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The Kelly Ranch #4
Set It Right
Cormac Kelly was my first best friend…and he broke my heart before I even knew it was his to break.
Every summer of my childhood belonged to Sugar Brush, Wyoming and the boy with pale blue eyes who knew all my secrets. We spent those long, golden days running wild across his family’s ranch, covered in dirt and convinced nothing would ever change.
But things do change. And somewhere along the way, my first best friend became a stranger.
Then the night before my wedding, I accidentally overheard what Cormac really thought of me, pushing me into making the worst decision of my life.
Three years later, I’m divorced and back in Sugar Brush for the summer, working as an outdoor adventure guide and hoping this will be the fresh start I need.
But Cormac still lives on the ranch. And he’s impossible to avoid.
He’s there when I need help. When I need a steady hand. And the gentle way he looks at me now doesn’t match the cruel words I heard him say that night.
The more time we spend together, the harder it becomes to remember why we ever walked away from each other.
When one unexpected kiss sparks a passion neither of us saw coming, I start to question everything I thought I knew.
Did I misunderstand the night that changed everything?
Did we let the best thing in our lives slip away?
And more importantly…how can I let myself fall for Cormac when we both know this summer is all the time we have?
Every summer of my childhood belonged to Sugar Brush, Wyoming and the boy with pale blue eyes who knew all my secrets. We spent those long, golden days running wild across his family’s ranch, covered in dirt and convinced nothing would ever change.
But things do change. And somewhere along the way, my first best friend became a stranger.
Then the night before my wedding, I accidentally overheard what Cormac really thought of me, pushing me into making the worst decision of my life.
Three years later, I’m divorced and back in Sugar Brush for the summer, working as an outdoor adventure guide and hoping this will be the fresh start I need.
But Cormac still lives on the ranch. And he’s impossible to avoid.
He’s there when I need help. When I need a steady hand. And the gentle way he looks at me now doesn’t match the cruel words I heard him say that night.
The more time we spend together, the harder it becomes to remember why we ever walked away from each other.
When one unexpected kiss sparks a passion neither of us saw coming, I start to question everything I thought I knew.
Did I misunderstand the night that changed everything?
Did we let the best thing in our lives slip away?
And more importantly…how can I let myself fall for Cormac when we both know this summer is all the time we have?
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2026
About the author
Julia Wolf
51 books3,731 followersJulia lives in Maryland with her patient husband and three crazy, beautiful kids!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 291 reviews
May 18, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
This book is dedicated to an important public service announcement: Communication is free.
Unfortunately, nobody informed the main characters.
The result is years of longing, missed opportunities, emotional devastation and enough "what ifs" to power an entire small town.
Fortunately, one of those people was Cormac Kelly. Carrying the emotional weight of this romance like ranch equipment.
What worked for me
(aka: Wyoming's leading supplier of yearning)
The strongest part of this book was never the mystery, the financial investigation or the future logistics.
It was always Cormac.
This man spent years quietly loving Zara while convincing himself she deserved whatever made her happiest, even if it wasn't him. He wasn't possessive, manipulative or keeping score. He simply showed up. Again and again. Through grief, mistakes, distance, misunderstandings and enough missed opportunities to fuel several therapy sessions.
And when the yearning finally clocked in? It immediately started collecting overtime.
Suddenly the emotional moments started landing harder, the history mattered more and Cormac Kelly was out here collecting emotional damages from the reader.
The emotional vulnerability worked far better for me than the romance's bigger declarations. The moments that stuck with me weren't necessarily the grand speeches but the quieter ones. The history. The familiarity. The certainty that these two knew each other better than anyone else.
The friends-to-lovers foundation was incredibly well established. The flashbacks did a lot of heavy lifting for me because they grounded their connection in something deeper than attraction. Every glimpse into their younger years reinforced why they mattered to each other and why losing that friendship hurt so much.
I also loved how affectionate Zara became once she finally got out of her own way. When she was in, she was all in. The playful affection, the comfort, the complete inability to stop touching his face - it felt earned because it grew out of years of friendship rather than appearing overnight.
And despite my complaints elsewhere, I absolutely bought that these two belonged together.
Where it lost me
(aka: communication's longest origin story)
The pacing was moving at ranch speed.
This book had a habit of delivering a really strong emotional reveal...and then spending several chapters slowly processing information I already knew.
The reveals themselves worked. The space between them sometimes didn't.
There were stretches where I felt like I was waiting for the next meaningful development while the story circled emotional territory it had already covered. Several conversations hit similar beats and by the final third I found myself wondering if we really needed quite so many pages to reach conclusions that felt inevitable.
The side plot never stood a chance.
The subplot involving Zara's ex-husband, the investigation and the financial drama wasn't bad.
I just wasn't nearly as invested in it.
Every time the story shifted away from childhood history, unresolved feelings and cowboy emotional devastation, my interest noticeably dipped.
I understood why it existed. It gave Zara closure, growth, and the opportunity to fully see her marriage for what it was.
But emotionally? I was significantly more interested in whatever Cormac was doing.
Breaking News: talking helps.
I appreciate that the book acknowledges grief, timing, insecurity and emotional avoidance as genuine obstacles.
But eventually I reached the point where I wanted less "what if?" and more "please use your words."
The irony is that communication is literally the central theme of the novel.
Which means the final conflict resolution mostly boils down to everyone finally having the honest conversations they should have been having all along.
Emotionally satisfying? Yes.
Slightly frustrating after watching them avoid those conversations for hundreds of pages?
Also yes.
Final thoughts
This was one of those romances where I liked the relationship more than I liked the actual reading experience.
I absolutely believed in Zara and Cormac as a couple.
I loved the childhood-friends-to-lovers foundation. I loved the history. I loved the devotion. I loved the yearning once it properly arrived.
I just think it could have reached the same emotional destination with fewer pages, fewer detours and a little more urgency.
Final verdict
A sweet, heartfelt second-chance romance with a strong emotional foundation, an elite yearning cowboy and enough missed communication to keep an entire small town employed.
Cormac Kelly deserved every single one of his flowers. The pacing and I, however, were not always on speaking terms.
3.5 ⭐️ - Sometimes the love of your life is waiting by the river. Sometimes all you need is one honest conversation. Unfortunately, these two required 350 pages to figure that out.
Tropes and Vibes:
• Childhood best friends to lovers
• Second chance romance
• Small-town Wyoming setting
• Summer nostalgia
• Years-long yearning
• Emotional caretaker hero
• Divorcee FMC fresh start
• "I've loved you forever" energy
• Domestic intimacy
• Mutual pining
• Found family/community feel
• Long-distance dilemma
• Emotional support grandparents
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Pre-read: Preparing myself for: summer nostalgia, divorced FMC fresh starts, cowboy yearning and one misunderstanding ruining multiple lives
As nature intended ✨️
This book is dedicated to an important public service announcement: Communication is free.
Unfortunately, nobody informed the main characters.
The result is years of longing, missed opportunities, emotional devastation and enough "what ifs" to power an entire small town.
Fortunately, one of those people was Cormac Kelly. Carrying the emotional weight of this romance like ranch equipment.
What worked for me
(aka: Wyoming's leading supplier of yearning)
The strongest part of this book was never the mystery, the financial investigation or the future logistics.
It was always Cormac.
This man spent years quietly loving Zara while convincing himself she deserved whatever made her happiest, even if it wasn't him. He wasn't possessive, manipulative or keeping score. He simply showed up. Again and again. Through grief, mistakes, distance, misunderstandings and enough missed opportunities to fuel several therapy sessions.
And when the yearning finally clocked in? It immediately started collecting overtime.
Suddenly the emotional moments started landing harder, the history mattered more and Cormac Kelly was out here collecting emotional damages from the reader.
The emotional vulnerability worked far better for me than the romance's bigger declarations. The moments that stuck with me weren't necessarily the grand speeches but the quieter ones. The history. The familiarity. The certainty that these two knew each other better than anyone else.
The friends-to-lovers foundation was incredibly well established. The flashbacks did a lot of heavy lifting for me because they grounded their connection in something deeper than attraction. Every glimpse into their younger years reinforced why they mattered to each other and why losing that friendship hurt so much.
I also loved how affectionate Zara became once she finally got out of her own way. When she was in, she was all in. The playful affection, the comfort, the complete inability to stop touching his face - it felt earned because it grew out of years of friendship rather than appearing overnight.
And despite my complaints elsewhere, I absolutely bought that these two belonged together.
Where it lost me
(aka: communication's longest origin story)
The pacing was moving at ranch speed.
This book had a habit of delivering a really strong emotional reveal...and then spending several chapters slowly processing information I already knew.
The reveals themselves worked. The space between them sometimes didn't.
There were stretches where I felt like I was waiting for the next meaningful development while the story circled emotional territory it had already covered. Several conversations hit similar beats and by the final third I found myself wondering if we really needed quite so many pages to reach conclusions that felt inevitable.
The side plot never stood a chance.
The subplot involving Zara's ex-husband, the investigation and the financial drama wasn't bad.
I just wasn't nearly as invested in it.
Every time the story shifted away from childhood history, unresolved feelings and cowboy emotional devastation, my interest noticeably dipped.
I understood why it existed. It gave Zara closure, growth, and the opportunity to fully see her marriage for what it was.
But emotionally? I was significantly more interested in whatever Cormac was doing.
Breaking News: talking helps.
I appreciate that the book acknowledges grief, timing, insecurity and emotional avoidance as genuine obstacles.
But eventually I reached the point where I wanted less "what if?" and more "please use your words."
The irony is that communication is literally the central theme of the novel.
Which means the final conflict resolution mostly boils down to everyone finally having the honest conversations they should have been having all along.
Emotionally satisfying? Yes.
Slightly frustrating after watching them avoid those conversations for hundreds of pages?
Also yes.
Final thoughts
This was one of those romances where I liked the relationship more than I liked the actual reading experience.
I absolutely believed in Zara and Cormac as a couple.
I loved the childhood-friends-to-lovers foundation. I loved the history. I loved the devotion. I loved the yearning once it properly arrived.
I just think it could have reached the same emotional destination with fewer pages, fewer detours and a little more urgency.
Final verdict
A sweet, heartfelt second-chance romance with a strong emotional foundation, an elite yearning cowboy and enough missed communication to keep an entire small town employed.
Cormac Kelly deserved every single one of his flowers. The pacing and I, however, were not always on speaking terms.
3.5 ⭐️ - Sometimes the love of your life is waiting by the river. Sometimes all you need is one honest conversation. Unfortunately, these two required 350 pages to figure that out.
