Series:
Bravo Family Ties: The Next Generation (Book 4)
Could a wild Wyoming summer bring healing for the
holidays?
Divorced workaholic Maddox Hale is ready to be the dad
his kids deserve. But when a visit to his injured father's ranch brings the
jaded tycoon face-to-face with nurse Sarah Bravo, his plan goes awry. She's
fresh from running a free clinic in the wilds of Bolivia -- too young, too
independent and too beautiful by far. She's not interested in Maddox's alpha
rules or attitude. In fact, their only commonality is their off-the-charts
chemistry. Mixing business with pleasure is a terrible idea. Until Maddox and his
two children worm their way into Sarah's heart…
Terrific book. Maddox Hale grew up on the ranch next to
the Bravos but couldn't wait to leave Medicine Creek behind. He's now a successful
businessman, thanks to his workaholic ways. For the same reason, he is divorced
and hasn't been much of a dad to his two kids. He plans to right that wrong by
spending the summer on the family ranch with his kids. Those plans alter when
his father breaks his leg, and Maddox goes home early to care for him. First on
the agenda is to hire a nurse to supervise Fergus while he heals.
Sarah Bravo is home recovering from an injury sustained
while running a free clinic in Bolivia. She is saving money to get her Master's
in nursing, and when she hears of the opening at the Hale ranch, she applies.
The story starts with a bang as Maddox and Fergus
interview potential nurses. Feisty Fergus isn't thrilled with any of them until
Sarah shows up. He knows Sarah well and likes her. Maddox is not as
enthusiastic. She's too young, too pretty, and too much of a possible
distraction. I laughed out loud at the conversation between Maddox and Fergus
as they debated hiring her. Obviously, Fergus wins.
I enjoyed watching Maddox and Sarah's relationship develop. Their attraction is evident from the start, but there are obstacles. Nursing ethics prohibit Sarah from getting personally involved with a patient or a patient's family member. Maddox has no plans to marry again. However, discussions during late-night swims encourage a closeness neither expected, and the attraction becomes harder to
resist.
Giving in to the attraction for the summer is one thing,
but what happens when Sarah wants more? Maddox's past convinces him that he is
unworthy of love, and nothing will convince him otherwise. I loved seeing Sarah
stand up for herself and her needs. Maddox earned his misery when he walked
away from what he had with Sarah. Some well-meaning interference from Fergus leads
to an unexpected twist that motivates Maddox to take a chance. I loved the
ending.
Fergus was my favorite secondary character. Nothing gets
him down for long. The story behind his broken leg is hilarious, and I loved seeing
him deal with the consequences. Maddox's kids were great. I liked the realism
of RJ's issues with his father's neglect and Maddox's determination to redeem
himself.
