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River's End #1
River's End
Cowboy Jack Rydell watches the woman pull onto his ranch and knows that trouble has come to his three brothers, his two sons, and most of all: to himself.
When Erin Poletti arrives at the Rydell River Ranch in River’s End, Washington, looking to stay with her hated brother Chance, she never intends for it to be anything more than a pit stop on the way to the rest of her life. After her mother’s suicide, Erin has no choice but to seek out her brother where he works as a ranch hand, as she is left penniless, homeless and for reasons she will share with no one; without the basic skills to navigate her life.
However, no one distrusts her motives or dislikes her more than widower Jack Rydell.
But unforeseen circumstances leave Erin nearly destitute on the ranch, and finally reveals the secret Erin has desperately hidden. And only then, does Jack finally begin to know the woman whose presence has so altered his life. Eventually, Erin finds a job, and starts to work with Jack and his horses in order to repay the debts she feels she owes him. But the longer Erin is there Jack begins to wonder if he can resist the woman he now knows, despite everything that stands between them.
Binge read this contemporary, western romance series, full of hot cowboys and family entanglements that is based around the Rydell River Ranch brought to you by small-town romance author Leanne Davis…
Recommended Reading Order for River's End Series:
River's End
River's Escape
River's Return
River Road
River on Fire
River's Lost
River of Change
River's Destiny
River's Rescue
River's Winter
Continue with the Second Generation in The Rydell River Ranch Series:
River in Darkness
River in Light
River in the Mountains
River at the Ranch
River to the Ocean
River from the City
River Through the Valley
Each book is a standalone with a happily-ever after, but the journey getting there? Never easy and always epic! You’ll get to check in with beloved characters in this interconnected, standalone series.
When Erin Poletti arrives at the Rydell River Ranch in River’s End, Washington, looking to stay with her hated brother Chance, she never intends for it to be anything more than a pit stop on the way to the rest of her life. After her mother’s suicide, Erin has no choice but to seek out her brother where he works as a ranch hand, as she is left penniless, homeless and for reasons she will share with no one; without the basic skills to navigate her life.
However, no one distrusts her motives or dislikes her more than widower Jack Rydell.
But unforeseen circumstances leave Erin nearly destitute on the ranch, and finally reveals the secret Erin has desperately hidden. And only then, does Jack finally begin to know the woman whose presence has so altered his life. Eventually, Erin finds a job, and starts to work with Jack and his horses in order to repay the debts she feels she owes him. But the longer Erin is there Jack begins to wonder if he can resist the woman he now knows, despite everything that stands between them.
Binge read this contemporary, western romance series, full of hot cowboys and family entanglements that is based around the Rydell River Ranch brought to you by small-town romance author Leanne Davis…
Recommended Reading Order for River's End Series:
River's End
River's Escape
River's Return
River Road
River on Fire
River's Lost
River of Change
River's Destiny
River's Rescue
River's Winter
Continue with the Second Generation in The Rydell River Ranch Series:
River in Darkness
River in Light
River in the Mountains
River at the Ranch
River to the Ocean
River from the City
River Through the Valley
Each book is a standalone with a happily-ever after, but the journey getting there? Never easy and always epic! You’ll get to check in with beloved characters in this interconnected, standalone series.
Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2014
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About the author
Leanne Davis
79 books422 followersGet a free book exclusive to my newsletter subscribers ➜➜ http://bit.ly/2usYsb6.
Raw. Real. Emotional Romance. Writing provocative and darker themed romance that always finds its happily ever after!
With 50 plus, full length books there is a story for everyone!
Cowboy romance? Got it! Small town... yep. Big city rock star? Covered! You like a little suspense? Yep, got a few of those too.
Most of my books are standalone stories in connected series. Whether it's the setting, theme or family connections, my series are often multi-generational and span decades. While each book is a complete story, beloved characters will pop in and out of these sagas. I stick to new adult, contemporary and western romances, with tons of emotion and all the feels tucked into them.
I live in the rainy area of Western Washington, and spend as much time as I can traveling to destinations all across the state, where I do all things outdoors.
Many of these locations become the settings for my books.
I earned my business degree from Western Washington University, and worked for several years in the construction management field before turning to writing full time.
Follow me anywhere:
Reader's Group➜➜ https://www.facebook.com/groups/Roman...
Website➜ www.leannedavis.net
Instagram➜ https://www.instagram.com/leannedavis...
Twitter➜ https://twitter.com/leannewrites
Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
BookBub ➜ https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leann...
Email me➜➜ leanne@leannedavis.net
My Books:
River's End
Rydell River Ranch Series
The Sister Series
The Zenith Series
The Seaclusion Series
Diversions
At the Next Table
Raw. Real. Emotional Romance. Writing provocative and darker themed romance that always finds its happily ever after!
With 50 plus, full length books there is a story for everyone!
Cowboy romance? Got it! Small town... yep. Big city rock star? Covered! You like a little suspense? Yep, got a few of those too.
