LESSONS IN LASSOING Though marine hero Benjamin Graham doesn’t know the first thing about ranching, his new job is the lifeline he desperately needs. Without the help of feisty cowgirl Emily Davis, though, he’s lost–in more ways than one. But as their attraction turns combustible, the hardened battle vet turns away from the gorgeous college coed. She might know every inch of her family’s … family’s homestead, but Graham doesn’t want her to know his pain. Even if the world is Emily’s oyster, all she’s ever wanted is the family ranch. And though rugged new ranch hand Graham seems like an unlikely trainee, he is taking her dreams of running the ranch more seriously than anyone else. As they grow closer during hot days–and nights–working the range, Emily starts to think that maybe the ranch is only a piece of her dream…
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Good book. Graham left the Marines after eight years, burned out on the things he’d seen and done. But coming home wasn’t the answer either. He spent time putting his business degree to use but still felt unsettled and lost. Then his uncle offered him a job as a ranch hand, something he knew nothing about. The night before reporting into work, Graham stopped at a local bar, but still felt out of place among the college kids and young soldiers who were there. On his way out he came to the rescue of a young woman having trouble with her ex.
Emily stopped at the bar to meet friends before going back to her last semester of college. She was already bummed because the last thing she wanted was to go back to school. Being accosted by her ex was the icing on the cake. Things looked up when she met Graham, who backed her up without being obnoxious about it.
I loved this first encounter between Graham and Emily. Graham noticed Emily right away and was bowled over by her. He was watchful during her conversation with her ex and thoroughly enjoyed seeing her deal with him. I loved Graham’s understated intervention. Emily’s reaction to Graham was just as strong as she made her attempt to thank him for his help. When a fight broke out in the bar, Graham’s protective instincts kicked in and he got Emily and others to a safe spot. Unable to leave, Graham and Emily spent the time talking.
It was unusual to have more than half of the book take place in the first few hours of when Emily and Graham met. There was a connection between them from the moment they met, in spite of the eight years age difference. I loved how easy they found it to talk to each other about anything and everything. Graham told her about his upcoming job as a ranch hand, his lack of experience and his determination to make a go of it. Emily told Graham all about her frustration with her family’s refusal to accept what she wants from her life. I loved how Graham was able to help Emily see that she could stand up for herself and go after her dreams. As they talked, the attraction between them grew and added to the connection they felt. By the time the night was over, they had plans to meet again. They did not expect it to be so soon.
I ached for both Graham and Emily when they did. Graham had just finished getting settled, dealing with the obnoxious young cowboy who was “training” him. This scene made me laugh, to see this young punk try to pull stupid tricks on a man like Graham. Graham was also dealing with the sneaking suspicion that the ranch he was on was the one owned by Emily’s family and that he had just taken the job she wanted. Emily’s shock at seeing Graham was real, as was her anger when she realized what had happened. I hurt for her as all the plans she made were shot down one by one, leaving her stuck with her family’s expectations after all. There was a good scene where she intervened with Sid’s hazing of Graham, which also led to another instance of her standing up for herself and her goals. I loved seeing Graham help her see that she could still make her dreams work; she simply had to make some adjustments. It was so sweet to see Graham show her what she couldn’t see for herself.
The end of the book came in kind of a rush. I liked the scene at the roundup, where it was clear that Graham was settling in well. He was obviously accepted by her cousins, Luke and Trey. The progression of the relationship between Graham and Emily was alluded to in his thoughts about their calls and video chats, but not elaborated on. I loved the final scene with Emily’s graduation and the twist that she and Graham added to it.