Their Rancher Protector - Sasha Summers (HSE #2855 - Aug 2021)

Series:: Texas Cowboys and K-9s (Book 2)

Will Operation Dog Delivery
 
Become Operation Family Found?
 
Skylar Davis is grateful to have the dog her husband nursed back to health on his last deployment. But the struggling widow can barely keep her three daughters fed, much less a hungry canine. Kyle Mitchell's soldier's instincts won't leave them behind -- they'll all come live at his ranch. Her husband was his best friend, after all. And Skylar? He'll give her the love she deserves…if she'll forgive him when his secrets are exposed.
 
After years away in the military, Kyle is on his way home to Granite Falls, Texas. But before that, he must keep his promise to his best friend, who died while they were deployed. Chad made Kyle promise to take his dog, Jet, who he rescued over there, to live with his family. Kyle also pledged to make sure Chad's family was okay. What he finds when he gets there disturbs him greatly.
 
When Kyle arrives, Skylar is in a desperate situation. Struggling to make ends meet thanks to the unscrupulous relative that took them in when her daughter Mya was sick, there's no way she can take care of Chad's beloved dog. It's all Skylar can do to take care of her three daughters and try to save for the surgery one of them needs. But she tries to put a brave face on it for Kyle.
 
I loved the first meeting between Kyle and Skylar. Skylar is wary until she connects him with his nickname in Chad's letters and then feels she knows him. Skylar bowls over Kyle as he discovers that Chad's letters and pictures didn't do her justice. Equally affected, Skylar buries her reaction and tries to make everything look normal. I loved seeing Kyle connect with the little girls; he was so sweet and easy with them. At the same time, his observant gaze didn't miss anything about their living conditions.
 
Driven by his promise to Chad and his guilty feelings over Chad's death, Kyle quickly comes up with a solution. He knows where Skylar can find a job, and there's room for them to live on the family ranch. Overwhelmed by the idea, Skylar isn't sure what to do. Getting out is so tempting, but thanks to the insidious comments by her uncle, she also doesn't want to come across as needy. Fortunately, common sense overcomes her fears, and she accepts Kyle's offer.
 
I loved watching Kyle and Skylar together as she began her new life. The sparks of attraction between them continue to grow, but both of them fight it. Kyle's guilt weighs him down, and he's certain that she'd want nothing to do with him if she knew the circumstances of Chad's death. Skylar's feelings for Kyle grow, but she is convinced his feelings are only friendship and the need to keep his promise. I enjoyed how everyone around them could see that Kyle and Skylar belonged together. Some sound advice from his brother Hayden, and an emotional scene under the stars with his memories of his friend, helped Kyle release his guilt. All he can do now is tell Skylar how he feels and hope she feels the same. I had to laugh at all the "help" he had along the way. I loved how Kyle didn't wait for the perfect moment but grabbed the opportunity when it came.
 
I enjoyed watching Kyle with Skylar's daughters. He related to them so easily, even learning sign language so he could talk to Mya. Seeing him with her daughters was one of the things that contributed to her love for him. Brynn, Mya, and Greer all accepted him into their lives right away. There were so many adorable scenes of them together, but one of my favorites was the French toast breakfast. I loved how he included them in his big moment with Skylar.
 
I liked the secondary characters of the various townspeople, all of whom play a part in getting Kyle and Skylar together. I especially enjoyed Kyle's reactions to the men who showed an interest in Skylar. I also liked seeing Hayden and Lizzie again. After seeing Hayden's regrets over his estrangement from his brothers in The Rancher's Forever Family, I wasn't surprised by Kyle's nervousness about seeing Hayden again.  It was great to see that Kyle also had regrets and was ready to mend fences.

The Rancher's Forever Family - Sasha Summers (HSE #2838 - May 2021)

Series: Texas Cowboys and K-9s (Book 1)

She was looking for a rescue…
 
But he's the one who was saved.
 
