What do Taylor Foxx’s gas tank and her bank account have in common? They’re both sucking fumes. Taylor needs an assistant, like yesterday. Except she can’t pay an assistant without money. And without an assistant, she can’t be the veterinarian for the wild mustang program. Could Zealand be the answer to her predicament? Ex-Army medic, Zealand Cross, wants to be a paramedic… wants to be a paramedic…
Only he can’t stand the sight of blood.
Joining the Healing Horses therapy program is his last chance to gain control of his flashbacks and move on with his life.
Until he gets kicked out of the program.
Now they’re both in a bind and need to lean on each other.
Despite them both being hell on relationships, their attraction is electric. But when they’re tossed into the battle between the wild mustangs and angry ranchers, someone is going to lose.
And it just may be them.
With Taylor’s life on the line, can Zealand save her? Or will he fail another person that he loves?
Updated cover. Same great read.
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This is the first story I’ve read by this author but I will put her on my watch list now. I enjoyed this since it included so many of my favorite things, cowboy, military man, plenty of issues for most of the characters, plenty of hot romance and mystery. I enjoy broken personalities and when they work their way through life. This delivers that and then some. The main characters both have bad experiences with relationships yet click. They can’t seem to ignore the attraction. The secondary characters also are have issues with involvement. I really appreciate how the author made each characters so individual in their personalities. Not only are Taylor and Zealand strong in their but Mia and Matt kept me wondering if they would work something out. The author kept the pace of the story consistent with different problems and activities going on. I never felt there was a stopping point and it was hard to set down. I have to go check other stories in this series and can’t wait for the next.
Tharp has already won me over with her compelling writing, fascinating storylines and riveting suspense but it is an extra special treat to return to the Lazy S Ranch and its family of cowboys/military veterans. Zealand Cross is new to the Healing Horses program at the Lazy S, and he hopes the therapy program can help quiet his nightmares and lay his ghosts to rest. When his funding for the program gets cut, Zealand, who was a field medic in his past life, becomes the assistant to the new veterinarian in town, Dr. Taylor Foxx.
But Taylor starts out with two strikes against her. She’s lost her savings to a bad investment by a guy who’s now her ex, and the local ranchers don’t like her taking the contract with the Bureau of Land Management to treat the wild mustangs that encroach on their cattle’s grazing land. Taylor had big plans for her vet practice, but it’s all she can do to keep the lights on. She does her best to work with the ranchers, with Zealand assisting her and persuading ranchers to pay for Taylor’s services, but everything changes when the bullets start to fly.
Once again, Tharp delivers an intense, exciting romantic suspense that keeps the reader on the edge of her seat while giving her heart an emotional workout. Taylor and Zealand are perfectly flawed, compelling and relatable, and I was whole heartedly involved in every piece of their story. I loved catching up with the other characters and appreciate the reminder of the struggles our combat men and women face reintegrating into civilian life. If you like a cowboy or military trope with riveting suspense, a little heat and a ton of heart, you’ll love Zealand and Taylor’s story!
*I reviewed an early edition of this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide feedback and receiving no compensation of any kind from any kind.