Melissa Winchester moved across the country, from Boston, MA to Riston, ID to be far away and safe. She's following two dreams, one is owning and running a book store in the Old West town on the ranch. The other is writing her own mystery novels. She has been at the ranch for over six months now, and just when she's starting to fully relax, something happens that has her feeling as though her past may be catching up to her.
Bernie's brother, Jack Jennings is a likeable ladies man, who falls in and out of love so fast, it makes Bernie's head spin. So, she doesn't take him seriously when he tells her after one meeting, that Melissa is the one. They met in Bernie's story, when Jack, who is a local police officer, rode out to Melissa's house to respond to a house alarm. A basement window was broken. Could have been an animal, or kids, or something else. Jack feels protective in a way he never has before.
Which is why he proposes what seems like the ideal solution to keep Melissa safe--a marriage of convenience! Melissa is reluctant at first, but Jack is persuasive and since it's not a 'real' marriage, she agrees, knowing that she will feel safer with Jack in the house. But as they spend time together, she worries that her heart won't be safe when this arrangement ends. Plus, ver since her window broke, even with Jack living there, her sense of unease only grows stronger as she worries that her ex-boyfriend has been tracking her.
Pamela M. Kelley is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of women's fiction, family sagas, and suspense. Readers often describe her books as feel-good reads with people you'd want as friends.
She lives in a historic seaside town near Cape Cod and just south of Boston. She has always been an avid reader of women's fiction, romance, mysteries, thrillers and cook books. There's also a good chance you might get hungry when you read her books as she is a foodie, and occasionally shares a recipe or two. :)
It wasn’t in Melissa’s personality to run away from troubles, yet she and her twin sister agreed that getting far from Boston and her ex-boyfriend, turned stalker was a necessary move. As she opened her bookstore in River’s End Ranch’s Old West Town and continued with her own mystery writings, Melissa began to feel safe again. Until she discovered that her ex wasn’t in Boston and a chilling conversation with her sister convinced her that trouble was heading her way… fast.
Local police officer, Jack loved the ladies. On, not in a bad boy way, he simply enjoyed their company and kept things light for he knew one day he’d meet the right woman for him. When Melissa let the local sheriff’s office know that her troubles might soon be in their town one lawman had an interesting solution. Sure, they’d met around the ranch, even shared a few fun dances and conversation at a wedding so they certainly weren’t strangers. But when Jack offered a marriage of convenience to get her ex to take her moving on seriously, Melissa agreed. It didn’t hurt that there might be a bit of a crush on Jack in her reasoning. And having this funny, determined man at her side would make her feel so much safer. She knew it wasn’t forever, but stranger things had happened at the River’s End Ranch.
Missing Melissa is a fun story with an edge of approaching danger to it. Jack and Melissa really do make a charming, believable couple, and there really is no doubt that eventually they’ll both see what is right in front of them. We get the chance to visit with a few well known characters from the Ranch, meet some new people that just may have their stories told eventually – since we all know, the fairies know what the heart hasn’t decided on yet. *grin*
I enjoyed myself on this recent visit to the River’s End Ranch, and if you’re a Romance reader then I’m certain you’d have fun with this one, too.
I read this story through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Shout out for true love and the hero and heroine both win.
This is another really wonderful story and I just loved it. Who would think a fake marriage would end up so well and truly get rid of the jerk who our heroine was getting away from and never wanting to ever see him again? Then in this fake marriage two people could truly fall in love. Oh my what a whirlwind of a story, but a true hero is devoted to keeping her safe. Awe this is the kind of story that can make anyone a true believer in true love. Pamela Kelly really pulls it off with amazing characters and circumstances that could have frightened you and surrounding our heroine with good true friends. If Riston and River's End Ranch were real I would want to live there too and Jaqlyn didn't even have to play matchmaker this time. Thanks Pamela for a really fantastic story. Well done. I highly recommend this story and if you haven't read any of this series please do yourself a big favor and get the first book now. Five authors write tremendous stories for this series and there hasn't been a one I didn't love.
