This is a sweet, small-town romance. The two main characters have each suffered life changing events. For Ryder, it is the loss of his wife and son; for Lorri, it was the divorce from her husband. I loved that the story revolved around characters who have some life experience. Neither of them was looking for a relationship when they happened to meet. And what started as merely a friendship grew to more as they spent time together. However, it wasn't all smooth sailing along the way and both of them had to come to terms with something they had in common. In addition to Ryder and Lorri, there were other memorable secondary characters. You will want to have a tissue (or two) handy as there were several emotional parts to the story, especially toward the end.

A perfect setting in North Carolina. A book about starting over and moving on. The book can be heavy at times (trigger warnings) but the lighthearted and funny moments offset the tough ones. The author does an excellent job of describing the setting and you feel like you are there. Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook to read.

I love, love, love a book that will bring out emotions for me. Whether it's smiling, laughing or tears running down my cheeks, I want to FEEL something. And this book by Nancy Naigle had it all! Such a heartwarming story! I loved it!

Lorri Walker is done with love and marriage. She finds herself starting over and doing the things that make her happy. She and her big dog, Mister, are loving life in their new country home. And although she is not looking for love, she finds a sweet connection to Ryder Bolt, who is also not looking for love. When that connection deepens, a realization occurs that could end their relationship. But keep on reading because this story does have a "happily ever after".

Nancy Naigle has created more characters that I was easily able to connect with, and included a few characters from previous books that made me feel l was reliving the past. But don't worry! This is definitely a stand-alone book. Very well done!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.7)

Lorri and Ryder have had tough pasts with their families that they are trying to work through. When they meet they know there’s an instant connection, but neither one is looking for a relationship. Their friendship grows deeper, and they are even more connected then they believe 😳

This small town novel isn’t set in the winter time, but it has all the December romance movie feels to it!

The Wedding Ranch gave me all the hallmark movie vibes! It’s a small town, southern, family oriented book that gave me a lot of happy feelings!

Now, I can’t say I truly felt connected to the characters which is why I didn’t rate this book higher. However, I still enjoyed this cute and easy read!

Read if you enjoy:
🐶 Innocent (non-spicy) romance novels
🦋 Family oriented characters
🚜 Troubled past
🐄 Small town setting

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
The Wedding Ranch by Nancy Naigle is a wholesome romance set in a small town featuring a large Mastiff dog!

Story Recap:
Lorri Walker thought her husband was trying to save her marriage when he gave her a Mastiff puppy for Valentine's day. Six months later, he left her, and the dog for good. Lorri decides to move out of Raliegh and move to the rural suburb of Dalton Mills and finds a home with a big yard for her dog, Mister.

Ryder Bolt has lived in Dalton Mills his entire life, and he’s not happy about the housing development that was built on land that should have been his. Still grieving after the death of his wife and young son, seven years ago, Ryder tries to keep busy with his ranch and helping his twin niece and nephew with their wedding event business at The Wedding Ranch.

Neither Ryder nor Lorri want a relationship, but as they spend more time together, their friendship becomes more. But, can their past show up and change their future?

My Thoughts:
I love a good small town romance, and The Wedding Ranch was all that and more! I love a romance when both characters don’t want a relationship but just can’t help themselves as the attraction is so strong, and The Wedding Ranch is a perfect example.

I liked that Lorri wanted to move out of the city and live in a rural suburb, especially as she has such a big dog. She definitely enjoys the small town vibe and makes the most of moving to a small town.

I loved this heartwarming sweet romance. The characters were well developed and I liked them both very much. It was clear they were meant to be together from the start. But, they each had a considerable amount of baggage and I loved seeing how they each were able to unload it.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend The Wedding Ranch to anyone who enjoys a sweet romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Wedding Ranch by Nancy Naigle is a wonderful standalone second chance romance novel. We meet, Lorri Walker, our heroine at the start, when her husband surprises her with dog on Valentine’s Day. Lorri had suspected her husband of having an affair last year, and when he denied it, she accepted the dog, as his proving that he loves her. However, many months later, her husband leaves her for another woman, who he claims he loves. Lorri decides she needs to move, and ends up in Dalton Mill, with her dog, Mister (a huge mastiff); with 5 acres of land for Mister to enjoy.

In a short time, Lorri gets to meet many of the friendly local people, finding herself content & happy, not to mention her graphic design business was growing rapidly.
Ryder Bolt, our hero, has lived in this small country town of Dalton Mill all his life, and was not happy with his father having sold the land; and resented those who moved to the new development, but he tries to move on past that. He does support his niece and nephew in running The Wedding Ranch, which has become a successful event planning business. Ryder has never gotten over the death of his wife and child in a tragic car accident that happened 7 years ago.

Lorri’s neighbor friend, Tinsley invites her to go to the county fair, which has lots of activity, craft, baking, competitions and cotton candy. While looking around, she is tackled to safety by a handsome stranger, as cows escaped and heading right her. Ryder and Lorri became friends from that point on, with them enjoying each other’s company, with both having their own traumas.

What follows is a slow build second chance romance, with two wonderful people, who deserve to move on in love and forgiveness. I loved Ryder and Lorri together, though the terrible past does come haunting back that threatens to destroy their possible future. Will they be able to stay together?

I adored Mister, who though at 180 lbs., was a wonderful dog. Lorri’s friends, especially her bestie Pam, were always there for her; and it was fun for both of them to see an old friend, who was a major country music star. I did enjoy so many of the secondary characters who were awesome, especially Ryder’s sister, Diane and Ross/Reese who ran The Wedding Ranch.

The Wedding Ranch was a wonderful, refreshing story, so very well written by Nancy Naigle. The story line was very good, with a number of issues, including tragedy, divorce, love, second chances, emotional, forgiveness, family and happiness. I wholly suggest you read this book, as it was a terrific read.

I don't think this was a good fit for me but it was an easy read and I know it has a target audience so I will give it 3 stars. I found it to be very predictable and very Hallmark movie. I don't like Hallmark movies so I don't think I'm the perfect judge for this book! If you love those this be sure to pick this one up you will LOVE it! I also find that this book should me marketed more as Inspirational or Christian Fiction instead of Contemporary so if those speak to you this one will be a great read for you!

P.S. I hated the dogs name...Mister who names a dog Mister?

Sometimes I’m just in the mood for a super sweet and heartwarming read and when that mood strikes I know I can turn to Nancy Naigle. Her books are sugary sweet and innocent, the type of wholesome book you could let your Grandma borrow and not worry about if you know what I mean 😉 Was this a little cheesy? Yes. Was it predictable beyond the usual romance manner? Absolutely. Did I really care that much? Nope because I knew it would be before I even started it and it was kind of like putting on your favorite cozy sweater and knowing it’ll keep you warm all day. So cheesy but true! So if you want a pure little romance that will still somehow melt your heart try this it was pretty fun.

I have read a couple of Nancy Naigle's books and I find them to be utterly charming. When I've read something disheartening, a Nancy Naigle book is a great way to get my mind in a happier place. The Wedding Ranch is no exception. Nancy does tackle real life struggles but in a way that is not dispiriting.

Lorri Walker is a graphic designer who works from home for most of her assignments. She designs logos, website graphics, t-shirt graphics, and other advertising materials. After her husband gifts her with a mastiff puppy and divorce papers, she moves to a small town outside Raleigh, North Carolina, where she meets Ryder Bolt.

She's not looking for love and Ryder is still mourning losing his wife and son seven years ago. But their friendship is something that is welcome in both of their lives until a buried connection between them threatens even a tenuous friendship.

Nancy has used the romance formula for this book, but it feels organic and natural. Ryder's twin niblings (niece and nephew) run the wedding ranch as a venue for weddings, of course, and other events. A high-profile wedding at the ranch creates a fly in the ointment of Ryder's and Lorri's friendship when he accuses Lorri of leaking photos of the wedding to the internet. He doesn't know that Lorri has known the groom for years and that she was invited to the wedding. His mistrust of Lorri makes her question if she even wants his friendship.

The settings in rural North Carolina sound breathtaking, the characters are relatable, believable, and natural. Nancy has a way of bringing her characters to life and bringing them together that doesn't feel forced. It's a great read and well worth the time. I'd like to read it again just for the fun of it.

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a mastiff named Mister to keep you company.

St Martin's Press provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Nancy Naigle has a way of writing stories that touch the heartstrings while developing the characters in such a way that makes the reader feel invested in where that story leads them. The Wedding Ranch brings us the close-knit Bolt family dealing with a tragic family loss, and their parents deciding to pull up their roots to explore the country and selling a large piece of property to development in order to follow that dream. Lori Walker is dealing with her own family drama and moves away from that into a house located in that development. When Lori and Ryder Bolt meet, the sparks fly and their journey to falling in love is tangled with a deep friendship, common interests, and an unexpected common tragedy that could ruin their relationship. The storyline following Lori and Ryder is heartwarming with the closeness of a small community, laughter, faith, and forgiveness bringing them together in a touching understanding and love for each other.Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #TheWeddingRanch #NetGalley

Lorri Walker knows her marriage isn't perfect, and her husband gives her a gift of a mastiff puppy. He's taking the puppy to be trained for her and things are going better; at least until there not. After he leaves her she moves to Dalton Mill into a new home with her big dog. She loves the neighborhood and new life in Dalton Mill.
Ryder Bolt is a lifelong resident of Dalton Mills and really doesn't approve of the new people moving to his small town. He lost his wife and son in an accident seven years ago and hasn't been the same since. He helps his niece and nephew with the barn they turned into The Wedding Ranch.
Lorri and Ryder meet and seem to like spending time together and decide to just be friends. As time passes, they become more involved; but can they both overcome the past.

This was a sweet romance that also happened to feature a dog. What a winning combination! It was nice to see the friendship between Ryder and Lorri grow stronger!

