An intriguing set up in the story, with the ex-wife approaching the ex-husband with a proposal that blew me away.
Wyatt Colton had his heart shattered by Bailey Norton when she walked away from him and their home, their marriage without an explanation. Now, out of the blue, she's back, with an outrageous request.
I admit, at first, I could not understand how Wyatt let Bailey even inside into his home, not to mention let her present the request she did. I wasn't sure if I admired him for it or not. But I got over that quickly, and I was looking forward to a deep, edgy, emotional reconciliation, completely forgetting that this was romantic suspense by the halfway to the book, when the mystery of a dead woman was brought into the picture and all the marital and relationship problems were forgotten.
I wish the story would have stuck into the romance, and not tried to dip into the suspense that felt flat and unnecessary. Because with Wyatt and Bailey, there was a chance to built the emotions and angst, making it into a great, passionate love story. Now the reconciliation between the exes felt rushed, almost as an afterthought, to get to the end. And the different aspects of the suspense and mystery -- it felt discrete, like two stories put together to make one ensemble.
A love story with great potential to be made into an epic romance tale interrupted by murder, mayhem, family drama, and vindictive townspeople.
~ Three Spoons

A cowboy romance, sabotage, former lovers, and a request for fatherhood. The Coltons of Roaring Springs delivers a romantic suspense to keep you hooked.

I found a need to disband disbelief with certain pieces of character behaviour but likely they just didn't make the story flow so they were scrapped. Such as Wyatt not going to the authorities with the sabotage and harming of his cattle but rather goes after the neighbouring ranch owner. Or that his ex-wife disappeared years earlier, he became an alcoholic before pulling himself together and suddenly she reappears but rather than protect himself from repeating the cycle or even ask her where she went and why; he not only gets involved, he has her working as a vet at points on his ranch.

I kinda get her. She felt like she was fading and lost in a marriage to a man that was so intent on gaining his father's approval that he forgot to cherish what he already had. So she went after her own dreams of veterinary school.

I'm thinking the author attempted a cliffhanger with how she concluded the book but it didn't seem to feed into the next story like most would.

Overall it's a good story with the bones of an excellent one. Perhaps the next story will flesh out the bones more.

Best-selling author Marie Ferrarella has penned another winner with her latest red-hot romantic suspense novel, Colton Cowboy Standoff.

Six years ago, Bailey Norton had walked out on her husband, Wyatt Colton and decided to make a new life for herself elsewhere. Although Bailey had been head over heels in love with her husband, she felt that her dreams had to take a backseat in order for her husband’s ranch to grow and prosper. Since her departure from the Crooked C Ranch, Bailey has worked hard in order to achieve all of her goals and she is now a veterinarian with her own practice. Bailey is doing the one thing which she has wanted to do for so long, however, there is something missing from her life. Something which she simply cannot afford to put off any longer: a child of her own. With her biological clock ticking, Bailey realises she must act now or risk never being a mother, and the single veterinarian knows just the man to help her have the baby she has always wanted: her ex husband, Wyatt.

Nobody was more surprised than Wyatt, when his ex wife had knocked on the door of the Crooked C Ranch. However, surprise had quickly given way to shock when he heard that Bailey is back and she wants him to help her have a baby. It had completely destroyed Wyatt when Bailey had walked out on him, and although his head is telling him to keep his distance from her, his heart is telling him something else entirely. Well aware that he would never forgive himself if he does not help out the woman he loves, Wyatt concedes to Bailey’s request – and asks her to move in with him!

Thrown in close proximity together, their unresolved passion soon rears its head again. However, feelings and emotions are the last things on Wyatt’s mind when his beloved ranch begins to get sabotaged. Not only does he have to contend with having the woman he loves most in the world back in his life, but he has a dangerous enemy on the loose determined to destroy him. Can Wyatt manage to find the culprit and convince Bailey to give their love another chance?

Colton Cowboy Standoff is a fantastic romantic suspense novel guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats. With a sexy cowboy hero, a spirited heroine, heart-pounding action, hair-raising suspense and powerful romance, Colton Cowboy Standoff deftly blends searing emotion and compelling drama with nail-biting intrigue.

Marie Ferrarella is on top form as always with Colton Cowboy Standoff and she is sure to have readers counting down the days until her next superb tale of contemporary romantic suspense.

I wasn't impressed. It wasn't horrible but it wasn't great either. Sorry.

