The Rancher

by Cynthia Woolf

When veterinarian Lyris Jennings accepts a position at Whispering Winds Ranch, she’s looking for a fresh start—a place where she can focus on healing animals and leave her painful past behind. What she doesn’t expect is an irresistible connection with her new boss, billionaire horse breeder Ray Kincaid. Brooding yet fiercely protective, Ray is finally ready to open his heart again after the tragic loss of his wife. But Lyris, who has spent years guarding her own, isn’t sure she’s ready to take that leap.

As she earns the trust of both Ray and his spirited teenage daughter, Maddy, Lyris starts to believe she’s found where she truly belongs. But just as her walls begin to crumble, Ray’s manipulative ex-fiancée, Marissa Holloway, storms back into his life. Armed with lies and deception, Marissa is determined to reclaim what she believes is hers—no matter the cost.

With betrayal threatening everything they’ve built, Lyris and Ray must fight for the love neither of them expected. But can they overcome the shadows of the past, or will Whispering Winds Ranch become yet another broken dream?

Genres: Romance

200 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 15, 2025

About the author

Cynthia Woolf is the USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of eighty-five works of romance fiction. Comprising sixty-six historical western romances, ten contemporary romance novels, two contemporary romance novellas, one historical western romance novella, and six sci-fi space opera romances, which she calls westerns in space. Along with these books, she has also published twelve boxed sets of her books and two short stories.

Cynthia loves writing and reading romance. Her first western romance, Tame A Wild Heart, was inspired by the story her mother told her of meeting Cynthia's father on a ranch in Creede, Colorado. Although Tame A Wild Heart takes place in Creede, that is the only similarity between the stories. Her father was a cowboy, not a bounty hunter, and her mother was a nursemaid (called a nanny now), not the ranch owner.

Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband, Jim, and her great critique partners for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.



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TITLES AVAILABLE (English unless otherwise stated)

COLORADO BILLIONAIRES (sweet contemporary novels)
THE CEO
THE RANCHER
THE MAVERICK
THE TYCOON
THE ARTIST (coming soon)
THE QUARTERBACK (coming soon)


MONTANA BILLIONAIRES SERIES (contemporary sweet western novels)
Her Secret Cowboy Billionaire (Available in German)
Her Mysterious Cowboy Billionaire (Available in German)
Her Royal Cowboy Billionaire (Available in German)
Her Christmas Cowboy Billionaire (Available in German)
Her Bachelor Cowboy Billionaire (Available in German)
Her Wild Cowboy Billionaire (Available in German)
Her Elusive Cowboy Billionaire
Her Disguised Cowboy Billionaire


CHRISTMAS AT THE MISTLETOE INN (contemporary novella)
Cooking Up Christmas


THE BRIDES OF THE KLONDIKE
The Gold Rush Bride (Available in German)
The Gold Mountain Bride


THE PRESCOTT BRIDES (Available in German)
A Bride for Ross
A Bride for Frank
A Bride for Tucker
A Bride for Clay
A Bride for Brodie



THE HEART WISH MAIL-ORDER BRIDES SERIES
Heart of Stone
Heart of Shadow


MARSHALS MAIL ORDER BRIDES
The Carson City Bride (Available in German)
The Virginia City Bride (Available in German)
The Silver City Bride
The Eureka City Bride


ANGEL CREEK CHRISTMAS BRIDES
Adele


BRIDES OF GOLDEN CITY
A Husband for Victoria
A Husband for Cordelia
A Husband for Adeline


BRIDES OF THE OREGON TRAIL (Available in German)
Hannah
Lydia
Bella
Eliza
Rebecca
Charlotte
Amanda
Emma Rose
Nora
Opal


BACHELORS & BABIES
Carter (Book 3)


BRIDES OF SEATTLE (Available in German)
Mail Order Mystery
Mail Order Mayhem
Mail Order Mix-Up
Mail Order Moonlight
Mail Order Melody


CENTRAL CITY BRIDES (Available in German)
The Dancing Bride
The Sapphire Bride
The Irish Bride
The Pretender Bride


HOMESTEAD CANYON SERIES
Thorpe’s Mail-Order Bride
Kissed by a Stranger
A Family for Christmas


HOPE’S CROSSING
The Hunter Bride
The Replacement Bride
The Stolen Bride
The Unexpected Bride


AMERICAN MAIL-ORDER BRIDES
Genevieve, Bride of Nevada


THE SURPRISE BRIDES
Gideon


THE BRIDES OF SAN FRANCISCO
Nellie (Available in German)
Annie (Available in German)
Cora (Available in German)
Sophia (Available in German)
Amelia (Available in German)
Violet


THE BRIDES OF TOMBSTONE (Available in German)
Mail Order Outlaw
Mail Order Doctor
Mail Order Baron


DESTINY IN DEADWOOD (Available in German)
Jake
Liam
Zach


MATCHMAK

Reviews

[Anna Marie Leffew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute gem! From the very first page, the gripping action had me hooked, and I simply couldn't put it down. The characters were so vividly portrayed that I fell in love with each of them. Lyris Jennings' internal struggle with her feelings for Ray was relatable and heart-wrenching. Ray Kincaid's unwavering dedication to win her over made me root for him with every turn of the page. And Maddie, Ray's daughter, added a touch of sweetness and innocence to the tale that was simply delightful.

Ted, oh Ted—he was a rollercoaster of emotions for me. At times, I despised him, but then there were moments that had me feeling sorry for him. Marissa, on the other hand, was a whole new level of villainy. Her evil ways made me want to jump into the story and take her down myself!

The storytelling was so captivating that I found myself completely engrossed, unable to tear myself away. I adored every moment of this story, and I can't recommend it highly enough. It's a must-read for anyone who loves a thrilling, emotional, and utterly engaging tale.

[Kathy Heare Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE PERFECT MATCH FOR THEM

The series will take place in Colorado. It is a contemporary romance with a touch of suspense, angst, and eventually romance. Sometimes, it will take time for them to acknowledge their feelings. The story takes place at Whispering Winds Ranch, where Lyris Jennings has been contracted as the new vet by owner, Ray Kincaid.

Maddy, daughter of Ray, has raised and practiced racing her horse, White Lightning. Ray is heavily involved and invested in the breeding program and racehorses. White Lightning is a natural.

The story has the good, the bad, and the ugly of people. Ray discovered before it was too late that Marissa was cheating on him with his best friend, Scott. But how far does the evil go with Marissa? Things have been questionable lately—and from the time Lyris meets Ted Gulliver, stable master for Ray, she doesn’t trust him. Horses endangered will set the ball in motion to keep an eye on Ted—but threats made against Lyris, Maddy, and the horses will have Ray reacting. How far will Marissa take things, using Ted as her lackey?

I liked Ray and Lyris together, from the time they met, there is an underlying chemistry that just oozes off the pages. Lyris is cautious and doesn’t want to jeopardize her employment—yet when she and Ray are together, things heat up. Ray has feelings for Lyris he hasn’t had for any other woman since his late wife, Francie. How will Maddy feel if Ray and Lyris develop strong feelings for one another? I always enjoy a story where the good win and the evil are delivered their comeuppance. Add in a sizzling relationship between two people, and give it the coveted happily ever after is the icing on the cake—wedding cake!

“See, Daddy? That’s the perfect woman for you—for us. She cares about us, not just herself, and she’s not trying to send me off to a boarding school.”

