Will he break a promise or break her heart?
Colt Vance owes everything he is to the Martin family, which is why he's stayed far, far away for years. But now that Fritz Martin has asked him a favor, he's back in Last Stand facing the one temptation he can't ever give into: his mentor's middle daughter.
Sadie Martin doesn't like Colt Vance, or so she's told
herself for years. He's far too charming and has her father wrapped around his
finger. But Sadie doesn't have a choice except to work with Colt to save her
beloved goat farm.
Working together tests Colt's resolve when it comes to
his attraction to Sadie, and Sadie comes to realize she doesn't just enjoy
Colt's company, she craves it. But Colt can't break the promise he made to
Fritz years ago. Can one tenacious farm girl convince this stubborn cowboy love
is always the answer to any problem?
Good start to the new series. Colt is one of three boys
with troubled childhoods that Fritz Martin and his wife Susannah took into
their home and raised along with their three daughters. Colt was grateful for
the opportunity and determined to prove his worth. He eventually left the farm
and made a name and a fortune for himself in real estate. When Fritz asked Colt
to come home and help save the farm, he did so, but with deep reservations. As
a teen, Colt promised Fritz he would "stay away from his daughters."
That promise became harder to keep, as Colt was drawn to Sadie until he left
the farm to avoid the temptation. Now he's back and afraid that he won't be
able to keep his long-ago promise.
Sadie is Fritz's middle daughter and the one most like
him. She loves the farm and her goats and her father. She is the one that Fritz
has depended on to "do the right thing," i.e. follow his lead and
instructions. She knows the farm is in trouble, but she can't get a straight
answer from her father, and her ideas to help are ignored. Fritz's antiquated
ideas on the roles of women and men frustrate her to no end. When Colt suddenly
returns to partner with Fritz, Sadie is furious. She and Colt have butted heads
since they've known each other and she wants nothing to do with him.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between
Colt and Sadie. Colt has a head start because he already knows he has feelings
for her. Sadie is disturbed by the feelings that Colt's return stirs up in her
and initially increases her antagonism toward him. It doesn't take long for her
to realize that she's going to have to adjust her attitude to have a successful
work relationship with him. Once she lets go of the anger, she discovers that
all those roiled up emotions were caused by her attraction to him. There are
obstacles to overcome, mainly Colt's belief that he isn't worthy of her and his
reluctance to break his promise. I loved Sadie's reaction to that promise and
her determination to confront Fritz with their intentions. An unexpected
complication arose and caused some more angst on Colt's part. I ached for Colt and
his belief that he is at fault and loved Sadie's efforts to break through his
walls. Though Fritz eventually sees the light, I'm not entirely convinced that
he's changed. I liked the ending though it felt a little anti-climactic after
all the problems that came before it.
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