Series: 7 Brides for 7 Brothers (Book 5)
Former Navy SEAL Max Brannigan is a loner with a strong
protective streak and an ocean of survivor’s guilt that drives him to take
risks no sane man would take. When he gets the news his billionaire father died
and left him a horse farm in Kentucky, he’s busy protecting American military
contractors in a war zone. The first moment he’s able, he’ll fly back to the US
and dispose of the farm. What does a man like him need horses for anyway? Of
all the things his father could have left him, this certainly ranks up there as
the most bizarre.
Elinor Applegate lives for her horses, but life on the
farm isn’t easy. Once-thriving Applegate Farm has fallen on hard times in the
past few years. Only an influx of cash from her mother’s old friend enabled
Ellie to keep the family operation going. All her hopes to turn around the
business and buy back the land lie on the hooves of a colt destined to
greatness. She’s just got to get him there first.
But when sexy, ruthless, infuriating Max Brannigan shows
up, Ellie realizes her troubles are far worse than she thought. He knows
nothing about horses—and he cares less than nothing about her dreams. To Max,
the horses are useless and have to go—in spite of the fact that every encounter
with Ellie only makes him want to drag her into his arms and kiss the fire
right out of her. But Ellie will fight hard to keep her dreams alive, even if
she has to fight dirty. Max has spent most of his life protecting people from
danger—but can he protect himself when Ellie launches a full-scale assault
against the walls surrounding his heart?
Good book. Max is one of seven brothers, each of whom received
odd bequests from their father upon his death. For Max, he was puzzled when he
received the deed to a Kentucky horse farm. As a former SEAL and current
security operative, the last thing he needs is a horse farm. He plans to go to
Kentucky when he can, check the place out, and sell it to raise the money he
needs to start his own security firm.
Ellie is the last living Applegate on the farm that's
been in her family for four generations. She's doing her best to keep the farm
going, helped by a loan from an old friend of her mother's. She has big plans
to pay off the loan, but it's going to take a little time. Time that may have
just run out.
I liked both Ellie and Max. Ellie is hard-working,
determined, and caring. Her farm and the horses mean the world to her. I loved
seeing her with those horses, from the pregnant mare to Champ, the horse who
holds all her hopes and dreams. There are times when it seems that she works 24
hours a day. Ellie also has a big heart. I loved seeing her friendship with
Lacey and the fun they had together. Ellie also watched out for Lacey, who had
issues with an obnoxious ex-boyfriend. I liked Max, too, though there were a
few times I wanted to shake him. Max has a tremendous protective streak that
started when he was a kid. Even though he's a middle brother, he felt he had to
watch over them, especially after their mother died. That protectiveness grew
stronger when he was a SEAL and later as he worked security is world hotspots.
Max has some commitment issues thanks to the way his father withdrew from the
family after his wife's death. He doesn't believe in love, despite seeing four
of his brothers fall.
There were sparks between Max and Ellie from the
beginning. He arrived expecting a farm of racehorses that he could sell for big
bucks, and instead found a bunch of "prancers." This attitude did not
endear him to Ellie. He made it clear from the start that he wants to sell and
move on. Ellie does not just roll over and accept his offer. She is determined
to keep the farm, but that means she has to keep Max from selling it before she
can complete her plans. It was fun to see Ellie push back against Max and to
see his amusement at her misunderstandings of the type of person he is. I
enjoyed watching the attraction build as they learned more about each other. It
wasn't long before they went from adversaries to friends, and from there to
lovers. Max was a bit freaked out by his attraction to Ellie. He has no
intention of sticking around; watching the grass grow would drive him nuts, but
he keeps picturing himself in her future. Ellie knows he doesn't plan to stay
and tries to protect her heart, but her feelings can't be denied. I ached for
both of them at the end as Max tried to run from his emotions. I had to laugh
at his "aha" moment as he finally realized the truth. I liked the
ending and seeing that hint of vulnerability in him as he faced Ellie.
Like his brothers in the other books, Max discovers that
the off-the-wall inheritance wasn't so odd after all. Each son has been given
something that their father believes will help them avoid making the mistakes
he did. Finding out about his mother's connection to Applegate Farm helps Max
see a different side of his father. Seeing Ellie's commitment to the continuation
of her family's traditions also makes him look at the farm from another angle.
I liked seeing the changes he went through as all of these things caused him to
re-examine his life and his plans.
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