A Bent Creek Redemption

Harker Brothers Ranch #2

by Catie Cahill

No one in Bent Creek expected the town's bad boy to fall for the girl-next-door librarian . . .

Jackson

My life took ten wrong turns when I left Bent Creek. But now I'm back to help my brothers get the one thing that matters most to us--our family's ranch.

The plan is fix the place up, pay the taxes, live there for five years, and it's ours.

So I move in, ready to set aside my messed up life for something with a purpose. Ready to forget the past with my family and the Nobles and build a life for the future.

Yet I didn't expect to end up with the town librarian as a roommate.

Emily is quiet and beautiful. But if she's as smart as she seems, she'd know to stay far away from me and my last name.

Emily

When I get evicted from my apartment, I can either go crawling back to my disapproving dad or sleep in my car. But seeing Jackson Harker back in town reminds me that there's another place I could stay temporarily--his family's abandoned house.

Desperate to avoid another night in my car, I sneak into the house--to find Jackson already staying there. I'm not about to stick around, not with his reputation and definitely not with the way I find myself attracted to him, but a spring snowstorm takes the decision out of my hands.

It's just one night, on one air mattress.

One night turns into two, and then three, and before I know it, I'm finding that so much I'd heard about Jackson Harker is wrong. The longer I stay, the more I fall for him.

But the danger that comes with him is real.

Marybeth

I'm the happiest I've ever been with Gabe. We've moved into a small house together, he's busy with plans to get the family ranch back with his brothers Jackson and Nick, and I've finally decided on a way to get my shop to survive the upcoming summer in our small town.

But there's one person who isn't happy with any of it--my brother, Luke.

Luke can't set aside the past, and he's convinced the Harkers are back to stir up trouble. When I try to reason with him, he gives me an choose a side .

But how can I pick between my family and the man I love?

It doesn't matter, though, because Luke chooses for me. He's determined to get the Harkers to leave town, and he doesn't care who stands in his way.

If you love cowboys, Yellowstone -style family drama, small western towns filled with secrets, and sweet romance with a touch of suspense, this book is for you!

This is a story of family, romance, and friendship told through 3 viewpoints--Emily, Jackson, and Marybeth. A Bent Creek Redemption is the second full-length book in the Harker Brothers Ranch series. For Marybeth and Gabe's story, be sure to check out the prequel novella, A Bent Creek Christmas.

205 pages, Paperback

Published November 3, 2023

Reviews

[Lana Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this great story of the romance between a sweet, shy librarian, Emily, and the boy she used to go to school with, Jackson Harker, the bad boy. Of course, she had been drawn to him when she was younger. Guess what? She finds out right away that she still is drawn to him…This story is about The Harker Brothers trying to get their family’s ranch back, by having Jackson “squat” on it, after paying up the past due taxes. Then, after five years, if the rightful owner says nothing, doesn’t contest, or try to evict him, the land is theirs again. There was another family in town, the Nobles, who were doing the same things the Harkers were but they never got caught or blamed and always came out looking squeaky clean. They were not happy when the Harker’s came back to town. By the way, Emily’s just been evicted herself, as her roommate took the rent money Emily had been paying for her half and just spent it on something else, because she had moved in with her boyfriend but failed to mention to Emily exactly WHAT she was doing. So, rather than go home and get chewed out by her Dad for being so irresponsible, she opted to sleep in her car. It was horribly cold. Then, she remembered the old vacant Harker house. She drove out, and tried the door, and to her surprise, it was open! She was looking around and realizing that someone else had the same idea she had, when she heard Jackson’s voice!! He told her she could stay with him. Thus began their romance. It was friendship at first and they never did anything but kiss, but they did fall in love! 🥰 He gives her the low-down on their home, she helps out on the house, he finds a job in town doing construction work,and they just keep falling deeper in love. There is so much angst and action in this story that I couldn’t possibly tell you about it all, but you can read this exciting story and see what happens for yourself. You’re going to be thrilled with the way the author handles the relationship issues between Emily and her family and all of the characters and their families. It was so fulfilling! You do not need to read the prequels to love this one. However, as good as this one is, I would definitely recommend Catie Cahill’s other books!! I received an advanced reader copy and this opinion is my own.

[Lia Lorimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Conservative and quiet librarian, Emily, finds herself homeless when her room-mate disappears with her rent contribution. Not wanting to face her father’s disapproval with her life decisions, she decides to find alternative accommodation, not expecting newly returned, bad-boy Jackson to choose to “squat” in the same place!
This was a light, quick read with a few interesting twists and turns. Although the reasons for the Harker/Noble feud were mentioned, Jackson’s part and the background to the loss of their home were not fully clarified, detracting from my enjoyment of the story. Jackson’s ‘squatting plans’ were also rather unrealistic…however, this is fiction!
I received a free review copy and this is my honest opinion.

[J.E. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Harker brothers and the Noble's have an ongoing dislike. The Harkers try to live down a bad reputation, while the Nobles come out as the good guys. Now, Jackson Harker is back and wants to make a go of getting the family ranch back. Unforeseen complications make it more difficult than he expected. Even with his brother's help, things still don't work out. Then Emily crosses his path.

The story is about legacy, family values, redemption, forgiveness, and relationships.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Harkers are back.

This is book 2.
The book is stand alone, however to keep pace with the characters and story, probably best to read Book 1 first.

Cat Cahill has written a very modern western romance.
I usually prefer historical westerns.
I was so suprised to find, that I have enjoyed a modern version.
I was sitting on the edge of my seat, it was very good.

