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Royally Wed #1

Summer on the Ranch

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Rediscover this opposites-attract cowboy romance by New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery.

Princess Alexandra Wyndham’s mission to find her long-lost brother—the rightful heir to the throne—brings her to a ranch in Arizona, where she meets handsome cowboy Mitch Colton. Mitch could be the key to finding Alexandra’s missing brother, and although he is reluctant to open his home to Alexandra at first, her regal beauty soon warms his heart. Can the search for the lost brother bring them together? Or will the immense differences between them divide them for good?

Previously published as A Royal Baby on the Way.
 

222 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1999

168 people are currently reading
571 people want to read

About the author

Susan Mallery

865 books15.5k followers
#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming and humorous novels about the relationships that define women's lives—family, friendship, romance. She's best known for putting nuanced characters into emotionally complex, real-life situations with twists that surprise readers to laughter. Because Susan is passionate about animal welfare, pets play a big role in her books. Beloved by millions of readers worldwide, her books have been translated into 28 languages.

Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.

Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.

Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.

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5 stars
146 (23%)
4 stars
153 (25%)
3 stars
217 (35%)
2 stars
76 (12%)
1 star
18 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
Profile Image for Jenny.
3,160 reviews558 followers
March 24, 2017
A sweet romance between a rancher and a Princess. Good read but nothing special!
Profile Image for Ashley G..
725 reviews72 followers
October 19, 2025
Author referred to fmcs butt as a "fanny" and that is when I should have dnfd.
She was royalty but they kept writing her like she was from another planet. "What are these potatoes you speak of?" not an actual example but that was the vibe.
Forced proximity and virgin fmc. But not just virgin, has never had the big O... at age 30.
It was a lot going on especially for the short length and then they just threw that baby in thete at the last second for no reason
316 reviews4 followers
January 7, 2018
I have enjoyed all Susan Mallery's books but this one had 2 story lines and only one was kinda finished. Princess Alex goes looking for a brother whom she never knew, that went missing...but he wasn't found. I'm a little lost on that story line. Is there another book and we find out if he's found?
Profile Image for Shannon.
8,382 reviews425 followers
July 12, 2025
This was a sweet and spicy opposites attract, forced proximity Royal romance between a virgin princess and a divorced rancher. It was fun, lighthearted and a great summer read for those looking for something quick and entertaining. The narration by Tanya Eby was good and I’m excited for what comes next in this new series. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
Profile Image for mimi ♡.
155 reviews
December 2, 2020
Alex is a princess who comes to America looking for her lost brother and heir to the kingdom. Her brother was kidnapped as a baby while her family was on vacation and they received a letter that he might have ended up at an orphanage near to their vacation home. Alex investigates with her sisters to save her family any pain if this lead is a dead-end.

That's how she ends up on Mitch's ranch. Mitch has an adopted brother that might be her brother, but Mitch's brother disappears often and he's not at the ranch when Alex shows up. Apparently the only way around this problem is for her to stay with Mitch until his brother shows up...

Mitch is attracted to her elegance, and Claire is attracted to his rough masculinity. After living together in Mitch's house for a while they admit their attraction and begin a sexual affair. And very quickly after she discovers she's pregnant, they admit their love for each other, her parents show up at the ranch, his parents show up at the ranch, and they agree to marry without really talking about any logistics of this decision.

The fire half of the book was so slow and boring - I kept falling asleep. There was so much set up that wasn't necessary and nothing was happening between the main characters. The story that was set up to bring these characters together was so extreme and complicated and unnecessary. When the story finally starts moving at around 70% through the book it seems then to be making up for lost time and comes to an abrupt finish! They sleep together and then just a few pages later Alex discovers she's pregnant at which point the story ends.

The reader doesn't get to find out how they'll compromise their two very different lives to marry each other. The reader doesn't get to meet Mitch's brother, or find out if the missing prince is still alive, or who he could be! I looked at other reviews, and it doesn't seem like reading the rest of the series is worth it either.

