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Last Chance Ranch #1
The Cowboy's Promise
Four brothers, one ranch.
Can they save it in time?
There’s only one way Harley Jenkins can save her job. She must convince Clay Briscoe to sell his family's ranch. The land is in a growing area of Montana, and her land developer boss has his eye on it. But from the first meeting with Clay, it’s apparent he’s not going to make this deal easy.
Clay Briscoe made one promise to his father: that he would keep the family property a working ranch. The first “no” is painless, but Harley is one of the most persistent people he’s ever met. The more he gets to know her, the harder he finds it to let her lose her job.
As Harley spends more time on Cedar Tree Ranch, she begins to question whether saving her job is the right thing to do. How can she talk the brothers into doing something she’s not sure she believes in herself?
The Last Chance Ranch series is a sweet, clean contemporary western series filled with swoon-worthy heroes and a picturesque Montana setting.
Can they save it in time?
There’s only one way Harley Jenkins can save her job. She must convince Clay Briscoe to sell his family's ranch. The land is in a growing area of Montana, and her land developer boss has his eye on it. But from the first meeting with Clay, it’s apparent he’s not going to make this deal easy.
Clay Briscoe made one promise to his father: that he would keep the family property a working ranch. The first “no” is painless, but Harley is one of the most persistent people he’s ever met. The more he gets to know her, the harder he finds it to let her lose her job.
As Harley spends more time on Cedar Tree Ranch, she begins to question whether saving her job is the right thing to do. How can she talk the brothers into doing something she’s not sure she believes in herself?
The Last Chance Ranch series is a sweet, clean contemporary western series filled with swoon-worthy heroes and a picturesque Montana setting.
190 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 3, 2020
About the author
Macie St. James
71 books141 followersMacie St. James is a freelance content writer by day, romance author by night. Or maybe a mix of both at all times. When she's not dreaming up her next story, she can be found indulging her Happy Planner habit and snuggling with her pet dog, a spaniel mix. She lives in Nashville with her husband. Sign up for her newsletter for exclusives and news about future books: https://maciestjames.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 4, 2020
A cozy romance and an enjoyable read. The author has set her scene in plains on Montana where the Briscoe family have ranched through good times and bad for many years. Ma and Pa Briscoe have moved out to retirement in Florida, leaving eldest son Clay with the task of maintaining the property as a working ranch. Clay’s brothers are around, each with a house built on the family spread, but following their own professions - lawyer, realtor and traveller(?). Life is not easy for Clay. Current market conditions favour feedlot beef over the slow-grown grass fed alternative. The ranch is losing money and has attracted the attention of speculators when a new road will pass close by the property, giving Clay another headache. Along comes Hayley, working the last weeks of her market-to-hire contract with an arch-speculator. Her job is on the line to persuade Clay to sell.
The book starts well and the pace is fast for the first third. The middle chapters slow down through the will they won’t they period, that is (perhaps) overlong until the finale chapters which deliver the cozy-romance genre’s obligatory happy ending.
Hayley is a business major and her ideas intrigued me as I read with a deeper interest. Clearly the author has business savvy and raised the level of this story by including them as ideas for the ranch to follow. Did I enjoy the read? Yes. Do I think it special- well, No, once the initial scenes set the story, it followed a predictable path to its conclusion.
The book starts well and the pace is fast for the first third. The middle chapters slow down through the will they won’t they period, that is (perhaps) overlong until the finale chapters which deliver the cozy-romance genre’s obligatory happy ending.
Hayley is a business major and her ideas intrigued me as I read with a deeper interest. Clearly the author has business savvy and raised the level of this story by including them as ideas for the ranch to follow. Did I enjoy the read? Yes. Do I think it special- well, No, once the initial scenes set the story, it followed a predictable path to its conclusion.
April 11, 2020
If Harley doesn't come back to Seattle with a signed contract, she'll be unemployed. Just one problem - Clay's not selling the ranch. Despite the fact that all of her reasons for selling are based in truth and make perfect business sense, he's not budging. And after spending a few days on the ranch, she realizes why - it's home. She's still going to be jobless, though, I had a little trouble warming up to Harley. She seemed a bit wishy-washy at times, but she won points for her persistence. Clay - love that rancher! And his put-down of her boss - absolutely priceless. The brothers have a strong relationship, and they even got their mother in on their little matchmaking scheme. I enjoyed this book, reading it in one sitting.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 13, 2020
I love finding new author's books to read and I wasn’t disappointed with The Cowboy’s Promise. Clay is the oldest Briscoe brother and he’s trying to save the Cedar Tree Ranch. Harley Jenkins is sent by her boss, Kurt Cutler, to get them to agree to sell the ranch. Clay and Harley are attracted to each other, but he’s been hurt and she needs his signature to save her job. He tells her the ranch is not for sale. I won’t leave any spoilers, but I will say I enjoyed reading this clean romance in a small town setting. Grab your copy and look forward to reading about Colton, Jared, and Reilly in the future books.
April 10, 2020
Nope, the property is not for sale.
