🚜🌳💕 “The Rancher’s Secret Crush” (Three Springs, Texas #6) (2024) 💕🌳🚜 – Book Review

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Rancher's Secret Crush by Cari Lynn Webb, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Rancher's Secret Crush
Series: Three Springs Texas #6
Author: Cari Lynn Webb
Publisher: Harlequin Heartwarming
Release Date: March 26, 2024
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Clean)

Everything good…  

Starts with unexpected kindness 

When city girl Elsie Parks comes to Three Springs to care for her nieces while her brother recuperates, she’s in for a surprise—he expects her to run the ranch! Thankfully, Ryan Sloan—the rugged cowboy next door—is happy to help. As they get into a groove working the farm together, their attraction grows like Texas wildflowers. But can this temporary detour become something more? 

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR  

From Harlequin Heartwarming: Wholesome stories of love, compassion and belonging.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

More Books in This Series:

   

   

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My Review

Thank you in advance to the author, Cari Lynn Webb, for providing a complimentary review copy through JustRead Publicity Tours. A positive review was not required nor requested, and all words are my own. 

This is the sixth (6^th) book in the author’s Three Springs, Texas series. And, there are more on the way.  

As of note – the book sizes changed for the April 2024 releases. It is bigger in size. For the line, it does make it easier to hold, and it is still in large print. 

I do like the “cleaner” cover with regard to the logos. Speaking of the cover – the artwork is beautiful, but to me, seems more suitable for autumn.

Since this is connected to the series, I do recommend reading the previous books prior to this to familiarize oneself with the town and the residents:

🥼 Grant

🤠 Grandpa Sam

🤠 Uncle Roy

🤠 Carter

🤠 Caleb

🥼 Lillian

🐎 Maggie

🍫 Tess

🍪 Breezy & Gayle

🐎 Paige (mentioned)

There are some characters and locations that seemingly dropped off the map, so to speak. And, I’m hoping we get those back in the next book.

This is Ryan Sloan’s story. The Sloan siblings were introduced in book #4 – Her Cowboy Wedding Date. The “Aunt Marlena” that Elsie and Bryce are related to, was introduced in the previous book, His Christmas Cowgirl.

Webb introduces readers to:

🪩 Elsie

👧🏻 Gemma

👧🏻 Autumn

💻 Bryce

There are a few storylines going on:

🚜 Elsie taking care of the girls and helping with Bryce’s farm

🍾 Sam and Roy are still brewing something up

🏡 Ryan is helping his mother house hunting

💐 Breezy and Gayle “roping” people into the spring festival

Right off, I felt for Elsie with those girls. But, it isn’t long until the Cowboy Prince – Elsie’s former crush – Ryan Sloan comes galloping to the rescue. Poor Elsie Marie (I love her middle name).

It’s clear that Elsie is slightly mad at Ryan for convincing her brother to stay there – a place Elsie had “nothing”. Ryan still has some feelings for her. And, she also still has that secret crush on him.

Elsie gets a crash course in “parenting” as she takes care of the girls, as well as trying to settle them and her brother in.

Pretty soon Sam and Roy offer to help with the getting the land into a working farm, which causes some laughs when Sam and Roy get stuck. What is it with these two old guys? It’s this scene that I saw and loved the romantic gesture between Ryan and Elsie – especially when he buckles her into a seat “as if he wanted to keep her where he put her”.

Despite, how sweet Ryan is – romance is not on the radar for Elsie. She was married and divorced. Afterwards she took her mother’s advice to heart about love and feelings being inconvenient. But, Caleb sees how Ryan feels about Elsie – though Ryan is realistic, he knows she’ll be returning to the city soon.

Of course, even Roy calls Elsie’ Ryan’s girl, and offers assistance.

Even Breezy and Gail call Ryan “her cowboy”.

While her plans don’t include a prolonged stay, or even a move to Texas; Elsie does get used to having “her” cowboy around. Of course, there is no keeping him.

It also doesn’t help when her nieces start play little matchmakers either. It isn’t like Ryan doesn’t want to – he does, in fact he wants to kiss her.

During a storm, and also in the middle of a lot of work that needs to be done for the festival, it is Ryan who tries telling her to slow down. But, she wants to get back to New York because she feels she is finally living her life, on her terms.

Despite him rescuing her, Elsie is certain she knows what she wants – she thinks it’s in the city.

Ryan knows what, or rather who he wants – but can he really commit outside an arena?

Like most of her novels; Webb infuses family drama, love, a few tears, and humor. There were times I was laughing, times I was crying.

And, speaking of time … I think I read this in RECORD time.

I really couldn’t put this down and read it in nearly one sitting. For the Heartwarming line, the chapters were short which kept me glued and turning page after page. The story was also engaging and fast pace. There was no time it plodded or slugged, and it didn’t feel like the author rushed this either. Normally I don’t read books of this size in a day, but this one I definitely did.  

The two girls were sweet, and I thought “how could Elsie leave them”? I was also wondering about their mother though. Usually in a single-parent type storyline, the absence of a parent is explained.

I’m hoping that is explained in the next story.  

Like the past few visits to Three Springs, there are still some unresolved issues. One is Abby and Wes’ missing wedding planner who absconded with their funds, as well as the treasure hunt that was in the first book.

And, like usual, Webb left some of the plots from this book open as well.

Despite those issues, I’m absolutely looking forward to the next visit to Three Springs. I’ve LOVED watching the town progress from when Abby arrived, as well as getting to know the residents who’ve become like dear friends.

The next book, A Proposal for Her Cowboy, will feature Caleb Sloan. That comes out August 20, 2024.

 

RATING:  

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads  

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub  

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html;update https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2022/07/what-goes-into-my-reviews-2022-edition.html) 

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About the Author

Cari Lynn Webb lives in South Carolina with her husband, daughters and assorted four-legged family members. She's been blessed to see the power of true love in her grandparent's 70 year marriage and her parent's marriage of over 50 years. She knows love isn't always sweet and perfect, it can be challenging, complicated and risky. But she believes happily-ever-afters are worth fighting for. She loves to connect with readers.

Connect with Cari by visiting carilynnwebb.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will win a $25 Amazon gift card and signed copies of 2 backlist books by Cari Lynn Webb!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 26, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 2, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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