Everyone was so quick with their emotions. Quick to forgive, quick to accuse, just all around it was too much for me. I really wish it had concluded at the end, but it left us hanging as to who was behind things. We got some closure but not all. I honestly probably won't get around to reading the next book in this series.

When it comes to Harlequin then can usually catch my attention with them doing so with this one. This author has been on my tbr but finally turned a page on one of hers. This also has a ingredient that caught my attention also is that they are exes which means a second chance yes indeed. It carries with it some drama but also mystery is in the mix. I do not often read on cowboys but it seems from this publisher and the authors. Between the drama and the suspense you do have alot going on but the characters Wyatt and Bailey are able to carry us through it all even restoring the chemistry.

3 1/2 STARS!

With the first book in The Colton's of Roaring Springs series, Marie Ferrarella brings us Wyatt Colton's story. He lost the love of his life, but now she's back asking for his help. They find themselves knee-deep in trouble when things start happening around the ranch that no one expected. Overall, the story was an entertaining read. There were several plot holes that could have made for a more developed story had they been filled in, but the underlying story was laid to carry forward into the series. I enjoyed it.

Rancher Wyatt Colton can't believe his eyes when he opens his door to find his ex-wife standing on his doorstep. She up and left him six years ago with no explanation, but here she comes calling when she needs a favor ... if you can even call it that ... it's a life-changing request!

Bailey Norton left the Crooked C to chase the dreams she left unfulfilled when she married Wyatt, it wasn't because she didn't love him anymore. Now time is running out on her and she is here to ask the best man she ever knew if he will help her with the final thing she's missing in her life ... having the baby she always dreamed of!

Years after ending her relationship with her husband, Wyatt Colton, Bailey Norton shows up on his doorstep with an unexpected request: to father her child. Unresolved passion sets off sparks between them, but Bailey must resist Wyatt’s undiminished allure—and show her true grit when the Colton ranch is mysteriously sabotaged. Can this Colton cowboy lasso the culprit and a forever family?
This story definitely had an interesting plot. It was pretty quick to get through. I totally understood why Bailey left. However, my problem is how quick forgiveness came and everything was based on lack of communication. Then again, that’s why I don’t read too many second chance romances. Overall though, it was a quick and enjoyable read.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Bailey wants a child and she has a condition that makes that window of opportunity sooner then she plan and goes to the one person she trusts to do this for her her ex-husband, Wyatt Colton. If that wasn't enough his animals are being hurt and a dead escort is found on his property. Clearly someone is framing him and needs to find out who before he is ruined.

This book was interesting enough to keep the readers wanting more. I loved that there was pretty much never a dull moment. I really loved the characters. I loved seeing strong women while Bailey being written where she was feelings like things were she felt like she was lost in the relationship and left it only to improve herself. Things weren't bad for the two but they weren't all that great either. I loved that Bailey left and did something for herself by getting that Vet degree and it was such a nice thing to see in a character. I loved the mystery aspect of the book. There was plenty to go around with problems and mishaps and more things being revealed as the book progressed and I really enjoyed reading it.

Colton Cowboy Standoff
Marie Ferrarella
Six years ago, Bailey Colton left her husband Wyatt without telling him why. Now she has returned because she wants to have a baby and wants him to be the donor. After Bailey left, Wyatt found the bottle. Now he is sober and working on the ranch. To say Wyatt was shocked when Bailey shows up is an understatement. When she tells him that she wants him to father her child, he is even more shocked. Bailey had left because the ranch became Wyatt’s primary focus. He had to prove himself to his father. Bailey always wanted to be a vet but put her life on hold to help Wyatt. Both are now different people. Bailey is more self assured and her skills as a vet are invaluable on the ranch. Wyatt is still leery of her but soon comes to admire and fall in love with the new Bailey as they try to figure out who is sabotaging the ranch.
I gave this story a 3. I had a hard time with the characters. When Bailey shows up after not hearing from her for six years, Wyatt doesn’t ask her why she left. I had other issues with his character as well. Someone is harming his cattle and he automatically said it is the neighbor who wants to buy him out. He goes over to confront this neighbor with no real proof instead of going to the Sheriff. Bailey is the better character of the two. She now has a sense of self that confuses Wyatt, she is no longer in his shadow but still helps and supports him. It does have a HEA because Bailey and Wyatt end up together but I don’t know if I would read the next Colton book in this series.

Rating: 3.5/5

Now most folk who read my reviews (thank you!) know that I really enjoy contemporary cowboy romances and so I was really looking forward to reading this one. It is the first in a new series but I suspect there have been other stories about the Coltons in the past, some of the characters seemed very familiar! In this story we meet Wyatt Colton, the rebellious oldest son of the Colton dynasty, and his ex-wife who has retuned after leaving him without any explanation six years ago. Although they are now divorced, she has come back to ask him to father a baby with her. (What the heck - she left him and now she wants his child?!?!?) She has spent the intervening years following her dream and is now a vet (- really? I thought it took longer than that to qualify?). Okay, suspend disbelief and just enjoy the story!

When a cow has problems giving birth, Bailey comes to the rescue and demonstrates her new skills, saving both the cow and calf as well as earning the resp ct of the ranch hands and attention of Wyatt. There are other dangers, however, as the ranch and its herd are being sabotaged and a murder victim is found. Who is the perpetrator? What is their motive? Will the attraction between Wyatt and Bailey rekindle their romance?

There are lots of questions raised as this story progresses and several points in the story where you just have to accept this is just a story. It is full of intrigue and, although many aspects are fully resolved others aren’t- especially concerning the sedan driver . . . . I suspect I’ll need to read subsequent stories in the series to discover just what is happening and why, though I do have my suspicions! Yes, there are some aspects of the story that I questioned but I did still enjoy reading it and suspect that the series will get better as it progresses- and I do want to discover more about why it is all happening!

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and chose to read it. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

Second chances and cowboys are among my favorite romance tropes, which is what made me pick this one up, but it completely missed the mark for me. Actually, I spent more time confused and/or shaking my head in aggravation than I would've thought possible for a book of this length. As near as I can tell after looking this one up, this is not the first Colton story, but it is the first in this particular series. Maybe I missed something from the other books about this large family, but there were a number of things here that just rubbed me the wrong way. Now, I'm going to try to be vague here, so I don't give spoilers, while still attempting to explain my issues with this story. As far as the romance goes, most of the problems, both past and present, between Wyatt and Bailey could've been non-issues if either of them had bothered to communicate. Six years have gone by and Wyatt still has no clue why Bailey left him in the first place - because she didn't tell him! She just left. Then, she just shows up at his door and asks him to make a baby with her? Really? I can't be the only person that wanted Wyatt to show her out and slam the door. Don't get me wrong, Bailey is a strong woman with a solid determination and drive. Yet, she wasn't strong enough to tell this man she supposedly loves how she was feeling. It's the same with Wyatt. He has no problem speaking his mind with everyone except the one person he should be able to talk to. Then we have the public reaction to things that happen, some closely related to Wyatt and some not, but either way, I just don't buy it. He doesn't seem like a bad guy, yet everyone is ready to believe the worst on little to no evidence and based only on their feelings toward Wyatt's father? The story does end on a cliffhanger with a lot of important questions unanswered. Maybe some of my questions about the why's and how's will be addressed later in the series, but based on what I found here, I won't be reading further to find out. For me, the story was a bit too simplistic, things happened way too fast in the romance even with it being a second chance, and there wasn't enough development of important aspects of the story.

I can't keep up with the large Colton family and don't remember if I have read about the Roaring Springs Coltons, or if this was the first in the series. It is a second chance story, which is one of my favorites. Bailey Norton left her husband, Wyatt Colton, 6 years ago, without an explanation and sent him signed divorce papers (Is that legal? Don't they both have to sign them?) Now she is back, with a request. She wants him to father her baby. When they had been married, she had wanted to have children and go to veterinary school, but Wyatt had told her to wait until their ranch the Crooked C was more stable. She felt like she was loosing herself- but never shared that with her husband. Now she is a veterinarian and wants a baby, and Wyatt is the best man that she knows. She broke his heart when she left and he has since closed off his heart and trust. Will he open his heart again to the only woman that he has ever loved? She still loves him; will she have the courage to tell him so? Meanwhile, who is sabotaging the ranch? The author creates appealing characters and provocative scenarios, in an action packed adventure. However, it does end with a cliff hanger.

I received a free advanced copy of this book from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

I am always happy to see another book in the Colton series. I eagerly wait to find out where this storyline is heading. The books are always well written. Now I am waiting for the next!