NATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN ROMANCE FICTION AWARDS FINALIST Can a retired Military working dog help bring her former handler and new owner heal from the past and find love together in this perfect read for fans of AJ Pine and Jennie Marts?After an IED ends his military career, Major John Rathborne struggles to re-adjust to civilian life as a veteran. Haunted by the death of his friend, John’s … the death of his friend, John’s determined to find his canine partner, Koda, now retired and re-homed. The last place he expects to find her is on a ranch in Montana where he lands a foreman job and a chance at a new start.
Katie Locke just wants the new guy gone. She doesn’t need some stranger invading her ranch, no matter how much her father insists they need the help. But she can’t ignore John’s brooding presence, and even her dog shares an uncanny bond with him. When her father suffers a heart attack, Katie has no option but to put her differences with John aside to save the future of Three Keys Ranch.
As they slowly find a common bond and their attraction heats up, both realize they must heal from past wounds if they want to explore a relationship. But John hasn’t told Katie about certain parts of his life–including that he and Koda had once been partners. When they learn someone is out to destroy the ranch, and Katie is in their crosshairs, John is determined to protect her at all costs. But can he open his heart enough to save their blossoming relationship? Falling for the boss’s daughter was bad enough, but allowing Katie to see all of him could mean losing everything he’s fought for…including Koda.
Tropes: Enemies to lovers, reluctant hero, boss’s daughter
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This is a new Author to me I found the story to be well written, heartfelt, and I did find I needed to have the Kleenex near. Major John Rathborne comes back to Montana after he is discharged from the military, because of his injuries. His best friend died in his arms that day. He becomes foreman on the Three Keys Ranch where the ranch manager Katie Locke does not want him to be, but when her dad has a heart attack she is glad he is there. I enjoyed seeing this story come together. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
John is ex military suffering PTSD and comes to work for Katie’s father on their ranch along with his dog Koda. They are both suffering from past tragic situations but when her father suffers a heart attack he steps up to keep the ranch going. John wants to help Katie but as some strange things start to happen around the ranch he knows he has to protect Katie. Enjoyed this suspense filled romance.
Complicated characters that experience traumatic events.
It is so hard for career military to enter back into civilian life in a way it is a culture shock and in this piece that is what John is looking at. Katie on the other is a victim who is having problems adjusting to anything new and what is new is John. This is a powerful, heart-wrenching tale about two people both dealing with PTSD. The piece is emotional and has true depth of character within its pages. This is brilliantly written by a very gifted author. I highly recommend this gem. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
This was a great story. It was well written and fast paced. The chemistry between the characters was sizzling hot. This book has everything you need to keep you turning pages hot sexy men, steamy scenes and some conflict thrown in. I cannot wait for what this author writes next.
This book pulls you in from the start and doesn’t let go. John is former military that was hurt in action and goes looking for his partner Koda who is being fostered on a ranch. Katie immediately feels something stir in her soul after meeting John. The storyline flowed smoothly from beginning to the end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
John is a former soldier who was wounded in a battle that also took his best friend. He blames himself and now has to find his way in the civilian world all while trying to overcome emotional, psychological and physical issues. He finds a job on a ranch near his hometown where he works as the foreman. Katie is a former trauma nurse who was physically assaulted at work. She retreats to her father’s ranch to help out and heal. John and Katie are constantly at odds. They both want the same thing, to work the ranch and help it prosper. When danger lurks they must learn to work together.
This is a wonderful story of two people who have been scared by their past trying to heal and move on with life. Both John and Katie must overcome their issues with PTSD, trust issues, and their need to forgive others and themselves. They both are struggling to find their place in the world and their purpose once their lives have been derailed by tragedy. They seem to take two steps forward and one step back until they begin working together and then they must figure out the attraction and feelings they have for one another.
Wynters does a great job of showing what it is like for someone dealing with pasts hurts both physical and emotional. The characters are well written and relatable. She also does a great job of describing the setting making the reader feel like they are right there on the ranch with them. Wynters also weaves in the use of a therapy dog as Katie has a dog to help deal with her anxiety and fear. This same dog was John’s working dog while he was serving overseas.
Overall this is a great book! It has all the elements that someone who loves romantic suspense would be looking for. There is romance, mystery, intrigue and the heartfelt issues each character is dealing with. I definitely recommend this book.
The book is a good western romance read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry. The story is an enjoyable sweet romance read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I just finished reading Hearts Unleashed (Three Keys Ranch Book 1) by Paris Wynters and wow!!! What a fantastic book! This book was about Katie and John. Katie worked on her father’s farm in accounting and John was hired as the new ranch hand. Both of them have had some horrific things happen in their lives and were just trying to move on and survive. They really did not get along at all at first. But something happened and their relationship shifted so to say. Both were not eager for a relationship because of their physical and emotional scars. But love has a way of sneaking up on you and that is what happened to Katie and John. It was such an emotional book. I really felt for the characters and even cried at one point. I love a book that just pulls me in when reading and that is this book. Yes, there is drama and yes there is romance and yes there is happiness and most of all is love. I received this book in exchange for an honest opinion. I loved it and highly recommend reading it!!
Katie and John are brought together by Koda. An unlikely way and definitely not what Katie was looking for. But then again, love does not always show up the way we expect it to.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really was looking forward to reading this book. Unfortunately, it turned out that I couldn’t stand the female MC and was iffy on the male MC. I found Katie to be obnoxious, vicious, disrespectful, and just downright unlikable. While some of her response could be passed as her PTSD, it was over the top. I wasn’t sure how I felt about John. On one hand, his reaction to his PTSD seemed appropriate, he did let Katie be basically abusive towards him. Apologizing doesn’t make it so it didn’t happen. And lusting after the one heaping abuse on your head, for no reason you know of, makes no sense.
