For three generations, the Carson and Sohappy families of Lone Rock, Oregon have been at odds because of a strip of land between their ranches, which was allegedly gambled and lost in a poker game. The feud is still very much alive between Juniper Sohappy and Chance Carson, who have been enemies since they were children. Despite their animosity, when EMT Juniper finds an injured Chance passed out in a field, she takes him to her nearby cabin and diagnoses him with a concussion. She's trying to figure out what to do with him when he wakes up and claims not to recognize her or even remember his own name. Because of the history between their families, Juniper is sure Chance is playing some kind of trick on her, but she decides to play along. She even tests him by pretending that he's a ranch hand who works for her, but he doesn't change his story. He really is suffering from amnesia, so she continues the ruse. Over the next few days, Juniper gets to know a different side of Chance than she's seen before, and it's difficult for her to resist his charm. When he regains his memory, can their new understanding help put the feud between their families to rest, or will Juniper's deception only make things worse?
The setup for this book really intrigued me because of the family feud angle, but unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped. I was kind of bored by the first half of the book because it didn't seem like much was happening, and the chemistry between Juniper and Chance was pretty lacking. I would have liked to see a confrontation between them before he lost his memory to get a sense of their usual dynamic, because while he had amnesia, they got along a little too well IMO. The second half of the book was better because Chance had regained his memory and the sparks between him and Juniper really started to fly.
What really bothered me about the book, however, was that it seemed as if Juniper's sister Shelby was slut-shaming her because she'd been with more than one man in her life. On multiple occasions, Shelby made snide comments about Juniper's experience compared to her own, because she had married her high school sweetheart. Just because that was Shelby's experience doesn't make her the morality police, and I really could have done without the commentary.
Overall, I had mixed feelings about "The Rancher's Forgotten Rival" and am undecided on continuing with the series. I do think it will appeal to at least some fans of cowboy romance, however.
Overall, I had mixed feelings about "The Rancher's Forgotten Rival" and am undecided on continuing with the series. I do think it will appeal to at least some fans of cowboy romance, however.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
About "The Rancher's Forgotten Rival"
Will amnesia turn these enemies into lovers? Find out in the first Carsons of Lone Rock novel by New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates.
Welcome to Lone Rock, Oregon’s Wild West.
Chance Carson is the one man in Lone Rock who gets Juniper Sohappy all riled up. His family is ranching royalty. He’s arrogant, insufferable and obnoxiously charming—she’ll keep her distance, thanks. But when Juniper finds him on her property, injured and without his memory, she saves his life…and sort of lets him believe he’s her ranch hand. Making the entitled rancher work a little is one thing…but actually liking the man is another. Falling for him? No way. And yet the passion between them is as undeniable as it is unexpected. Will it survive the truth?
Welcome to Lone Rock, Oregon’s Wild West.
Chance Carson is the one man in Lone Rock who gets Juniper Sohappy all riled up. His family is ranching royalty. He’s arrogant, insufferable and obnoxiously charming—she’ll keep her distance, thanks. But when Juniper finds him on her property, injured and without his memory, she saves his life…and sort of lets him believe he’s her ranch hand. Making the entitled rancher work a little is one thing…but actually liking the man is another. Falling for him? No way. And yet the passion between them is as undeniable as it is unexpected. Will it survive the truth?
Read an Excerpt from "The Rancher's Forgotten Rival"
“You know, I take people to the hospital every day,” she said. “They don’t just go there to die. They go there to be healed. I understand that there can be bad traumatic memories connected to that. But… But the hospital can be a good thing.”
“Logically I know that. But…”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry that the first memory you’re having is so sad.”
“I think it’s probably the strongest one I have. Because I think I felt that sadness inside of me before I ever saw her face. What a hell of a thing. That I almost died. Out there in the field. When…”
“When what?” she whispered.
“My parents have been through enough,” he said. “She must’ve been my sister.”
“Oh.” The word left her body in a gust.
He knew what it was like to lose someone. He was…human.
Just the same as she was.
Just the same as they all were.
The Carsons and Sohappys weren’t so different.
She was hoping he might see that during this time, but she hadn’t expected it would be her own lesson.
She…she had never heard anything about that and she didn’t know why he thought it. Or if it was true. And it still settled hard in her chest.
He was getting way too close to remembering things, and it was getting… Dicey. It was one thing to think that she wanted to endear herself to him this way, but him sharing something personal like this, something he never would’ve shared otherwise, it felt like a violation. And she had never thought that she would feel like she violated Chance Carson. But this was different. The situation with his sister.
No. He had a sister. And she was alive and well.
Callie Carson was much younger than him, and she had gone off and married a rodeo cowboy who lived in Gold Valley.
But the way he was talking about it, it sounded like he was younger.
She felt hungry for more, but at the same time she didn’t want to press him. For so many reasons, but maybe the biggest one was her heart felt so tender right now. For him.
That wasn’t supposed to happen.
“All right,” he said.
He stood up, and she stood at the same time, ready to take his bowl from him.
“I can take the dishes.”
“Oh no, that’s okay,” he said, and she put her hand on the bowl, and her fingertips brushed his, and their eyes locked.
And she felt a frisson of something magical go through her. Something hot and delicious and sticky like cayenne honey, flowing all the way through her veins.
And she could hardly breathe around it. She could hardly think. All she could do was stare. And feel the thundering rhythm of her heart, like a herd of wild mustangs, the kind that you could find out here in Eastern Oregon, and she was sure that he could hear it too.
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