himself, has done his best to accommodate
Colin's needs and happily loans Colin to Dana to help her out.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Colin and Dana
develop. They recognize each other as kindred spirits right away. Both of them
struggle with their pasts, feeling broken and empty, but discover unexpected
energy between them. Living and working together gives them a chance to build a
solid friendship and feelings of trust. I liked how they understood each other's
occasional need to be alone to cope with memories without feeling left out or
ignored. As the weeks go on and they get to know each other better, their
friendship begins to deepen to something more. One of my favorite things is
their willingness to communicate openly about their feelings, fears, and interest
in seeing where it all goes. Both Dana and Colin hold back a little, wary of
confessing their love and scaring the other one away.
When Dana stumbles on bags full of money hidden in her
broken-down cabin, both she and Colin sense impending danger. Though Colin has
attempted to bury his time as a Ranger, his protectiveness flares up, and his
Ranger instincts resurface. After turning the money over to law enforcement,
news of its connection to her past stuns Dana. The book takes an intense turn
when Dana is abducted by those looking for the bags. I loved Dana's ability to
keep her head despite her fear. I felt she held her own quite
well when faced with the threat of death. Taking her fate into her own hands
took some courage and determination.
At the same time, Colin witnessed the abduction from too
far away to do anything about it. His fear for Dana sent him racing after her.
I loved that he did so in a controlled manner, drawing on his Ranger
experience. I was glued to the pages as he kept on her trail while keeping law
enforcement in the loop. There were a couple of twists that changed the
dynamics and brought danger closer to Colin and Dana. The final confrontation
was terrific. I thought Colin showed amazing restraint, but his reasoning made
sense for where he is in his life.
I loved the ending as Colin and Dana open up fully about
their feelings. While neither is completely clear of their past hurts, both
realize that together there is more light than darkness. I loved Colin's big
moment and the evidence of how well he understands and loves Dana, and the
profound effect she has had on his life and heart.
I always learn something new when I read a Lindsay
McKenna book. I liked the emphasis on organic farming and learning a bit about
how it's done. I also liked the parts about using herbs as medicines when
possible while not disregarding modern medicine when needed.
The book finished with a teaser for the next Silver Creek
story, and I can't wait to read it. 
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