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Second Chance at the Ranch
From the bestselling author of Christmas in Snow Falls comes a heartwarming read that’s perfect for fans of Jenny Hale, Sheila Roberts, Debbie Macomber, and Jill Shalvis.
After a viral scandal ruins her reputation, Manhattan heiress Emily seeks escape and takes a summer job as a ranch hand in Wyoming, hiding her identity. She clashes with Tyler, the ranch owner, but as Emily embraces hard work, a bond forms.
When Emily is injured, she trusts Tyler with her secret, deepening their connection. However, misunderstandings arise when Emily anonymously helps the ranch. When her identity is exposed, all bets are off, and confessing her love for a simpler life might not be enough.
A heartwarming escape for readers looking for that small-town, sweet romance to get lost in.
After a viral scandal ruins her reputation, Manhattan heiress Emily seeks escape and takes a summer job as a ranch hand in Wyoming, hiding her identity. She clashes with Tyler, the ranch owner, but as Emily embraces hard work, a bond forms.
When Emily is injured, she trusts Tyler with her secret, deepening their connection. However, misunderstandings arise when Emily anonymously helps the ranch. When her identity is exposed, all bets are off, and confessing her love for a simpler life might not be enough.
A heartwarming escape for readers looking for that small-town, sweet romance to get lost in.
183 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 7, 2024
92 people are currently reading
1695 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 15, 2025
1.3 stars
WHY HAS 2025 BEEN SO SHIT?!?!? WHY HAS EVERY SINGLE BOOK IVE PICKED UP SUCKED SOMEHOW??? ugh someone seriously needs to recommend me some GOOD books because there is no way im at one 5 star read 2 months in. ive been in like a half slump all year and i need to fix it
ANYWAYS THIS BOOK WAS SHIT
i picked it up because, oh this looks cute and it's on those stuff your kindle days!! hahahahaha WHY??? genuinely why was this written? it is the most basic, boring, poor-paced, gimicky piece of media i have ever consumed. i had no idea what the plot was, but here's a summary:
rich, privileged, bratty girl decides she wants to be hard-working and have GRIT.
THE END!
WHAT??? HOW ORIGINAL!!!!
and i mean her full personality change??? at the start we're screaming at an attendant about a dress, THEN SUDDENLY THE NICEST, MOST HARD-WORKING PERSON EVER??? oh and don't you forget, she's gonna prove herself. BECAUSE SHE'S GOT GRIT. grit. grit. grit. grit. grit. grit. grit. grit. DID I MENTION GRIT????????
and WHAT was the writing style? here let me show you how it's written.
a few bland, basic sentences with 10000 unnecessary big words to seem SMORT.
new paragraph. no reason why, not a new time, setting, character speaking or chapter. because why not break up everything to make my book seem slightly bigger???
two spaces for a new time. isn't my book so unique??
here goes another paragraph.
LIKE ACTUALLY SHUT UP. AND SHE JUST EXCUSES EVERY BRATTY, STUCK UP THOUGHT SHE HAS WITH "but wait... i dont like being rich!!!! i wanna be... different!" SHUT THE FUCK UP. AND EVERYONE ACTS SO SHOCKED WHEN IT COMES OUT THAT SHE'S A RICH LITTLE BITCH, AND HER BF IS LIKE WOAH THIS IS THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL. UH, NO IT'S NOT??? GOD FORBID SHE HAS A SECRET IDENTITY OR SOME SHIT??? UGH.
and the time skips???? maybe rather than writing like 80 pages (be so fr, without all the dumbass paragraphs it would be that much) WRITE A REAL BOOK? 300 PAGES WITH A REAL PLOT AND TIMELINE SO PERHAPS IT ISN'T SO BASIC AND FORCED??? like it goes:
im a spoilt brat. wait, the media doesn't like that???? GUESS I BETTER GO BE A COWGIRL
woah. this hard. i feel left out and tired. FOR LIKE ONE CHAPTER.
