REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: THE RIGHT RANGER by DONNA MICHAELS

 

It's time to claim what's his...

 

 

THE RIGHT RANGER

The Men of At Ease Ranch #3

Donna Michaels

Releasing June 12, 2017

Entangled Lovestruck

 

In The Right Ranger (The Men of At Ease Ranch #3) by Donna Michaels, Haley Wagner is a very independent woman, determined not to rely on her ex-husband's comrades to help her with the ranch she inherited. But when she finds herself struggling to stay on top of things around the ranch, she calls on Cord Brannigan. Working side by side, they both do their best to ignore the chemistry between them, but it's impossible. Will Haley get a second chance at happy ever after, or will the secrets they're both keeping coming to light tear them apart?

The first two books of this series are absolutely riveting, and this third book of Ms. Michaels Men of At Ease Ranch series is another captivating addition to it due to the wonderful main characters, the dialogue that shows the tight bonds between Cord and his ex-military comrades, and the  fact that this story encompasses the forbidden romance trope. The way this story started had me completely hooked, because Cord can't believe Haley needs him. The woman is stubborn and independent and it's palpable that she desperately needs help, if she's calling him. However, what I liked most about the start is when the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the first time. There is seriously strong chemistry between them and always has been, but now they're actually able to do something about it, because Haley's husband is no longer a hindrance. Yet, in Cord's mind she'll always be forbidden; the one woman he can never have. 

The dialogue was entertaining and had me reading quickly because of the secrets both the hero and heroine are keeping; the fact that Cord believes Haley is off-limits and there's no way anything can happen between them; the cow that loves to annoy Jovy (the heroine of the first book of this series) because of its love for one of the secondary characters, Stone; and how the secondary characters are determined to push Haley and Cord together. Furthermore, the heroine is strong and brave in everything she's had thrown at her when it comes to what her husband did and how she's dealt with managing the ranch. I also liked how determined she was to put her plans into action for the ranch, and the fact that she's willing to admit how desperate she is for Cord's help.

While Cord, he's been through so much in his life and it's understandable why he's so loyal and determined to help others and never put himself first. I also liked that he was willing to keep his promise to a fallen comrade, even though it's hard to be around Haley without wanting to take their friendship and turn it into so much more, which eventually happens when their strong chemistry spills over onto the pages in hot sex scenes that illustrate Haley or Cord had no chance of denying their feelings. Yet, what I liked most about the hero is how Haley always brings out the best in him. He hasn't been the same since his teams last mission, which was a mission that went south and his interactions with the heroine reveal that he can move forward and be happy, if he's willing to take a chance and not be held back by his guilt of the secret he's keeping from her.

Overall, Ms. Michaels has delivered another fantastic read for this series where the secondary characters entertained me just as much as the main ones because of their teasing banter and desire to see Cord and Haley happy. Furthermore, the last chapter and epilogue wrapped this story up perfectly due to the trouble the cow again likes to cause for Jovy and the way Cord makes things right between him and Haley because she means everything to him. I would recommend The Right Ranger by Donna Michaels, if you enjoy stories encompassing ex-military heroes, the forbidden relationship trope, or books by authors Joya Ryan, Kate Pearce, Jennifer Ryan or Cora Seton.

 

  

BLURB

Haley Wagner’s life just got a lot more complicated. As if turning her struggling ranch around isn’t tough enough, she’s forced to call him for help. With his hard eyes and even harder body, Cord is an irritatingly sexy contradiction of hot and cold. How can she possibly hide her embarrassing secret when just looking at Cord is a combustible event?

Former Army Ranger Cord Brannigan has a secret, too. He promised his fallen teammate he’d protect the tempting, fiercely independent Haley from a distance, but now they’re stuck together for three weeks. Alone. Keeping his hands off will take every ounce of control he can muster. And that control is slipping…

 

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The Men of At Ease Ranch!

As soon as he cut the engine outside the barn, he heard a large crash from inside followed by a slew of curses.

Haley.

With his gut knotted tight, he crossed the yard and entered on a sprint. “Haley…Jesus,” he muttered, finding her underneath a pegboard and a pile of tools. Sharp ones. Shit.

“Now you show up,” she scoffed.

He hoisted the peg board and tossed it aside. “What the hell happened?”