Sergeant Hayden Mitchell's mission: give every canine veteran the perfect forever home. But when it comes to Sierra, a sweet Labrador, Hayden isn't sure Lizzie Vega fits the bill. Her PTSD and city lifestyle raise concerns, even as her vulnerability -- and gorgeous eyes -- draws him closer. When a storm leaves her stranded at his ranch, the hardened ex-military man wonders if Lizzie is the perfect match for Sierra…and him…
 
Good start to the new series. Hayden is a former military dog trainer who now works to find homes for retired military dogs. As a dog-human matchmaker, he finds the right forever home for his canine charges. When Hayden receives a call from a friend about a candidate for one of his dogs, he thinks he has the right dog, but he isn't quite sure when he meets Lizzie. Hayden also runs the family ranch, and with the help of his mother, cares for his toddler son, Weston.
 
Lizzie teaches art at the college level and also works with seniors and children. She recently experienced an event that left her with debilitating PTSD. Faced with losing her job if she can't overcome her panic attacks, Lizzie agrees with her therapist that a support dog may help.
 
The first meeting between Hayden and Lizzie got off to a rough start. Lizzie ran into a violent thunderstorm on her way to pick up Sierra, which left her a shaking mess. Hayden sees that Lizzie needs help but worries that she isn't right for Sierra. Hayden reacts rather gruffly to Lizzie, and her fears and insecurities send her running. However, another series of severe storms traps Lizzie on Hayden's ranch. That's not such a bad thing, as it gives Hayden and Sierra a chance to get to know her.
 
I liked Lizzie's arrival on the ranch. Despite still suffering from her panic attack, she steps in to help Hayden while his mother recovers from being ill. Lizzie also falls under little Weston's spell, and the interactions between the two are sweet. The frequent storms strand Lizzie on the ranch for several days, where she undergoes some big changes. One of the biggest changes was the growing bond between her and Sierra. From the moment the two met, it seemed that Sierra knew exactly what Lizzie needed. It warmed my heart to see Sierra snuggle up to Lizzie during her toughest moments.
 
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Lizzie and Hayden. It got off to a rough start with Lizzie's panic attack making Hayden wonder if he can help her at all, and Lizzie was sure that he'd turn her down as Sierra's partner. However, despite his concern, Hayden sees Lizzie's struggle and decides to use her time at the ranch to see if she and Sierra suit each other. Neither expects the attraction that flares between them, and both try to ignore it. Lizzie will only be there a few days until the roads clear and she heads home. Hayden remembers his ex-wife accusing him of having a white knight complex, where he's involved with a woman who needs help, then loses interest when the problem is fixed. He fears that is what he feels and doesn't want to hurt Lizzie by getting involved with her.
 
Despite his fears, Hayden is a sweet and caring man. His joy in being Weston's father is evident and heartwarming. As he has a front-row seat to Lizzie's struggles, he can't deny his need to help her. I loved seeing him give her free rein in the kitchen where she cooked to cope. I liked seeing them get to know each other. Each of them has a caring, nurturing heart, and I loved seeing them focus that caring on each other. The strength of their feelings took both by surprise, and Hayden freaked out a bit when Lizzie confessed her love. I wanted to shake him when he pushed her away. I loved the advice he got that helped open his eyes. His big moment at the end was fantastic.
 
The main secondary characters were Hayden's mom, Jan, and his son, Weston. We didn't see much of Jan because of her illness, but her parts were significant. I laughed out loud at the first meeting between her and Lizzie. It was awkward, especially for Lizzie, but certainly seemed to improve Jan's mood. I also loved the kick in the seat she tried to give both Lizzie and Hayden with her talk about the newspaper ad. Little Weston was a considerable part of the story with how quickly he took to Lizzie. A big part of Hayden's feelings for Lizzie came from watching her with Weston. He wasn't perfect, though, and his Houdini act could have ended very badly for both him and Lizzie.
 
This book grabbed my interest from the start and kept me hooked right through the end. I can't wait to read the following two stories about Hayden's brothers.