Publisher's Weekly Review
Ryan's Montana Men series launch, a follow-up to the Hunted series, precisely balances romance and suspense. Heiress Ella Wolf overhears the murder of her twin sister, Lela, by their uncle, Phillip. She escapes to the family ranch in Montana, hoping to find whatever Lela had that was worth killing for. After she's stranded in a snowstorm on the country roads, rancher Gabe Bowden rescues her. Gabe had planned his future around buying Wolf Ranch from Phillip, but he's shocked to learn about the murder, and he admires Ella's grit and determination to take Phillip down in the midst of her grief. As the city girl and the country boy get closer, they explore both their growing feelings and Ella's past, searching for a way to rescue both of their lives from Phillip's machinations. However, the realistic dangers of a Montana winter and the intensity of Ella's quest are let down by unnecessary, manufactured romantic tension and an absurdly cartoonish villain. Agent: Eric W. Ruben. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Ryan, author of the popular the Hunters and McBride series, launches a new run with the first Montana Men novel. Ella Wolf flees Manhattan after Lela, her identical twin, is murdered in the wake of a conflict with their uncle Phillip. Ella heads to the family ranch in Montana, but she is assaulted on her way there and left injured on the side of the highway in a blizzard. She is rescued by former rodeo star Gabe Bowden, who thinks she's Lela, and who, it turns out, has a contract to buy the ranch from Phillip. As a celebrity often in the tabloids, Ella finds it hard to keep a low profile while she tries to discover what Lela found out that led to her murder. Meanwhile, Gabe and Ella experience a passionate attraction that they fear can go nowhere because of their vastly different lives and ambitions. A smart heroine, a caring hero, high stakes, and a suspenseful plot make for an entertaining read.--Tixier Herald, Diana Copyright 2015 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Ella Wolf and her twin sister, Lela, were orphaned when they were 14 years old. Since then they have been groomed, by their uncle and guardian, to take over their father's multimillion-dollar company, at age 25, just a few weeks away. When Ella receives a mysterious call from her sister in which she can hear Lela arguing with Uncle Phillip, Ella rushes home just in time to see her uncle shoot and kill Lela. In shock, Ella grabs her sister's purse and suitcase that are sitting just inside the door and sneaks out before her uncle sees her. Ella heads to the last place she knows her sister had been, their ranch in Montana, to see if she can figure out what is happening. Gabe Bowden has invested every dime he saved from his years on the rodeo circuit into purchasing the house and property next door to his, along with a herd of cattle, to see if he can make a go of ranching. It's winter in Montana, and Gabe almost runs over a mysterious lump on the snow-packed road. It turns out to be a beautiful young woman, one who poses a threat to his future as a ranch owner. However, the protective feelings that she evokes in him make it impossible for Gabe to turn his back on her, even at the potential cost to his plans. Verdict Ryan's (Dylan's Redemption; Falling for Owen) "Montana Men" series is off to a thrilling start. A little mystery, some danger, and a hunky cowboy hero to the rescue make for a wild ride!-Lisa M. Jordan, Johnson Cty. Lib., Overland Park, KS (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.