Tropes and Vibes:
• Childhood best friends to lovers
• Second chance romance
• Small-town Wyoming setting
• Summer nostalgia
• Years-long yearning
• Emotional caretaker hero
• Divorcee FMC fresh start
• "I've loved you forever" energy
• Domestic intimacy
• Mutual pining
• Found family/community feel
• Long-distance dilemma
• Emotional support grandparents
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Pre-read: Preparing myself for: summer nostalgia, divorced FMC fresh starts, cowboy yearning and one misunderstanding ruining multiple lives
As nature intended ✨️
Review of advance copy received from Author
5 stars
There are so many Julia Wolf books/series I love, but I think her ‘Kelly Ranch’ series is my top favorite!
Cormac Kelly’s book is the final book of the series, and it’s with his childhood best friend, Zara. First off, if you’ve read Julia’s backlist, you know both of their parents, which makes this book/connection so much sweeter!
I adore a childhood friend-to-lovers romance. The trust this couple has in each other, the history, and most importantly… the pining! Gah! It was truly the sweetest, and I couldn’t keep the grin off my face as I was reading.
Set it Right was a slow-burn, small-town, friends-to-lovers romance that hit all the right spots! I loved that these two had to get back to bff status before anything romantic happened between them. The Kelly Ranch books are so special to me, and I highly recommend them!
There are so many Julia Wolf books/series I love, but I think her ‘Kelly Ranch’ series is my top favorite!
Cormac Kelly’s book is the final book of the series, and it’s with his childhood best friend, Zara. First off, if you’ve read Julia’s backlist, you know both of their parents, which makes this book/connection so much sweeter!
I adore a childhood friend-to-lovers romance. The trust this couple has in each other, the history, and most importantly… the pining! Gah! It was truly the sweetest, and I couldn’t keep the grin off my face as I was reading.
Set it Right was a slow-burn, small-town, friends-to-lovers romance that hit all the right spots! I loved that these two had to get back to bff status before anything romantic happened between them. The Kelly Ranch books are so special to me, and I highly recommend them!
May 24, 2026
I didn’t want to pick this up. Not because I wasn’t excited, but because I knew the moment I started, I’d be one step closer to saying goodbye to a series that has genuinely meant something to me. And that feeling? It sat with me the entire time I was reading.
Zara and Cormac broke my heart in the best way possible. There’s something about two people who have been carrying each other silently for years, too scared to say the wrong thing, too close to risk everything, that hits different when it’s written well. And Julia Wolf writes it so, so well. The tension between them didn’t feel manufactured or drawn out for drama’s sake. It felt like watching two people finally exhale after holding their breath for a decade.
What got me the most was how quiet their love story is. There are no grand gestures that feel out of place, no explosive arguments just to fill pages. It’s coffee and old jokes and the kind of comfort that only exists between people who have known each other their whole lives. That quietness made every breakthrough moment feel earned in a way that genuinely made me tear up.
The Kelly family showing up one last time in Sugar Rush felt like going home. I’ll miss them more than I expected.
If you’ve been following this series, don’t put this one off. And if you haven’t started yet
what are you waiting for?
Zara and Cormac broke my heart in the best way possible. There’s something about two people who have been carrying each other silently for years, too scared to say the wrong thing, too close to risk everything, that hits different when it’s written well. And Julia Wolf writes it so, so well. The tension between them didn’t feel manufactured or drawn out for drama’s sake. It felt like watching two people finally exhale after holding their breath for a decade.
What got me the most was how quiet their love story is. There are no grand gestures that feel out of place, no explosive arguments just to fill pages. It’s coffee and old jokes and the kind of comfort that only exists between people who have known each other their whole lives. That quietness made every breakthrough moment feel earned in a way that genuinely made me tear up.
The Kelly family showing up one last time in Sugar Rush felt like going home. I’ll miss them more than I expected.
If you’ve been following this series, don’t put this one off. And if you haven’t started yet
what are you waiting for?
May 29, 2026
What a way to round out this series! With Zara (Amir & Zadie's daughter) & Cormac (Elena & Lachlan's son) from her previous series. I had high hopes for this one and for the most part, I was rewarded.
Zara heads to Wyoming to work for the summer and to get away from the bad vibes left by her ex-husband. Who, while he wasn't abusive... wasn't supportive or right for her. In fact, she was always supposed to be with Cormac Kelly. Her childhood best friend and the one everyone thought she would end up with. But when she came to the same college as him, she ended up meeting his roommate and then their communication broke down, and then she married that roommate. Now she is divorced from him and getting a chance with Cormac.
Of course, neither of them see it that way, but we do, of course.
I will say, the only real tension in this one was how long til they admit their feelings and one petty woman giving misplaced directions that led to the suspense. Truly, I don't know why Julia Wolf tried small town suspense with this series. It only really worked with book 1. The rest have all felt like her trying to hold that theme but it was all unneeded. Her strengths lie in the first love scene between her characters and the way they think about one another. That will get me every time.
Overall, I've loved this series and I can't wait for whatever is next.
4.5 Stars
2.5 on the spice scale
*Thank you to the author and her team for an ARC of this title.*
Zara heads to Wyoming to work for the summer and to get away from the bad vibes left by her ex-husband. Who, while he wasn't abusive... wasn't supportive or right for her. In fact, she was always supposed to be with Cormac Kelly. Her childhood best friend and the one everyone thought she would end up with. But when she came to the same college as him, she ended up meeting his roommate and then their communication broke down, and then she married that roommate. Now she is divorced from him and getting a chance with Cormac.
Of course, neither of them see it that way, but we do, of course.
I will say, the only real tension in this one was how long til they admit their feelings and one petty woman giving misplaced directions that led to the suspense. Truly, I don't know why Julia Wolf tried small town suspense with this series. It only really worked with book 1. The rest have all felt like her trying to hold that theme but it was all unneeded. Her strengths lie in the first love scene between her characters and the way they think about one another. That will get me every time.
Overall, I've loved this series and I can't wait for whatever is next.
4.5 Stars
2.5 on the spice scale
*Thank you to the author and her team for an ARC of this title.*
April 30, 2026
5🌟, 3🌶️
I went into this not knowing what to expect, and it completely pulled me in.
This was my first time reading this author and stepping into this series, and I was honestly surprised by how quickly I got attached. Even coming in here at the end of the series, the world felt so easy to slip into, warm and lived in, with that small town comfort that just wraps around you.
Cormac and Zara really won me over. Their shared history felt natural and grounded, and the slow way they come back to each other carried this quiet kind of longing that never felt forced. Cormac is the steady, all in type of love that just feels safe in the best way, and Zara’s journey of finding herself again made their connection feel even more meaningful. Together, they just make sense in a really soft, understated way.
This story leans more into emotion than big drama, and that actually worked in its favor for me. It’s about timing, healing, and finally choosing what has been there all along without being able to see it clearly before.
It left me with such a full, satisfied feeling.
I’m genuinely excited to go back and explore the rest of this author’s work and the earlier books in the series.
~~~~
Huge thank you to Julia Wolf and The Author Agency for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
I went into this not knowing what to expect, and it completely pulled me in.
This was my first time reading this author and stepping into this series, and I was honestly surprised by how quickly I got attached. Even coming in here at the end of the series, the world felt so easy to slip into, warm and lived in, with that small town comfort that just wraps around you.
Cormac and Zara really won me over. Their shared history felt natural and grounded, and the slow way they come back to each other carried this quiet kind of longing that never felt forced. Cormac is the steady, all in type of love that just feels safe in the best way, and Zara’s journey of finding herself again made their connection feel even more meaningful. Together, they just make sense in a really soft, understated way.
This story leans more into emotion than big drama, and that actually worked in its favor for me. It’s about timing, healing, and finally choosing what has been there all along without being able to see it clearly before.
It left me with such a full, satisfied feeling.
I’m genuinely excited to go back and explore the rest of this author’s work and the earlier books in the series.
~~~~
Huge thank you to Julia Wolf and The Author Agency for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
May 6, 2026
This was like watching the wrong color paint dry - frustrating and boring. 😑
I read and loved the other books in the series and am so sad and disappointed that this is how it ended.
Zara ❤️ Cormac
This follows childhood best friends through their college years, then through the years when their friendship faltered, and then to present day where they reconnect on the Kelly Ranch. We see their past through various long and yawn-y flashback memories.
I would have liked this story more if the things that drove them apart made more sense. It just didn’t hang together for me.
Dropped stars:
1) The story starts w a ‘misunderstanding’ that’s dumb. The night before her wedding she overhears Cormac telling her idiot fiancé not to marry her. She was already having doubts and listening around a corner, but doesn’t think for a moment “hmmm, why would he (my once trusted soulmate friend) say that?”. She just feels betrayed and marries the guy anyway.
2) I really disliked Zara - I found her self-centered and emotionally immature. I get why she could have fallen for and married the wrong guy and I understand she was distraught after her mom’s illness. What. Ever. I don’t care. Cormac was literally by her side through everything. Then she gets to college and just… drifts away and leaves him for someone else? Also, when was the illness in relation to college? That whole timeline confused me.
3) Cormac was great; loved him. But also, wtf - you just let your “best friend” think for years that you’re friends with her boyfriend, when you actually can’t stand him and know he’s a douche who’s likely cheating on her? And you ‘tried to stop him’ but it never occurred to you to talk to Zara?
4). The ridiculous drama w the ex’s. Dumb and pointless. Why is any of this in the story? And of course, he has to fall off his horse and she needs to rescue him, and there’s a fire…. My eyes can’t roll that far.
5) The whole “what will we do, I can’t stay more than the summer” back and forth. Yes, you can. You literally have no reason to leave.
Lastly, the writing was overly detailed and focused on unnecessary parts of the story. I truly don’t care about Phoebe’s bakery stand at the town market. Nope. Don’t need 3 pages about it.
- no third act breakup
- miscommunication all over the place
- spice - starts around 50%
- MMC who’s been in love with her the whole time
- found family - yes, all the other Kelly families are present in the story
- Nicknames - Maccie and Sweetheart
- Matching tattoos - ‘To the river and back’
- OM/OW - No, they are each dedicated to each other; Cormac even breaks up w the woman he’s been seeing as soon as he sees Zara. Zara is fully over the terrible ex.
- Dual POV; HEA; 4 yr later epilogue married w children
I’m sad and mad. And slightly worried about Julia Wolf. This feels like she got tired, threw tropes on a board, and hoped they’d all stick together.
I read and loved the other books in the series and am so sad and disappointed that this is how it ended.
Zara ❤️ Cormac
This follows childhood best friends through their college years, then through the years when their friendship faltered, and then to present day where they reconnect on the Kelly Ranch. We see their past through various long and yawn-y flashback memories.
I would have liked this story more if the things that drove them apart made more sense. It just didn’t hang together for me.
Dropped stars:
1) The story starts w a ‘misunderstanding’ that’s dumb. The night before her wedding she overhears Cormac telling her idiot fiancé not to marry her. She was already having doubts and listening around a corner, but doesn’t think for a moment “hmmm, why would he (my once trusted soulmate friend) say that?”. She just feels betrayed and marries the guy anyway.