Harley wants Cedar Tree Ranch not because it is a ranch but because of the land, it was a prime piece of property. Clay and his brothers have other ideas and they own Cedar Tree. The only problem seems to be that Clay is attracted to Ms. Harley. The challenges in this one were realistic and I liked how they were overcome. I liked all the cast of characters the brothers are great and a bit of matchmaking to boot. It was a good story easy to get lost in I definitely recommend it. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
Harley wants Cedar Tree Ranch not because it is a ranch but because of the land, it was a prime piece of property. Clay and his brothers have other ideas and they own Cedar Tree. The only problem seems to be that Clay is attracted to Ms. Harley. The challenges in this one were realistic and I liked how they were overcome. I liked all the cast of characters the brothers are great and a bit of matchmaking to boot. It was a good story easy to get lost in I definitely recommend it. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
May 20, 2020
Ms. St. James is a new-to-me author and I'm really glad I've discovered her books! This is a clean romance in a small town setting. The characters are wonderful and I found myself really drawn to them. They were so realistic with real- life problems and had wonderful personalities which gave them an authentic quality. The storyline flowed nicely and was interesting and captured my attention from the start. This is a great start to what looks to be a wonderful series! I can't wait to read the next one!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 6, 2020
I love, love, love these Last Chance Ranch books. Sweet romances without all the foul language, explicit sex, and angst. Just what I need in these trying times. This book "The Cowboy's Promise" is what started it all. I haven't read romance in a long time but thought I'd give it a read to get my mind off the world and its problems as I'm self-quarantining. It was everything I was hoping for so I went on to books number 2 and 3.
I just finished book number three and I'm eager to start book number four! Keep 'em coming Ms. St. James. Can't get enough of those hunky cowboys.
I just finished book number three and I'm eager to start book number four! Keep 'em coming Ms. St. James. Can't get enough of those hunky cowboys.
April 14, 2020
I really enjoyed this book, the characters are great and you really connect with them, you really gets Clay's resistance to sell and Harley's passion to do what she needs to for her job but when she starts to get ideas for the ranch you just fall in love with her. You will definitely read this in one sitting and want to read the next book as soon as you can!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 26, 2020
Harley and Clay
This is my first time reading a book by this author. I enjoyed Harley and Clay's story, although a little more communication between the two of them would have been better. Clay was a little too non-communicative and acted too disinterested half the time with her. Especially when Colton first came around.
It was a good story, however the abrupt ending was unexpected. Hopefully the next in the series will elaborate on where these two end up ☺️
This is my first time reading a book by this author. I enjoyed Harley and Clay's story, although a little more communication between the two of them would have been better. Clay was a little too non-communicative and acted too disinterested half the time with her. Especially when Colton first came around.
It was a good story, however the abrupt ending was unexpected. Hopefully the next in the series will elaborate on where these two end up ☺️
June 8, 2020
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Booksprout and I also purchased a copy.
This was a charming sweet and clean romance. I thought it was very well written. I devoured the pages in an effort to see how the plot would play out.
Harley's boss sends her to Montana to get the owners of Cedar Creek Ranch to sell or she is fired. Wow what a piece of work he is! Harley gets out of her car at the ranch and immediately steps into a cow patty. Yes, that hooked me right in. Clay and his brothers will inherit the ranch from their parents who have retired to Florida. The ranch is failing due to several bad years. Clay is struggling to hold onto the ranch as it is. His brothers and parents do not know how bad the situation is and he is losing sleep over it. The buy out though is NOT an option.
The road to Clay and Harley's HFN is a wonderful story that deals with problems that most people face. I loved the dual POV format. Getting that glimpse into their minds to see their thought process really helps me to identify and connect with them.
Again this is a sweet, clean romance that should not offend anyone.
This was a charming sweet and clean romance. I thought it was very well written. I devoured the pages in an effort to see how the plot would play out.
Harley's boss sends her to Montana to get the owners of Cedar Creek Ranch to sell or she is fired. Wow what a piece of work he is! Harley gets out of her car at the ranch and immediately steps into a cow patty. Yes, that hooked me right in. Clay and his brothers will inherit the ranch from their parents who have retired to Florida. The ranch is failing due to several bad years. Clay is struggling to hold onto the ranch as it is. His brothers and parents do not know how bad the situation is and he is losing sleep over it. The buy out though is NOT an option.
The road to Clay and Harley's HFN is a wonderful story that deals with problems that most people face. I loved the dual POV format. Getting that glimpse into their minds to see their thought process really helps me to identify and connect with them.
Again this is a sweet, clean romance that should not offend anyone.
July 28, 2020
I enjoyed this introduction to this family, town, and series. I actually started this series with book 4, through I’d definitely advocate reading them in order. I loved the characters and the interaction with family -both the tension and the love. I’m looking forward to seeing where everything goes in the next book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
April 10, 2020
This is a enjoyable read with Harley who works for a man who wants to buy the family ranch that belongs to Clay and his brothers but the more time she spends with Clay at the ranch she feels like she just may be at home with him. It was fun reading how their relationship developed and this is a well written book with great characters.
