Western Historical Romance Fiction Book Review: Waiting for the Rancher
About the Book
Title: Waiting for the Rancher
Series: High Country Ranch, Book 1
Author: Jody Hedlund
Genre: Western Historical Romance
Publisher: Northern Lights Press
Release Date: June 3, 2024
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Publisher's Book Description
“In the high country of Colorado, there’s nothing more important than loyalty . . . except maybe love.
Hazel Noble loves her job managing the mares at High Country Ranch. As the foaling season begins, she gets to spend even more time with the horses . . . and with her secret crush, Maverick Oakley, the owner of High Country Ranch and her brother Sterling’s best friend.
When Maverick unwittingly ruins Sterling’s wedding, he goes from best friend to worst enemy. With the rift between their families, Maverick is faced with the possibility of losing Hazel, and he can no longer deny how much he’s always cared about her. The trouble is that he and Sterling made a vow not to court each other’s sisters, and he doesn’t want to break his word and cause further problems.
Maverick gathers the courage to speak with Sterling about their vow, but Sterling demands that he stay away from Hazel. When a tragic accident strikes, Maverick is forced to finally choose where his loyalties lie—with his best friend or his best friend’s sister. After pushing Hazel away, will he be too late to win her heart?”
My Review
Waiting for the Rancher, by Jody Hedlund, is the first book in the High Country Ranch series. This novel is a western, historical romance set in the late nineteenth century in Colorado. Its pages are filled with drama, family, courage, heartache, and love. Well-written and engaging, this book is certainly entertaining and very enjoyable. It offers a wonderful reading experience from the surprising first pages to the satisfying conclusion.
As a writer, Ms. Hedlund excels in this genre always succeeding in crafting stories that abound in descriptive details, integral settings, meaningful characterizations, and captivating storylines. Within this novel, the Rocky Mountains in the Colorado Territory give way to wide open spaces of land, ranches, woods, ravines, and streams that make up the settings of this story. Each of these scenic locations provide the necessary environment for the characters in this book as they cope with adversity, work toward their goals, recognize their insecurities, face their fears, seek forgiveness, and pursue reconciliation. Page after page, these characters are authentic and memorable. Their motivations, as revealed through their actions and dialogue, are interesting and moving. As the novel develops, it grows increasingly captivating as the plot expands with scenes of misunderstandings, danger, uncertainty, courage, compassion, hope, resiliency, trust, and second chances.
Waiting for the Rancher is a promising beginning to a new book series. It is a special novel and a pleasure to read. Filled with elements of history, sweet romance, adventure, and heart, it is very compelling and endearing. I gladly recommend it, and I am truly looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher/author. A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.
About the Author: Jody Hedlund
“Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over fifty books and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle.” --Biography from Jody Hedlund’s author page on Amazon.com.
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