The Ryan Family, Book 1
From the publisher:
From the bestselling author of Queen of Cowboy: regrets and old heartbreaks are unearthed in this sweeping love story as hometown sweethearts get a second chance at love—and being a family.
Retired combat medic Jesse Ryan hasn’t been home much since he enlisted twenty years ago. Now he’s headed back to Texas to help take care of his aging foster parents and run Sunflower ranch. But when he gets there, he finds his parents’ live-in nurse is Addison Hall, his high school best friend and the woman he always regretted leaving behind after their one steamy night together before he shipped out. He’s not at all surprised that their chemistry is still sparking, but Jesse is shocked to learn Addy gave birth to a little girl about nine months after he left—his little girl.
Addy has her hands full as a single mom of a nineteen-year-old daughter who suddenly wants to rebel at everything. The last thing she needs is Jesse Ryan complicating her life even further, especially since she’s always had a crush on the handsome cowboy. But the more time she spends with Jesse, the more she wonders what might happen if they finally let their friendship blossom into something more and became the family she’d always hoped for.
Includes the bonus novella Small Town Charm for the first time in print!
Brown writes several different series, but I especially enjoy her cowboy romances. In this story, the romance is centered around Jesse, a cowboy that enlisted and served in the Air Force. Twenty years in and he’s retiring, just in time to come home and help his aging parents with the family ranch. Addy was his best friend growing up, and they finally spent the night together his last night at home before leaving for the service. Addy never told him that she got pregnant that night.
When he returns home it’s to find Addy and her 19 year old daughter living on the ranch. Addy is a nurse, and after Jesse’s dad had a couple of strokes, they asked her to stay on so he would have a nurse nearby. She also helps out on the ranch along with her daughter, who also works there.
It doesn’t take Jesse long to do the math and figure out who the baby daddy is. But it takes a lot longer to rekindle the romance with Addy. There is a lot of family drama before Jesse and Addy get their happy ending. But the journey to get there is fun, and at times, emotional. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to the next Ryan Family book.
7/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
SECOND CHANCE AT SUNFLOWER RANCH by Carolyn Brown. Forever (July 27, 2021). ISBN: 978-1538735619. 400 pages.
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