It was a mess of a book and a waste of my time. I've read a lot of terrible romance books, but this was one I wish I hadn't spent any time reading and am a bit angry I did.
Profile Image for Katja.
114 reviews1 follower
June 21, 2015
How is it that Alex has spent 30 years being treated like she could rule the kingdom someday, complete with training and experience in diplomacy and dinner conversation, business experience, etc., but suddenly she is reduced to a blubbering idiot just because she's around a good-looking man? This story has some cute moments, but not enough to make up for the fact that the underlying assumption is that bumbling lack of experience is hawt.
Profile Image for Tia.
Author 10 books141 followers
April 18, 2012
When the heroine meets our hero out on a ranch, she is shock by how pulled she feels to him when she was only looking for her biological kidnapped brother, who happens to be the heroes adoptive step brother. After spending some serious time together, the hero and heroine realize they are in love and nothing will stop them from becoming husband and wife.
Profile Image for Alice L.
45 reviews2 followers
June 27, 2025
tedious despite being so short. instalove/lust. no idea why either of them like each other. MMC is sexist.
Profile Image for Audrey Ledon.
16 reviews
October 28, 2025
The book was good and had a lot of potential but it left something wanting.
The story sets up a mystery at the very start but by the end you have more questions and no answers. I know this is a romance book but when it is centered around looking for answers and none are given it left me wondering what's the point.

the writing was good and the romance was nice but that's it. If there is another book I would be hesitant to read it only because I wouldn't know if there would be any actual answers.

Profile Image for Beccs  ✨.
257 reviews2 followers
October 2, 2025
Summer in the Ranch sounded like it would be the perfect light read — small town vibes, romance, and that cozy ranch setting. I was totally ready for an easy, heartwarming escape. 🌾✨

But… it just didn’t land for me. The characters felt pretty flat, and the dialogue often came across as repetitive. I kept hoping the story would pick up, but instead it dragged on and on. Honestly, I was bored most of the time and had to push myself to keep reading. 🥱

Not terrible, just… very forgettable.
Profile Image for Lauren.
685 reviews33 followers
August 8, 2025
This is an opposites attract, girl outta water type of romance story. I did not expect the level of steam that came out of the FMC’s inner monologue. There was a point where she wanted to rub the MMC like a cat and it about took me out. I will be reading more from this author because these were top tier smut scenes.
Profile Image for Collette Sarro.
2 reviews
November 19, 2017
Great story, a real page turner, love always wins! Another fantastic work of fiction by Suan Mallery

A real page turner. Love always wins. Another fantastic work of fiction by Susan Mallery. Its like you are actually living on the ranch and visiting the sites in Arizona.
Profile Image for Aasheekaa Bathija.
45 reviews2 followers
August 25, 2025
A light, breezy, romance novel. Royalty meets commoner and fall in love. Fun beach/weekend read!
Profile Image for Julia Quindo.
4 reviews
October 13, 2025
felt rushed during the remaining 20% of the book. i personally dont like the trope it ended with. the missing brother plot couldve been solved also
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for jensbooknookclub.
510 reviews17 followers
July 12, 2025
𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

I think this was unique and swoony combo of the princess & cowboy. I’m always intrigued with the opposites attract trope as it requires alot of work to get right. Spoiler this one is done right! The audio for this book is just fun as the narrator does a great job with the royal accent vs the cowboy voice, the range was amazing. This does ends a bit abruptly for me. It felt a little rushed and doesn’t quite wrap up all the loose ends so be warned so you have the next book in the series ready to go.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Alexandra is the oldest of 4 daughter’s and her dad is the King so she’s not only a princess but may inherit the throne one day. So when a tip comes in with new information surrounding her older brother’s disappearance she gathers her sisters and heads to America to learn more.

Alex’s brother went missing when he was a toddler when her family was visiting the states. Her parents searched for years but the list prince was never found he was presumed dead. So Alex wants to keep this new info from them for now until she has more answers.

The last thing Alex planned was to find herself on a ranch in AZ with a hot cowboy, and that cowboy holding the key to the answers she’s looking for. While there Alex soon realizes that there may be more to her than her role as a princess, she has never had fun and allowed herself to fall in love. It doesn’t help that Mitch is everything she never allowed herself to dream of. Alex will need to decide what is more important duty or love.

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:

“This was a summer thunderstorm, all heat and light and sweet darkness he wanted to get lost with Alex.”

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Strangers to Lovers
* Royal Princess x Cowboy
* Opposites Attract
* Off Limits Romance - As She Could be the Next Queen
* Mystery Around Missing Prince
* Forced Proximity
* Cattle Ranch in Arizona
* Dual POV with Spice

🐴🌵👑🤠🧡🌵👑🤠🧡🌵👑🤠🧡🌵🐴


https://www.instagram.com/p/DMA4Bm-uZ...
Profile Image for Jenn (YeahOrNeighReviews).
1,853 reviews46 followers
July 23, 2025
This was over too soon for my liking, but ties things up just enough to make the reader happy and anxious for the next book in the series. If you go into it with the mindset that there are no rules in the monarchy, and allow yourself to just enjoy two people finding a kinship with one another, then you'll enjoy it!
Profile Image for Maria.
2,382 reviews50 followers
July 5, 2020
Highly unlikely fantasy but still entertaining in some respects. I enjoyed the parts about the horses and the horse exercising and wish it had been highlighted more. The Princess part didn't work for me at all, the search that had brought Princess Alex to Mitch Colton's ranch was sidelined too early and went nowhere, and her three sisters, who might have enlivened the story, were also sidelined early. I suspect there are four separate books on this theme, but it would have been better to have all four mesh together with lots going on, the sisters' investigations criss-crossing with each other and this one.
Profile Image for Pamela Devereux.
1,032 reviews2 followers
August 18, 2015
Fun read

Princess Alexandria is the oldest of 4 sisters and was responsible for the day to day care of the monarchy. Then information comes in that shakes up everything. The sisters leave for the U.S. on a quest. Only Alex ends up on a ranch with hunky Matt. Matt takes one look at her and his world shifted. All she wants is to treated like a normal person and Matt keeps throwing princess in her face. The give and take is fun to read. The end cracks me up.
Profile Image for Yenni.
19 reviews3 followers
May 19, 2008
The first book from "royally wed series (Wyndham & torthonburg)" by multi author.

Princess Alexandra of Wyndham came to Arizona for searching her lost brother. But, instead find her brother,James,
She fell in love with a cowboy, Mitch.
Well, like another Harlequin series, this story is also has a happy ending.. >_<
Profile Image for Shwetika.
91 reviews1 follower
May 31, 2011
The books about a princess Alexandra, The oldest of the 4 daughters of king of is trying to find her long lost brother James and in the process she meet a rancher Mitch and felt attracted to him the whole thing become a mess when they both realize that they both are in love and now they have to mesh their mismatched world into one
Profile Image for Zaa.
225 reviews1 follower
June 20, 2011
Ini novel zaman2 aku SMA. Waktu itu lagi booming2nya harlequin. Melihat summarynya jadi tertarik. Seorang princess pergi ke amrik u/ mencari saudara lelakinya yg hilang (diculik saat kecil), Dan disana dia bertemu dgn seorang rancher n mrk pun jatuh cinta meski si pria tidak mengetahui identitas kekasihnya yg sebenarnya seorang royalti.
Profile Image for Ayu Wirdha.
1,045 reviews12 followers
December 25, 2011
Putri Alexandra meminta bantuan Mitch seorang pemilik peternakan untuk mencari kakaknya yang hilang. Interaksi keduanya malah membuat mereka falling in love walaupun awalnya Mitch minder krn status Alxandra yg merupakan putri kerajaan.

Ini mengingatkan gw bagaimana gw dulu suka hq yang sweet dan layak dikoleksi
Profile Image for Paige.
1,907 reviews13 followers
August 22, 2015
Okay, so the title should be changed, because there is no baby until the last chapter! A very basic story that really doesn't give you the ending it should.
1,215 reviews15 followers
August 19, 2015
Susan's writing is as fabulous as always, but this is the first in a series so there's no resolution to the whole reason Alex comes to America.
Profile Image for Laura.
749 reviews4 followers
October 25, 2015
Great Susan Mallery book! Loved Mitch and Alex together. Great plot/story... However, what happened with her brother? His brother? Her sisters? Is there more to the story?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews

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