REVIEW: Lassoed by the Would-Be Rancher by Melinda Curtis

Lassoed by the Would-Be Rancher by Melinda Curtis is the author’s fourth book in her Mountain Monroe series. I have been captivated by the premise of this series; a grandfather leaving the town of Second Chance to his grandchildren to revitalize as well as spurning them on to believe in themselves and choose to live their lives as they truly want to instead of being stuck in the Monroe family corporate world.

There’s gold in them thar hills.” Supposedly! Second Chance, Idaho is the home of the legend of stagecoach robber Merciess Mike. Come join the search for this hidden treasure.

The legend is that there is gold buried somewhere around Second Chance, Idaho. Shane Monroe believes that finding this hidden loot from stagecoach robber Merciless Mike will help make the town an appealing tourist attraction. Shane’s grandfather Harlen Monroe was originally from Second Chance. He left the town and went on to amass a fortune in several business. Later in life Harlen started purchasing businesses in the deteriorating town of Second Chance and eventually he essentially “owned” the town. Upon his death he willed the town to his twelve grandchildren and challenged them to revitalize it.

Shane took his grandfather’s challenge to heart and moved to Second Chance. His trusted allies in his quest to fulfill his grandfather’s wishes are cousin Laurel and deceased cousin Bryce’s widow Ella. The others want to challenge the will. Shane is determined to change their minds.

In Second Chance Shane meets widow Franny Clark who is struggling to keep Bucking Bull Ranch, a rodeo ranch, afloat. She lives with her three sons and her grandmother-in-law, Gertie Clark. Back in the day Gertie’s husband, Percy was best friends with Harlen Monroe. A city slicker like Shane isn’t much help for a rancher like Franny but that didn’t stop the attraction between them from heating up exponentially. Franny and Shane need to defy the odds against such a relationship working out. Will they?

This story fascinated me with how city slicker Shane finally found his true worth while falling in love with a strong-willed Franny who found in Shane someone she could fall back on. I liked the incorporation into this story of Franny’s nine-year-old son Davey who has a handicap but meets the challenges that come with the handicap unbelieveably well. I also enjoyed the interaction between the Monroes who are in town working to filfill their grandfather’s wishes. This is a well-written, sweet, emotional read and I look forward to more Monroe stories from Melinda Curtis.
 

Book Info:

Publication: January 1st 2020 | Harlequin Heartwarming | The Mountain Monroes #4

If there’s a way to her heart…

…he’ll jump at the chance!

CEO Shane Monroe sticks out like a sore thumb in Second Chance, Idaho, where he’s investigating his grandfather’s connection to the town’s folklore of stolen treasure. Feisty local Franny Clark ridicules his city-slicker ways but allows Shane to hunt for gold on her land…if he can help save her rodeo ranch. Shane is captivated by Franny’s go-getting attitude, but what will it take for him to win her over?