2) I really disliked Zara - I found her self-centered and emotionally immature. I get why she could have fallen for and married the wrong guy and I understand she was distraught after her mom’s illness. What. Ever. I don’t care. Cormac was literally by her side through everything. Then she gets to college and just… drifts away and leaves him for someone else? Also, when was the illness in relation to college? That whole timeline confused me.
3) Cormac was great; loved him. But also, wtf - you just let your “best friend” think for years that you’re friends with her boyfriend, when you actually can’t stand him and know he’s a douche who’s likely cheating on her? And you ‘tried to stop him’ but it never occurred to you to talk to Zara?
4). The ridiculous drama w the ex’s. Dumb and pointless. Why is any of this in the story? And of course, he has to fall off his horse and she needs to rescue him, and there’s a fire…. My eyes can’t roll that far.
5) The whole “what will we do, I can’t stay more than the summer” back and forth. Yes, you can. You literally have no reason to leave.
Lastly, the writing was overly detailed and focused on unnecessary parts of the story. I truly don’t care about Phoebe’s bakery stand at the town market. Nope. Don’t need 3 pages about it.
- no third act breakup
- miscommunication all over the place
- spice - starts around 50%
- MMC who’s been in love with her the whole time
- found family - yes, all the other Kelly families are present in the story
- Nicknames - Maccie and Sweetheart
- Matching tattoos - ‘To the river and back’
- OM/OW - No, they are each dedicated to each other; Cormac even breaks up w the woman he’s been seeing as soon as he sees Zara. Zara is fully over the terrible ex.
- Dual POV; HEA; 4 yr later epilogue married w children
I’m sad and mad. And slightly worried about Julia Wolf. This feels like she got tired, threw tropes on a board, and hoped they’d all stick together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2026
I have been waiting for Cormac’s story, so getting to finally see him get his happily ever after was such a satisfying way to finish the series. His history with Zara gave this romance such a strong foundation. They weren’t just two people meeting and falling for each other—they had years of memories, a deep friendship, and all those complicated feelings that come with knowing someone almost your entire life.
The pining was GOOD, and so was the hesitation. There’s that constant fear of ruining the friendship or making another mistake, which gave their slow burn a really natural quality. This felt like a very quiet, grounded, authentic romance, and I loved that. Julia Wolf continues to do such a great job getting inside her characters and exploring their emotional sides, and there were definitely some moments here that hit me right in the feelings.
The romance was just as strong as the first three books, and I really appreciated how each couple has had their own distinct story while still feeling connected to the larger Kelly Ranch world. Add in another little dash of suspense and danger, and there’s just enough tension outside the relationship to keep things moving without taking away from the romance.
And, of course, I loved returning to Sugar Brush, Wyoming one last time. The small town setting has been one of my favorite parts of this series, and by book four it really feels like a place I’ve spent some time getting to know. There’s something so easy and immersive about the way Wolf builds this community and the Kelly family around these romances.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Emma Wilder and Sean Masters, and at this point I’ve run out of new ways to tell you how much I love listening to them together. 😂 They have become such a natural fit for this series, and after four books, their voices feel completely intertwined with the Sugar Brush world and these characters. They bring so much emotion and nuance to the stories, especially during those quieter moments when the characters are finally letting their guards down.
Set It Right was a really lovely conclusion to the Kelly Ranch series. I enjoyed all four books for different reasons, and I’m leaving Sugar Brush very happy with how everything wrapped up. This was my first series by Julia Wolf, but it definitely won’t be my last—I’ll be seeking out more from her.
PERFECT FOR READERS WHO LOVE
Childhood friends to lovers
Second chance romance
Years of history and pining
Slow burn romance with emotional depth
Best friends afraid to risk the relationship
Small town Wyoming settings
Cowboy/ranch romance
A dash of suspense and danger
The pining was GOOD, and so was the hesitation. There’s that constant fear of ruining the friendship or making another mistake, which gave their slow burn a really natural quality. This felt like a very quiet, grounded, authentic romance, and I loved that. Julia Wolf continues to do such a great job getting inside her characters and exploring their emotional sides, and there were definitely some moments here that hit me right in the feelings.
The romance was just as strong as the first three books, and I really appreciated how each couple has had their own distinct story while still feeling connected to the larger Kelly Ranch world. Add in another little dash of suspense and danger, and there’s just enough tension outside the relationship to keep things moving without taking away from the romance.
And, of course, I loved returning to Sugar Brush, Wyoming one last time. The small town setting has been one of my favorite parts of this series, and by book four it really feels like a place I’ve spent some time getting to know. There’s something so easy and immersive about the way Wolf builds this community and the Kelly family around these romances.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Emma Wilder and Sean Masters, and at this point I’ve run out of new ways to tell you how much I love listening to them together. 😂 They have become such a natural fit for this series, and after four books, their voices feel completely intertwined with the Sugar Brush world and these characters. They bring so much emotion and nuance to the stories, especially during those quieter moments when the characters are finally letting their guards down.
Set It Right was a really lovely conclusion to the Kelly Ranch series. I enjoyed all four books for different reasons, and I’m leaving Sugar Brush very happy with how everything wrapped up. This was my first series by Julia Wolf, but it definitely won’t be my last—I’ll be seeking out more from her.
PERFECT FOR READERS WHO LOVE
Childhood friends to lovers
Second chance romance
Years of history and pining
Slow burn romance with emotional depth
Best friends afraid to risk the relationship
Small town Wyoming settings
Cowboy/ranch romance
A dash of suspense and danger
May 1, 2026
I read this book in one sitting. Honestly, if there’s one thing Julia does well, it’s writing about great love stories, with sweet, gentle, romantic romances. Kelly Ranch is honestly my favorite of all the books I’ve read by her, and omg, I’m so sad it’s over. I’m excited for what’s next; I’m taking all the beauty and sweetness of this world with me.
April 10, 2026
Literally the sweetest book I cannot even deal 😭😭😭😭
April 30, 2026
I was not ready for Cormac.
I thought Caleb would be the Kelly sibling who would do me in - but it turns out Maccie had a deeper well of emotions he was carrying around than his easy going nature lead me to believe.
Oh my HEART!
And ZARA! Of COURSE she's the daughter of Amir and Zadie. It's just - perfection. SHE'S perfection. Well, actually no. She isn't. She's a hot mess who is trying to put herself back together again in the most honest and true fashion there could be written about a strong woman who was almost destroyed by a controlling man. So - perfection in fiction.
These two just utterly destroyed me emotionally, and yet it is was the perfect ending to the Kelly Ranch series. It was the perfect farewell to Elena and Loch's children.
Maccie shares more in common with both of his parents than he has ever let on and it poured out onto these pages.
As a long time reader of this author, it was so fun (and emotional) to see these two characters flourish, grow, and rebuilt on the page.
If you are a first time reader to this series, or this author - DO NOT RUN AWAY.
One of the things I love the most about this author is her ability to make any book you pick up by her easy to read no matter where in her world you pick up in.
She's also one of those fabulous authors who fills you in on the "if you want to know the lore- here are the origin stories" in her notes sort of gal. Truly a readers author.
So. Maccie and Zara.
Once the childhood friends who couldn't be separated.
Who secretly fell in love with each other over those years.
As the author notes in her story and her flashbacks - two years is an ocean at some points in your life. At a certain age, it's not even a trickle of time.
So what happened?
Well, life happened.
A lot of life happened really quickly for Zara and she couldn't keep up. And Maccie felt that he was being closed out. (Beware these parts and keep tissues close at times. Zara goes through LIFE.)
So those two years stayed an ocean and these two just....drifted.
Zara pops back into Maccie's life as hers has reached a turning point after a failed marriage. Maccie has just finally gotten to the point of dating, finally giving up on the girl of his dreams, when Zara appears in town - and it floors him.
This story is poignant in that the characters know that they truly love each other - but they are more focused on healing their friendship first.
When the friendship fractured neither one of them had confessed their deeper feelings due to life things.
The story builds and layers as these two work on repairing the friendship with just that goal - friendship.
Watching them not only heal their past hurts, but also fall in love with the person who is standing in front of them now was a heartache of sweet and hard.
I wanted them to say things to each other sooner than the story did. (but I'm one of those readers who is all about instant gratification)
The story really needed the rebuilding of friendship and that bedrock of trust to be rebuilt for the love story to unfold the way it did.
It wasn't a miscommunication trope.
It was more friends to lovers with an undercurrent of second chance - a second chance that both characters felt but had never verbalized to each other before.
As for any miscommunications from their youth - the story resolves them in a way that removes any miscommunication tropes between the main characters.
These two go from misunderstanding things that were said, things that were unsaid but felt, and things that were said and misunderstood all through the course of their story.
Both characters also own up to their pasts, their actions, and take ownership for their past selves as well as their past actions.
It's more of a story that cleans up the miscommunication, allows the characters a chance to grow up and be the adults they are now, and to own their past mistakes and make repairs.
I like that this is a healthy growth story with both characters having their eyes opened to things that they have done in the past.
I liked the growth of communication between the two of them as well as Zara actively following up on things that she said with actions.
I liked seeing Maccie open up to her with actions and then with words. For him, that's the way his character shows trust and openness to another human.
I'm not saying it doesn't take the entire length of the book for some things to be solved. It wouldn't be a romance novel if there weren't things hanging over their heads that felt huge and unsolvable until the very end now would there be.
Additionally some things needed time for both characters to work through what really mattered to them in life in order to make it through the roadblocks. Which took the entire journey of the story to travel and solve.
And solve these issues they did. In a really wonderful way.
I loved how beautifully alive both Cormac and Zara were on the page.
How fully fleshed out they were as adults.
However, having the author add in the past/flashbacks to help fill in the gaps and to help us understand how the friendship had crumbled- it was just .... it was like watching a character grow from a child to a teen to an adult on the page. You could read the progression of both Cormac and Zara through those flashbacks, and also come to understand where some of their sticking points and pain points would be now given what they had lived through in the past.
This is a gentle ride through heartache a few times over, but also a soft blooming of a friendship formed in childhood and the characters' first love not only rekindling, but growing into an adult love and appreciation for the other person in the relationship.
Cormac and Zara are no long the college kids infatuated with their childhood crush. They are now adults who have lived through losing their person and finding them again. First as a friend, and then as a lover.
This is a beautiful story and one that I will definitely be rereading.
It also made for a gorgeous ending to this series. I couldn't have asked for a better goodbye to this part of the Kelly Ranch.
Yes I say that hoping desperately that some day Jesse pops up in a book. LOL.
I thought Caleb would be the Kelly sibling who would do me in - but it turns out Maccie had a deeper well of emotions he was carrying around than his easy going nature lead me to believe.
Oh my HEART!