MWAHAHAHAHAHAH I FIT IN IM PERFECT I KNOW HOW TO RIDE HORSES THIS GUY IS IN LOVE WITH ME I HAVE....... GRIT!!!!
omg no media person saw me. i have to go home :( everyone hates me now for some reason
BOOM TAKE ME HOME BABY AND 1 CHAPTER OF LONLINESS AND IM FITTING IN!!!!
now im married BOOM TAKE THAT RICH PRIVELEDGED LIFE!!!
and don't forget all this takes place over 144 PAGES?!??! SPACED OUT IN WEIRD PARAGRAPHS??? AND WHY DID WE HAVE SO MANY WEIRD, UNNECESSARY BIG WORDS?? LIKE YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL FOR USING A BIG WORD THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE IN THE SENTENCE AND MY KINDLE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW THE DEFINITION FOR???
anyways this was shit dont read it
WHY HAS 2025 BEEN SO SHIT?!?!? WHY HAS EVERY SINGLE BOOK IVE PICKED UP SUCKED SOMEHOW??? ugh someone seriously needs to recommend me some GOOD books because there is no way im at one 5 star read 2 months in. ive been in like a half slump all year and i need to fix it
ANYWAYS THIS BOOK WAS SHIT
i picked it up because, oh this looks cute and it's on those stuff your kindle days!! hahahahaha WHY??? genuinely why was this written? it is the most basic, boring, poor-paced, gimicky piece of media i have ever consumed. i had no idea what the plot was, but here's a summary:
rich, privileged, bratty girl decides she wants to be hard-working and have GRIT.
THE END!
WHAT??? HOW ORIGINAL!!!!
and i mean her full personality change??? at the start we're screaming at an attendant about a dress, THEN SUDDENLY THE NICEST, MOST HARD-WORKING PERSON EVER??? oh and don't you forget, she's gonna prove herself. BECAUSE SHE'S GOT GRIT. grit. grit. grit. grit. grit. grit. grit. grit. DID I MENTION GRIT????????
and WHAT was the writing style? here let me show you how it's written.
a few bland, basic sentences with 10000 unnecessary big words to seem SMORT.
new paragraph. no reason why, not a new time, setting, character speaking or chapter. because why not break up everything to make my book seem slightly bigger???
two spaces for a new time. isn't my book so unique??
here goes another paragraph.
LIKE ACTUALLY SHUT UP. AND SHE JUST EXCUSES EVERY BRATTY, STUCK UP THOUGHT SHE HAS WITH "but wait... i dont like being rich!!!! i wanna be... different!" SHUT THE FUCK UP. AND EVERYONE ACTS SO SHOCKED WHEN IT COMES OUT THAT SHE'S A RICH LITTLE BITCH, AND HER BF IS LIKE WOAH THIS IS THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL. UH, NO IT'S NOT??? GOD FORBID SHE HAS A SECRET IDENTITY OR SOME SHIT??? UGH.
and the time skips???? maybe rather than writing like 80 pages (be so fr, without all the dumbass paragraphs it would be that much) WRITE A REAL BOOK? 300 PAGES WITH A REAL PLOT AND TIMELINE SO PERHAPS IT ISN'T SO BASIC AND FORCED??? like it goes:
im a spoilt brat. wait, the media doesn't like that???? GUESS I BETTER GO BE A COWGIRL
woah. this hard. i feel left out and tired. FOR LIKE ONE CHAPTER.
MWAHAHAHAHAHAH I FIT IN IM PERFECT I KNOW HOW TO RIDE HORSES THIS GUY IS IN LOVE WITH ME I HAVE....... GRIT!!!!
omg no media person saw me. i have to go home :( everyone hates me now for some reason
BOOM TAKE ME HOME BABY AND 1 CHAPTER OF LONLINESS AND IM FITTING IN!!!!
now im married BOOM TAKE THAT RICH PRIVELEDGED LIFE!!!
and don't forget all this takes place over 144 PAGES?!??! SPACED OUT IN WEIRD PARAGRAPHS??? AND WHY DID WE HAVE SO MANY WEIRD, UNNECESSARY BIG WORDS?? LIKE YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL FOR USING A BIG WORD THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE IN THE SENTENCE AND MY KINDLE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW THE DEFINITION FOR???
anyways this was shit dont read it
January 9, 2025
Somehow this book was both over dramatic and boring. Both entirely too detailed, and yet unclear.