I very much enjoyed this book.

The Harkers were known for being trouble makers, that's why they left town.
However, now they have a plan.
What was not expected was, they already had a guest in residence.

Please do read and enjoy this series.

🇳🇿💜📚

[Lucia Valenzuela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story. Jackson and Emily are seemingly opposites. She is a quiet librarian and he has a past filled with trouble. The Harker Brothers are trying to find a way to get their old ranch. Jackson becomes a squatter at the old house. The way both Emily and Jackson deal with no heat, water or electricity is heartwarming. The antagonism of Luke against the Harkers is still ongoing. I’m loving this series and can’t wait to read Ward’s story.
I received a free copy of this book and this is my voluntary, honest review.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harker Brothers Saga. The Harker family left town abruptly years ago in the middle of a scandal. This is the story of Jackson’s return where he meets Emily the town librarian. The author does a great job of developing characters and keeping you interested. This is the third book in the series, counting the prequel. You really need to read the earlier stories to understand all the story lines. Even though Jackson and Emily’s story comes to a resolution there is still an unsolved plot going on at the end. This is a sweet, clean read.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

He has made so many wrong turns in his life and now he has a chance to put it all right by saving the family ranch. He will do what ever he needs to get it up and running but life is about to change in another way. She needs a place to stay rather than her car so she goes to the ranch expecting it to be empty. What will she do when she finds him there? How will it all go? Will love be a byproduct of it all? See how it will all go

[PNG Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catie Cahill had me hooked from the first page. He was a trouble maker as a kid...she was the shy girl who hardly ever talked...especially to guys. It's been years and, seemingly, nothing has changed for Emily and Jackson...or maybe everything has changed. If you like snappy dialog and sassy characters, you'll love this next addition to the Harker Brothers Ranch series.

[Jacqueline Johnston Cotton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyably, sweet small town romance loaded with family drama. It's a really good, complex storyline and written with a three person POV. The characters are wonderful with great chemistry, sassy banter between each other and they are fun and engaging. This story is entertaining and a page turner with a happy ending.

[Terry Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is full of excitement. Luke is so full of anger and he is hurting because he lost the love of his life. This author is such a good writer because when I first started reading this series I felt so sorry for Luke, now I am angry with him because he is so mean. To be honest a lot of the characters are angry due to the past. I can't wait to see what happens next. Great job by this author.

[Rhonda Sledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like a good stew, the plot just keeps getting thicker! This is the third book in this series and you really need to read them all to fully appreciate what's going on in the book. Jackson returns to Bent Creek to join his brothers, Gabe and Nick, in a bid to reclaim their family ranch. Emily is a small-town librarian who is evicted because her roommate failed to pay the rent. Jackson and Emily make an unlikely pair but when they both try to squat in the same abandoned house, sparks fly. This is one of those books where, when you get to the end of the book, you know it's not the end of the story. I can't wait for the next book!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A disclaimer, although the romance portion of this story is standalone, I have not read Book 1 of this series and upon reading this one, I noticed that many characters and references from the first book and the prequel novella pop in this sort rather often. You won’t feel lost in this one but I recommend/encourage reading the previous books to lead into this one.

With that being said, this book you will find a story of romance, family drama, and mystery…that’s what you will find in the story and it will have you hooked! The story is told from 3 different point of views. You are first introduced to head librarian Emily Foley. She’s super sweet, doesn’t realize her beauty, and is very shy. As you are getting to know Emily, you meet Jackson Harker. Considered the town “bad boy” by his and his family’s past, he’s back in town and needs a job. He came into the library after seeing the Hiring Sign. Emily panicked and said the position has been filled, and Jackson accepts that answer but not without flirting with her. The story at some point takes you to the 3rd point of view - Marybeth Noble. You learn that there is some bad blood between the Harkers and Nobles based upon references of what had happened in book 1. Marybeth, kinda like a Romeo and Juliet, fell in love with Gabe Harker and it has caused some friction with her family - her brother, Luke, in particular.

The story goes back to Emily, who gets evicted from her apartment by surprise since her roommate ghosted her, and was not ready to humble herself to go home. So she thought she could just spend a night or two at the abandoned Harker house….she failed to realize upon arrival that Jackson would be there. Jackson, being a sweet guy says she can stay with him for the night. She comes to learn that Jackson is back in town for the one thing that matters- his family's ranch. He thought his plan would be simple: fix the place up, pay the taxes, live there for five years, and him and his brothers can claim it. What he didn’t expect to happen was fall in love. One night together turns into more and you see there relationship blossom and grow through some unexpected twists and turns.

But there are some fishy dealings happening with the several properties including the Harker Ranch. What is going on behind the scenes? What does Luke Noble know that he is keeping from his sister? Some of these questions begin to get answered and you do get a happily ever after BUT I will say you won’t get the full conclusion until the last/next book so be prepared. You get a sweet conclusion on Jackson and Emily too. The epilogue sets up nicely for the last Harker’s romance and the conclusion of “fight” to get their family’s ranch back.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Clean, plenty of romance - kisses only, nothing graphic and easy to follow as I feel the story is very well written. I plan to read the stories I missed originally and be ready for an epic conclusion in book 3.

I received an advance copy of this book for an honest review.

[Jenni Bearden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m enjoying this series as “fluff“ books. Not a lot of substance, but easy and fun to read. Not crazy about the cliffhangers, but at least there’s a little bit of resolution at the end of each one. Three stars.