And ZARA! Of COURSE she's the daughter of Amir and Zadie. It's just - perfection. SHE'S perfection. Well, actually no. She isn't. She's a hot mess who is trying to put herself back together again in the most honest and true fashion there could be written about a strong woman who was almost destroyed by a controlling man. So - perfection in fiction.
These two just utterly destroyed me emotionally, and yet it is was the perfect ending to the Kelly Ranch series. It was the perfect farewell to Elena and Loch's children.
Maccie shares more in common with both of his parents than he has ever let on and it poured out onto these pages.
As a long time reader of this author, it was so fun (and emotional) to see these two characters flourish, grow, and rebuilt on the page.
If you are a first time reader to this series, or this author - DO NOT RUN AWAY.
One of the things I love the most about this author is her ability to make any book you pick up by her easy to read no matter where in her world you pick up in.
She's also one of those fabulous authors who fills you in on the "if you want to know the lore- here are the origin stories" in her notes sort of gal. Truly a readers author.
So. Maccie and Zara.
Once the childhood friends who couldn't be separated.
Who secretly fell in love with each other over those years.
As the author notes in her story and her flashbacks - two years is an ocean at some points in your life. At a certain age, it's not even a trickle of time.
So what happened?
Well, life happened.
A lot of life happened really quickly for Zara and she couldn't keep up. And Maccie felt that he was being closed out. (Beware these parts and keep tissues close at times. Zara goes through LIFE.)
So those two years stayed an ocean and these two just....drifted.
Zara pops back into Maccie's life as hers has reached a turning point after a failed marriage. Maccie has just finally gotten to the point of dating, finally giving up on the girl of his dreams, when Zara appears in town - and it floors him.
This story is poignant in that the characters know that they truly love each other - but they are more focused on healing their friendship first.
When the friendship fractured neither one of them had confessed their deeper feelings due to life things.
The story builds and layers as these two work on repairing the friendship with just that goal - friendship.
Watching them not only heal their past hurts, but also fall in love with the person who is standing in front of them now was a heartache of sweet and hard.
I wanted them to say things to each other sooner than the story did. (but I'm one of those readers who is all about instant gratification)
The story really needed the rebuilding of friendship and that bedrock of trust to be rebuilt for the love story to unfold the way it did.
It wasn't a miscommunication trope.
It was more friends to lovers with an undercurrent of second chance - a second chance that both characters felt but had never verbalized to each other before.
As for any miscommunications from their youth - the story resolves them in a way that removes any miscommunication tropes between the main characters.
These two go from misunderstanding things that were said, things that were unsaid but felt, and things that were said and misunderstood all through the course of their story.
Both characters also own up to their pasts, their actions, and take ownership for their past selves as well as their past actions.
It's more of a story that cleans up the miscommunication, allows the characters a chance to grow up and be the adults they are now, and to own their past mistakes and make repairs.
I like that this is a healthy growth story with both characters having their eyes opened to things that they have done in the past.
I liked the growth of communication between the two of them as well as Zara actively following up on things that she said with actions.
I liked seeing Maccie open up to her with actions and then with words. For him, that's the way his character shows trust and openness to another human.
I'm not saying it doesn't take the entire length of the book for some things to be solved. It wouldn't be a romance novel if there weren't things hanging over their heads that felt huge and unsolvable until the very end now would there be.
Additionally some things needed time for both characters to work through what really mattered to them in life in order to make it through the roadblocks. Which took the entire journey of the story to travel and solve.
And solve these issues they did. In a really wonderful way.
I loved how beautifully alive both Cormac and Zara were on the page.
How fully fleshed out they were as adults.
However, having the author add in the past/flashbacks to help fill in the gaps and to help us understand how the friendship had crumbled- it was just .... it was like watching a character grow from a child to a teen to an adult on the page. You could read the progression of both Cormac and Zara through those flashbacks, and also come to understand where some of their sticking points and pain points would be now given what they had lived through in the past.
This is a gentle ride through heartache a few times over, but also a soft blooming of a friendship formed in childhood and the characters' first love not only rekindling, but growing into an adult love and appreciation for the other person in the relationship.
Cormac and Zara are no long the college kids infatuated with their childhood crush. They are now adults who have lived through losing their person and finding them again. First as a friend, and then as a lover.
This is a beautiful story and one that I will definitely be rereading.
It also made for a gorgeous ending to this series. I couldn't have asked for a better goodbye to this part of the Kelly Ranch.
Yes I say that hoping desperately that some day Jesse pops up in a book. LOL.
August 12, 2026
Book Title: Set It Right (The Kelly Ranch Book 4)
Author: Julia Wolf
Publisher: Little Bird Publishing (Independently published)
Pub Date: April 30, 2026 (eBook) + August 4, 2026 (audiobook)
Dates Listened: August 11, 2026 – August 12, 2026
🗣️ 𝚀𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔(𝚒𝚜𝚑) 𝚃𝚊𝚔𝚎: This was my first time reading Julia Wolf, and I usually hate jumping into the middle of a series instead of starting at the beginning, but due to time constraints, that is what I did with Set It Right. It took me a minute to catch on, but I quickly understood the characters and storyline, and once that happened, there was no turning back. I loved this book so freaking much, and this was a friends-to-lovers story like no other. There is a lot of history between our MCs, Zara and Cormac, and it made me want to go back to the beginning of this series immediately, even just to get more of them as side characters. I teared up quite a bit during the book, and I swear the ending made my heart grow a size. This was a beautiful story complete with pining and drama, and I can’t wait to read more of Wolf and the Kelly Ranch books!
🎧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬: Emma Wilder & Sean Masters were absolutely fabulous, and they made me feel like there was a full cast as opposed to just the two of them. They fully embodied their characters, Zara and Cormac, respectively, and did a great job portraying every emotion they felt. I am incredibly glad I got to listen to the audio, and I definitely want to do that for the rest of the series.
𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌶️🌶️
I received an advanced listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Author: Julia Wolf
Publisher: Little Bird Publishing (Independently published)
Pub Date: April 30, 2026 (eBook) + August 4, 2026 (audiobook)
Dates Listened: August 11, 2026 – August 12, 2026
🗣️ 𝚀𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔(𝚒𝚜𝚑) 𝚃𝚊𝚔𝚎: This was my first time reading Julia Wolf, and I usually hate jumping into the middle of a series instead of starting at the beginning, but due to time constraints, that is what I did with Set It Right. It took me a minute to catch on, but I quickly understood the characters and storyline, and once that happened, there was no turning back. I loved this book so freaking much, and this was a friends-to-lovers story like no other. There is a lot of history between our MCs, Zara and Cormac, and it made me want to go back to the beginning of this series immediately, even just to get more of them as side characters. I teared up quite a bit during the book, and I swear the ending made my heart grow a size. This was a beautiful story complete with pining and drama, and I can’t wait to read more of Wolf and the Kelly Ranch books!
🎧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬: Emma Wilder & Sean Masters were absolutely fabulous, and they made me feel like there was a full cast as opposed to just the two of them. They fully embodied their characters, Zara and Cormac, respectively, and did a great job portraying every emotion they felt. I am incredibly glad I got to listen to the audio, and I definitely want to do that for the rest of the series.
𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌶️🌶️
I received an advanced listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
May 22, 2026
I have loved this entire series, and it always hits me in my feels when the last installment rolls around, but this book? There was something so pure and magical about it. I don't know if it's because I've been on a friends to lovers kick, or the fact that Cormac was *such* an amazing hero and I just wanted to give that mountain man a giant hug, or the fact that Zara is setting BOTH of their hearts right once and for all.
These two used to be the best of friends-- truly inseparable. Cormac has always been in love with her, but never knew just how or when to tell her without ruining their friendship. Once they hit college, their friendship hits a real rough patch, especially when Zara falls for his college roommate.. and when she hears an out of context conversation between her fiance and Cormac the night before her wedding. Now, she is officially divorced and is once again returning to the Kelly Ranch as an outdoor guide, and she and her ex best friend are slowly mending their hearts and getting closure as to what actually happened between them, and maaaaan -- just have the tissues ready!
I truly loved Zara, but my heart was with Cormac through and through! I love a MMC who has only ever loved the heroine even though he's tried to move on from her, who wants to help her despite the personal cost to himself, and who cries because not having her is like missing a vital part of himself? AND the secret tattoo?!?! I need this sweet angel baby now!
I just love how everything unfolded, and I love this series so much! I love seeing Elena any chance we get, I love all the couples, and I know I will be reading this series again and again!!
**I received an ARC of this book and these are my honest **
These two used to be the best of friends-- truly inseparable. Cormac has always been in love with her, but never knew just how or when to tell her without ruining their friendship. Once they hit college, their friendship hits a real rough patch, especially when Zara falls for his college roommate.. and when she hears an out of context conversation between her fiance and Cormac the night before her wedding. Now, she is officially divorced and is once again returning to the Kelly Ranch as an outdoor guide, and she and her ex best friend are slowly mending their hearts and getting closure as to what actually happened between them, and maaaaan -- just have the tissues ready!
I truly loved Zara, but my heart was with Cormac through and through! I love a MMC who has only ever loved the heroine even though he's tried to move on from her, who wants to help her despite the personal cost to himself, and who cries because not having her is like missing a vital part of himself? AND the secret tattoo?!?! I need this sweet angel baby now!
I just love how everything unfolded, and I love this series so much! I love seeing Elena any chance we get, I love all the couples, and I know I will be reading this series again and again!!
**I received an ARC of this book and these are my honest **
April 20, 2026
I gave this a 5⭐️ for the simple fact that this couple was so freaking cute and had me loving every second of it. Cormac was the gooiest man I think I have ever read. This man was so down bad for so long, he yearned for Zara for sooooo many years. And Zara, she was just as sweet, calling this man cute.
This book made me so sad for Cormac. Zara getting married to someone that wasn’t him in the beginning, hit me right in the feels because you could tell how much he really cared for her. Give me a sad boy any day though because yearning is back and it has never been better.
Zara and Cormac’s story is truly the most precious of all the Kelley clan because they were best friends who always sought each other out and thought that this would be forever. But with a falling out and not speaking for years, Zara showing back up back at the ranch, divorced and working there for the summer, it’s like no time has passed for Zara and Cormac. And their saying, “to the river and back,” right in the feels. When you read this, you’ll know why. I just will never be over how protective Cormac was or how much he just wanted to take care of Zara like she always wanted to be treated. This book was a breath of fresh air like all of Julia Wolf’s books.
It’s so sad to see this series end. I love each and every one of these books. The ending gutted me a little and made me miss something I never had to begin with but got to read about.
Thank you to Julia Wold and The Author Agency for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes:
✨Small ton
✨Childhood friends to strangers to lovers
✨Second chance
✨Light suspense
✨Family saga
This book made me so sad for Cormac. Zara getting married to someone that wasn’t him in the beginning, hit me right in the feels because you could tell how much he really cared for her. Give me a sad boy any day though because yearning is back and it has never been better.