July 9, 2025
This book: Dear Mom, I wrote a romance novel…. Sincerely, 13 year old me. 🤦🏻♀️
I’m not sorry about what I’m about to say. Honesty is the key, right? This is a sad, sad juvenile attempt at a romance novel. There’s no growth, there’s no reason, no complexity, there’s just…. Well, no investment.
Emily is an awful little shit. I mean, just read the first twenty pages, she’s an abhorrent entitled shit. And I’m supposed to believe that the girl who demanded a dress be completely dismantled and remade the next day is suddenly going to be into hardwork, with no entitlement and whining? Get out of here. Do I look like I was born yesterday? She’s just got “grit,” she’s “tough as nails,” she’s a real cowgirl; I’m literally going to die laughing.
And Tyler? That man couldn’t rub two brain cells together, let alone the “two nickels” that Emily claimed she didn’t have. He’s such an awful attempt at a stereotype that it’s offensive. This sings to me of someone who doesn’t understand the true nature and the true spirit of the West.
Please don’t quit your day job, unless this is your day job. In which case, hand in your resignation. I don’t need your last two weeks. ✌🏼
I’m not sorry about what I’m about to say. Honesty is the key, right? This is a sad, sad juvenile attempt at a romance novel. There’s no growth, there’s no reason, no complexity, there’s just…. Well, no investment.
Emily is an awful little shit. I mean, just read the first twenty pages, she’s an abhorrent entitled shit. And I’m supposed to believe that the girl who demanded a dress be completely dismantled and remade the next day is suddenly going to be into hardwork, with no entitlement and whining? Get out of here. Do I look like I was born yesterday? She’s just got “grit,” she’s “tough as nails,” she’s a real cowgirl; I’m literally going to die laughing.
And Tyler? That man couldn’t rub two brain cells together, let alone the “two nickels” that Emily claimed she didn’t have. He’s such an awful attempt at a stereotype that it’s offensive. This sings to me of someone who doesn’t understand the true nature and the true spirit of the West.
Please don’t quit your day job, unless this is your day job. In which case, hand in your resignation. I don’t need your last two weeks. ✌🏼
May 6, 2024
Just meh
September 3, 2025
did a 13 year old write this
June 4, 2024
This just wasn't for me.
Ok, maybe there's no problem with this in the English language, but at least in Spanish it was SO uncomfortable to read. I mean, changing verbal times like three times in the same paragraph is a really distractive thing, like, please, make a god-damned choice. Whether you use present simple, past, present perfect or future, I don't care. But it's important to use only one of them.
Another fact is Emily. I kinda hated her from the first moment I read her. But again, maybe it was just me, but I don't like spoiled people who treat others (real workers) like shit.
I gave this book 3 ⭐ because I honestly don't think it's a bad book. Just not for me, not the main character, nor the writing style.
Ok, maybe there's no problem with this in the English language, but at least in Spanish it was SO uncomfortable to read. I mean, changing verbal times like three times in the same paragraph is a really distractive thing, like, please, make a god-damned choice. Whether you use present simple, past, present perfect or future, I don't care. But it's important to use only one of them.
Another fact is Emily. I kinda hated her from the first moment I read her. But again, maybe it was just me, but I don't like spoiled people who treat others (real workers) like shit.
I gave this book 3 ⭐ because I honestly don't think it's a bad book. Just not for me, not the main character, nor the writing style.