“Had a fight with a wall and lost.” A smirk twitched her full lips and gleamed in her whiskey gaze.

“That’s not funny.”

“Damn straight.” She frowned. “It hurts like a bitch.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “How the hell did you manage to knock this over?”

“Quite well, actually.”

Smartass.

He knelt beside her and leveled his gaze on her. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

“Did I?” She tipped her chin and narrowed her eyes. “Hard to tell underneath all that accusation and condemnation dripping from your tone. I’m not one of your Rangers, Warlock. That hard stare of yours won’t work on me.”

Christ. He didn’t need this shit.

She made to get up, pushing a few tools out of the way, and that’s when he noticed the blood dripping down her arm.

“Stay still,” he ordered, grasping her unharmed arm to hold her steady. “Let me have a look.”

A quick inspection deemed it deep but not stitch-worthy, thank God. He yanked off his shirt and wrapped it around her arm, ignoring her gasp as he tied it tight until he could get her in the house for some proper first aid. But he didn’t want her moving until he examined the rest of her body for injuries.

With his training kicking in, he ran his hands over her, noting a small cut on her cheek, another on the back of her hand, and a bruise on her other wrist, no doubt from covering her face.

“You okay?” he asked, staring into her dazed eyes. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

She blinked and focused her gaze on his face, then shook her head after she opened her mouth and nothing came out.

Christ.

His insides twisted when he took in the mash of clippers, hammers, screwdrivers, and pliers scattered around them. She was lucky. So damn lucky.

After helping her to her feet, he bent to scoop her in his arms.

“W-what are you doing?” She wiggled as he carried her across the yard, trying his damndest not to notice the soft curves brushing his chest.

“Taking you inside to fix your arm. Stay still.” Awareness already spread through his body, waking up parts that had no business enjoying the feel of his dead friend’s widow cradled against him.

Haley grunted. “I can walk.”

“Good to know,” he replied, but continued to hold her as he stepped onto the porch. “Get the door.”

With a loud sigh, she reached out and twisted the knob. “Okay, you can put me down now.”

“Where’s your first aid kit?” he asked, ignoring her protests.

She closed her mouth and stared at him, her eyes twin pools of pissed-off brown. God, she was gorgeous. And damn, he did not need to have his arms full of her hot curves.

He muttered an oath. “You can keep quiet all you want, but I’m just going to stand here and hold you until you tell me.”

Even if it killed him.

 

 

Donna Michaels is an award winning, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of Romaginative fiction. Her hot, humorous, and heartwarming stories include cowboys, men in uniform, and some sexy, primal alphas. With a husband in the military fulltime, and a household of nine, she never runs out of material to write, and has rightfully earned the nickname Lucy…and sometimes Ethel. From short to epic, her books entertain readers across a variety of sub-genres, and one has even being hand drawn into a Japanese translation. Now, if only she could read it.

Tasty Q&A with Donna Michaels

Describe yourself in five words or less.

 

I love to entertain readers.

Name one thing you won’t leave home without.

 

My cellphone. Yep, I’m one of them. But only because I am usually waiting for an email or message from an author, publisher, editor…etc, and need to multitask my personal life errands into my day, too.

 

What types of scenes are your most favorite to write?
 
My favorite scenes to write are the sparring scenes between the hero and heroine. When the hero has met his match, or vice versa . There were several of those scenes in The Right Ranger.

 

Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?

Yes, there are several characters I’d love to go back to, but shhh…don’t tell my other ones. The two that immediately come to mind are Kit Katt and Pierce DeVein from my humorous paranormal, The Spy Who Fanged Me. They are agents from different departments. She’s a black panther shifter and he’s a vampire and they’re forced to work together to bring down a dangerous gnome. Kit was by far the most fun I ever had writing a heroine. Between her can do attitude, her capabilities, and the fact she has catlike tendencies that get in the way at the most inopportune times, I would love to write another mission for her and her man/vampire. 😊

 

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

Right now, I’m writing book 4 in The Men of At Ease Ranch series. This is Vince’s book. He’s been the easygoing happy guy throughout the series, and longs to have a relationship like his buddies have found. But, it’s like they say, be careful what you wish for. He’s discovering that his idea of the ideal significant other is flawed, relationships aren’t always easy, and they come when you least expect it. He is definitely one of my fun characters to write.

 

 

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