This was a sweet story of love and forgiveness, in a very difficult set of circumstances.

It also had a religious component to it. I know that’s not always for everyone, so I wanted to mentioned that. It wasn’t anything over the top religious, just a few references throughout.

The beginning of this story pulled me in right away. Lorri’s husband was a really jerk. Honestly, I would’ve enjoyed a bit more of the drama from that storyline thrown into the mix.

I liked the sense of community in the story and the small town feel.

The author did a good job of conveying the emotion behind the tensions between Ryder and Lorri. I thought their chemistry could be felt immediately when they met…but when it unravels, I think the read can truly feel the despair of the characters.

What I didn’t like, was the middle of the book…I thought that it lagged and it was hard to stay interested. The beginning and end were really good though. For me, I’d say it was about 100 pages too long. I think the story would’ve had more impact if it were shortened up a bit.

I loved this book! When Lorri's husband leaves her for another woman, what better way to start over than moving away with your mastiff dog. That is exactly what Lorri did and found a house that she loves with some land.. She can work from home on her graphic design business that has her very busy and thinking about painting again. Ryder is a rancher who is sour about the family selling off property that is now developed into a subdivision. He loves working the land and it is his way of staying busy after the loss of his wife and son in a horrific crash. He supports his niece and nephew in their business they call "The Wedding Ranch" that is thriving. Lorri and Ryder meet and are enjoying each other's company but soon Lorri realizes that she holds a secret that could crash that romance. The decision she needs to make is a tough one, but one she needs to make. That decision could ruin her chance for happiness she has never known. Thanks to Ms. Naigle, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rating 3.5

The Wedding Ranch is a wholesome small-town cowboy romance. Two people, each managing different levels of grief over lost loved ones - one a brother and the other a wife and son. Their meet-cute has Ryder rescuing Lorri at the County Fair after nearly getting trampled by a runaway steer. These strangers are NOT looking for love, but something sparks their broken hearts back to life. There is also a big twist reveal toward the end you don't see coming. The big star of the novel is the mastiff, Mister, who serves as everyones emotional support animal. My reading preference don't typically include faith based reads, so this did feel a bit churchy in parts.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the complimentary copy of this novel.

If you love Hallmark movies, The Wedding Ranch is for you! City girl moves to the country and is saved by a handsome cowboy. In all honesty, this book is more than that. Two lives greatly altered by one tragic event and how they overcome it to be together. Lorri is an ambitious graphic designer/artist who needs a change is pace after divorce and Ryder, a strapping cowboy, who is resistance to change and who has lost his whole world and is trying to figure out how to live again. Lorri and Ryder have a chance meeting at the local fair. At first, they say, “let’s be friends.” We all know that never stays especially when it’s a handsome cowboy 😉. They start sending a lot of time together when it’s realized that Lorri’s brother is the one who tore Ryder’s family apart. In the beginning, I felt that this book started out super slow but the more I read I discovered that I needed more. This Wedding Ranch made me mad and sad at times but I also got to laugh a lot. Everyone deserves happiness during the worst storms of life.

3.5 Stars. Lorri Walker is starting over with a new house in the small town of Dalton Mill. Her 15 year marriage is over and the best thing she took from it is Master the mastiff dog. As Lorri makes friends and involves her self in her new town she meets Ryder Bolt. He is still recovering from the loss of his wife and son seven years ago. But Lorri makes him feel things again. And they agree to friendship, a dinner, a horseback ride.

This is a wholesome, sweet story. There is need for forgiveness and letting go of past hurts and emotions. Some of the story is overly predictable but is handled well. There are religious overtones, prayers before meals, attending church and a master plan for everyone.

At first I thought this was going to be cheesy, especially when one of the characters used the phrase "city slickers”. But the writing and the author won me over. This is a clean women’s fiction with a romance. I thought it was interesting Lorri’s issue was more her feelings about addict brother than the loss of her marriage.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sweet small-town romance with a delightful cast of characters, including a loveable mastiff. I'm always thrilled to see an animal play a secondary role in a novel. Especially dogs. The setting is cute and seems like the kind of place I'd like to live. At first, I didn't quite understand the connection between the title and the plot, but we eventually got there and it all made sense. Ryder is a super swoon-worthy hero and I was rooting for him to open his heart to love once again. To me, one of the marks of a well-written women's fiction novel is the female protagonist's growth as the novel progresses. Lorri's transformation from wounded to confident was nicely done and led to a satisfying conclusion.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary early copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

It started a little slow but I did enjoy the book. It is a story of love, family, friendship, and healing.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of The Wedding Ranch.

While this book deals with some pretty heavy topics… death, divorce, addiction, family bonds…. It does so in the most delicate ways. For me, the stars of this book were the characters and the town. The characters are so easy to connect with, and the town will make you want to immediately move to a small country town. Comforting like a pair of fuzzy socks, I really enjoyed this book.

It was a bit predictable and a little over the top cheesy, but was really a sweet story.