WHAT A RANCHER WANTS – Sarah M. Anderson
Texas Cattleman's Club: The Missing Mogul, Book 8
Harlequin Desire #2282
ISBN: 978-0-373-73295-1
February 2014
Series Romance

Royal, Texas – Present Day

After being the prime suspect in Alex Santiago's mysterious disappearance, Chance McDaniel is glad his friend is home, though the other man has amnesia. The suspicions against Chance are still there, so he decides to pay a visit to mend fences with Alex. Once there, he encounters Alex's sister, Gabriella del Toro. The sassy, beautiful woman stirs something inside Chance, but he can't get a chance to talk to her much because her bodyguard is always nearby. But he invites Gabriella (and her guard) to come by his ranch for a ride. Chance wants to win over Alex's family in a quest to convince them he's innocent, but could he also want to get closer to Gabriella?

Sheltered by her controlling father, Gabriella hasn't experienced life outside of her family's compound in Mexico, so this trip to Texas, while it was to check on Alex, is an opportunity to explore the area. Riding the horses on Chance's ranch will also give her the chance to get to know the man and help determine if he is indeed responsible for her brother's disappearance. But Chance's charm has Gabriella finding herself attracted to him. What if he is guilty of being behind what happened to Alex? Is she falling for the enemy?

Gabriella has been protected by her father all of her life, and she is ready to “bust it loose” while visiting Texas. Her brother is having problems remembering them and what happened during his disappearance, so a lot of time she sits around, worrying about him. When Chance shows up on their doorstep, she is intrigued by him, even as she wonders if he is the person responsible for what happened to Alex – all because her brother “stole” Chance's then girlfriend. Chance denies his guilt and, in an effort to prove his trustworthiness, he offers Gabriella a chance to ride his horses at his ranch and get to know him. Time spent alone (or as much as one can when there is a bodyguard present) only deepens the initial attraction between them. But falling for each other is wrong on so many levels, what with Chance being the primary suspect in Alex's disappearance, and Gabriella's inexperience in the matters of love.

WHAT A RANCHER WANTS is the latest book in The Texas Cattleman's Club: The Missing Mogul and readers are learning more about Alex's background and why he's in Texas – could someone have discovered the truth and wanted him out of the way? Chance denies his guilt or that he is still in love with his ex-girlfriend, but is it enough to take his word? While WHAT A RANCHER WANTS is part of the series, we barely see other characters from the prior books, so this could be read alone. But, why miss out on this intriguing series?

Strangers fall in love from nearly the moment they meet in WHAT A RANCHER WANTS, but there's potential distrust right from the start. Will the truth be discovered? Find out in this enjoyable tale you won't want to miss.

Patti Fischer