The Rancher's Proposal

Paula Altenburg

Sep 2019 · The McGregor Brothers of Grand, Montana Book 3 · Tule Publishing

About this ebook

She said she'd never rely on a man again...

Never say never. When meek and mild Posey Davies calls it quits on her toxic marriage, she grabs her two-year-old daughter and runs. Her flight lands her in Grand, Montana, a community happy to take her in and even happier to nose about in her life and her unfortunate past. 

The cowboy next door, Zack McGregor, has “good time,” written all over him. He’s only home for a year to help out his older brother, who’s guardian of their sister’s children. Zack is kind, funny and oh-so-easy on the eyes. He’d be perfect, but the practical Posey predicts Zac will disappear as soon as winter sets in. 

Zack’s not as laid back and fun loving as he seems. He’s all about family and doing what’s right. When Posey’s deadbeat ex-husband begins making demands, Zack insists on playing protector. 

Posey’s never had anyone stand up for her before and soon realizes that perhaps relying on this man and trusting in love is well worth the risk.

Ratings and reviews

This is a heartwarming light read with lovable characters that you really end up rooting for. I must, however, say that this is the third and last of this series and although I enjoyed this as a standalone, I wish I had read the first two before this one, because it would give more context to the relationships, and Jake and Luke's stories, which are alluded to. I am going to grab the others to read and fill in the gaps. So if you have not already read the first two, I would definitely suggest you do before this. I have not read this author's work before, and I like her light touch with words, her narrative flows very easily, and she builds character well.

The lives of the three bachelor McGregor’s brothers changed drastically when their parents , sister and brother in law are killed in a plane accident. Three young children are left orphan. The brothers drop everything in order to take care of them. While struggling with the ranch and being parents, Luke and Jake have already found a significant other. This time , the story belongs to Zach McGregor, the youngest of the brothers and the “fun” uncle. When a woman with her young child moves next door, he’s enchanted by her. Posey, recently divorced, has been hurt deeply, and trust is something that she doesn’t give lightly, especially to a man. It was sweet watching how Zach was determined to help her , while still encouraging Posey to find herself . The story is at times heartbreaking , at other times heartwarming. It’s also a story about family, children dealing with the loss of their parents , domestic abuse and trust. Will Zach be able to show Posey that she can trust and love someone , without losing her identity or will fear keep her from finding her HEA? A sweet addition to this series. I was entrusted a copy of this book by Tule Publishing. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Posey Davies is determined to give her and her two-year-old daughter a new start far away from her abusive ex-husband. She’s been content to stay to herself until the handsome cowboy next door comes around. Zack’s back home helping care for his recently orphaned niece and nephews. When his new neighbor and her adorable young daughter catch his eye, he’s determined to bring a bit of sunshine back into their lives. At first, Posey’s resistant—determined to not let another man in—although with her ex-husband threatening her, Zack’s determined not to let another person her loves get hurt. Will Zack be able to win her trust and her heart? Posey’s been through a lot; not only with her abusive ex-husband but with the loss of her mother at a young age, being ignored by father, and the slights her uncle has thrown at her. She’s a bit defeated but she’s not going to give up. While I felt for Posey, I spent much of the book not liking her. She’s too stuck in her own head so whenever Zach did something kind for her or told her he was falling for her, she would come up with these excuses of why he couldn’t like her for her. I really liked Zack. He was just one of those all-around good guys who is willing to give up everything to put family first. He’s suffering the loss of his parents, sister, and brother-in-law and figuring out how to help raise his orphaned niece and nephews but instead of wallowing in his grief, he’s determined to ensure the kids are raised without a black cloud hanging above them. And when he sees that Posey’s hiding and withdrawing, he does everything in his power to make sure she and her daughter are safe and happy. The romance was a little one-sided at times. There’s no doubt that Zack’s all in; he’s head over heels, but Posey’s stuck in the past—and in her head—so she needs some time to figure it out. For me, Posey’s reluctance was starting to get a little old. I mean, I understood where she was coming from, but she could have gave Zack a break sooner. For the most part, I enjoyed the book. It had its heavy moments but it had its fun and charming moments as well giving it a nice balance. The only thing that seemed a bit off was Posey’s actions after the confrontation between Zack and her ex-husband. She was the one who called Zach when her ex said he was coming over then she acted all odd. So, this one is the third book in the series, but it reads brilliantly on its own. Overall, I enjoyed this one. It was a quick read and I look forward to reading the previous books in the series. I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.