I always look forward to the next Wind River Valley book. This time the new vet is Dair Wilson whose job in the military was handling a WMD dog as part of a team. When a IED went off she lost part of her leg and her foot. She needs a job and a place to stay and the ranch at Wind River Valley is the perfect place. Not only does she have a job she works with Noah Mabry. Noah has just the right touch to bring Dair out of her shell and into a world where she can trust men for the first time. This is a nice sweet story with some tension. I loved how Noah seemed to get just how to deal with Dair and all of her insecurities. There is still Shaylene's angry father to deal with but that seems to be on the road to closure. A nice series that features vets who have seen the unseeable and are suffering from PTSD as a result.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

The Wrangler’s Challenge is the fourth book in a series by Lindsay McKenna about the Wind River Valley. (According to her website there are two more in the series planned.) Once again we are back in Wyoming on a ranch that is run entirely by Veterans with PTSD. They are each other’s family and support system. Noah is in charge of training the horses and after the huge indoor riding ring was built, very busy. Another horse trainer was hired named Dair.

Dair was a veteran who had lost part of her limb and her bomb sniffing dog in a horrible explosion. She has spent much time trying learn how to live with a prosthesis and how to adjust to her new world. Luckily, she was hired on the Bar C Range to work with Noah and the horses.

I like this series of books for many reasons, not the least of which is the characters are strong men and women who has served our country. I am heartened that in the books they are treated with respect and given a chance to work and heal. I like the story lines, the matching of characters and all the back stories that revolve around the ranch. The part I do not like is the difficulty the Veterans have getting the help they need - no matter where they live. The part that upsets me are the huge waiting times they have to endure without medical help. But those issues while addressed in the book are not the focus, but a reminder.

Wrangler’s Challenge was a great read. The storyline, the characters and the love story were written with strength and hope.

I have read the previous books in these series and my feelings on this one are mixed.
The pros- the storyline of the book is good. It centers around a group of veterans , all suffering from PTSD . The owner of the ranch, a vet herself and one suffering from PTSD, decided to make it her mission of employing veterans who also needed a place to feel safe, work hard, and work on the PTSD. Also, the author, highlights the frequent inefficiency of the Veteran’s Administration in helping these individuals who have served our country. Many coming back not only with physical injuries, like the main character in the story, Dair Wilson, but also emotional and psychological injuries , like all the veterans we meet in the Bar C Ranch.
Another important point Ms McKenna presents to us , is the existence of domestic abuse that is prevalent in our society and how not only the adults are affected by it, but also the children. These scars can frequently inhibit the individuals from having healthy relationships when they reach adulthood.
As much as I appreciated all of the above, the story moved very slowly. The first 1/3 seem to be repetitive and dragged. I never felt engaged with the main characters, as much as I empathized with their circumstances. By the time the plot picked up, I just wanted to finish it. For that , I rate it a 3 star.
I was gifted this copy by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

I have been reading this author's books for so many years now and to me, its a testament of how amazing she truly is her writing is just off the charts amazing. she takes subjects that not all authors would and she voices it perfectly.

Dair and Noah are Just perfect and not only just for each other but for the ranch as well they are equal parts that balance one another out romantically as well as physically and emotionally.

<p><u>Wrangler’s Challenge</u> gets a solid three stars from me. It’s my first introduction to the Wind River Valley series, and I’ll be picking up the other books in the near future. Is it the best book I’ve read? Well no, but more on that later. I loved the premise of a working ranch that uses veterans as the main workforce, but also allows them to heal. I enjoyed Ms. McKenna’s willingness to give us a heroine struggling with life after amputation. </p>
<p>This book needs an editor. Grammatical issues and typos are present. Redundancy is a bit of a problem, but what bugs me most is the timeline. If Dair interviews for a position on February 1, how can she mention on Valentine’s Day seeing a character on the ranch she hadn’t yet met weeks ago? We also find out that Noah gives her massages to help with pain from her old prosthesis, but she doesn’t really let him touch her until after it’s been destroyed. There are plenty more examples of this throughout the book, but spoilers. Like I said, I enjoyed the story, but there are some major flaws a strong editor can easily fix. Swearing is limited to “damn,” but it is heavily peppered in some scenes. With these issues addressed, I’d gladly recommend it to most of my romance reading circles. </p>
<p>Dair is a former WMD dog handler, who lost most of her leg on a mission. Struggling with the aftermath of amputation, unable to find a horse training job, she eventually finds a home at the Bar C. The ranch is filled with other vets going through their own transitions. Is her boss, the ever-patient Noah, the man for her? How does Dair deal with the sometimes dangerous challenges of life on a ranch?</p>
<p>I received a copy of <u>Wrangler’s Challenge</u> by Lindsay McKenna from <i>Kensington Books</i> via <b>Netgalley</b> in exchange for an honest review. </p>

With action packed tales and emotionally revealing characters, Lindsay McKenna has been bridging the gap between romance and suspense for years. Although she has a foot in both genres what appeals to me is the fact that she takes on high risks subjects that are realistic and far reaching. For me the appeal is that she uses her voice to make a difference in the world by spotlighting topics that are controversial but no less important. Subjects like rape, war and the after effects of the people who experience these. Wrangler's Challenge puts two such character's center stage as they struggle with the danger they've seen, the people they've lost and the demons that followed them home. Impactive reading that is both entertaining and informative.

I love Lindsay Mckenna! Her books give a very real and poignant look into the issues the members of the military deal with. After reading her books I want to go volunteer to work with vets because I appreciate so much what they have sacrificed. Dair and Noah's story was just another fabulous link in an incredible chain.

Besides the love that grows between Dair and Noah, there is the familiar love shown by the owners and other people living on the ranch. The author goes into great detail on all that entails the housing, upkeep, and training of horses. Very extensive explanations. Have never read a book before where the author goes to great pains to create the atmosphere of a very long, slow relationship between Daur and Noah. Excruciatingly slow for me.

I would give this 3.5. A continuation of the series of the ranch run by injured vets. Overall I like the series, and for the most part liked this one, Noah and Dari's story. It did drag a bit at times, and some of the dialog felt a bit forced, which cost a bit on my rating. I liked it enough to want to keep reading though, and it was interesting to see more about the other characters and see how they are doing. I would recommend it, but highly recommend reading the others in the series first, as there are many recurring themes that would be explained that way.

So many emotions were felt while reading, Wrangler's Challenge. Dair is not only the perfect fit for Noah, but also for the ranch. She needs them just as bad as she is needed there. These books cannot be written and released soon enough. I can't wait for each of them. I have re-read some and will again.