I also felt that not recognizing the other also had PTSD when each had such visible and strong episodes in front of the other was implausible. I simply lost all interest in the story as I pushed through.
2 stars because it was a great and original concept.
The characters Katie and John were such a great couple. They helped each other mend. It was a good read, well written, interesting, great storyline. I recommend it to all. I received it as an arc and voluntarily left my review.
Wow…just WOW!! I give this book ALL the stars!!! The struggles and changes John and Katie went thru made you feel like you were experiencing them as well. This is not just another love story, but one of true sacrifice and honor. Get your tissues ready because your heart strings will be tugged. Mama D could have been bitter but I just love her attitude and conviction in how she chose to comfort when she lost so much!! Story for Mitch and Linda next??
I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Paris Wynters does a great job of showing different sides of PTSD and the effects it can have. She also shows how live can help heal. Koda is the heroine in this story. She brings together her former Army handler and her new civilian owner. She even helps save them from a madman. Very well done.
I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
While I haven’t finished the book yet I’d still give it not five but twenty-five stars. Paris Wynters has written a touching romance that will not only take you on a journey with two people with PTSD; but also show you the path to forgiveness as not many others can portray it. I can relate to both characters in different ways. Mostly with John’s character as I also am a vet and greatly understand his trouble with others taking his being blunt wrong and getting offended. It’s not often an author grabs me this fast and makes me want to read instead of just scan reading a book. To me if you can do that your tops! Keep them coming.
This is a well written book with strong characters and an emotional story line. The author does a great job developing the characters and story with her detailed scenes and pulls you in with the struggles both Katie and John are dealing with. She does a wonderful job bringing the two together with a realistic and heartfelt story that captured and held me from start to finish. I loved this book and highly recommend reading.
I requested a free review copy of this book through StoryOrigin and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Unable to put the book down. Both Katie and John kept pulling on my emotions. Book actually brought me to tears and to me that’s a sign of the author’s excellent writing ability.
I requested a free review copy of this book through StoryOrigin and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I have to say, love the fact the author included a military working dog. Also, John’s PTSD felt very real and are things I’ve seen in my own friends. I was shocked at the approach the author took with Katie’s PSTD expression, and at first I didn’t care for her, but I reminded myself PTSD is expressed in different ways and when I looked it up online Katie expresses it in a realistic way, one not written about enough so kudos to the author for bringing in a different side not really seen.
When an IED kills his best friend and leaves John Rathborne with a career ending injury, he struggles with PTSD as well as adjusting to military life. He makes it his mission to find his military dog, Koda, who was mistakenly given to a civilian family to adopt in the hopes to return a bit of normalcy to his life. When he discovers Koda is living in a ranch in Montana, John applies for the job of foreman in the hopes of not only finding his lost dog, but making a new start.
Katie Locke was brutalized at the hands of an unknown attacker and struggles with the traumas and fears left over from that attack. Her new dog, Koda, helps to ease those moments of panic and helps her get through her day to day duties on the ranch by being by her side. The last thing she needs is a stranger showing up to destroy the little piece of mind she has.
Katie truly wants nothing to do with John and can’t quite understand why Koda has warmed up to him so quickly. John has hidden his past from Katie and her father in the fear that they will fire him, when he not only needs this job, but also needs to be around Koda. When Katie’s father has a heart attack, however, she must gather her courage and put her trust in John to save the ranch she so dearly loves.
All is not as it seems, however, and danger lurks in ways that Katie and John can’t even imagine, as someone is definitely out to get the ranch, and will stop at nothing until they have it. It’s up to John to discover the threat before it’s too late.
Hearts Unleashed was truly a beautiful story of healing. Both John and Katie are suffering from PTSD and, as readers, we see just how debilitating the fears and flashbacks can be. Koda is the thread that binds both together. Her love, loyalty and support offer both a steadiness that they are currently missing in their lives.
Both Katie and John are extremely independent people and their chemistry sparks immediately, even though they both dance around it for a time not willing to explore what is before them. I enjoyed watching them learn about one another and come to respect their boundaries and gain an understanding of how what they both were going through and how to work through it, first as co-workers, then as friends and finally, as something more. It’s a fabulous slow burn with enough suspense to really keep readers invested and turning page after page. 4.5 stars.
This story is beautiful, heart-wrenching, and makes you feel like its a true story. For Paris’s Debut Novel I can see her going places in the future. I know I will be a reader for life. The way Paris portray’s PTSD in a soldier couldn’t be more spot on.
John is back after being medically discharged from the military. Trying to make his way in the civilian world after an IED blew his world to shreds including his body. He’s broken in more ways than one. Physical damage, PTSD, as well as thinking he’s not good enough for anyone or anything. Katie is the rancher’s daughter. She’s tough as nails and doesn’t take any bull from anyone. But like John shes broken as well.
With John now head foreman on her ranch little things start happening around it. Will John be able to keep Katie safe or will his past and the secrets he’s keeping get him fired and leave Katie alone?
John and Katie don’t like one another from the beginning but through this entire read, you feel like you are part of the relationship as it grows. The connection they have is noticeable from the beginning but they are both so stubborn and bullheaded it takes them a little while to come into it. I cannot wait to see what Paris brings us next.