Zara and Cormac’s story is truly the most precious of all the Kelley clan because they were best friends who always sought each other out and thought that this would be forever. But with a falling out and not speaking for years, Zara showing back up back at the ranch, divorced and working there for the summer, it’s like no time has passed for Zara and Cormac. And their saying, “to the river and back,” right in the feels. When you read this, you’ll know why. I just will never be over how protective Cormac was or how much he just wanted to take care of Zara like she always wanted to be treated. This book was a breath of fresh air like all of Julia Wolf’s books.
It’s so sad to see this series end. I love each and every one of these books. The ending gutted me a little and made me miss something I never had to begin with but got to read about.
Thank you to Julia Wold and The Author Agency for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes:
✨Small ton
✨Childhood friends to strangers to lovers
✨Second chance
✨Light suspense
✨Family saga
April 13, 2026
A beautiful, wholesome novel about young love, missed opportunities, and the chance to set it right… and boy did they.
I loved Zara and Maccie so much. Their story just flowed so naturally, and it felt easy to read, especially after all the crap Z’s ex pulled. Cormac gave her the love she’d always wanted and deserved, and honestly, the maturity in this book was everything. No resentment, no hate; just accepting the past and choosing to build something better.
I cried a few times. Cormac is just so cute 🥹🫣
I also have to mention the side characters; some from previous books in the series and some from the Savage U series. I loved seeing them older but still completely themselves. The side characters were brilliant; Jett and his mum, Zane and Steven… and Javier and Henrik’s little mini arc 🥹 it made me so happy! And of course, we can’t forget Mrs K.
“To the river and back” 🕊️
I honestly can’t wait to see what comes next. 🩷
I loved Zara and Maccie so much. Their story just flowed so naturally, and it felt easy to read, especially after all the crap Z’s ex pulled. Cormac gave her the love she’d always wanted and deserved, and honestly, the maturity in this book was everything. No resentment, no hate; just accepting the past and choosing to build something better.
I cried a few times. Cormac is just so cute 🥹🫣
I also have to mention the side characters; some from previous books in the series and some from the Savage U series. I loved seeing them older but still completely themselves. The side characters were brilliant; Jett and his mum, Zane and Steven… and Javier and Henrik’s little mini arc 🥹 it made me so happy! And of course, we can’t forget Mrs K.
“To the river and back” 🕊️
I honestly can’t wait to see what comes next. 🩷
August 15, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ 2 🌶️
I loved this beautiful story. It’s character driven with a little suspense, but Zara and Cormac are honestly soulmates. These two have known each other since childhood. They were best friends, but as time passed and college came into the picture, distance started to play a part. Now, many years later, they’re face to face again for the summer at the Kelly Ranch.
This story is such a feel good read and feels like a warm hug. I really love stories where the relationship has a long standing history. Starting with Zara. Cormac was always the person who stood by her, but she thought she had met the love of her life. Now divorced and needing a reset, she decides to stay at Kelly Ranch for the summer as an outdoor adventure guide. This is where Cormac and Zara have roots. They have fantastic tension and chemistry throughout the book, as well as the important discussions they should have had long ago. Cormac has been yearning for Zara for so long. This man has always had his heart set on her, but it was never the right time. Now that they’re back in each other’s orbit, you can feel the love between them. Their romance is so sweet and just makes you smile. Add in the spice, and it’s a fantastic story.
The audiobook is brilliant. I highly recommend picking it up in this format, as it’s done in duet narration, and Emma and Sean are always brilliant to listen to.
This was my first book by Julia Wolf, and I need to go back and read the rest of the series because I loved this one. I can’t wait to add more of Julia’s work to my TBR.
Genre/Type: Adult Romance 18+
APK: Audiobook ALC
Audiobook Length: 9hrs 5mins
Narrators: Emma Wilder and Sean Masters - Duet
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Series or Standalone: Book Four In The Kelly Ranch Series
Tropes or Themes: Small Town, Second Chance, Childhood Friends To Strangers To Lovers, Slow Burn, Divorced FMC, Chemistry, Tension, Soulmates, Yearning, When She Wears His Clothes, Injured, Medical Content, Sexual Content, Praise, Dirty Talk, Oral Play and Taken Bare.
Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫
All Round Romance Reader
Sienasummerrreads 💕📚
TikTok | Instagram | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Fable | Margins | Pagebound | Pinterest | Facebook | Amazon | Audible Reviews 💫
I loved this beautiful story. It’s character driven with a little suspense, but Zara and Cormac are honestly soulmates. These two have known each other since childhood. They were best friends, but as time passed and college came into the picture, distance started to play a part. Now, many years later, they’re face to face again for the summer at the Kelly Ranch.
This story is such a feel good read and feels like a warm hug. I really love stories where the relationship has a long standing history. Starting with Zara. Cormac was always the person who stood by her, but she thought she had met the love of her life. Now divorced and needing a reset, she decides to stay at Kelly Ranch for the summer as an outdoor adventure guide. This is where Cormac and Zara have roots. They have fantastic tension and chemistry throughout the book, as well as the important discussions they should have had long ago. Cormac has been yearning for Zara for so long. This man has always had his heart set on her, but it was never the right time. Now that they’re back in each other’s orbit, you can feel the love between them. Their romance is so sweet and just makes you smile. Add in the spice, and it’s a fantastic story.
The audiobook is brilliant. I highly recommend picking it up in this format, as it’s done in duet narration, and Emma and Sean are always brilliant to listen to.
This was my first book by Julia Wolf, and I need to go back and read the rest of the series because I loved this one. I can’t wait to add more of Julia’s work to my TBR.
Genre/Type: Adult Romance 18+
APK: Audiobook ALC
Audiobook Length: 9hrs 5mins
Narrators: Emma Wilder and Sean Masters - Duet
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Series or Standalone: Book Four In The Kelly Ranch Series
Tropes or Themes: Small Town, Second Chance, Childhood Friends To Strangers To Lovers, Slow Burn, Divorced FMC, Chemistry, Tension, Soulmates, Yearning, When She Wears His Clothes, Injured, Medical Content, Sexual Content, Praise, Dirty Talk, Oral Play and Taken Bare.
Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫
All Round Romance Reader
Sienasummerrreads 💕📚
TikTok | Instagram | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Fable | Margins | Pagebound | Pinterest | Facebook | Amazon | Audible Reviews 💫
April 13, 2026
I am never disappointed when reading one of Julia Wolf’s books. In my opinion this book has some serious “The Notebook” level quotable quotes on love. I refuse to share them because I need for you to enjoy them in the moment. This is one of those books I wish I could read for the first time all over again. Absolutely hands down stunning writing about love, loss and what it means to be able to have a second chance.
Cormac (Maccie) and Zara’s story is no different . Each set of characters holds a place in my heart! The Kelly kids though… oh boy the Kelley kids are Elaina and Lach’s ( from Sweet Like Poison) children and now grandchildren are a favorite for sure. They are the best of their parents and this story is extra special because it connects back to two books/ couples from the Savage U series. Zara is Zadie and Amir’s ( from Bright like Midnight)daughter.
Zara and Cormac have been best friends since they were babies. They spent every summer together growing up and always were together. These characters are so amazing. Cormac is sweet, emotionally intelligent, kind and so much more. As they grew up they drifted apart for a number of reasons…now Zara is looking for a fresh start after her divorce, trying to find who she is again and decide going back to her favorite place where she spent every summer is where she will be able to do that best. She agrees to be an adventure guide on the Kelley Ranch. The only problem is Cormac is there.
Cormac is going through the motions in life not really sure why he and Zara stopped talking. When she comes back into town he is very sure he cannot keep living his life the way he is without her in it.; even if he isn’t sure what that means exactly.
This one is so good. The Kelley crew is out in full force and routing for Zara and Cormac to find their friendship again… hopefully more. These two were so connected their whole lives and coming back to each other reminds them just how much.
A little something for everyone
- second chance romance
- friends to enemies to lovers
-starting over
- coming into her own
-strong female characters
-family support all around on both sides
-spice, chemistry, and connection
-a little post divorce pot stirring from the ex…
***Honest review from an advanced reader copy ***
Cormac (Maccie) and Zara’s story is no different . Each set of characters holds a place in my heart! The Kelly kids though… oh boy the Kelley kids are Elaina and Lach’s ( from Sweet Like Poison) children and now grandchildren are a favorite for sure. They are the best of their parents and this story is extra special because it connects back to two books/ couples from the Savage U series. Zara is Zadie and Amir’s ( from Bright like Midnight)daughter.
Zara and Cormac have been best friends since they were babies. They spent every summer together growing up and always were together. These characters are so amazing. Cormac is sweet, emotionally intelligent, kind and so much more. As they grew up they drifted apart for a number of reasons…now Zara is looking for a fresh start after her divorce, trying to find who she is again and decide going back to her favorite place where she spent every summer is where she will be able to do that best. She agrees to be an adventure guide on the Kelley Ranch. The only problem is Cormac is there.
Cormac is going through the motions in life not really sure why he and Zara stopped talking. When she comes back into town he is very sure he cannot keep living his life the way he is without her in it.; even if he isn’t sure what that means exactly.
This one is so good. The Kelley crew is out in full force and routing for Zara and Cormac to find their friendship again… hopefully more. These two were so connected their whole lives and coming back to each other reminds them just how much.
A little something for everyone
- second chance romance
- friends to enemies to lovers
-starting over
- coming into her own
-strong female characters
-family support all around on both sides
-spice, chemistry, and connection
-a little post divorce pot stirring from the ex…
***Honest review from an advanced reader copy ***
May 17, 2026
Practically perfect in every way! This was such a joy to read. It is exactly the kind of book I want to disappear into. Like sinking into a lovely, warm bubble bath.
Honestly, this is probably my favorite book of Wolf’s and I’ve read almost all of them. Several of them twice.
I can’t stress enough how much I appreciate a romance book filled with kindness, and this book was full of it. The romance between Zara and Cormac was so dang sweet! I loved everything about it.
And the spicy scenes were seriously so romantic and tender! Hot!!! But also achingly sweet. 😍🥵👌
This book is definitely going on my rereads list and is the top spot for my favorite book of 2026 so far.
