Nice Cowboy/Rancher Romance but Couldn’t Like Dylan

This is a second chance romance about veterinarian student Kayla who fled after a betrayal, and rancher Dylan, who wants a second change with her. My favorite Kayla-the-vet scene was the one birthing the calves. I also enjoyed reading about the realistic challenges that come with maintaining a ranch. However, I found the story to be too predictable, and I just couldn’t like Dylan no matter how hard I tried.

There were a couple of things that bothered me. The fact that he still walked away from her when she shared her deep secret - it was at that point he should have shown some of that love he often professed and wrapped his arms around her with reassuring words, instead of walking away. I was waiting for her to say, “So you are walking away from me again?” Why should she trust him if he does that when she's at her lowest point? She sure as heck shouldn't feel guilty. Also, there were no apologies made to Kayla over the kiss that shouldn't have happened if he really loved her. No one likes a cheater.

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For a debut novel, this author has proven a propensity to create memorable characters who have heart and dynamic personalities. The story had the perfect rhythm to catch the reader’s interest and hold it through to the end. Even though a HEA for Dylan and Kayla was foreseeable, it was their journey expertly weaved throughout that was what held my interest. I’m looking forward to seeing more from this new author.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. It was well written and the character development was thorough. There were no descriptive sex scenes. I will definitely look for books by this author again.

Dylan and Kayla had history. Unbeknownst to the other, they each loved each other very much, but circumstances had happened that made it difficult to be together. Dylan had wanted to set Kayla free to reach her dreams, but Kayla had felt that he had betrayed her and stomped on her heart. When Kayla finally returned to the ranch, those same feelings she had felt for Dylan came rushing back. But, she had her future planned and it was in the city, not on the farm. Dylan had become his younger brother's guardian after the death of both of their parents. He was struggling to be everything to Derek, mom, dad, breadwinner, brother. He felt like he was failing at everything that really mattered. But, he was determined to keep the ranch afloat for both their sakes.

Kayla was hurt and felt betrayed by her best friend, Becky, and by Dylan. She didn't know if she could ever overcome the hurt but being back on the farm was showing her that she really belonged there. She wanted to be a vet and she had gone to school in the city to train to be a vet but the farm was calling to her now that she was back. Would she and Dylan ever be able to see eye to eye or were they destined to be apart forever? There were secrets that they were both holding on to that could destroy their chances.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. I willingly and enthusiastically give my honest opinion.

Sweet romance. Great characters. I throughly enjoyed reading about their love story. I just wished it was longer so I could relish it.

Back in the Rancher’s Arms is a well written romance. I enjoyed the plot, characters and setting. The author is new to me and I anticipate reading more of her books.

This is a great book by this author. I’ve only read one or two books by this author and she has done a really great job with this story. It’s very sweet and wonderful story between the characters and their romance between them is just perfect for this type of genre. The story pulls you in and keeps you turning the pages till the very last one. A really great feel book in my opinion and I really enjoyed reading this book too. I will be on the look out for future books by this author in the future. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone

For a debut novel, I have to say I'm really impressed with this super addictive and sweet second-chance cowboy romance. I'm a sucker for second chance romances, cowboys, and I really loved the development of this one. It had angst, it felt real, it had lovable characters, a great setting, and a nice developing second chance-romance.

The main characters, Dylan and Kayla, were so very interesting and I loved reading from both POV's. Dylan worked his way into my fangirl heart right away. Knowing his past and the way he had to hold everything together to save his ranch and be a role model for his little brother is so tragic and beautiful at the same time. He found his home in Trinity River, whereas he always wanted to leave when he was younger and I love towns like this in which the community is so helpful towards one another and it feels like one big happy family - when you don't take all the secrets into account, lol.

Kayla is a strong main character on the outside, but she's definitely strong on the inside as well and I really liked her a lot! She definitely had her fair share of heartbreak in the past which made me really understand why she was trying to remain closed off emotionally towards Dylan and understandable to her way of thinking about a lot of things. But the heart wants what the hearts wants and like Kayla said herself, it's an traitorous organ when it comes to love, chemistry and attraction, lol. The chemistry between her and Dylan is off-the-charts and that's not something to be ignored, despite her heartbreaking past. Her character's development was beautifully written I think and I loved seeing her opening up again.

Both characters just felt so real to me and the things they went through and were still going through felt relatable and believable and that always makes me connect so much better with their romance story as well then when there's a deeper background already present between the main characters. The romance had its ups and downs, but overall it was, like I said, really well developed and it made my heart galloping in my chest on several occasions.

The minor characters were so fun to read about as well and a couple of them have a lot of potential of being main characters in their own story and I absolutely can't wait to read more books in this series that involve around them! I fell in love with Dylan and Kayla but with the whole Trinity River community in general as well. In this story, their presence was a really nice addition and well balanced out with the rest of the book.

I love the ranch setting and the way the author writes about the setting is perfectly balanced with the rest of the story. She doesn't spend too much time on writing about the setting but enough so that I could really imagine myself in this setting, living out the story-line alongside these characters.

The writing was fluent, light-hearted and addictive and it made me not want to stop reading, once started. I finished the book in a couple of hours and I'm already antsy to get my hands on another book by this author, so that says enough right? It's a good sign I think when the writing is so lovable with only the debut.

Everything got wrapped up a bit too fast to my liking though in the end - I'd have loved to have gotten a few more pages, in the end, involving some more elaboration of the plot, hence the 4-star rating instead of the 5-star rating. I missed a little bit more depth/development there, unfortunately. Or it's just that I'm way too greedy and just NEEDED MORE of these characters haha But, in the end, I can say that overall I got everything I wanted out of the book despite my remarks towards the end and since I immensely enjoyed the book on every front it is really deserving of a 4-star rating!
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Conclusion;
This was a really sweet and addictive second-chance romance, taking place in a great ranch setting and I loved spending every single second inside this story. The author made me fall in love with Dylan, made me connect with Kayla a lot and made me love a lot of the minor characters as well and aching to get my hands on their stories already. The romance has depth and a great development and I could easily connect to everything on an emotional level so it had me hooked in a fast-paced read right from the start. I experienced a lot of 'my heart is beating so wildly in my chest that it's going to explode any second now' moments while reading and I love books that are able to make me react physically like that, so nothing but praise from me for this wonderful story!

If you love a believable, real and really sweet second-chance romance, swoon-worthy cowboys, a strong female main character, beautiful settings and don't forget; horses!... then this read is what you're looking for. It's light-hearted in general but had me on the edge of my seat anyway right from the start because it's so well written. It's that kind of story that got me emotionally attached right away and made me experience a lot of feels. It's that kind of story that you want to finish in one sitting! So yes, this is a romance story I really RECOMMEND and it leaves me aching for more!

This is the first book in a new series and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed escaping to Trinity River, getting to know some of the characters in this community - especially Dylan Hunter, the hero for this story.

Dylan has been left to bring up his younger brother and run the family ranch. He’s a caring man but struggling to cope with all the pressures. As a teen he loved the girl next door, Kayla Anderson, so much that he encouraged her to follow her dreams of studying to be a vet, hoping she’d soon return home and to him again. However, she has stayed away and is only coming back to be the maid of honour at her cousin’s wedding. He’s hoping they can reconnect as he’s to be the best man but they both have secrets - will their revelations help heal the past and enable them to move on to a future together or drive them apart?

The community is the real strength in this story and I look forward to reading more about them all in future stories in this series. There are great characters who it is easy to relate to as they are brought to life within the pages of the story. However a key feature of this story are the plethora of secrets, lies and liars, all told with good motives but they are still lies told both in the past and in the present. Dylan is a real hero, a hard working cowboy striving to create a future for himself and those he loves. I was shocked at some of the secrets being kept, especially by Kayla’s parents, though in some regards they were understandable. If you love second chance romances, I recommend grabbing yourself a copy of this book. I’ll certainly be looking out for more in the series in future.

I requested and was lucky enough to be given a copy of this novel, via NetGalley, with no obligation. This is my honest review of the book after choosing to read it.

This was a great second chance romance story.

Kayla and Dylan have dates previous before she left for vet school. Now she is back and old feelings are stirred.

This was well written and it had a good flow, it a few parts is felt slightly disjointed but this didn't put me off the enjoyment of the read. I like the characters and wanted to keep reading. Overall a great sweet romance read which I enjoyed reading.

This book is sweet and clean – if cussing and on-page sex bother you, there's nothing to worry about here.

Back In The Rancher's Arms is a great example of a second chance romance story. I loved Dylan and Kayla's dynamic, and story kept me engrossed from start to finish - both characters were fiesty and stubborn, but they were also so obviously perfect for each other. Although Dylan and Kayla are the main characters of this story, it isn't just a fluffy little romance that happens in a bubble – Dylan's brother Derek is a big part of this book and I absolutely loved that. Dylan's relationship with Derek was imperfect, but Dylan was obviously trying so hard to change that, even if he really didn't know what he was doing. Watching their relationship grow and change was almost as rewarding as watching Dylan and Kayla figure things out.

The only thing I didn't enjoy about this story was that there wasn't more emotion around The Big Reveal. For as much as that event hurt Kayla, I expected more than just a quick, simple conversation and then it was just over without them even hugging or commiserating. That was disappointing.

The hints about a possible book for Becky were strong and I would very much enjoy reading that, should it be released.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a small town, second chance romance story that also also has a lot of interesting family dynamics.

All Kayla Anderson plans to do when she comes home is to attend her cousin's wedding and be the best maid of honor she can be. However, being back home isn't easy, especially when she can't seem to avoid Dylan Hunter -- the man that broke her heart. Will Dylan be able to convince Kayla to give him another chance or can Kayla no longer trust Dylan enough to give him her heart again?

Ms. Davis has delivered an enchanting, fast-paced, sweet read in this first book of her Trinity River series where the main characters entertained me from start to finish due to their past history and how determined the hero was to win back the heroine; and the dialogue was compelling and had me sympathizing with the heroine because she lost more than Dylan when they broke up. Will Dylan be able to win the heroine back? However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine came face-to-face for the first time that had me totally hooked, as Kayla is determined to avoid Dylan if possible, but it seems that isn't possible.

Both the main characters were fantastic and I loved the obstacles they overcome to achieve their second chance at happy ever after including the hero finally discovering the truth of why Kayla won't forgive him for the past and whether the heroine will decide to stay. Furthermore, the heroine was strong, brave and I liked that she wasn't afraid to go head-to-head with the hero in order to get her way, especially when it came to the things she does to help the hero's brother. I also liked how kind and caring she is and that she would do anything for her family, despite the fact that it feels she's missed so much since she doesn't come home as much as her family would like. While the hero, he's confident, a good brother and I liked how determined he was to win the heroine back, even though it's palpable that isn't going to be easy. I also liked what he was willing to do to help the heroine's family, even though keeping what he's done a secret could backfire. How will the heroine react if she discovers the truth?

Overall, Ms. Davis has delivered a captivating read in this debut novel where the chemistry between Kayla and Dylan is strong and only gets stronger; the romance was on the sweet side; and the ending had me so happy because of the decisions the heroine makes in order for the pair to be together forever. However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up brilliantly because Kayla and Dylan deserve every bit of happiness they've found and I liked that the hero's brother is flourishing because Kayla is a good influence and they have a special bond, which is proven by how close they've become. I would recommend Back in the Rancher's Arms by Elsie Davis, if you enjoy second chance romances or books by authors Jennifer Hoopes, Sonya Weiss, Jennifer Shirk and Victoria James.

This book is tough to rate because its a brand new author. It was well written but the plot seemed kinda impossible and in my mind did not make tons of sense. Dylan and Kayla are in love but she has to go away to school and he has some big responsibilities so they break up. Then Kayla's friend confesses that her son is Dylan's but no one ever tells Dylan. For 5 YEARS.

Now Kayla is back for a cousins wedding and she plans to go back to the big city, but Dylan wants to win her heart so she stays but Kayla is heart broken about the son but doesn't tell anyone. To me the problem here is if she really believes its Dylan's son, she must tell him. If she loved him , she tells him. But she never does.
So this book was kinda a train wreck and it was the plot. But its a new author so you got to give her points for the writing and characters.

So I grabbed yet another Western romances, but this is something of a twist, as I'm not normally one for second chance romances, but with Back in the Ranchers Arms, I honestly couldn't resist, and I'm so glad I didn't.

When Kayla came back to Riverbend for a wedding, she only had one plan in mind, to avoid Dylan, the man who broke her heart and cheated on her with her best friend. But things were all change at Riverbend, and Dylan seems to be everywhere, and when the truth comes out life as Kayla knows it changes forever!

Back in the Ranchers, Arms is a sweet, second chance love story, it's well written, though, some of the situations could have gone into more depth, but overall, a nice light-hearted read.

I give Back in the Ranchers Arms 4 stars

This is my first book by Elsie Davis.

What I liked:
The writing style
Second chance romance
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue

I look forward to reading more from this author.

LOVED this story! It's a sweet second chance story that will melt your heart. Elsie Davis you definitely gained a new fan with this one!

Dylan Hunter and Kayla Anderson were high school sweethearts. She was sure they would be together forever. He knew she needed to leave and spread her wings. So he did what he had to do and broke her heart. Never did he think it would take this long for her to return. Kayla left for college and never looked back. Now she's returned and Dylan doesn't plan on letting her get away again.

I highly recommend this one.

Kayla has returned to her home town for her cousin's wedding. She knows she will probably see her first love Dylan, but doesn't expect to run into him within moments of arriving.

There is a lot of pain in their past, but despite trust issues the attraction is still there. Dylan knows part of the reason Kayla is upset, but is unsure what else she's holding back that's keeping her from considering returning home and a relationship with him.

The story moves at a good pace and introduces some secondary characters that I think may appear in future books. My favorite, though, was Dylan's younger brother Derek. It was so easy to feel for him and his struggles, and it's wonderful to see his progress throughout the book.

I would recommend this book to fans of second chance romances. I am looking forward to future books in the series!

Back in the Rancher’s Arms by Elsie Davis
Trinity River #1

Debut novels are a thrill to read because it gives the reader the opportunity to hear the voice of an author that has not been heard before SO I am thankful I got to read Ms. Davis’s first book today.

This is a second chance at romance love story that feels a bit like a New Adult novel with big decisions about her future to be made by Kayla Anderson. Should she return to the city to work with small animals when she gets her veterinarian’s license or should she return home to a much smaller town with people she knows but has good and bad history with? Can she trust the first man she ever loved again even though he broke her heart?

What I found difficult was that there was so much lack of honest communication between Kayla and Dylan, Kayla and her BFF and Kayla and her parents. I enjoyed the addition of Patches the dog, getting to know Derek and seeing the dynamics between him and his brother and am glad that through communication a HEA was eventually managed for the two main characters. I am now wondering if Becky will be next up for a story in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

Back in the Rancher's Arms was a fabulous debut novel by Elsie Davis and will certainly have me coming back for more. The character development was believable and the plot was well written and easy to follow. I think Kayla was maybe a little to forgiving of her friend, but I rarely turn the other cheek, so I suppose that coloured my point of view. There were also some wonderful secondary characters that I’m sure we’ll see more of in coming stories. Congratulations on a great first outing Ms Davis, I’m anxious for your next exciting instalment!

It was just ok. Slow in places, so I skipped through it.

A good story.
Second chance romance.
They split due to many reasons including she is under the impression he got her best friend pregnant while seeing her.
Well written. Good secondary characters.