[Becky Claxon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book you must read! Ray was a billionaire who owned a ranch that raised race horses, trained them, and raced them. It was sad that his wife had died when their daughter was not very old. I loved what a good father he was to his daughter Maddy. Lyris, the vet he hired, had come a day early to start working and get to know his system. I loved that she was attractive, but wasn’t afraid to voice her knowledge when questioned. It was so nice to see her love of the horses as Ray and his daughter were also protective of the horses. I could not stand Ted, who was over the ranch. You could see he was a greedy, evil man. I was so upset to see some of the “accidents” that happened around the ranch. Poor Ray had more than Ted who wanted to cause him trouble. The book was suspenseful at times, and I loved how Ray and Lyris grew close. I strongly encourage you to read the book.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the theme of a vet working for a race horse ranch and the events surrounding the horses. But the rest of the plot just didn't hold together for me. The ex-fiance and all her schemes and the involvement of the other people did not feel realistic to me. There were many typos and errors too and the story did not always flow well.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in Cynthia Woolf’s fantastic “Colorado Billionaires” series. I love all of this author’s books, but this enthralling series is my absolute favorite so far.

The main characters are strong, independent and caring people. They are also realistic especially when it comes to their differences and the difficult situations they face.

Ray Kincaid is a widower with a young, horse-loving daughter. He owns his own ranch, Whispering Winds, where he raises and trains race horses. Lyris Jennings is a veterinarian who takes full-time care of the health of Ray’s horses. She accepts this full-time position at Whispering Winds because she wants to make a fresh start in order to recover from a difficult situation she had with her last employer.

In addition to the romance between Ray and Lyris, this book also includes a riveting suspenseful plot with lots of action.

When Lyris finally becomes comfortable with her feelings for Raye, his ex-fiancée, Marissa, decides she wants him back. Therefore, by using lies and manipulation, Marissa does everything she can to resume their relationship.

Meanwhile, someone is attempting to injure Raye’s horses to keep them from running in the next race. They dangerously attempt to incapacitate his best horses by drugging then and/or by setting up dangerous situations for them.

This is a fascinating story that will hold your attention until the very end!

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, suspense, and sabotage make this an interesting novel as Lyris is contracted as a veterinarian to tend the horses at a stud ranch. Her past experience has made her wary of becoming involved with her employer, however, the connection between the owner of the Whispering Winds Ranch and herself is undeniable. With underlying tension building between Ray Kincaid and his neighbour, Lyris is caught in the middle, especially when it appears that Ray's horses are being targeted. She also realizes only too well that Ray still mourns the death of his wife and is extremely protective of his young daughter, and Lyris is unwilling to expose herself to possible heartbreak. As the tension ramps up and Lyris is placed in jeopardy, it becomes clear to both Ray and Lyris that they belong together. The novel concludes on a heartwarming note, with justice being served. I received a copy of this romance as a gift, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating Suspenseful Western Romance
When Ray Kincaid looks at Lyris Jennings, his new vet, his world tilts a little. She is so different from his wife, who died in a riding accident twelve years ago leaving him with a three year old daughter to raise on his own. He is definitely attracted to her, but she is his employee. Lyris wonders what it would be like to go out with Ray. He is handsome and so nice. She will not get involved with her employer though no matter how persistent he is. She did that once and is not going to go through that again. She knows better than to date the boss or even find him attractive. It will only lead to heartbreak. And why would a billionaire like Ray be interested in a veterinarian like her anyways. Cynthia Woolf has written another captivating contemporary western romance with well developed relatable characters. There is emotion and gripping suspense with a number of twists and turn that keep the pages turning. A quick enjoyable read.

[Margaret Hejmanowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all things Cynthia Woolf, and this does not disappoint; this is book two in The Colorado Billionaires series. Lyris Jennings is a veterinarian, and is just hired by The Whispering Winds Ranch. Ray Kincaid is the ranch owner, and a billionaire horse breeder. Lyris and Ray hit it off right away, Ray has a fifteen year old daughter Maddy; she loves to ride her horse White Lightning. With Lyris's arrival, she informs Ray of a lot of horse drugging going on, has he noticed anything strange going on? Ray trusts his workers, as they have been with him for years. From the beginning Lyris does not trust Ted, the Stable Manager; does she have a reason to not trust him? Love the plot, great setting, and strong intense interesting characters. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Cynthia Woolf!!!

[Julia David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lyris is leery of starting a relationship with her new boss. She got burned before and doesn't want it to happen again. All Lyris wants to do is take care of Ray's horses. She immediately detects that one of Ray's horses has been doped. Ray lost his wife years before and is raising his daughter on his own. He almost married a woman a few years before, but fortunately he saw the real person inside her. Now the woman is back trying to start their relationship again. No way. Ray wants Lyris and is willing to wait until she sees that he isn't going anywhere. When Lyris is in danger, Ray will do anything to protect her.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this love at first sight romantic suspense for Lyris and Ray in Colorado. Lyris is the new veterinarian for Ray's horse ranch. Ray's wife died several years earlier in a riding accident and he is raising his ten-year old daughter, Maddy, with the help of his housekeeper, Amy. After Lyris arrives, strange things start happening to the horses. Thankfully, Lyris is able to keep any horses from dying due to her expert care. The characters are likeable and the action keeps the suspense intense. Will the mystery be solved about who wants to ruin Ray's livelihood? You will have to read the book to find out and I highly recommend it. This is my voluntary and honest review.

[Mary Willard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cynthia Woolf brings us another great read. Lyris couldn’t have picked a better place to look for a change in her life. Her love of animals is immediately challenged as she feels something is threatening the horses under her control. Her skill and knowledge immediately come into play as she tries to uncover the reason for her unease, while fighting the attraction to her new boss. Heartbreak is not on her agenda. Danger abounds as she gets closer to solving the puzzle both to herself and her new work family. Can love bloom amidst suspected deaths, threats and kidnapping? Well done.

[Jennie Fortna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rancher is book 2 in the Colorado Billionaires by Cynthia Woolf 4.5 stars

Ray Kincaid billionaire horse breeder, race horse owner, a single dad, who hires Lyris Jennings as the new vet for his Whispering Winds Ranch. What he doesn’t expect is the possible drugging of his race horses, tension between his new vet and the stable manager Ted, strange happenings on the ranch, suspense, who can you trust, sabotage, threats and more…

I voluntarily read a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sahar's Honest Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A captivating Western romantic suspense!
When Lyris arrives at Ray’s ranch as his new vet, romance is the last thing on her mind. Ray, still grieving his late wife, never expected to love again. Yet, fate has other plans. As their bond deepens, a sinister force threatens them—someone is sabotaging the ranch, poisoning horses, and wreaking havoc. Who is behind the attacks, and what is their motive? This gripping story is filled with mystery, danger, and heartfelt romance, keeping you hooked until the very end. A must-read for fans of Western romantic suspense!

[Harriet Flowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! I voluntarily received an ARC copy of this book and am voluntarily writing this review.
Dr Laris is the new vet at Whispering Winds Ranch. She’s excited about the prospect of working with top breading horses and a fresh start from her last job. Getting paid to do a job she loves is just icing on the cake. Even feeling electricity with her new boss is put on the back burner with number one being taking care of the beautiful animals that someone seems determined to harm. How could anyone harm these amazing creatures? Laris is determined to stop them at any cost

[Amanda Marlowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ray employs Lyris as the ranch's vet when his previous one retires. She warns him about the doping of horses going on.
He's been a widower for over ten years with a horse mad daughter, Maddie, who's fifteen.
He's attracted to Lyris as she is to him, but she's had a bad experience previously.
Then suddenly odd things start occurring. Who's targetting the stables and why?

Another great romantic suspense from Cynthia.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, Cynthia Woolf has drawn me into her story with strong characters, humor, betrayals, danger, surprises and, yes, romance. I’m not a big horse lover but I can’t imagine wanting to hurt such magnificent animals. It seems like with great wealth comes, in addition to the good, betrayal and pain. Neither Lyris nor Ray are strangers to those. I can highly recommend this book, and I look forward to the next one.

[Carrie Leatherman · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 star story, 1 star execution on the writing for an average of 3 stars. Plot was good just written like it was done the night before the deadline. It didn’t flow well and seemed to skip ahead in details.

I won this book as a GoodReads giveaway and that is the only reason I finished. I have to many other well written books on my TBR to have wasted my time. Good thing it’s only 162 pages to get through.

[Patti Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this was one of the best books I have read. I love the passion of anything they were doing. The details of settings. And people. I love the horses and baby horses. Made it so very fun. The mystery of it is very fun to read in this one. Keeps you wondering "what's next."I could not put this book down. I highly recommend any and all of her books. Now I wait for the next one in series. I just love this author.

[Charmaine Nouwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE RANCHER:a contemporary romance story of Ray and Lyris..A grumpy,protective billionaire single dad and his new veterinarian, a guarded woman with a past and wanted a new start with her life..They have an instant connection but both have been hurt and their blossoming relationship is getting cut by his manipulative ex and will do anything and determined to reclaim what she believes is hers—no matter the cost..An emotional,intriguing,with steam,angst,romance and hea

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Rancher” by Cynthia Woolf is a good mix of crime and romance in the world of horses. Lyris is a vet that joins Whispering Winds Ranch, makes a connection with Ray (the ranch owner), and puts the animals first.

While I enjoyed the story and the characters, I enjoyed the writing style to a lesser extent.

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read the book.

[Pamela A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝑪𝒚𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒐𝒍𝒇𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕. 😍😍😍

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒊𝒄 𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖! 𝑺𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝒂 𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒅 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔 ! 𝑨𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒆𝒂 𝒕𝒐𝒐!! 𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍. 🥰🥰🥰

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the chemistry between Ray and Lyris, something dreams are made of. What they go through at Whisper Wind Ranch will have you crying, then cheering! You know through the story who does what to Stormchaser, but that's not the only thing you learn, more secrets come about and who all is involved in the scandals and such. Very good read!

[Jeanne Mead · Rating 5 out of 5]

When veterinarian Lyris Jennings accepts the position at a ranch owned by widower Ray Kincaid, a billionaire horse breeder, she didn't expect to be intensely attracted to her new boss. Nor to be involved in the lies, schemes and manipulations of a nasty ex-fiancé.
Full of surprises, romance and suspense this is a very exciting, heartfelt story.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second story in the Colorado Billionaires, veterinarian Lyris Jennings goes to work on the Whispering Winds Ranch where she meets her new boss, billionaire horse breeder Ray Kincaid and his teenage daughter, Maddy. What a nasty person his ex was. The story is well written with a very good storyline and a happy ending. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Siobhan D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Veterinarian Lyris Jennings starts working on the Whispering Winds Ranch. Ray Kincaid and his daughter teenager Maddy have run and owned the ranch together since Ray’s wife died years ago. We have romance with horse drugging as a back ground. Throw in an horrible ex, Ray fighting his feelings for the vet and drama.
Both are great together, a story full of action, chemistry and romance.

[Delbora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy from author to review if I chose. I love the works of this author and gladly review! This book is entertaining and interesting. I smiled laughed and grew sad in the course of its reading.

[Rhonda Sledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved all the acts of sabotage and the suspense in this book. It kept my attention even better than the romance. The fact that we got to see the inner thoughts and motives of the villains was an added bonus. It's hard to imagine people being that callous. This is a must read!

[Nethanja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lyris has found her dream job and maybe even her dream man but can she trust him? And when trouble found the ranch can they both discover what is happening?
This is a fun story with suspense, love and a great storyline.

[David Berg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free advance review copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review. I really enjoyed this book and seeing the relationship between Lyris and Ray (and his daughter, Maddy) develop. I recommend this book.

[Estie Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book. A little hard to follow in some places, almost like the timeline jumped forward and then backwards. Otherwise a very good read. I highly recommend this book. I received a free copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.