Abusive exs are never good especially when they are obsessive. This was a tough story to write, I feel certain. Pamela Kelley handled the story line well. There is only one thing that really bothered me about this story. Jack is a police officer which means he works for the police department however, Shane, the Sheriff is his boss? If that was the case, Jack would be a deputy sheriff not a policeman. Sorry but that really messed the whole story up for me. Many people may not even notice that but it stuck out like a sore thumb to me, the wife of a retired Texas Sheriff.
Rivers End Ranch needs to be a place where one can go and actually meet these characters. In this story we find a true Hero. jack Jennings has been a player, but there is something different about Melissa Winchester and the pull is fascinating to watch. Pamela Kelley pulls in some of the old time romance here with a marriage of convenience. What makes this intriguing is the friendship that comes and the respect of the couple. At River's End nothing is impossible; even love that come through friendship.
So glad the story lines keep coming. Jack is a natural lady's man. He just needs to find the right one. Melissa has moved to Rivers End Ranch to get away from an abusive relationship turned stalker. When her ex shows up, Jack rushes in to rescue fair maiden. Hoping that a temporary marriage of convenience will convince the stubborn ex to give up and move on, Melissa and Jack discover that parting isn't so sweet sorrow as they thought it would be.
I got excited thinking that this book would be slightly different than the others in the series. That was until Ms. Kelley decided to make a mockery of marriage. While the book did have a few different elements, the Cooper situation ending was stupid because it didn't flow with his personality and he can easily come back. Melissa and Jack : typical of the series where they go from saying nothing, to making out, to talking about chicken, all on the same page.
Newest Rivers End Ranch book continues to live up to my expectations!
This Rivers End Ranch book is great journey. I hate spoilers but cryptically my favorite parts of this story are Seattle, county fair, and the pets (bunnies and all). I enjoyed read this book and know you will too if you enjoy sweet romance stories.
An x looking for Melissa and Jack coming to the recuse, a crazy idea getting married kinda of worked. X finally out of picture, Jack moves out and after a week of not seeing each other and her sisters vacation, they realized that they wanted to be together and make the marriage real. Now a story about Melaine
I enjoyed this book. Melissa and jack quickly became two of my favorite characters at Rivers End Ranch. I like the continuity that the author has skillfully maintained, keeping us in touch with our favorite people from books in this series and activities there. However, this book has enough of a story of its own to hold your interest!
I enjoyed the characters but the Jack & Melissa getting married plot was too odd. And an ex-boyfriend stalker who is still obsessed a year after the break up and tracks her down across country would not just pack up and leave bc Jack showed up at his door and told him to leave. It was a let down after the build up and kinda disappointing.
This was a great addition to the series. I have loved them all! Jack and Melissa are great together, they just need to realize that their marriage of convenience can be much much more.
I loved this story, i am a survivor of domestic abuse I have had to run 1000 miles. I was worried about this book bringing flashbacks and nightmares but i was totally worried for nothing, I absolutely loved the way pamela wrote this, she nailed how abuse is but did it with compassion and understanding, she is Awesome author Thank You
This is such a great story line. Many women find themselves is a relationship they need to get out of to save themselves. Thank God in this story things turn out well. Another great story.
When you help others it works out well for you too. Human beings need each other and the more you serve someone the more you care for them. The story was slow. It was too much just day to day living.
What started as Jack wanting to protect Melissa from her ex boyfriend quickly became much more. Jack just needed Melissa to catch up to where he is loving her.
A few chapters into the book, I thought it felt like a Pamela M. Kelley book. It is! The characters feel like people I know or would like to know. The storyline is somewhat predictable, but enjoyable to read.
Melissa & Jack Armed with a restraining order, her cat and an unfinished novel, Melissa flees to RER in Riston, ID. Has she gone far enough fast enough?