Finding Forever in Hawk Ridge Hollow

Rich & Rugged: A Hawkins Brothers Romance #2

by Ellie Hall

She has three rules for her fake marriage to the billionaire rancher who galloped into her life. He breaks every one of them. But he’s afraid she might just break his heart.

Kayla Cartwright learned that being independent was safer than risking a relationship again. Her ex had left her at a dead end. She’d given up everything for him and when she found her way back, she moved to a new town, started over, and focused on the future.

Dallen Hawkins is known for his wild ways on and off the ranch but he learned long ago to trust horses more than women. The Hawkins brothers have a reputation for being rich and rugged, but after a disagreement, they became estranged and he’s desperate to reunite the family.

Neither wants to be in a relationship but a chance meeting at the same wedding prompts them to decide they too could say I do.

For Kayla, it’s to get her family off her back and so she doesn’t have to answer no when asked if she’s dating, engaged, or married. Dallen, heir to the world-famous Hawk Ridge Hollow Ski Resort and global holdings, can move forward with updates to the ranch if he gets married—thanks to the stipulation in his father’s will.

But can she tame the handsome, wealthy, and wild cowboy? Can he win her heart? Only if they don’t allow mistakes of their past to dictate the future.

This is book 2 in Rich & Rugged, a Hawkins Brothers Romance series. It stands alone but reading in order does provide a deeper and more enriching experience. It’s a sweet, "clean & wholesome" romance with all the smooching but without mature content, swearing, violence, drinking, etc. and has a HEA.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Novella, Contemporary Romance

160 pages, Paperback

Published March 19, 2019

About the author

Ellie Hall is a USA Today bestselling author. If only that meant she could wear a tiara and get away with it. ;) She loves puppies, books, and the ocean. Writing sweet romance with lots of firsts and fizzy feels gives her joy. Oh, and chocolate chip cookies are her fave. Ellie believes in dreaming big, working hard, and lazy Sunday afternoons spent with her family and dog in gratitude for God’s grace.

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Newsletter: http://bit.ly/EllieHallNL
Website: http://www.elliehallauthor.com
Facebook: http://www/facebook.com/elliehallauthor
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/elliehallauthor

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Series and suggested reading order:

The Only Us Sweet Billionaire Series
•these billionaires have everything, but will they find love...?•

1. Only a Date with a Billionaire
2. Only a Kiss with a Billionaire
3. Only a Night with a Billionaire
4. Only Forever with a Billionaire
5. Only Love with a Billionaire
6. Only Christmas with the Billionaire
7. Only New Year with the Billionaire

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The Hawkins Family Clean Romance Series

•five brothers, torn apart and the women who help put them back together...•

1. Second Chance in Hawk Ridge Hollow

2. Finding Forever in Hawk Ridge Hollow

3. Resort Getaway with a Bodyguard

4. Going Home to Hawk Ridge Hollow

5. Christmas in Hawk Ridge Hollow

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The Blue Bay Beach Reads Romance Series

•a small-town restaurant, a dating dare, and happily ever afters...•

1. Summer with the Marine

2. Summer with the Rock Star

3. Summer with the Billionaire

4. Summer with the Cowboy

5. Summer with the Carpenter

6. Summer with the Doctor

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Ritchie Ranch Clean Cowboy Romance Series

•Cowboy hats & kisses with small-town charm•

1. Rustling the Cowboy’s Heart

2. Lassoing the Cowboy’s Heart

3. Trusting the Cowboy’s Heart

4. Kissing the Christmas Cowboy

5. Loving the Cowboy’s Heart

6. Charming the Cowboy’s Heart

7. Saving the Cowboy’s Heart

8. Wrangling the Cowboy’s Heart

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Falling into Happily Ever After Rom Com

• Sweet, heartwarming & uplifting romantic comedy

1. An Unwanted Love Story

2. An Unexpected Love Story

3. An Unlikely Love Story

4. An Accidental Love Story

5. An Impossible Love Story

6. An Unconventional Christmas Love Story

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Forever Marriage Match

• Five friends have to find true love or else...romcom

1. Dare to Love My Grumpy Boss

2. Dare to Love the Guy Next Door

3. Dare to Love My Fake Husband

4. Dare to Love the Guy I Hate

5. Dare to Love My Best Friend

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Home Sweet Home Small Town Romantic Comedy Series

Mr. & Mrs. Fix-It Find Love

Designing Happily Ever After

The DIY Kissing Project

The True Romance Renovation

Extreme Heart Makeover

Building What's Meant to Be

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The Costa Brothers Cozy Christmas Comfort Romance Series

Tommy & Merry and the 12 Days of Christmas

Bruno & Gloria and the 5 Golden Rings

Luca & Ivy and the 4 Calling Birds

Gio & Joy and the 3 French Hens

Paulo & Noella and the 2 Turtle Doves

Nico & Hope and the Partridge in the Pear Tree

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The Love List Series

The Swoon List

The Not Love List

The Crush List

The Kiss List

The Naughty or Nice List

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Love, Laughs, and Mystery in Coco Key

The Romance Situation

The Romance Fiasco

The Romance Game

The Romance Gambit

The Christmas Romance Wish

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On the Hunt for Love

The Grump and the Girl Next Door

The Bitter Heir and the Beauty

The Secret Son and the Sweetheart

The Ex Best Friend and the Fake Fiancé

The Best Friend’s Brother and the Brain

Select titles are available in audiobook, paperback, hardcover, and large print formats. Happy reading!♥

Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/14/2019)! 🎁

[Maria Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been doing these books out of order but I think there is enough explanation in each of them that it hasn't really mattered. There is probably greater understanding of nuances if read in order but it hasn't ruined other books.

I listened to this book on YouTube and once again, I really don't love the narrator. She does great on dialog for the most part but the narration part drives me crazy. Her intonation goes up at the end of so many sentences making them all sound like a question. Maybe it doesn't sound that way if you listen at speed 1 but that is way too slow for me so I have to speed it up to 1.5.

Parts of the book were confusing to me. They start up a fake relationship which turns into a fake engagement. They state it is fake repeatedly but then say they need to plan the wedding and talk about if they will actually go through with the wedding. That isn't fake. That is planning a marriage of convenience. Why would one actually plan a wedding if there isn't intent to get married? Why not put off setting a date or something? It felt like the characters didn't understand the concept of fake. I get that for the plot it was to leave things open for their budding relationship but again, they should have been planning their fake break up maybe. Not a wedding. I don't know. I just kept asking myself why as I read.

But I'm intrigued by this series and this dysfunctional family of brothers. I hope they will all be able to make peace by the end of the series.

Kayla was a mystery to me. At least until she stood up to the bullies. She is obviously Cinderella to her mother and sister, they playing the parts of the evil stepmother and stepsister. Why was she willing to put up with the toxicity of her family? Her brother is the only exception and he is far away, not doing anything for her. She thrived on being independent but when it comes to her family, she is not independent at all. I was so happy to see her development over the course of the book.

While this one was probably not my favorite of the series, I'm still interested in seeing the stories play out for the brothers I haven't read yet.

Potential Triggers: Verbal Abuse, parental abandonment
No sex, language or violence

[Lissa Ruck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Dallen & Kayla's gruff, heartbreaking, sweet,caring, loving, swoony happily ever after!!

[Stacy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Um, what?

I'm 99.9% sure this book was written by a teenager. This was some of the most immature writing I've ever seen. This book was awful! Don't water your time. If I could give it negative starts, I would.

[Julie Eichelberger-Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Forever in Hawk Ridge Hollow is the second in the Rich & Rugged: a Hawkins Brothers Romance series but can be read as a stand alone story. This is a sweet, clean, fake relationship romance that leads to happily ever after. Kayla Cartwright was brokenhearted when her fiance left her for another woman and now is constantly harangued by her mother and sister about every little thing in her life. She is on the way to her sister's wedding rehearsal when her mother calls and tells Kayla that she has to line up a horse for her sister to ride in on. Stuck in traffic, she starts calling places and when she gets an answer, she is amazed the guy has a horse they can use. When she stops for coffee and a snack, she accidently bumps into the guy in front of her who is a little gruff and grumpy so she starts talking what if questions until he tells her to mind her own business. Dallen is sorry immediately for his harsh response and leaves the top of a cupcake to make amends never expecting to see her again. However, life is unpredictable and the wedding he is taking his horse to is Kayla's sister's wedding and Kayla's cousin tells everyone that he is Kayla's date and fiance. There are so many more twists and turns in this story that will have you anxiously turn each page to see what happens next. The story is wonderfully written and the characters are engagingly realistic making the reader feel part of the story.

I received a copy of this story from the author but all thoughts and feelings are my own.

[MIPat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kayla and Dallen first encounter one another at coffee shop after being stuck in a traffic jam and Kayla is uncharacteristically chatty with him. They meet again later the same day at the rehearsal for Kayla's sister&s wedding where Dallen pretends to be Kayla's date because of the way she is being treated by her mother and sister. Dallen is estranged from his brothers and both are hesitant about getting involved with anyone due to being being burned in the past, but one thing leads to another and they are "fake engaged". Dallen cannot access his inheritance or participate in the family business unless he is married and that is part of his motivation for for the fake engagement, the other being that Kayla is the first woman he has been attracted to in a long time. Kayla is mortified that her family has pushed Dallen into the engagement because he is part of a wealthy family. She is genuinely attracted to him and now can't say anything without appearing phony. Kayla and Dallen fumble along both wanting to trust the other one without being able to because they have agreed the engagement is fake. This means that they also do not tell each other how they feel. One misunderstanding leads to another and another, but eventually they overcome the fears.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Norma Gorrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting story on how a young woman and her family get along..She was supposed to be available for everything her mother and sister wanted her for. Kayla was abused by her mother and sister to the tune of being very vocal about everything she did or did not due. On her way to her sisters rehearsal dinner she got stuck in traffic for 2 hours and stopped for something to drink only to have a few words with a young man standing in line ahead of her only to realize he was the same man who was in the traffic jam beside her. Dallen was a very quiet and unassuming person and when Kayla was behind him in the line up she struck up a conversation with him. Before they got out of the traffic jam her mother had called her and ordered her to moveit and get to the rehearsal and to find a horse for her sister to ride in her wedding. While in the jam she made a call to find a horse for that night and the next day only to realize when she got to the rehearsal area and the horse shows up with the same guy. her mother and sister give her a calling down and Dallen steps in on her behalf. This is a very interesting way to learn how to stand up for yourself with your family who like to ridicule you in front of strangers. This is my review and mine alone. Norma Gorrill

[Colleen Sasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed.

The exploration of love with Dallon and Kayla was an experience in the fear of living in the present not in the past. They felt the chemistry between them immediately but didn't know what to do about it. Both Kayla and Fallon had bad experiences with love and were afraid to take a chance with love again. Fallon realized he didn't want to be lonely any more and Kayla realized she had to stop living in the past and fearing the future. They decided to take a chance on love and find a happy ending.

[Wren Woodland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would you rather? The question of the day.

Ah the Hawkin brothers-rich, loud, stubborn handsome and hurting. Dallin has hidden himself on the ranch with his horses. Kayla just wants to be herself and not be overwhelmed by the vitriolic over-mothering of her mom and rude competitiveness of her sister. Both are scared to death of the what ifs and the uncertainty of the future to let themselves live in the present. This book asks big questions about family and relationships as they struggle toward a real not fake HEA. Clean.

[Janet Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and Clean Mountain Romance
This is a sweet and clean romance with a mountain town and resort as the backdrop. As with many romances, the reader always knows how the story will end, it is the journey that holds the fun. The story line is a refreshing fake fiance trope. There is humor and fun. There is a lot of family drama and personal angst. This is the second in a series and it stands alone very well. I received this ARC book for free from Booksprouts and this is my honest review.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awesome

I loved the story. I liked how they both figured out what they wanted and that they both learned to stand up for themselves and to never give up on those they love.
I wish it was longer. It seemed to end so fast and just right when you got to the climax and they were starting to get to know each other better and they were making changes. It was still a good book and I enjoyed it

[Franki · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the moment Kayla describes the cowboy in the truck next to her, I was hooked. Who doesn’t love the strong, silent cowboy?
This story has real family issues, but never feels too heavy. Kayla and Dallen are definitely opposites, but share a faith and a desire for a happy family.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[MoonGarden · Rating 4 out of 5]

fake engagement that becomes a real romance

Fake relationships are always messy, but usually really fun to read, this book is no exception. If you like cowboys and weddings, and fake engagements, this one is a fun read. Very enjoyable characters and an entertaining plot.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Serina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving it

Dajjen made me happy right from the start. He was gruff and grumpy but still came across sexy as most tall handsome cowboys do! Kayla was cute, worked three jobs and had a sister that I would have never liked from day 1. And her mom, played a great victim. The characters portrayed by the author were super. They came to life!

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her boyfriend has left her and now she finds herself in a new place. She will never allow a man that close again. His family is big but he trust horses instead of women but the need to do more means a marriage. They make the deal but will it become more? Follow them to see what will happen

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Aurélie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this book and could barely stop reading it when I had to work. The writing is excellent, the story interesting and, even though I expected the HEA, I was fascinated by the characters’ insecurities and hurts they were working on. To my fellow readers: if you enjoy clean romances, you will definitely enjoy this one.

[Melissa B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Howdy cowboy! Kayla and Dallen are planning a fake wedded bliss to deal with family drama and the hope of avoiding romantic entanglements. This is a fun ride and a fake fiance plot.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Janice W. McMahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Working class girl meets extremely rich ranchers and resort owner

A sweet, really almost a sappy sweet, romance. Unusual circumstances introduce two people. They decide on a fake romance to make her mother be quiet.

[Marilyn Burrows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parents hang ups can certainly cloud children's futures

He stood up for her. She had never done that herself. But his encouraging example gave her that option. Both had high spiritual standards concerning marriage, but, if only, what if and other games helped

[Michaela | Reading in the Heartland · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read the first book I was hoping we would get Kayla's story. And I was not disappointed. I enjoyed getting to know her and her family better and the rugged cowboy she cooks up a farce with. They had some good times together and good discussions. I look forward to reading about his twin.

[Nennette Grantham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved the story

God’s plan is scary and best for us. Let yourself go into the unknown to get his best. The story was perfect from beginning to end. Broke my heart several times between the love of a man and love of a family.

[Noma Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this book. From an accidental meeting to misunderstandings, their relationship is uncertain but real. I recommend this book to anyone who reads romance books!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
Cute. I'll read the rest of the series.

[Sue Stinnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

Fake til you make it! At least that's how this couple's romance started. This book has it all, romance, humor and happily ever after.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story.

Content: clean- passionate kissing

[Carilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kayla and Dallen

Well written story of a rancher who has been staying at his father's house.He meets the woman he needs at a coffee shop and they continue to meet each other. The woman's mother is insistent about things because she sees herself only as a wife and mother. Kayla and Fallen learn that sometimes you find love when least expected.

[Mary Garbarino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weddings are stressful.

I love this story of an accidental fake relationship. It was a unique twist on the same old story. You'll love it too.

Mary Garbarino

[Joann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye opener

This story brings out all sorts of emotions and makes you open your eyes to the world around you. I really enjoyed it.

[Barbara A. Faw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite an interesting story line.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clean, sweet novella.