Play by play and spoilers below (and honestly just a lot of me gushing and raving):
********************************
So far this is just such a lovely, sweet romance. I’m loving it. Hope I’m not jinxing anything by saying that. 😬 29%
Yes! Love direct communication! 34%
Zara wooing Cormac is everything! 😍 38%
Zara needs to call her dad. Amir will handle Jackson. 39%
I am seriously high off of this book! 😍 A good romance book is better than drugs! 49%
omg! It’s getting hot in here! 🥵🪭😍 51%
That was the hottest, sweetest, most romantic sex scene I’ve read in a very long time! 🥵🫠 Well done Ms. Wolf! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 54%
Oh my gosh. The Mac and cheese scene! 😍😍😍 57%
This book! So so good! Might have to put it on my “all time favorites” list. 60%
The sex is just so damn beautiful! 😭 63%
So glad Cormac didn’t hide the PI phone call from Zara! 66%
Ok Cormac. What’s the use of generational wealth if you can’t tell the love of your life to just stay with you on the ranch and not go back to the soul-destroying corporate world she doesn’t want to go back to! Propose already! 😂 71%
Mean girl Victoria is the first thing in this book that has felt unrealistic. Not too bad for being 74% in!
Ok. We have a confession of love. But we’re only at 75% My heart can’t handle a third act breakup. 😬
This is the most romantic shit ever!!!!! 😭😭😭😭
I might never recover. 💕❤️💕79%
“Everything else is details, as long as we agree on loving each other.” 😭
Omg. Is this the opposite of a third act breakup? Is this a third act double-down? 😍🤞🏻 85%
Boo. Melanie is the villain? 90% I’ll take it over a third act breakup.
This is probably a dumb question, but if a horse can access a trail, can’t a human access it? Like, I get that a vehicle can’t, but I’d be out there hiking with a headlamp and a flashlight! 93%
Oof. Knee injuries are the worst. I’m rewriting this part of the book in my head. 96%
I knew we weren’t gonna make it out of this book without some sort of high-stakes drama, but this isn’t too bad. Much better than the other books.
Henrik + Javier = 😍 97%
Ten million stars for this lovely book!
Honestly, this is probably my favorite book of Wolf’s and I’ve read almost all of them. Several of them twice.
I can’t stress enough how much I appreciate a romance book filled with kindness, and this book was full of it. The romance between Zara and Cormac was so dang sweet! I loved everything about it.
And the spicy scenes were seriously so romantic and tender! Hot!!! But also achingly sweet. 😍🥵👌
This book is definitely going on my rereads list and is the top spot for my favorite book of 2026 so far.
Play by play and spoilers below (and honestly just a lot of me gushing and raving):
********************************
So far this is just such a lovely, sweet romance. I’m loving it. Hope I’m not jinxing anything by saying that. 😬 29%
Yes! Love direct communication! 34%
Zara wooing Cormac is everything! 😍 38%
Zara needs to call her dad. Amir will handle Jackson. 39%
I am seriously high off of this book! 😍 A good romance book is better than drugs! 49%
omg! It’s getting hot in here! 🥵🪭😍 51%
That was the hottest, sweetest, most romantic sex scene I’ve read in a very long time! 🥵🫠 Well done Ms. Wolf! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 54%
Oh my gosh. The Mac and cheese scene! 😍😍😍 57%
This book! So so good! Might have to put it on my “all time favorites” list. 60%
The sex is just so damn beautiful! 😭 63%
So glad Cormac didn’t hide the PI phone call from Zara! 66%
Ok Cormac. What’s the use of generational wealth if you can’t tell the love of your life to just stay with you on the ranch and not go back to the soul-destroying corporate world she doesn’t want to go back to! Propose already! 😂 71%
Mean girl Victoria is the first thing in this book that has felt unrealistic. Not too bad for being 74% in!
Ok. We have a confession of love. But we’re only at 75% My heart can’t handle a third act breakup. 😬
This is the most romantic shit ever!!!!! 😭😭😭😭
I might never recover. 💕❤️💕79%
“Everything else is details, as long as we agree on loving each other.” 😭
Omg. Is this the opposite of a third act breakup? Is this a third act double-down? 😍🤞🏻 85%
Boo. Melanie is the villain? 90% I’ll take it over a third act breakup.
This is probably a dumb question, but if a horse can access a trail, can’t a human access it? Like, I get that a vehicle can’t, but I’d be out there hiking with a headlamp and a flashlight! 93%
Oof. Knee injuries are the worst. I’m rewriting this part of the book in my head. 96%
I knew we weren’t gonna make it out of this book without some sort of high-stakes drama, but this isn’t too bad. Much better than the other books.
Henrik + Javier = 😍 97%
Ten million stars for this lovely book!
September 22, 2026
𝚊𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚌 & 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
🌟:5 🌶️:2.5 🎧:5
Narrated by: Emma Wilder & Sean Masters in duet
•–•Some tropes I think you’ll love•–•
▪️ friends to strangers to lovers
▪️ second chance
▪️ it’s always been you
▪️ small town, ranch life
•–•A quote I loved•–•
“When we were apart, I was off balance. Like I was missing an important, integral piece that keeps me steady. When I'm with you, I feel the most complete. It's always been that way. I think that's probably because you're my soulmate. Our souls know each other, and they fit because they're supposed to. We set each other right."
Saying a bittersweet goodbye to the Kelly Ranch. 😭😭
But wowwww did Julia send us off with a damn good book! This was perfect from start to finish.
Immediately grabbed my attention in the first chapter (you’ll see why 🥲), and was hooked until the end. I absolutely adore the way that Cormac treats Zara. Treats her like a princess, and really cares for her, and makes her feel supported in moments when she’s feeling insecure. Fell so hard for him and their love. It just came so easy to them, like breathing. Their connection was electric and chemistry was like a wildfire. Loved seeing them navigate through their feelings to find their way to each other. Plus, there’s no third act breakup!!! 😍😍
Sean and Emma have been such an amazing duo on the audios for this series. I love how they’ve been able to adjust to dig into their characters. They ended the series beautifully with their duet performance, and I seriously can’t recommend this series enough!!! 💖✨
🌟:5 🌶️:2.5 🎧:5
Narrated by: Emma Wilder & Sean Masters in duet
•–•Some tropes I think you’ll love•–•
▪️ friends to strangers to lovers
▪️ second chance
▪️ it’s always been you
▪️ small town, ranch life
•–•A quote I loved•–•
“When we were apart, I was off balance. Like I was missing an important, integral piece that keeps me steady. When I'm with you, I feel the most complete. It's always been that way. I think that's probably because you're my soulmate. Our souls know each other, and they fit because they're supposed to. We set each other right."
Saying a bittersweet goodbye to the Kelly Ranch. 😭😭
But wowwww did Julia send us off with a damn good book! This was perfect from start to finish.
Immediately grabbed my attention in the first chapter (you’ll see why 🥲), and was hooked until the end. I absolutely adore the way that Cormac treats Zara. Treats her like a princess, and really cares for her, and makes her feel supported in moments when she’s feeling insecure. Fell so hard for him and their love. It just came so easy to them, like breathing. Their connection was electric and chemistry was like a wildfire. Loved seeing them navigate through their feelings to find their way to each other. Plus, there’s no third act breakup!!! 😍😍
Sean and Emma have been such an amazing duo on the audios for this series. I love how they’ve been able to adjust to dig into their characters. They ended the series beautifully with their duet performance, and I seriously can’t recommend this series enough!!! 💖✨
July 29, 2026
📚Set It Right by Julia Wolf
🎤Emma Wilder and Sean Masters
DUET NARRATION
Thanks to Julia Wolf and Must Love Audio for a #gifted copy of the ALC. All thoughts are my own.
What to expect:
✨Childhood friends to strangers to lovers
💜Second chance
✨Pining
💜Found family
✨Light suspense
💜Miscommunication but resolved like adults
✨Strong FMC/Take charge MC
There's nothing as sweet as childhood friends to lovers and Zara and Cormac's (Mackie) story is filled with missed opportunities, first loves and a 2nd chance to get things right. This is low angst and filled with nothing but warm, happy feelings and sometimes that's exactly what you need.
Zara and Cormac meet one summer at his parents ranch in Sugar Brush, Wyoming. They quickly become best friends, leaning on each other for support and encouragement. Summer after summer they pick right back up sharing moments in the mountains, each others secrets and the kind of trust only a best friend can offer.
Cormac quietly falls in love with Zara and keeps waiting for the "right" time to tell her, fearful that it will change things between them. But when Zara ends up dating Cormac's roommate in college and eventually marrying him, he fears he's lost his chance.
Three years later, Zara finds herself back in Sugar Brush, divorced, without a career and wondering how she and Cormac ever drifted so far apart. Cormac now works the ranch and Zara has come to work there for the summer to kind of reset her life but spending time together with stolen glances, memories of the past and a stolen kiss reminds both of them that maybe walking away from each other years ago was the worst decision they ever made.
🎤Let's talk audio: Emma and Sean do a wonderful job bringing this sweet and cozy story to life. Emma gives Zara a feisty but playful side to Zara's character and there's nothing I love more than listening to her narrate children. She's brilliant at it!!! Sean was the perfect choice to play the quiet, protective MC, Cormac. This man's deep rumbles are music to my ears and I never tire of him. He also shows off a couple of different accents that is always such a treat to hear. Both of these narrators are so talented and enjoyable to listen to.
Guys, this audio is perfect when you want to listen to something "feel good" or need a palette cleanser. There's no 3rd act breakup, pining for days and a slow burn that delivers. Terrific audio!
🎤Emma Wilder and Sean Masters
DUET NARRATION
Thanks to Julia Wolf and Must Love Audio for a #gifted copy of the ALC. All thoughts are my own.
What to expect:
✨Childhood friends to strangers to lovers
💜Second chance
✨Pining
💜Found family
✨Light suspense
💜Miscommunication but resolved like adults
✨Strong FMC/Take charge MC
There's nothing as sweet as childhood friends to lovers and Zara and Cormac's (Mackie) story is filled with missed opportunities, first loves and a 2nd chance to get things right. This is low angst and filled with nothing but warm, happy feelings and sometimes that's exactly what you need.
Zara and Cormac meet one summer at his parents ranch in Sugar Brush, Wyoming. They quickly become best friends, leaning on each other for support and encouragement. Summer after summer they pick right back up sharing moments in the mountains, each others secrets and the kind of trust only a best friend can offer.
Cormac quietly falls in love with Zara and keeps waiting for the "right" time to tell her, fearful that it will change things between them. But when Zara ends up dating Cormac's roommate in college and eventually marrying him, he fears he's lost his chance.
Three years later, Zara finds herself back in Sugar Brush, divorced, without a career and wondering how she and Cormac ever drifted so far apart. Cormac now works the ranch and Zara has come to work there for the summer to kind of reset her life but spending time together with stolen glances, memories of the past and a stolen kiss reminds both of them that maybe walking away from each other years ago was the worst decision they ever made.
🎤Let's talk audio: Emma and Sean do a wonderful job bringing this sweet and cozy story to life. Emma gives Zara a feisty but playful side to Zara's character and there's nothing I love more than listening to her narrate children. She's brilliant at it!!! Sean was the perfect choice to play the quiet, protective MC, Cormac. This man's deep rumbles are music to my ears and I never tire of him. He also shows off a couple of different accents that is always such a treat to hear. Both of these narrators are so talented and enjoyable to listen to.
