REVIEW: Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Ryan

In Dirty Little Secret (Wild Rose Ranch #1) by Jennifer Ryan, Losing his step-father John, the man who raised him and taught him everything about ranching, was a tough enough hit for Noah Cordero. But learning that John had a biological daughter he never let on about to anyone is even more shocking. It’s out of character for his step-father, leaving Noah to wonder why he and his step-sister Annabelle never met Roxy. Once the dust settles and he realizes that the family business, the Speckled Horse Ranch, will now be run by all three of them, Noah starts to worry even more about everything. But to his surprise, not only does Roxy prove to be smart as a whip, but she’s also a great role model and protector for teenager Annabelle. Thoughts of a future with gorgeous Roxy run through Noah’s head until all he can think of is making her his and creating a real family out of their fractured past.

‘He stood tall and stared into nothing, completely taken off guard at that one simple, yet so complicated thought.
When the hell did she go from being a thorn in his side to his woman?’

Roxy is used to being the source of gossip and ridicule, given that her mother Candy works in a notorious brothel in Nevada. She’s somehow made something of herself, getting an education and forming a sisterhood with a few other girls whose mothers work at the Wild Rose Ranch as well. Even though Roxy knew John Cordero was her father and had seen him a handful of times over the years, she was shocked that he requested to see her as he was in the hospital dying. It seems his final wishes were to let her know how he truly felt about her, and to give her a large share of his business. But when Roxy finds out she must live at the Speckled Horse Ranch–and that she’s now also the owner of the Wild Rose Ranch–she knows not only is her life about to change forever, but it just may be a way to distance herself from her mother’s antics and finally let herself live a bit for once. And who knows? She might even fall in love…

“What do you think I love most?
“That I make you laugh, for one thing.” She gave him a nod, her eyes locked on his mouth as he kissed her wrist again. “But the most important thing to you is that I see the real you. You’re more beautiful on the inside than anyone I know.”
“Noah.” She sighed his name.

A little bit controversial and a whole lot of fun, Dirty Little Secret had it all: huge family secrets, small town gossip, animosity that turned into intense attraction, and a happy ending so sweet, it’ll have you shedding a tear or two.

‘He cared, even if he took the coward’s way out and didn’t acknowledge her or take her away from this place and Candy because he didn’t want to ruin his perfect life in Montana.
He didn’t want people to know his dirty little secret.’

Trigger warning: View Spoiler »Prostitution, physical abuse, drug & alcohol use, abduction. « Hide Spoiler

I was so excited to start a brand new series by Jennifer Ryan and I was definitely not disappointed in the least by Dirty Little Secret. I ended up adoring all of the main characters: Roxy, Noah and Annabelle, and disliked all the antagonists as I expected based on Ryan’s previous work. (lol) And I thought the setup for this book was quite unique as well. Our heroine Roxy’s ties to a well-known Nevada brothel where her mother worked was the catalyst for, well, everything that happened to her and influenced her entry into her father’s ranching business. That was the other twist: Her father, John, had never mentioned her to his step children Noah and Annabelle, leaving them feeling sucker punched when Roxy become part owner and partner at the ranch, per John’s will. Talk about some, ahem, lively “discussions” and hurt feelings among them all at first. Whew…

Noah and Roxy’s relationship was such fun, right from the start. Both strong-willed and independent–and smart!–they butted heads from their first meeting. But there was always a simmering attraction between them that grew exponentially by the end of the book. I loved watching Roxy with her spunky, take no crap attitude and to see how she let herself slowly trust Noah, Annabelle and some others on the ranch. Heartwarming doesn’t even begin to describe how it felt to see people slowly change their mind and realize she was not her mother’s daughter in the least. Roxy was her mother’s polar opposite actually. And once Noah realized that, all his charm and feelings for her came out and he became her biggest protector.

Noah was a complex character, just like Roxy, albeit he had been raised rather differently so he’d had a few good influences in his life. Unlike Roxy had. He was solid, sexy, dependable, looked out for those he cared about, and he was both Roxy and Annabelle’s champion on more than one occasion. And I really think the dynamics between Noah and Roxy as a couple, and Annabelle, Noah and Roxy as family and partners on the ranch, is some of the most complicated yet touching relationships I’ve read from Jennifer Ryan in recent years. There were moments that were so rife with sorrow and regret that it brought tears to my eyes, only to be wiped away by the joy over the strong bond they all formed together.

With incredible emotional depth, offbeat characters, and a bit of suspense, Dirty Little Secret is one of my new favorites by Jennifer Ryan. I really think she’s onto something with this series and I think upcoming books with the rest of the ladies from the Wild Rose Ranch will prove to be every bit as scandalous and entertaining as this one was.

Book Info:

Publication: December 18th 2018 | Avon | Wild Rose Ranch #1

Meet the women from Wild Rose Ranch—and the men who want them—in New York Times Bestselling Author Jennifer Ryan’s breathtaking series of romance and scandal . . .

Noah Cordero is a modern-day cowboy who loves three things: ranching, his younger sister, and his step-father. John Cordero groomed Noah to take over the Montana spread where he learned to ride and work the land. But when John unexpectedly dies, he leaves half the ranch to a woman Noah doesn’t even know.

Roxy shares Noah’s last name, but not his blood. Estranged from her father, haunted by regrets, and eager to escape her notorious mother’s past, she is forced to fulfill her father’s last wishes. Inheriting means sharing a home with infuriating, challenging, and oh-so-tempting Noah. But John didn’t just make her owner of his ranch and guardian to her sister, his hidden sideline is her worst nightmare—she’s the new owner of the notorious Nevada brothel called Wild Rose Ranch where she grew up.

As their strictly business relationship starts to turn to true love, Roxy begins to wonder, what will happen when Noah discovers her dirty little secret?