Meant to be (Whisper Creek 5) by Maggie McGinnis
I have to say I just love Maggie McGinnis’ writing! She is my go to author when I need a sweet, heartwarming and fun romance novel. I’ve read Unlucky in Love (Whisper Creek 4) and absolutely loved it, and just had to read the next in this fabulous series. The characters are heartwarming, sweet, and the guys calendar hot. I loved being transported into their world at the Montana ranch, and the story of Shelby and Cooper... their story is original, emotional, and heartwarming. I loved the characters, the story, and the authors solid writing. This can be read as a stand alone novel. As for me, I can’t wait to go back and read the first three in the series. Maggie McGinnis has become one of my favorite sweet romance authors.
** I’d like to give a special thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Loveswept for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. **

I have not read any other books by this author. This book was a very easy read & kept me captivated the whole way through! I loved the characters! I can't wait to start reading more books by this author now!

Nice contemporary romance. They're both running from their present and analyzing how their pasts brought them to this point. She's famous, feels like a sell-out and just loss her dad. He's an honest cop, disgraced and suffering for crimes he didn't commit. They both find what they need at Whisper Creek and in one another.

There is some pretty serious subject matter on the periphery , but the author does a good job of not trivializing the severity while not letting the subject matter bring the story down.

If such things matter to you, the book has profanity but no sex scenes, although there is some talk about the act.

I received an ARC of this book, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This series has been amazing. I love the calendar and the cowboys and the small-town, ranch living. This specific book had two fantastic main characters - Shelby was hurting and sweet and Cooper was perfect for her. Their conflict was a little manufactured, but I still loved the whole story. Cooper's sister was a great addition to the cast of characters as well.

Shelby Quinn is lost. Her life has been crumbling for years. She doesn't know who she is anymore. All this then her dad is killed in a airplane crash on his way to come and help her. She's hit the bottom. For years other people have been telling her what to do and how to act. She's been a music business puppet for her record label. They tuck her into Whisper Creek Ranch which for her is the middle of nowhere. She's supposed to hide and collect herself before hitting what is to be the last leg of her final tour. Cooper Davis is doing his own hiding out at Whisper Creek. Things went to hell in a hand basket in his hometown of Boston where he was a cop. He uncovered some bad things and somehow he's been turned into the bad guy. His life and career are ruined and his dad has basically disowned him. All he's got is his Whisper Creek family and his 14 year old sister and maybe he's got Shelby too. These two character's couldn't be father apart in their public lives but in their private lives they match each other perfectly. Cooper is there to protect Shelby but she wants to return the favor when he's called back to Boston. An interesting book with awesome characters. It was fun to watch Cooper win over Shelby. Gaining her trust isn't easy but once he does her loyalty to him is endless. Great read!

Find out more about Maggie McGinnis and this series here www.maggiemcginnis.com

Maggie McGinnis is quickly becoming one of my go-to, favorite contemporary romance writers. In this story, we return to beautiful Montana, to the Whisper Creek ranch and the handsome cowboys that work there. The town of Carefree, MT that has been created, it so idyllic and charming; it makes you want to hop on the next plane to visit. The characters that have been created are so warm and friendly, yet funny and astute. This is Cooper's story, the former cop who escaped his former life in Boston and found a degree of peace on this charming ranch. Cooper was involved in a scandal that sent him fleeing for normalcy and Shelby is just the women to make him whole again. Shelby is escaping her own misery. She is a pop-star in hiding, recovering from the sudden death of her father and the pressures of a stardom she isn't sure she wants anymore. As always, I enjoy the sweet and sexy writing of Ms. McGinnis, which is always mixed with a certain amount of humor and overall charm. These are the perfect weekend reads for anyone who loves a happily ever after story.

I received a copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Shelby is a popstar and knows shes is past her prime. When her father passes away in a tragic plan crash and things start to fall apart for her. Now shes on a metal health break with a dude ranch under the radar until she can get herself straight. Cooper is one of the men at the dude ranch settled there for a quiet life after dealing with a whole set of problem. Now he's stuck watching over Shelby as a sort of body guard. Little did they expect to fall for one another just when things come crashing down with each of them having their own set of problems.

I liked this book had everything I find myself enjoying in a contemporary romance, especially when it comes with the complicated guys. I loved their chemistry. I loved seeing Cooper get in better spirits as well as watching the meddling people of the ranch take their part. I enjoyed the characters and seeing what intimately ended up landing both of them in the situations of being at the ranch and what happened after when their problems came. I loved that ending, loved it! It was so sweet and cute. Overall pretty good book I really enjoyed it.

Loved, loved, loved this novel! This is the first Maggie McGinnis novel I've read and I can't wait to go back and read the other novels in the series. I enjoyed the interaction between all the characters, the witty banter, the "super detective abilities", everything really!

Shelby, aka Tara, is a "washed up" pop star who's father has passed away. Her father was her WORLD and she doesn't know how she'll go on without him. She's twenty-eight years old, doesn't have any friends, doesn't know how to cook, and has someone who has made EVERY decision for her over the last twelve years. She's so "lost", she doesn't even recognize herself anymore. Her assistant thinks she's on the verge of a breakdown, so she sends her away to Montana's Whiskey Creek Ranch for a month to lay low. While there, she meets Cooper.

Cooper came to the ranch to escape his own troubles back home. Cooper, an ex Boston cop, was framed for heinous crimes. He was acquitted, but his reputation was ruined in the process. Cooper is given the job of "watching over" their celebrity guest. No one knows who she is--just know she's a celebrity of some sort. Cooper spends most of the first couple of weeks just getting Shelby to get out of her cabin to enjoy the ranch. After spending more time with her, he realizes his preconceived notions on celebrities is unfounded. He doesn't see her as a spoiled star, but as someone who's experienced great pain in her short life and not a lot of love. Can Cooper help Shelby find herself?

This novel was funny, witty, sad, and happy. The loss of a parent is devastating, but losing yourself so that you hopefully please everyone is extremely sad. Our experiences help shape us and make us who we are. This novel embraced "taking control" of one's life and making yourself happy. While at the ranch, Shelby made friends, began writing music again, sang without all the bells and whistles, and found her HEA. She even befriended a cute piglet! Cooper also realized his life was better with Shelby in it. While he loved being a cop, he found that his job didn't need to be his main focus. I highly recommend this novel! I read a gifted copy and all opinions stated are my own.

I had forgotten how much I loved the Whisper Creek series.....until I started reading Meant to Be. The characters, setting and honest, human emotions make this a must read book. Actually, it is a must read series because revisiting old favorite characters as they appear in each book just enhances the pleasure of reading Maggie McGinnis' books.

I absolutely love the Whisper Creek series by Maggie McGinnis. I have quite literally fallen in love with each and everyone of these cowboys. They are all hot and possessive. Yum!

I really enjoyed Shelby and Cooper’s story as they both had a lot of conflict that they each needed to deal with. It was quite nice to see them both struggling to find their happiness.

I cant wait to read more from Ms. McGinnis, she has become one of my favorite cowboy authors.

As always, Ms. McGinnis treats us to another sweet and sexy contemporary romance set on a dude ranch in Montana. Characters are great, some familiar and some new.

Shelby Quinn is the daughter of a much loved country music star who just recently passed away. It has totally upended her world. Not only losing her Dad, but the financial aspects of some bad investing her Dad did. She is tied to a record company that made her into a pop star called Tara Gibson. It was fun for a while, but her life has been taken over by the company, and she has a friend/keeper assigned to make her toe the line. Her "keeper" just sent her to hide away in the Montana mountains at a dude ranch by herself to get her head together and work through her grief. Little did she know what she would find at Whisper Creek Ranch. Friends, a wonderful man and her voice as Shelby Quinn.

Cooper Davis is a hired hand for the ranch who has his own get away story. Former Boston detective, dragged into a dirty cop investigation, although acquitted, can't stop the rumors and tabloid stories. The owners of the ranch figure he'll be a perfect "buddy/bodyguard" for their celebrity guest. They put him in a cottage right next door to Shelby, with his own cover story. She keeps to herself as much as she can, trying to stay out of the spotlight and the press. She can't cook, so peanut butter and jelly is it for a few days. The guy in the next cabin visits and does his best to get her out, even feeding her; she becomes a substitute momma for a tiny piglet, and enjoys for the moment her anonymity. But Cooper is getting to her, in a good way, and she's feeling things she never has. He pulls her into singing and writing again, and even a crazy appearance at a local coffee house. Just when things seem to be falling in place, Cooper's past is bearing down on him again, and would even take down Shelby/Tara's reputation with him. Though heartbroken he has to say goodby for her own good, and leaves the ranch for Boston and the new investigation.

This story is full of laughs and honesty. Neither Cooper nor Shelby try to keep their lives secret from each other, which is a refreshing change. I love when characters talk to each other! I enjoyed reading this story of life on Wild Creek Ranch, and friends who already found their HEA.

Received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley for an honest review.
Pat Fordyce

What a great story. I love this series, these characters, the emotions and the location. I can't wait for what comes next. I posted a review on Goodreads.

This bright and shiny love story is contagiously optimistic with a fear cast if characters and wonderful happily ever after. There are a few dark storm clouds to get through first, though. Maggie and her group at Whisper Creek are sure to help.

Shelby had had a lot of triumphs and a lot of crashes in her life, but she sure didn't remember any if them being this bad. Nothing had ever felt as horrible as losing her father. Now she was truly an orphan, and whose, she blamed herself for his death. He wouldn't have been in the airplane struggling through disastrous weather if she hadn't asked him to. Why had she bothered him with her problems?

She's determined to use this enforced away time in Montana as a true break from all things Tara Gibson. She was going to hide out, relax, and take time to discover her next step. She's got to get a hold of her life.

Cooper was working at Whisper Creek as a cowboy, seeking refugee and anonymity from the ongoing turmoil of his life exploding in Boston. His police officer past places him right in the crosshairs of his bosses wife, though, when a celebrity needs to use their ranch as a hiding spot. Since she's not bringing any bodyguards or protection with her, she's going to need someone to keep her safe. Cooper's the right guy in the right place, but he's not feeling so lucky. When he sees who he's guarding, though, his feelings do a quick 180.

These two both have a lot of baggage, and uncovering that while falling in love? Well worth the possible pain. It might take a while and head in unexpected places, but that's what I love about romance. Thank for the great, heartfelt read, Maggie!

Ohhhh, if only Whisper Creek Ranch and Carefree, Montana were real! Another wonderful journey back to Whisper Creek and the cowboys running the ranch! As with each visit to the ranch, hope and healing and love emerges! Thanks to Maggie McGinnis for creating another heart-warming story with the characters we have come to love!

received in exchange for a honest review.

Cooper was amazeballs. I love how he had integrity and stood by what he believed. He didn’t waver of give in but fought the good fight. Even when he lost his family due to his honesty and principles he stood their proud and by his choices. And his choices were the right ones. So he goes out west to try to figure out his world now that it has been upended. He misses Boston but finds peace in Montana. he also meets Shelby.

Shelby has problems of her own. She is dealing with the death of her dad and a career she no longer enjoys. She feels like the one everyone tells what to do and she wants to forge her own way. She is strong and yet vulnerable. Her world has been shattered and now she is trying to find her way back.

These two will have you melt. They are so fun and sweet together. Cooper is patient and a gentleman. He always does what is right even when it is the hard thing to do. He protects Shelby but also respects her and gets her to let go. Shelby helps Cooper see that it is okay to let someone in and not everyone will walk away but will believe in you and your convictions. Together these two give us a fun and adoring book.

the writing is well constructed and the storing is endearing. The characters have you fall in love with them immediately even the piglet will warm your heart. We get such beautiful scenes. Sexy scenes as well. My favorite the water fall and the music store. these two will warm your heart as they believe in one another and fall in love. When the going gets tough they do what is necessary to help one another but sometimes that hurts and we see that. We also see that they finally let go and come together and let love take over. I love the scene in boston where he is looking in all the parks. Le sigh. Such a dreamy and wonderful man and love story.

This is the story of how Shelby finds her way and finds her way to honor her dad and deal with her grief. How Cooper finds peace and love but also how he gets his family back as well. A sweet and adoring story of love, trust and family.

This is a sweet heart warming story from this author. This story will take you on an emotional roller coaster of a ride. The characters are fantastic,you will fall in love with them as you read. This is the fifth book in this series and they just keep getting better and better the more you read. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.
Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

This was a very touching story. Full of emotion and believable characters pulling you in from the start. After a tragic death Shelby goes to Montana to regain who she really is to finish out her contract. Cooper is in hiding to keep a low profile in Montana until he is needed back in Boston to clear his name. This is a stand alone read but by reading the series you follow along with the cross over characters mentioned. A very good series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book through NetGalley.

Meant to be another wonderful book in the Whisper Creek series.by Maggie McGinnis.

Shelby is morning the death of her father, who is also her best friend and the only real person in her life. To say she loved him would be a understatement. Following his funeral full of phony people only their for photo opportunities. Her manager decides she isn't coping well and sends her away to Whisper Creek for a month to get some needed rest out of the public eye. Cooper has been working also escaping his own personal heartache over his family's betrayal and complete lack of support for a few months and is assigned to watch over the pop princess without knowing her true identity. After spending time, the two start to grow closer and fall in love. When Cooper's past comes back to haunt him, it threatens to harm Shelby's career.


I really enjoyed this book and it kept me engrossed throughout. I really loved the characters and the way they interacted with each other. This is a fun, sweet,romantic must read book and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It's written in dual POV my personal favorite!!!

Congrats on another well written book.📚💕

The story is about Cooper, an ex-cop that’s good name has been dragged in the mud by his unscrupulous brothers in blue, specifically, his dirty cop cousin. He’s been laying low in Whisper Creek, Montana until he can figure out what to do with his life away from Boston. He gets roped into babysitting a VIP at the dude ranch he works at. He was expecting a pampered starlet, definitely not a skittish and introverted Shelby.

Shelby Quinn, aka Tara Gibson needs to get away from it all. Her father, the only family she had and the one person she loved above all others has died and she feels lost and alone and so dissatisfied with the way her music label has invented her. She needs time to discover who Shelby Quinn is outside of Tara Gibson. Meeting Cooper changes Shelby like she didn’t expect.

Cooper is such a sweet guy, the way he knew on a bone deep level just when to push for more or just let things play out with Shelby. They both are hurting so they understood their underlying pain. It was sad that Shelby's grief came from losing her father and Cooper suffered because his father basically disowned him. I could not stand this pretentious hypocrite! That flash back scene of Cooper and his father sealed it for me and there was no way Cooper's father could ever be redeemed. Someone who could turn his back on his own son like doesn't deserve a second chance. (This is my hard-hearted-grudge-holding-self speaking here!)

Shelby was such a lonely person, watching her open up to Cooper, and the girls from Whisper Creek was adorable. She was such an awkward and shy person. A complete opposite from her stage persona as Tara Gibson. In her grief she was vulnerable but also genuine and without artifice. I really liked her.

This was a sweet, cute and clean romance. I didn't even miss the smexy times because the story flowed nicely without it. *gasp* I know, I'm usually all over the love scenes, they add spice to the romance but Meant to Be was such an easy light read that I love it just the way it is. I loved the main characters, Cooper and Shelby were so cute and it was easy to believe they belonged together. I also liked the side characters a lot. Liam is definitely someone that piqued my interest and I hope the author plans to give us his story soon because I'm already half in love with him :)

The ending was perfect, just the right amount of happy and romantic. The last scene can make or break it for me and this one was awesome. I loved the warm sappy feeling I felt when I read that last line. It ended on a happy bright promise for their future and I loved it!

If you like clean romance with strong characters and a sweet HEA, I highly recommend Meant to Be.

This is the first book by Maggie McGinnis I've read and it is a sweet romance with some angst. Both Shelby and Cooper have their problems... she is a pop signing star who wants to sing country and is getting over the tragic loss of her father. Cooper is a ex-cop who solved a child prostitution ring and arrested his cousin ..who was also a cop..for running it..his cousin tried to accuse him and he lost his job and his father turned his back on him. He went out west to recover on a dude ranch and Shelby goes there to get over her fathers death...I hated to put the book down til I finished it.