RELUCTANT COWBOY – Kate Pearce
Morgan Ranch, Book 1
Zebra
ISBN: 978-1-4201-4000-2
December 2016
Contemporary Romance

Northern California – Present Day

Wealthy businessman Chase Morgan finally gives into the wishes of his beloved grandmother, Ruth, to come visit her at the Morgan Ranch, where he grew up, to check into some loan irregularities. He hasn't been back in years because of the bad memories of his drunken father claiming responsibility for the disappearance of Chase's mother and baby sister. But for Ruth's sake, he will do whatever it takes to make sure the ranch is saved for her. Upon his arrival, he learns that January Mitchell is living there also. She's a historian who is writing her college thesis on the history of the ranch. They seem to push the wrong buttons against each other, but soon their hate grows to lust.

Chase just seems to rub January the wrong way because he's always finding fault with her. Even though he hasn't been on the ranch in years, he's soon wearing cowboy outfits and hats, and looking as sexy as sin. Chase's there to try to figure out why there's a loan outstanding on the ranch when it's been in the family for years and there shouldn't be one. He is also questioning why January appears to have the trust of his grandmother. January isn't influencing Ruth, but convincing Chase of this has led to distrust between them. However, they're soon spending lots of time together and it leads to steamy encounters. Chase isn't sticking around and can only offer January a fling. Is it enough for both of them?

Cowboys and romance work well in RELUCTANT COWBOY by Kate Pearce, the first tale in her Morgan Ranch series. Chase thought he'd left the ranch behind after he turned eighteen. He went on to great financial success but it's left him a workaholic. A recent medical scare that landed him in the ER has his partners at the company urging him to take a couple of weeks off, so he goes to visit his grandmother. Once on the ranch, though, he begins to enjoy the laid-back lifestyle and hard work it offers. January seems to have integrated herself into Ruth's life and it worries Chase. He has a background check run on everyone, including her, to find out if there are some worries he needs to be aware of. Even as Chase argues with January, there's this zing of hot lust rising between them and it can't be denied. They try to keep their affair a secret, but it's hard to do living under the same roof as his grandmother.

January was raised in a commune and certainly knows what free love is like, but she's not into looking to have sex for sex's sake. Yet, she realizes she can't resist Chase, a man who charms her socks off.  She's already had one bad marriage and it's left a bad taste in her mouth that she doesn't want to repeat. Unfortunately, the bad from her past soon comes looking for her. How will it affect her relationship with Chase? Will Chase end up sticking around, or return to Silicon Valley where he works and lives?

RELUCTANT COWBOY is a sexy tale that features two likable characters in Chase and January. They're used to living independently, but once they're entangled, neither can breathe or live without the other. Chase has a lot of baggage from his past that is staring him in the eyes at Morgan Ranch. Will he be able to resolve those issues and realize that January is the woman for him? Grab the steamy hot RELUCTANT COWBOY and settle down for a read you won't want to put down.

Patti Fischer