REVIEW: The Cowboy’s Mistaken Identity by Melissa Senate

The Cowboy’s Mistaken Identity by Melissa Senate finds rancher Chase Dawson on a quest to find the father he never knew. After his mother’s death he found a slip of paper with the name of a small Wyoming town. He believes it’s a clue, and arrives in town only to be greeted by a very hostile community, including a woman who claims he’s the father of her baby, Danny. Shocked, Chase claims he’s never been to the town, and he certainly didn’t get anyone pregnant.

Hannah’s hesitant to believe Chase, especially since he looks exactly like her con-man ex and father of her baby, but a trip to Owen McCord’s ranch finds not only the man Chase had been looking for, but the discovery that he has an identical twin brother who swindled most of the town. Hannah discovers that Chase is nothing like Kent, and, despite her reluctance, finds herself falling for him. But Chase has walls up, afraid to let anyone other than Danny into his heart.

I didn’t like Hannah at first, although her reactions are understandable and she becomes a more sympathetic character once the details of what she had been through were revealed. It wasn’t hard to feel bad for Chase, as at lot was thrown at him at once that he wasn’t expecting. His instant connection with Danny was great; their interactions are very sweet. As for Owen, I’ll admit I wasn’t crazy about the reason the twins were separated, and that later, as an adult, he couldn’t stand up against his parents and reach out to the son he had been separated from.

The storyline is fairly unique, which I enjoyed. The book starts off well, immediately drawing readers in, but then it slows down. In some places it’s a slow read and I found myself skimming in a few areas. That being said, it’s a good read overall and I would recommend it for those who enjoy stories about ranchers, small towns, and family discoveries.

This is the tenth book in the Dawson Family Ranch series, but it can be read as a standalone. I have not read the previous books but didn’t feel like I was missing anything.

Book Info:

Publication: January 24, 2023 | Harlequin Special Edition | Dawson Family Ranch #10

Rancher Chase Dawson sought the father he never knew—not an irate Hannah Callhoun. How could Chase abandon her and their son? The problem is, he doesn’t have a baby. But he does have a twin. A con man who left his family in dire straits. Chase vows to right his brother’s wrongs and be the man Hannah and his nephew need. But can his love break through to Hannah’s guarded heart?