May 18, 2024
I really wanted to like this more. There were really good moments in the book but overall it felt very surface level. And at the end it went from they’re barely talking to engaged. It really didn’t make sense. If there was a “5 months later” or something like that I would’ve understood more but it literally went right into them being all fine and dandy. It was confusing.
I was also super confused as to why she said she was going to change her name to Leah in her new life but everyone still referred to her as Emily. It was like the author just forgot about that in the middle of writing the book
I was also super confused as to why she said she was going to change her name to Leah in her new life but everyone still referred to her as Emily. It was like the author just forgot about that in the middle of writing the book
September 8, 2024
I tried so hard to like this book. I just couldn't get over a few things. First, I love slow burns, but when absolutely zero romantic, anything is happening by almost halfway through it's not for me. Second, the ranch aspects don't seem very well researched. At the end of one chapter, she is still scared of horses, and then at the beginning of the next, she is riding them like a pro, with no distinction of time lapse is weird. The thing that really got me was that the main character was supposed to be going by another name, yet after she gave said false name, she is never called it by other characters. She is always called her actual name. Because of these reasons I just couldn't finish the book. To much flaws to get past.
Read
February 12, 2024*Recieved an ARC from the author*
I was kindly sent an ARC by the author for second chance at the ranch. This novel was a short and sweet read which was just the thing I was looking for. It's a nice palette cleanser if you're looking for a nice and short rom-com, the fmc is a celebrity looking to lay low for a bit after a video of her going into bridezilla mode goes viral. Following this she escapes to a small town, under the new identity and name of Leah Jones where she will be forced to do farm work, what she doesn't expect is to meet Tyler West, the brooding worker who she will be staying with in her time at the small town.
I was kindly sent an ARC by the author for second chance at the ranch. This novel was a short and sweet read which was just the thing I was looking for. It's a nice palette cleanser if you're looking for a nice and short rom-com, the fmc is a celebrity looking to lay low for a bit after a video of her going into bridezilla mode goes viral. Following this she escapes to a small town, under the new identity and name of Leah Jones where she will be forced to do farm work, what she doesn't expect is to meet Tyler West, the brooding worker who she will be staying with in her time at the small town.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2024
Summary:
Emily is an heiress in Manhattan. She is filmed screaming at staff over her wedding dress. Emily needs to lay low after the video releases calling her a spoiled brat. She decides to go work on a ranch in Wyoming under a new name.
Tyler owns the Aspen Ridge Ranch. He took a chance on hiring a city woman for the season. He never expected her to last much less to truly embrace ranch life.
My Thoughts:
Second Chance at the Ranch is a clean romance. This was a quick enjoyable read.
It was a well written story that flowed smoothly. The growth of Emily from a spoiled brat to a humble woman was well executed.
This was only 144 pages and I would have preferred a full length novel of Emily and Tyler’s love story. Because it was a novella we didn’t get a full picture of them falling in love.
Thank you Rachel Smith and Cassidy Berg for the complimentary copy of Second Chance at the Ranch.
Emily is an heiress in Manhattan. She is filmed screaming at staff over her wedding dress. Emily needs to lay low after the video releases calling her a spoiled brat. She decides to go work on a ranch in Wyoming under a new name.
Tyler owns the Aspen Ridge Ranch. He took a chance on hiring a city woman for the season. He never expected her to last much less to truly embrace ranch life.
My Thoughts:
Second Chance at the Ranch is a clean romance. This was a quick enjoyable read.
It was a well written story that flowed smoothly. The growth of Emily from a spoiled brat to a humble woman was well executed.
This was only 144 pages and I would have preferred a full length novel of Emily and Tyler’s love story. Because it was a novella we didn’t get a full picture of them falling in love.
Thank you Rachel Smith and Cassidy Berg for the complimentary copy of Second Chance at the Ranch.
