ARC: Running Wild: The Men from Battle Ridge

Book Title: Runnng Wild: The Men from Battle Ridge (Book 1)
Author: Linda Howard & Linda Jones

Publisher: Random House Publishing
Format: ebook, paperback

Cost: $7.99

Pages: 402

How I got it: Netgalley 

My Rating:★★★★☆
Erotica Rating: N/A
Synopsis:

In book 1 of this steamy new contemporary Western romance series by two blockbuster authors, a cowboy and a woman on the run take a stand and fight for love. Carlin Reed lives in fear, off the grid, moving from place to place. So Battle Ridge, Wyoming, a small town in the middle of nowhere, seems like a good place to lie low for a while. But after becoming cook and housekeeper to cattle rancher Zeke Decker, Carlin suspects that she’s made her first mistake. Rugged, sexy, and too distracting for his own good, Zeke is pure temptation mixed with something deep and primal that makes Carlin feel almost safe. Soon things are getting way too hot in the kitchen. Zeke doesn’t challenge Carlin’s terms: cash, dead bolts, and no questions. It is easy to see that she’s a woman in trouble. Problem is, he’s so blindsided by his attraction to her he can’t think straight. Zeke tries to stay all business, no complications—but that game plan is sabotaged the second Carlin gets under his skin. And when her terrifying past follows her to the ranch, Carlin faces a heartbreaking choice: run away from the man she loves, or put him in the crosshairs of a madman.

My Review:
I love it!!! It's Linda so of course I loved it. Carlin has a stalker, goes on the run & meets the man of her dreams, but because of her previous life she avoids attachments. This town however won't let her; from her boss at the pie shop who helps her out despite all indications that she maybe shouldn't, to the men in town who got to know her slowly over the weeks she was there. Without meaning to slowly Carlin finds that she has become of one them. When summer turns into winter and the pie shop slows down Carlin decided to move on, & her new boss convinces her to take a job close by so she's hidden but still near friends, after some serious convincing she stays even though she and her new boss don't exactly see eye to eye, all due to him calling her a 'stray'.  

I enjoyed the story.  It's pretty amazing to read a character who was well rounded & who rollwd with the punches, she learned to adapt to the changes in her life and did whatever she had to do to stay alive.  Most people never become awaore of the dangers surronding them or what to do when it comes knokcing but Carlin made herself lean. Trying to keep it all together she didn't realize that a burden shared was a burden halved, but when made to fae the fact that those who lvoed her went' going to just stand aside she learned ot take assitance (somewhat).

The 'hero' of the story is a toss up, you could say it was her love interest in the story or well... her.  I really enjoyed reading a book about an average guy, not a former military, not a cop, not a standard rich Dallas type cowboy, but just the average everyday rancher, who was hardworking and a good man.  The romance & the heat between then was off the charts, & well written, it wasn't forced or fake, but nice.  Boy oh Boy was the villain in the story perfectly crazy or what?? A real looney toons basket case, almost makes you not want to date.  

I'm going to stop now ebfore I give it all away, but suffice it to say it's a really good read. clued tot he reader until your done kind of read.  Loved it & can't wait to read the other stories, I'm hoping her frined from the pie shop is next (here's hoping)

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