The Rancher's Secret Love

Paula Altenburg

May 2019 · The McGregor Brothers of Grand, Montana Book 2 · Tule Publishing

About this ebook

 Could home be 'on the range'?

After teaching at a prestigious university, Luke McGregor is headed home to his family's ranch in Grand, Montana, to help his brothers raise their baby niece and nephews and to help save the struggling ranch. His long-time girlfriend wants no part of playing cowgirl and dumps him fast. Luke commits himself to being home for at least a year and throws himself into family and ranch life. A chance meeting with a beautiful and free-spirited woman and a promising first date makes him wonder if his place is necessarily in a big city.

Plucky Mara Ramos has lived much of her life on the road as a performer, but a dance injury, that permanently sidelines her professional career and ends her fling with a famous pop star, strands her in the middle of Montana. She likes the friendly small town and soon opens a dance studio intent on building a new life for herself. She enjoys inspiring her young students, but she can’t help but feel she needs more. A casual date with an enigmatic, flirty stranger, who is so much more than a cowboy, teases Mara with the possibility of putting down roots and finding a happy every after.

When Luke’s former girlfriend announces she’s pregnant, he's faced with the decision of a lifetime. If he's all about family, can he make a decision that will keep Mara in his life?

Ratings and reviews

Luke has returned home to help raise his nephews and niece. Luke is a professor at a university, where he thought he was happy with his girlfriend, until he asked her to move to the family ranch. Mara has arrived to Grand, Montana to open a dance studio for young kids after a debilitating injury ending her professional dance career. Neither are looking for a relationship but they can’t deny the chemistry between them. Will it last after, Luke has a surprise from his ex-girlfriend. Loved this book. The banter between Luke and Mara was so much fun. This story is all about the importance of family. This is the second book in the series, but can be read as a stand alone. Can’t wait to read the next book!!

Loved this book! Luke is the nerdy college professor and who, along with his two brothers, inherited the family ranch. He committed to spend a year on the ranch to help sort through things and help with raising his niece and nephews, who were orphaned in the same accident that claimed the lives of Luke's parents. The three brothers are woefully unprepared to raise three young children, but are willing to give it their best efforts. When Luke has a chance meeting with Mara, a local dance instructor, his year and the ranch suddenly looks a bit brighter. Neither Luke or Mara are interested in a relationship and are only looking to have fun....until it's not. A complication from Luke's past threatens to tear them apart, they are both forced to make some difficult choices. I really loved Luke's character and how he was constantly struggling to do the right thing, even when all the options are bad. Mara was also a likeable character with a difficult backstory that gave her depth. I found myself totally immersed in their story and wishing for them to get their HEA ending. I'm already looking forward to the last brother's story.

This is the second book in the series. You do not have to have read the first book as the author gives you the enough info for you to follow along so you understand what is going on with the brother from book 1 (although I would recommend reading it). In this book we are getting the studious or more serious of the brothers, Dr Luke McGregor. Luke is a professor and has not worked the land since he was in high school (if he did it much then) because he always had his nose in a book or two. He has come back to the ranch for a year to help out with the death of his parents, brother, & sister-in-law. He and his 2 brothers will take care of the kids. Mara is is a dancer in Grand after a tragic accident. She is teaching dance and learning to be herself again. Luke or Dr Pretty as Mara calls him has to decide if life as an academic or life as a rancher with the kids is the best place for him. Grand Country living or loud big city life? So many decisions to be made and more. Love, Romance and yes dancing!!

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