April 11, 2020
This is a sweet, small town western romance story. The story will keep you interested to see what happens next with Harley and Clay. Will they get their happy ending? A great start to this series. Looking forward to reading more about all of the brothers and their journeys.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 11, 2020
Book one in the Last Chance Ranch series a well written story by an Author I have not read before. I want to read the next book. Harley Jenkins and Clay Briscoe meet when she come to Cedar Tree Ranch to try and get him to sell the ranch. I enjoyed seeing this story come together. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 17, 2021
Ranching was all he knew and wanted. Sharing it with 3brothers made the work easier. But newer ways of ranching had been making it harder to make a profit
A consultant had come by to make him an offer but that could not be his families solution if they wanted to keep their family ranch. They had to find a way for profit
A consultant had come by to make him an offer but that could not be his families solution if they wanted to keep their family ranch. They had to find a way for profit
September 9, 2021
Do Your Research
It tickles me when a non horse person writes a book with horses who clearly has no idea about horses. Horses don’t “lap water”, horses to not live in individual stables, but stalls. And a real rancher/farmer does not frequently refer to cow poop as cow poop. It’s manure. And riding a horse, once a year for a handful of years, isn’t going to garner experience.
It tickles me when a non horse person writes a book with horses who clearly has no idea about horses. Horses don’t “lap water”, horses to not live in individual stables, but stalls. And a real rancher/farmer does not frequently refer to cow poop as cow poop. It’s manure. And riding a horse, once a year for a handful of years, isn’t going to garner experience.
August 28, 2022
This book is about modern day Rancher's not cowboys. It is also about promises made to the previous generation. Those promises were getting harder and harder to keep. As the eldest, he felt responsible as the ranch stopped earning a profit, just to continue ranching. This was a nice read. It didn't qualify as a cliffhanger, but it really did not have an ending.
April 8, 2020
Enjoyed the family relationship between the brothers...it was believable and made me chuckle. The connection between Clay and Harley had enough angst to keep me reading until I finished the book in one setting. Can't wait for the next book!
March 29, 2021
The Cowboys Promise
This book reminded me of another book by a different writer. Very similar. It was pretty good , had good interaction with the different characters. The series should be enjoyable. Keep sending us good, clean reads . Thank you!
This book reminded me of another book by a different writer. Very similar. It was pretty good , had good interaction with the different characters. The series should be enjoyable. Keep sending us good, clean reads . Thank you!
March 29, 2021
Okay
Not sure where to begin. She comes there to buy their ranch for her boss, wasn't leaving without a signed contract.
She wasn't expecting to fall for Clay, she hadn't.
Can he convince her that it's not for sale. Can he convince her to give him a chance ?
Not sure where to begin. She comes there to buy their ranch for her boss, wasn't leaving without a signed contract.
She wasn't expecting to fall for Clay, she hadn't.
Can he convince her that it's not for sale. Can he convince her to give him a chance ?
March 30, 2021
Ebook
4 brothers are taking care of their Dads failing ranch. A real estate buyer offers them a lot of money but the oldest brother is against selling. The broker is a beautiful woman that falls in love with the ranch and the brother, can she find a way to save both
4 brothers are taking care of their Dads failing ranch. A real estate buyer offers them a lot of money but the oldest brother is against selling. The broker is a beautiful woman that falls in love with the ranch and the brother, can she find a way to save both
June 8, 2021
Very interesting
I loved the attention to the plague that's hitting our farms and ranches, urbanization is a disease. I also loved how this family is trying to pull together to save theirs, with a little indirect help from the disease. Good reading!
I loved the attention to the plague that's hitting our farms and ranches, urbanization is a disease. I also loved how this family is trying to pull together to save theirs, with a little indirect help from the disease. Good reading!
May 9, 2024
I enjoyed this sweet story with a ranch that needs saving, a cowboy, a beautiful city girl, and a villainous greedy boss that wants to take away the land the ranch is on. I enjoyed the banter back and forth between the characters as well as the strong family support.
March 5, 2025
I found this was quite an enjoyable read.
Good storyline to it but just a tad slow at times
but that didn’t take away from the plot .
The two main characters had chemistry between
them.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Good storyline to it but just a tad slow at times
but that didn’t take away from the plot .
The two main characters had chemistry between
them.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 27, 2020
Enjoyed
Clay and Harley made for a sweet and perfect couple. Their interaction and conversations made for a great “getting to know” situation.
Clay and Harley made for a sweet and perfect couple. Their interaction and conversations made for a great “getting to know” situation.
March 30, 2021
How to Sell the Cowboy's Home
Hailey came to buy the ranch from Cole. Her boss said it was for sale, but Cole said it's not. Her job depended on this sale.
Hailey came to buy the ranch from Cole. Her boss said it was for sale, but Cole said it's not. Her job depended on this sale.
December 12, 2021
A sweet western romance about a man trying to save his family ranch and a woman who comes to negotiate a sale. Nice story.
September 6, 2022
Not impressed. Got confusing at times.
July 14, 2025
Delightful!
Wonderful characters who interact with purpose and the desire to be their own way. There is romance sliding slowly into the friendship.
Wonderful characters who interact with purpose and the desire to be their own way. There is romance sliding slowly into the friendship.
January 12, 2026
Such a sweet closed door romance! Will definitely read the rest of this series 🥰
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews