Sweet Mountain Rancher

Those Marshall Boys #2

by Loree Lough

HE CAN SAY NO TO EVERYONE BUT HER...


Nate Marshall used to be a yes-man... until being so agreeable cost him dearly. But Eden Quinn has a way of getting him to reconsider his "just say no" policy. Which is how a bunch of troubled teens end up at his ranch for the weekend. Nate can't help but be attracted to the woman who keeps them in line.

This cowboy knows Eden's no damsel in distress, yet hers isn't a one-woman job. If she must do everything on her own, how can he help her... let alone get her to fall for him?

Genres: Romance, Harlequin, Contemporary

385 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2015

About the author

With the upcoming release of the books in her new Kensington series, bestselling author Loree Lough will have 121 books on the shelves (8,000,000+ copies in circulation). Her writing style has been compared to Nicholas Sparks and Mary Jo Putney, and readers and reviewers often call her “a gifted writer whose stories touch hearts and change lives.”

With a long list of industry awards, it isn't likely this prolific author will ever retire...not even to her cozy li'l cabin in the Allegheny Mountains. She loves to hear from her readers and personally answers every letter sent to http://www.loreelough.com/.

Visit http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B000APRS7S to see some of Loree's available titles.

Reviews

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love feel good stories. This one definitely qualifies. Eden Quin works with troubled boys, giving them stability, hope and love. Nate Marshall is a rancher through and through. When Eden asks Nate if her boys can come to his ranch, the lone cowboy code goes out the door.

There were a multitude of characters in this book. I'm sure the ones from the previous books in the series would already be known to those who had read them. I have not and it kept me on my toes keeping everyone straight.

I appreciated the strong family ties portrayed in this book. I liked our hero and most of the time like the heroine. The 'lost boys' add a nice dimension to the story. It was a good read.

Rating: 4
Content: mild language, kissing, some violence
Source: Netgalley

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I am a fan of Harlequin Heartwarming. Simply put, I know I can read this line of books and not worry about anything popping up that will make me cringe. I love that I can depend on the Heartwarming line to bring me sweet, clean romances.

I haven't read book one in this series, but I don't think one is dependent on the other. Individual people, individual stories.

I am a fan of Nate. In every situation, he is a gentleman. He is grounded and firm in who he is and what he is about. Nate is patient and thinks things through before jumping in. He is at his best when he is needed and he knows this. Unfortunately, the one person he really wants refuses to need him.

Eden is a frustrating character. I loved Eden with her boys but I just didn't love Eden with Nate. Ever. Her interactions with him always left me frustrated and irritated. She is so stubborn and mean even. It's a complete one-eighty from how she is with everyone else. Her on-off, hot cold attitude got old after awhile. I wanted Nate to move on and find someone who would appreciate his best qualities. But, as I said, I did love Eden with her boys. If only there were more Eden's in the world, willing to give so much to help kids who need it, the world would surely be a better place.

Overall, this was a good book and a nice distraction. Even with my Eden frustration. All's well that ends well. :) I'll be looking for the next book in this series!

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loree Lough’s smooth and steady writing voice mixes perfectly with this heartwarming (pardon the tie-in there) story about a gentleman cowboy, a stressed-out but spunky heroine, and a houseful of boys in need of a new lease on life (the boys and the house). The attraction between Nate and Eden sparked immediately and simmered through the rest of the book – ebbing and flowing as the story took shape. The boys will tug at your emotions – one or two in particular – and will provide plenty of opportunity for grins and chuckles and even a few tears along the way. Weaving through the plot is the important reminder that none of us can function for long on our own – we need love and support from others to handle what life throws at us.

Bottom Line: Don’t let the Harlequin label deter you – no warnings needed for this clean, sweet romance! While Eden’s mixed signals toward Nate frustrated me at times, overall I identified too well with her character’s need to take everything on to her own shoulders. To me, the boys and Nate gave this book its heart, and I found it difficult to put down the book once I had started. (Even though this is the second book in a series, I did not feel lost from not having read the first one.)

4 out of 5 stars!

(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)

[Janet Marie Dowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eden Quinn cares boys no one else wants........ She is a very sweet girl with a troubled past of her own. I believe her past is the reason she is drawn to the boys. She knows what it feels like to feel alone.

Jake Marshall is a great guy who got hurt by someone he trusted. He grew up with a big and loving family on his family's ranch. Eden's boys spend a weekend at the ranch and Jake doesn't trust them because of their background. I think his mistrust comes from being hurt.

To find if Eden lets go of the past so she can have a future and if Jake ever trusts again, you have to read the book. Happy Reading!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this sweet and heartwarming book. I liked Eden's character is definitely is a fiercely independent women who would rather sell her possessions the take handouts from anyone. But shes a women who if she had to would suck up her pride if she had to, to help the boys in her care. I loved that she was caring enough to take in the boys she has and help them be better then what they were brought up. I liked the relationship between Nate and Eden even if she sometimes made things difficult. Overally this was a good book with a great storyline. Its one of those types of books that are easy to escape into.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good start. Fizzled. Skimmed to end.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2
Nate Marshall isn't sure why he'd said yes to Eden Quinn. She is house-mom to a group of troubled boys and wants to take them to the Double M Ranch for some new experiences. Nate is surprised when he finds himself drawn to the boys but more importantly to their feisty guardian. Eden is attracted to Nate for lots of reasons but how he interacts with the boys makes him especially appealing. Nate observes the way she keeps the boys in line and how they respect her. When a problem arises that will affect Latimer House Nate wants to help, but will Eden's independence get in the way?