Guys, this audio is perfect when you want to listen to something "feel good" or need a palette cleanser. There's no 3rd act breakup, pining for days and a slow burn that delivers. Terrific audio!
August 14, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up!
🌼The Kelly Ranch🌼
By Julia Wolf
This series is COMPLETE and available in all formats! I enjoyed them on audio and they have accompanied me on my recent road trip. I love the Kelly family and the town of Sugar Brush, Wyoming, and each couple had me rooting for them from start to finish.
I read these in pub order, but each one can be read as a standalone. All four are narrated by Emma Wilder & Sean Masters, and even though I listened to them back to back, I felt like each character and couple’s story was so different, the narrators just embodied each of their respective characters from book to book so well.
Each of these has a little touch of romantic suspense, found and real family, and a great small town setting. This is a second generation series, and I am excited to go back and get their parents’ story because they are seriously the cutest!
This series has a little bit of everything! You get ranch romance, small town, baker and the bad boy, childhood friends to lovers and a single dad…I mean do I need to say more?
🌼The Kelly Ranch🌼
By Julia Wolf
This series is COMPLETE and available in all formats! I enjoyed them on audio and they have accompanied me on my recent road trip. I love the Kelly family and the town of Sugar Brush, Wyoming, and each couple had me rooting for them from start to finish.
I read these in pub order, but each one can be read as a standalone. All four are narrated by Emma Wilder & Sean Masters, and even though I listened to them back to back, I felt like each character and couple’s story was so different, the narrators just embodied each of their respective characters from book to book so well.
Each of these has a little touch of romantic suspense, found and real family, and a great small town setting. This is a second generation series, and I am excited to go back and get their parents’ story because they are seriously the cutest!
This series has a little bit of everything! You get ranch romance, small town, baker and the bad boy, childhood friends to lovers and a single dad…I mean do I need to say more?
May 30, 2026
If I could give this book 6 stars, I would. It might be my favorite contemporary romance I’ve ever read. Low angst, but so much hopeful yearning and happiness throughout. This will be in permanent rotation for a palate-cleanser. Cormac (Mac) is the best human and my #1 gentle book boyfriend. Zara’s growth into emotional maturity after her divorce was so wonderful to experience alongside her. I read this as a stand alone in one sitting (I had not read any of the other books in the series) but having read the Savage U and The Harder They Fall series, seeing cameos of characters as parents/grandparents made for an extra treat.
I’ll probably reread this in the next week because the dopamine hit on such a sweet and loving 2nd-chance romance was absolutely perfect. 😍
After reading on Kindle Unlimited, I purchased both the Kindle version and the print version for my collection. I cannot express what a treat this book was.
I’ll probably reread this in the next week because the dopamine hit on such a sweet and loving 2nd-chance romance was absolutely perfect. 😍
After reading on Kindle Unlimited, I purchased both the Kindle version and the print version for my collection. I cannot express what a treat this book was.
June 22, 2026
This felt a little too sparse on yearning. He doesn't treat her like a meal he's been craving; he treats her like a bag of chips that he can't stop thinking about when it's around and would gladly eat all of, but wouldn't want so much if no one had brought it home in the first place. He ghosts her, ignores her texts, doesn't share reciprocally with her about his life, and acts imposed upon when she stops in to visit him. He's very "okay, okay, fine" about her for a while.
I thought Zara's tattoo was weird 😬 this guy is barely agreeing to spend time with you and you get a tattoo for him? Also, a hot spring is like the last place you should go with a fresh tattoo.
This novel was otherwise a little boring, which was actually probably a good thing; I criticized earlier books in this series for having annoying, intense, awfully dramatic plot stuff, whereas most of the plot here just fizzled away.
Overall, a chill but decent read.
I thought Zara's tattoo was weird 😬 this guy is barely agreeing to spend time with you and you get a tattoo for him? Also, a hot spring is like the last place you should go with a fresh tattoo.
This novel was otherwise a little boring, which was actually probably a good thing; I criticized earlier books in this series for having annoying, intense, awfully dramatic plot stuff, whereas most of the plot here just fizzled away.
Overall, a chill but decent read.
July 23, 2026
Thank you to Must Love Audio for the ALC!
I’ve been waiting for Cormac’s story and the one who got away! The audio was absolutely fantastic! Cormac was the one Kelly we only knew was more like his mom, in that he wasn’t the “western cowboy” type. He enjoyed the business side of his families ranch. That and the girl he was in love with most of his life was getting married. Until she comes back for the summer three years later…not married. They have a misunderstanding the night before her wedding and then he ghosts her. Until now. They’re learning who each other are now and they still have that same chemistry and love for each other. Only now they finally are able to admit their feelings. When I say the tension and slow burn with these two is so intense. I adored them!
Read: ALC 🎧
MMC: Cormac Kelly
FMC: Zara Vasquez
Spice: 2🌶️
Tropes: Small Town, Western, Suspense, Second Chance, Slow Burn, Childhood Friends to Strangers to Lovers
I’ve been waiting for Cormac’s story and the one who got away! The audio was absolutely fantastic! Cormac was the one Kelly we only knew was more like his mom, in that he wasn’t the “western cowboy” type. He enjoyed the business side of his families ranch. That and the girl he was in love with most of his life was getting married. Until she comes back for the summer three years later…not married. They have a misunderstanding the night before her wedding and then he ghosts her. Until now. They’re learning who each other are now and they still have that same chemistry and love for each other. Only now they finally are able to admit their feelings. When I say the tension and slow burn with these two is so intense. I adored them!
Read: ALC 🎧
MMC: Cormac Kelly
FMC: Zara Vasquez
Spice: 2🌶️
Tropes: Small Town, Western, Suspense, Second Chance, Slow Burn, Childhood Friends to Strangers to Lovers
May 4, 2026
4.5⭐️ 2🔥 [ARC]
I swear this series gives me the warm and fuzzies every single time. I was grinning like a fool through the entire book.
You want a man who yearns? Read this.
You want a man absolutely desperate for her? READ THIS.
These two had such a natural connection, and that’s what made me fall so hard for them. Even when they crossed the line from friends to something more, there was no awkwardness or forced tension, just two people who fit together so effortlessly. The touchiness, the praise, the comfort they found in each other… I couldn't get enough.
Set It Right is the perfect “right person, wrong time” romance, and their love story genuinely made me tear up. Beautiful, emotional, and full of heart. I loved them so much!
• Small town romance
• Childhood friends to strangers to lovers
• Second chance
• Family saga
I swear this series gives me the warm and fuzzies every single time. I was grinning like a fool through the entire book.
You want a man who yearns? Read this.
You want a man absolutely desperate for her? READ THIS.
These two had such a natural connection, and that’s what made me fall so hard for them. Even when they crossed the line from friends to something more, there was no awkwardness or forced tension, just two people who fit together so effortlessly. The touchiness, the praise, the comfort they found in each other… I couldn't get enough.
Set It Right is the perfect “right person, wrong time” romance, and their love story genuinely made me tear up. Beautiful, emotional, and full of heart. I loved them so much!
• Small town romance
• Childhood friends to strangers to lovers
• Second chance
• Family saga
June 18, 2026
I'm sad to be at the end of The Kelly kids but I loved Cormac and Zara. Cormac is perfect, he is so good to Zara. Zara went through rough times before finding her way. The chemistry was great and it was well written.
May 4, 2026
I was lucky enough to read this as an ARC and as a huge Julia wolf fan and a lover of the Kelly clan I was excited to read this book. Unfortunately it wasn’t for me, I love a book that drags me in and refuses to let go while the characters feel like they are a part of my life and I’m just a fly on the wall. I didn’t get any of that with Set it Right. If you like cute some mild spice between friend to lovers, small town, found family then give the book a whirl and see how you get on.
May 2, 2026
Amazon
Cormac wasn't sure he'd ever see his former best friend, Zara, again, but she's back now, and maybe he can finally get answers. He's always loved her, still loves her, and if he has his way, she'll know it, feel it, and reciprocate that love.
Zara never planned on coming back here to Sugar Brush, but she needs a new start, and a new job. She knows she'll have to see Cormac at some point, but until then she's going to figure out how to act when she does see him. She wasn't, but should have been, prepared for the way her heart reacts to him, even though she can't help remember the awful things he said about her the night before her wedding. But just maybe the words he said had a context she didn't know. Will that context mean they can go back to being the best friends they used to be? Or even more...
Ahhh, these two are so freaking sweet! Our man Cormac is down bad, has always been, for his girl Zara. I can't remember the last time I read a more adorably in love hero. Zara may have avoided him, but there was no way she was going to escape a man as intent as he, in his sweet, persistent way. I loved spending my time with the men and women of Kelly Ranch, and I'm sad this is the last of them. But if it had to end, Julia picked the sweetest couple for the conclusion.
ARC provided by The Author Agency for an honest review.
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August 2, 2026
It's always bittersweet saying goodbye to a series you love, but Julia Wolf gave the Kelly Ranch family such a heartfelt sendoff with Set It Right. Coming back to this ranch is always such a treat. It's the kind of place filled with unconditional love, laughter, healing, and people who remind you that sometimes home isn't just a place, it's the people who make you feel safe enough to become yourself. Every time I step back into the Kelly family's world, it feels like wrapping myself in a warm hug.
Cormac and Zara are a great heartfelt finale to the series. Childhood best friends who were once inseparable, years of misunderstandings, missed timing, and one devastating conversation pulled them apart. Now Zara is back at the ranch after a divorce, trying to rebuild her life, while Cormac has quietly spent years loving her from afar. And let me tell you...this man YEARNED. The kind of unwavering, selfless, "I've always loved you" hero that absolutely steals your heart. He's been down bad for so long, so hard, so quietly.
Their relationship is built on years of history, and that's what makes it work so beautifully. The flashbacks add so much emotional weight, showing exactly why losing their friendship hurt as much as it did. Watching them slowly rediscover each other, rebuild their trust, and realize that the connection they shared never really disappeared made this such an emotionally satisfying friends to lovers romance. Their little phrase, "to the river and back," becomes more meaningful with every chapter, and by the end it completely swoons.
Cormac might honestly be one of my favorite Kelly heroes. He's gentle, patient, endlessly supportive, and somehow manages to be both quietly strong and incredibly vulnerable. He never tries to force Zara into anything. He simply keeps showing up for her, loving her, and waiting until she's ready. Give me the emotionally available cowboy who has been hopelessly in love with one woman for years every single day. His patience. His devotion. He's faithful love from afar. How can you NOT fall for him?
Zara's journey was just as rewarding, even if a bit more challenging at first. Returning to the ranch gives her the chance to heal from her marriage, rediscover who she is, and realize that the life she always dreamed about may have been waiting for her all along. Once she finally lets herself trust again, the affection and comfort between these two feels completely natural and so well earned.
As always, one of my favorite parts of this series is the Kelly family itself. Seeing everyone again added so much warmth, and the found family dynamic remains one of Julia Wolf's greatest strengths. This series has always been about more than romance. It's about belonging, healing, and finding the people who love you through every version of yourself.
The pacing is definitely on the slower side, and there were a few places where I wanted the big conversations to happen a little sooner rather than revisiting the same emotional ground. I also wished the misunderstanding that separated them had a little more weight behind it. I don't love the "something that we could have just talked about" type LONG term misunderstanding. Especially when it's between supposed best friends. LIKE JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER. Especially in romances with full grown adults. But despite my frustrations with how boneheaded it was and how long it takes them to like just get on the same page, I still wanted them together. Their emotional connection carried this story from beginning to end.
The duet audiobook was absolutely wonderful. Sean Masters and Emma Wilder captured both the quiet longing and emotional vulnerability between Cormac and Zara so well, making every bit of their history and chemistry feel even more immersive. Their performances brought so much warmth and tenderness to an already emotional story, and it was the perfect way to experience this final visit to Kelly Ranch. Sean Master is my all time fav, so that certainly made me fall even HARDER for Cormac, and Emma Wilder is so emotionally expressive that it made me buy into some of the miscommunication with Zara more naturally. The audio is definitely the way to experience this series.
Overall, Cormac and Zara's story is full of heart, healing, years of longing, and the sweetest kind of forever. It was the perfect goodbye to a series that has been so charming and sweet.
What to Expect
🤎 Childhood Best Friends to Lovers
🤎 Second Chance
🤎 Small Town Ranch
🤎 Years of Mutual Pining
🤎 Slow Burn
🤎 Divorcee Fresh Start
🤎 Found Family
🤎 Emotional Healing
🤎 Protective, Patient Hero
🤎 "I've Loved You Forever" / "Always Been You"
🤎 Family Legacy
🤎 Cozy Vibes
Cormac and Zara are a great heartfelt finale to the series. Childhood best friends who were once inseparable, years of misunderstandings, missed timing, and one devastating conversation pulled them apart. Now Zara is back at the ranch after a divorce, trying to rebuild her life, while Cormac has quietly spent years loving her from afar. And let me tell you...this man YEARNED. The kind of unwavering, selfless, "I've always loved you" hero that absolutely steals your heart. He's been down bad for so long, so hard, so quietly.
Their relationship is built on years of history, and that's what makes it work so beautifully. The flashbacks add so much emotional weight, showing exactly why losing their friendship hurt as much as it did. Watching them slowly rediscover each other, rebuild their trust, and realize that the connection they shared never really disappeared made this such an emotionally satisfying friends to lovers romance. Their little phrase, "to the river and back," becomes more meaningful with every chapter, and by the end it completely swoons.
Cormac might honestly be one of my favorite Kelly heroes. He's gentle, patient, endlessly supportive, and somehow manages to be both quietly strong and incredibly vulnerable. He never tries to force Zara into anything. He simply keeps showing up for her, loving her, and waiting until she's ready. Give me the emotionally available cowboy who has been hopelessly in love with one woman for years every single day. His patience. His devotion. He's faithful love from afar. How can you NOT fall for him?
Zara's journey was just as rewarding, even if a bit more challenging at first. Returning to the ranch gives her the chance to heal from her marriage, rediscover who she is, and realize that the life she always dreamed about may have been waiting for her all along. Once she finally lets herself trust again, the affection and comfort between these two feels completely natural and so well earned.
As always, one of my favorite parts of this series is the Kelly family itself. Seeing everyone again added so much warmth, and the found family dynamic remains one of Julia Wolf's greatest strengths. This series has always been about more than romance. It's about belonging, healing, and finding the people who love you through every version of yourself.
The pacing is definitely on the slower side, and there were a few places where I wanted the big conversations to happen a little sooner rather than revisiting the same emotional ground. I also wished the misunderstanding that separated them had a little more weight behind it. I don't love the "something that we could have just talked about" type LONG term misunderstanding. Especially when it's between supposed best friends. LIKE JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER. Especially in romances with full grown adults. But despite my frustrations with how boneheaded it was and how long it takes them to like just get on the same page, I still wanted them together. Their emotional connection carried this story from beginning to end.
The duet audiobook was absolutely wonderful. Sean Masters and Emma Wilder captured both the quiet longing and emotional vulnerability between Cormac and Zara so well, making every bit of their history and chemistry feel even more immersive. Their performances brought so much warmth and tenderness to an already emotional story, and it was the perfect way to experience this final visit to Kelly Ranch. Sean Master is my all time fav, so that certainly made me fall even HARDER for Cormac, and Emma Wilder is so emotionally expressive that it made me buy into some of the miscommunication with Zara more naturally. The audio is definitely the way to experience this series.
Overall, Cormac and Zara's story is full of heart, healing, years of longing, and the sweetest kind of forever. It was the perfect goodbye to a series that has been so charming and sweet.
What to Expect
🤎 Childhood Best Friends to Lovers
🤎 Second Chance
🤎 Small Town Ranch
🤎 Years of Mutual Pining
🤎 Slow Burn
🤎 Divorcee Fresh Start
🤎 Found Family
🤎 Emotional Healing
🤎 Protective, Patient Hero
🤎 "I've Loved You Forever" / "Always Been You"
🤎 Family Legacy
🤎 Cozy Vibes
May 20, 2026
This was the perfect ending to the Kelly Ranch series. What a special ending this was. It was the second-generation children of both parents who were from Savage U. Cormac “Maccie” Kelly had a deep well of emotions he was still carrying around. More than his easy-going nature led us to believe. And guess who his heart has belonged to since forever? You know her parents, they would go to the ranch every summer, Zadie and Amir. Their daughter Zara is two years younger than Cormac.
Her life after college became a hot mess when she married Jackson. Actually, it started before that. She had been so excited to get to college to be with Cormac. But on the day they met, it was extremely overwhelming for her. They met in the cafeteria and every five minutes, the girl wanted to say hi and the guys wanted to invite him to a party. She realized that when they were at the ranch, or he had come to her house she got his undivided attention.
She never had to share him because he was all hers. “I’m glad you finally decided to hang out with me. I was beginning to think you were too cool for me.” “The opposite. Do you really want to be seen with a lowly freshman when you’re a junior? I’ll destroy your reputation.” He barked a laugh. “What reputation?” Right after he’d asked her that, a group of pretty girls walked by, all of them flirting with him. A minute later, a couple of guys clapped him on the shoulder and asked him about a party happening that weekend.
And a minute or two after that, a guy and a girl stopped to ask him about a study group. Her stomach twisted tighter and tighter each time. I wasn’t used to this. Sharing him made her feel like a top spinning out of control. Her jealous mind wanted to bundle him up and run away with him, so she could have him to herself. They were supposed to be best friends, but they’d never been a regular part of each other’s lives. Not in person for an extended period.
What if he saw right through her? What if everything changed? Her fingers clenched in her lap, and her eyes started to burn. What was that? It wasn’t a good feeling, and she always felt good with Cormac. If things were off or teetering in the wrong direction, he’d always been the one to set it right. “You should come with me,” he said, knocking her out of her mental spiral. “Where?” “The party Ben and Cam were talking about. It should be fun.”
The ones he’d introduced me to, putting his arm around me and telling them I was his best friend. His Zara. And they’d already known who she was. They had both lit up when he’d said her name. It should have made her feel better. Why hadn’t it made her feel better? When she didn’t answer, he rushed out, “If you don’t want to be stuck with me all night, you could bring some of your new friends. I’d like to meet them.” “I’ll let you know. I’m not really sure what’s going on this weekend.”
He slowly nodded. “Right. You might get a better offer.” I forced a smile. “You never know. I’ve got to keep my options open.” His laugh sounded just as forced. “Hopefully I’ll make the cut.” It was after that that things started going downhill. Then his new roommate, Jackson was a bad omen waiting to happen. But here she is at twenty-six, divorced, no job, no home, and heading to Montana to be a guide at Kelly Ranch. But the hard part will be seeing Cormac after hearing him try to talk Jackson out of marrying her and him not talking to her at the reception. They were due for a talk. The only ones that don’t know they're in love is them.
Her life after college became a hot mess when she married Jackson. Actually, it started before that. She had been so excited to get to college to be with Cormac. But on the day they met, it was extremely overwhelming for her. They met in the cafeteria and every five minutes, the girl wanted to say hi and the guys wanted to invite him to a party. She realized that when they were at the ranch, or he had come to her house she got his undivided attention.
She never had to share him because he was all hers. “I’m glad you finally decided to hang out with me. I was beginning to think you were too cool for me.” “The opposite. Do you really want to be seen with a lowly freshman when you’re a junior? I’ll destroy your reputation.” He barked a laugh. “What reputation?” Right after he’d asked her that, a group of pretty girls walked by, all of them flirting with him. A minute later, a couple of guys clapped him on the shoulder and asked him about a party happening that weekend.
And a minute or two after that, a guy and a girl stopped to ask him about a study group. Her stomach twisted tighter and tighter each time. I wasn’t used to this. Sharing him made her feel like a top spinning out of control. Her jealous mind wanted to bundle him up and run away with him, so she could have him to herself. They were supposed to be best friends, but they’d never been a regular part of each other’s lives. Not in person for an extended period.
What if he saw right through her? What if everything changed? Her fingers clenched in her lap, and her eyes started to burn. What was that? It wasn’t a good feeling, and she always felt good with Cormac. If things were off or teetering in the wrong direction, he’d always been the one to set it right. “You should come with me,” he said, knocking her out of her mental spiral. “Where?” “The party Ben and Cam were talking about. It should be fun.”
The ones he’d introduced me to, putting his arm around me and telling them I was his best friend. His Zara. And they’d already known who she was. They had both lit up when he’d said her name. It should have made her feel better. Why hadn’t it made her feel better? When she didn’t answer, he rushed out, “If you don’t want to be stuck with me all night, you could bring some of your new friends. I’d like to meet them.” “I’ll let you know. I’m not really sure what’s going on this weekend.”
He slowly nodded. “Right. You might get a better offer.” I forced a smile. “You never know. I’ve got to keep my options open.” His laugh sounded just as forced. “Hopefully I’ll make the cut.” It was after that that things started going downhill. Then his new roommate, Jackson was a bad omen waiting to happen. But here she is at twenty-six, divorced, no job, no home, and heading to Montana to be a guide at Kelly Ranch. But the hard part will be seeing Cormac after hearing him try to talk Jackson out of marrying her and him not talking to her at the reception. They were due for a talk. The only ones that don’t know they're in love is them.
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