IN THE RANCHER'S ARMS – Kathie DeNosky
Rich, Rugged Ranchers Series
Harlequin Desire #2223
ISBN: 978-0-373-73236-4
April 2013
Series Romance

On a Ranch in Wyoming – Present Day

While Victoria “Tori” Anderson isn't like the old-fashioned mail order bride from the 1800's, she comes pretty close since wealthy rancher Eli Laughlin advertised online for a woman with ranching experience to become his wife. Tori sort of lied to him when she said she had experience. She was desperate to get out of North Carolina after the financial scandal that destroyed her world and left her penniless. But it doesn't take long for Eli to realize that Tori wasn't being truthful to him, yet instead of sending her packing, he's intrigued by her. Surely he can't be having these stirrings of lust for a woman he just met—and married in one day? Should he dig a little deeper into her past to see exactly why she quickly accepted a proposal of marriage to a man she'd never met before?

Eli's life is pretty much an open book as one of the richest ranchers in the area, and now that he's reached his thirties he's decided it's time to get married. Since he's so busy on the ranch, he advertises online—in an ad that looks almost like a help wanted posting. To his surprise, Tori answers and accepts his conditions, one of which is that while they marry right away once she arrives in Wyoming, they must wait thirty days before consummating their marriage. If things don't work out during the thirty days, then she is sent away with compensation for her time. Eli thought it wouldn't be a problem to spend the time getting to know Tori, but soon he's having lustful thoughts about her, ready to break the thirty day rule. Her carefully concealed secrets intrigue him, enough that he hires an investigator to look into her past. How will Eli react when he learns Tori was recently embroiled in a financial scandal that rocked the nation?

After being ignored by her father and trying whatever she could do to get his attention, all Tori wants now is to let the past stay dead. She's innocent of any involvement in the scandal, but her life was tainted enough that she had her name changed and immediately began looking for a way out of town. Eli's offer of marriage and life on an isolated Wyoming ranch intrigued her, and she went for it. So what if she doesn't know what bucket babies are or how to ride a horse? But it is the man himself that throws her for a loop. Eli is sexy and desirable, and makes her womanly needs stir. She knows she has to tell him the whole truth about her background, but how will he react?

Eli and Tori are learning about each other and slowly fall in love in Kathie DeNosky's IN THE RANCHER'S ARMS. They're in for a surprise when they meet for the first time, and get married two hours later. Has love found a match between Eli and Tori? IN THE RANCHER'S ARMS is heartwarming, and the chemistry between our couple sizzles, making it a compelling tale that readers don't want to miss.

Patti Fischer