September 15, 2024
I like the concept, but there are just too many gaps in the plot for me. I feel like it would be better suited to a longer story with time for more detail and growth of the relationships and timeline. They make up and then are almost straight away getting engaged. Surely you would have some bumps in the road before that next step, but they are skipped straight over. Also, Emily's best friend appears in a later chapter but has no mention before or after, even at their wedding. I would have also liked to know if her parents ever changed their mind and supported this change of plans.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2024
For the length of this book I already knew it wouldn’t be super deep, but I was impressed at how well the story flowed! If you like hallmark style romances and stories of self discovery, you will enjoy this sweet heiress to ranch hand romance! Can’t wait to read more from Cassidy Berg! My only critique was having the best friend come in only at the end kinda threw me and I would’ve loved to see a bit more of her earlier in the book as well.
October 21, 2024
I’d give this less than one star if I could. It feels like nobody even bothered to proofread it before publishing. The book is full of inconsistencies, which made it really hard to enjoy. I get that it’s short, but that’s no excuse for sloppy editing. The only good reviews seem to come from people who got the book for free, which makes me wonder if they actually liked it. Overall, it was really disappointing.
January 19, 2024
3.25🌟
(I received an arc and am voluntarily leaving this review.)
While the blurb and concept of this book sounded really good, i felt like it lacked any depth. Everything felt very surface level, which i should have expected from the short length of the book.
Though i did like the concept and it was quick and fun.
(I received an arc and am voluntarily leaving this review.)
While the blurb and concept of this book sounded really good, i felt like it lacked any depth. Everything felt very surface level, which i should have expected from the short length of the book.
Though i did like the concept and it was quick and fun.
February 20, 2024
So unrealistic.
If you know anything about horses or cattle...can't finish this...the writing style is good but no one would allow a dude to guide dudes...or put one on the back of a bull!
If you know anything about horses or cattle...can't finish this...the writing style is good but no one would allow a dude to guide dudes...or put one on the back of a bull!
February 3, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes:
• small town
• cow boy
• second chance
• city girl
I didn’t love this book but I did not hate it. I thought the story line was great but I felt it was just missing something. I love that we see Emily have a full circle moment I just wish we got to understand Tyler a bit more
Tropes:
• small town
• cow boy
• second chance
• city girl
I didn’t love this book but I did not hate it. I thought the story line was great but I felt it was just missing something. I love that we see Emily have a full circle moment I just wish we got to understand Tyler a bit more
January 16, 2024
Such great read! It hooked me from the first chapter and was a fun book to read!
July 11, 2024
Enjoyed the storyline and read
Read
July 18, 2024Short and sweet
Opposite lives and backgrounds
A few quirks in reality
Like name and abilities to be a cowgirl
Clean, swift and nature loving
Opposite lives and backgrounds
A few quirks in reality
Like name and abilities to be a cowgirl
Clean, swift and nature loving
July 24, 2024
This was a Goodreads giveaway win - Thank you!
Second Chance at the Ranch is a fun read. Yes, there is a lot that isn't "real" or "believable", but it is a good clean romance. Enjoyed it!
Second Chance at the Ranch is a fun read. Yes, there is a lot that isn't "real" or "believable", but it is a good clean romance. Enjoyed it!
September 25, 2024
*I won this book from Goodreads. Thank You
I enjoyed reading this book. Quick read. Nice romance. Excellent descriptions of areas to make you feel you are right there. Love that!
I enjoyed reading this book. Quick read. Nice romance. Excellent descriptions of areas to make you feel you are right there. Love that!
February 12, 2025
Lots of potential and beautiful writing. But flowery prose was wasted. I kept thinking “show me instead of telling me.” Really rushed to get through this. Just felt no emotions the entire time
May 7, 2025
Sweet and predictable just like I like it
August 1, 2025
Kindle- Audible (free)
Emily James & Tyler
Emily James & Tyler
October 18, 2025
Quick and easy romance.
December 28, 2025
didn't finish, poorly written
October 5, 2024
Not very well written at all. Giving Wattpad circa 2010. A lot of plot holes and all together didn’t make much sense.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews