She Sure Saved a Lot of Horses!

TITLE: Cash (Lucky River Ranch #1)

AUTHOR: Jessica Peterson

PUBLISHER: Bloom Books

PUBLISHING DATE: August 22, 2024

PAGES: 432   

SOURCE: KU

FROM GOODREADS: My dad and I have been estranged for years. But as his only living relative, it’s no surprise I inherit his massive cattle ranch when he dies. Something that is a surprise? The stipulation in his will, which requires me to live on the ranch and actively manage it for a year before I can access my inheritance money. \

I haven’t stepped foot in Hartsville, Texas, population one thousand, since my parents split when I was six. Now a city girl through and through, I never imagined having to move back to cowboy country. But I need the money to invest in my company, and a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. 

There’s just one giant roadblock to my plan: the ranch’s foreman, grumpy cowboy Cash Rivers. I don’t care how good he looks in his Wranglers and chaps. He’s rude, he’s growly, and he wants me gone. I’d fire him in a heartbeat, but I need this cowboy to teach me the ropes of running a ranch. 

We’re enemies from the get-go. But turns out, Cash is really good at this ranch thing. He’s got strong hands, an intelligent mind, and let’s just say everything really is bigger in Texas. Working alongside him leads to conversations beneath the stars. Throw in some cheek-to-cheek dancing at the local dive bar, and it all feels so right that I start to fall in love with life on the ranch. And maybe with him, too. 

But my stay in Hartsville is only temporary. And you know what they say about cowboys: they may break horses, but they also break hearts. If only Cash hadn’t already lassoed mine…

MY THOUGHTS: I was in need of a light-hearted romance as a break from a never-ending buddy read so I picked this up from Kindle Unlimited.  Of course, I'm still missing Yellowstone and wanted to revisit my cowboy era so this seemed like the perfect series to start.  I wasn't wrong.

Mollie hasn't been home to her dad's ranch in years.  At an early age, her parents divorced and her mother basically ruined her for anything cowboy-related, even her father.  However, when he suddenly dies and leaves Mollie his prosperous estate, she sees this as a way to help fund her fashion cowboy boot business.  

Case Rivers has worked for Mollie's dad since he was 20.  When his parents died, leaving him with an aging neighbor ranch and four younger brothers to raise, Mollie's dad basically adopts them all and makes Cash the foreman of his spread.  Along the way, he promises to leave Cash the ranch.  However, all Cash got in the will was a safe deposit box full of family photos of Mollie.

As a condition to the will, city-girl Mollie has to commit to living on the ranch for a year.  She hates the thought but needs the funding.  She is going to have to rely on Cash's assistance, but the main problem is, they can't stand each other. 

I loved this enemies-to-lovers book and let me stress, once they become lovers, these two don't stop. So, if spicy books (I'd say perhaps a 3/5 on that scale) turn you off, don't even start this one.  Mollie was a tad irritating at first, but she quickly grew on my and her character was much deeper than the initial spoiled rich girl she comes across as. And Cash was a perfect grumpy character.  He cares so much for his brother and both ranches and spends so much time looking out for everyone, he doesn't realize how miserable he has become.  Also, an extra perk was the humor in the book.  In the beginning, Mollie and Cash keep talking about offing each other and I found it quite hilarious. 

If you are looking for a fun romance read with a bit of substance, this might just be the book for you.  Heck, I even threw the TBR aside and started book two!

MY RATING: 5 PAWS