This was an enjoyable story overall. Nate was a great hero from the get-go and I loved the Marshall family. Eden was someone I had mixed feelings about. I appreciated the way she interacted with boys and the love and care she showed to them. I must say though, I didn't like the way she was with Nate. To me she was unkind and unfair in the way she treated him. I really don't see what Nate saw in her. I also felt like things ended too abruptly and there was a thread left undone concerning a particular person. It would have been great to have an epilogue to finish things out. There is some danger along the way and you also find out where the name 'Sweet Mountain' comes from. This is Harlequin's Heartwarming Line of stories so they are sweet with traditional values but no 'spiritual' message as with their Love Inspired line. Sweet Mountain Rancher is the second book in a series but you can easily read it as a stand- alone and not feel lost.

*This complimentary copy was provided by Harlequin through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

For more information about this book or other books by Loree Lough, I encourage you to visit her website at http://www.loreelough.com/

[Books and Spoons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story truly does warm your heart. The stories of the boys, their healing, learning, and living was interesting. How some people were willing to put everything out there to help them, to get an even footing in the life was commendable, admirable.
I love Nate, he is such a solid, good man. Always kind, considerate, helpful, and sweet. There's absolutely nothing not to like about him. How he went all out for Eden and the boys was wonderful, I wish there were more people like him in the world.
Eden, with all her own baggage, was wonderful with the boys. The sacrifices she made to provide them with tender loving care was amazing. I admire her dedication, devotion, and commitment. But she's not perfect by any measure, she is stubborn and needs to be in control in every situation. And I mean in every situation, even when putting new sheets on the beds. The way she behaved around Nate was unexplainable, compared to the rest of the time. I didn't really even get the conflict that built up between them, what was she thinking?! Her attitude got old fast, and it lasted for way too long. After all Eden put Nate through, the ending seemed rushed. I wasn't convinced she had dealt with her baggage, as she should have.
I also wanted to know more about Thomas' future and fate, I felt like the issue was left hanging.
Overall, I enjoyed the story, there was so much love and care for the boys, the days and tasks at the farm, the huge family that seemed to fold them into their embrace. The romance building between Nate and Eden was left on the back burner through most of the story, but it didn't take away anything from the enjoyment of the tale.
~ Four Spoons

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. This is the second book in Those Marshall Boys series. While this book can be read as a stand-alone, I'm glad I read the first book prior to reading this one, because it gave me a lot of background on the Marshall family.

After being injured in a serious car accident that killed his fiancé, Nate Marshall came home to his family's Colorado ranch to settle down and be a cowboy. Then along comes Eden Quinn and the troubled teen boys that she looks after. Not expecting to open his heart up to another hurt, Nate is caught off guard by the sparks that fly between him and Eden and she is caught equally off guard.

The characters in the book are delightful and make for an enjoyable read. I thought the book could have been better edited as there were some grammatical and spelling errors that I thought should have been alleviated.

[Tressia Avellar · Rating 5 out of 5]

As is the case with ALL of the books I've read by Loree Lough, it was great from start to finish.

The way she writes about the struggles of Eden with each of the boys she has taken into her care and the dedication she shows as to making sure they get the best chance possible to change their lives for the better and prove to the world they are worth the effort to "save" them from their situations. It was great watching the story unfold and see how Nate's past experiences help the boys as well as himself and how Eden helps heal him as well.

A very good story. I just purchased it yesterday afternoon and just now finished it....so yes, it was THAT GOOD!

Great job Loree, can't wait till the next one.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first book last month, but I don't think that it's necessary to read them in order.

I loved both Eden and Nate. I thought Eden's passion to help troubled boys was great. Nate is such a wonderful guy, I loved how he embraced the boys in Eden's care and helped them become better young men.

Some parts of the story felt as though they went on too long and then the ending felt a tad rushed. Regardless, I still really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to fans of clean contemporary romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book to review. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good one from this author. The interaction between Nate, a rancher with a big heart, and Eden, a woman who runs a home for boys, definitely makes for a good story following their rocky relationship as Nate tries to win her heart and also give her the help and support she needs to keep a home for troubled boys. The author does a wonderful job of capturing the ups and downs of dealing with troubled young men and has written a story that I was pulled into from the first pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and it is one I definitely recommend.

[Babs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sorry late with the review. But let me say what a book this was. Holy cow the kissing scenes alone will make you want to melt. Eden gives Nate a run for his money so to speak. Nate has a job trying to win her over and when she ask if her boys can come over to the ranch that does it for it.

The author does a great job with all the characters there are a few but easy to keep up with. I have not read the first book but I have heard a lot about it which helped a little but you won't be lost. I will get getting more books by this author. A great series.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Those Marshall Boys

[Janice Sisemore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it