👩👧👦 🧍🏻♂️ 🐦 🏔️ "A Ranger for the Twins" (Heroines of Hollydale #2) (2020) 🏔️🐦🧍🏻♂️ 👩👧👦 - Book Tour & Review #RFTPrism
About the Author
Tour Giveaway
Ends October 7, 2020
Thank you in advance to the author, Tanya Agler, for providing a review copy through Prism Book Tours. A positive review was not required or requested and all words are my own.
I had already read the author’s first/debut book – “The Sheriff’s Second Chance” earlier this year, so I was definitely looking forward to this story set in the same town.
Right off I liked Caleb who kept his cool and patience through everything. Didn’t like his secret though, but completely understood it. Felt sorry for Lucie and her kids due to what had happened. Mattie’s name (and nickname) was familiar to that of a character in JAG – Matilda “Mattie” Grace. As a fan of that series, I really enjoyed that, along with this girl’s favorite colors which were mine.
The writing style was like
the previous novel, “The Sheriff’s Second Chance”, and the plot followed about
the same lines.
This is a standalone read. But, since some of the characters from the first book appear in this one, along with some mention of that story – the reader will likely benefit from reading both books.
In this book, Lucie Appleby-Decker is the focus. And, poor Lucie hasn’t had it easy since her scamming husband was arrested and sentenced two years earlier. While some are helping her take care of her kids, there are some who won’t let her forget what happened.
The story starts off running with Caleb’s questions, and sort of takes off for a while. However, there are times it does tend to move slow as the characters find their way together. It helps that Caleb and Lucie already had a past together so there was nothing for them to discover – only to realize that they did care about each other. There were some hurdles to overcome though.
Ethan warmed right up to Caleb though it took Mattie some time to warm up to him. Caleb’s dilemma and his conflict was definitely apparent. As well as Lucie’s success with her new business. One thing that did bother me was Lucie’s inability to separate Caleb’s “can’t” do something vs. the “won’t” do it.
It is apparent early on as to what Caleb wants and is after. Lucie seems conflicted and it is easy to see why. She is where she is because she trusted the wrong person, though does admit Caleb isn’t like that.
But, Caleb’s secret does tend to stand in the way, though Lucie doesn’t know that.
It was moving and beautiful to see the two work together on not only her business, but the woodpecker issue.
Agler had a lot going on in this novel that worked out. Many times multiple plots don’t work that well and seem like filler. This was definitely an exception to the rule.
“A Ranger for the Twins” is definitely an interesting plot with realistic themes. Not syrupy sweet, but more honest. It did seem a little dark for the genre with the fraud scheme. However, Agler’s writing also looked at the both victims – those who lost their money as well as Lucie and her kids. In addition, Agler highlighted the far reaching implications – rebuilding trust, forgiveness, how the kids are treated, and others’ perceptions. Was Lucie one of the victims? Was she in on it? That is where some of the conflict is in the story and it is definitely one that makes this a bittersweet read.
There were a few tense moments towards the end with not one, but two plot lines. It had a beautifully precious, albeit predictable end.
At the heart of this novel, Agler presents the case for second chances – in life, in success, and in romance.
This is a sweet, clean, heart-breaking, and definitely heart-warming read that I didn’t want to put down and really enjoyed reading. It was different than the standard books in this line.
Fans of the genre as well as those who read the first book by the author are sure to like this installment.
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