Most of my books are standalone stories in connected series. Whether it's the setting, theme or family connections, my series are often multi-generational and span decades. While each book is a complete story, beloved characters will pop in and out of these sagas. I stick to new adult, contemporary and western romances, with tons of emotion and all the feels tucked into them.
I live in the rainy area of Western Washington, and spend as much time as I can traveling to destinations all across the state, where I do all things outdoors.
Many of these locations become the settings for my books.
I earned my business degree from Western Washington University, and worked for several years in the construction management field before turning to writing full time.
Follow me anywhere:
Reader's Group➜➜ https://www.facebook.com/groups/Roman...
Website➜ www.leannedavis.net
Instagram➜ https://www.instagram.com/leannedavis...
Twitter➜ https://twitter.com/leannewrites
Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
BookBub ➜ https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leann...
Email me➜➜ leanne@leannedavis.net
My Books:
River's End
Rydell River Ranch Series
The Sister Series
The Zenith Series
The Seaclusion Series
Diversions
At the Next Table
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 397 reviews
September 25, 2024
I'm having a heck of a time trying to rate this story. Some of this story I freaking loved and some of this story left me feeling completely disgusted. I keep bouncing back and forth between 3 and 4 stars for my review.
I seriously thrived on all the angsty feels of Erin's situation. She had such a crap life to begin with, then she got a rotten deal in the wake of her mother's death. Her condition left her with zero self esteem and zero self worth. And what little pride and self esteem Erin might have had, that was all flushed down the toilet the minute she got to the ranch and started taking abusive verbal barbs and nasty judgement from all of the Rydell men who lived there. That angst Erin experienced was gutting as hell and I adored the devastation of it all. But I also hated Erin's slutbag behavior and stories of her past. There's no way to put this nicely. Erin was every bit the slut she pronounced herself to be in this story.
Despite all of the judging feels I had towards Erin's actions and words, I could not put this story down. I was sucked in immediatly from the first page, and devastated on Erin's behalf with all the ways these douches treated her through the story. Why she stuck around the ranch once she got a job is beyond me. She should have found an apartment with other roommates to live in while she got back on her feet and saved her money up again, leaving all the dickhead family ranchers behind. I guess it's good she stuck around though. It was nice seeing Jack grovel the way he should have after his actions.
February 18, 2017
2/5; 2 stars; C-
There was something off about the characterizations. I think I would have rated it higher if the characters were more consistent and believable but it ended up just making me feel fed up with all the Rydells.
There was something off about the characterizations. I think I would have rated it higher if the characters were more consistent and believable but it ended up just making me feel fed up with all the Rydells.
September 30, 2016
Wow was my first reaction to this book. There were a lot of reasons for that. First it was a slow burn romance. The story was well developed and not at all rushed. Relationships were given plenty of time to play out in a realistic manner.
One of the things that was very interesting was that the heroine was severely dyslexic. The author really did a good job portraying a woman whose whole life was severely affected by the fact that she couldn't read at all. Reading is something we take for granted and not reading can really impact your self esteem and your ability to get jobs and etc.
Another thing that was different and realistic was the fact that the heroine, Erin, had first fallen into a casual sexual relationship with the youngest brother, Joey, and it turned out that she and the oldest brother, Jack, were really a much better match. So now all three of them had to try to come to terms with that. Jack had a very hard time making a move on a girl who had slept with his brother first. The language and dialog of the love story was very well done and moving. Even though Jack was a widower who had loved his first wife, I had no trouble believing that he loved Erin and she was not second best.
The secondary characters were well developed and diverse and interesting. The setting was a definite factor in the story and there was just enough description to be vivid without the story becoming bogged down with details you didn't care about. Also this story takes place on a horse ranch and you all know how picky I am about horse details. Here the author didn't make any missteps. The horse elements were portrayed realistically without the wide eyed glamour and anthropomorphizing that most non horsey authors put into western books. So kudos to the author there.
One of the things that was very interesting was that the heroine was severely dyslexic. The author really did a good job portraying a woman whose whole life was severely affected by the fact that she couldn't read at all. Reading is something we take for granted and not reading can really impact your self esteem and your ability to get jobs and etc.
Another thing that was different and realistic was the fact that the heroine, Erin, had first fallen into a casual sexual relationship with the youngest brother, Joey, and it turned out that she and the oldest brother, Jack, were really a much better match. So now all three of them had to try to come to terms with that. Jack had a very hard time making a move on a girl who had slept with his brother first. The language and dialog of the love story was very well done and moving. Even though Jack was a widower who had loved his first wife, I had no trouble believing that he loved Erin and she was not second best.
The secondary characters were well developed and diverse and interesting. The setting was a definite factor in the story and there was just enough description to be vivid without the story becoming bogged down with details you didn't care about. Also this story takes place on a horse ranch and you all know how picky I am about horse details. Here the author didn't make any missteps. The horse elements were portrayed realistically without the wide eyed glamour and anthropomorphizing that most non horsey authors put into western books. So kudos to the author there.
April 25, 2021
The heroine has uncommitted sex with the hero’s brother.
At this point, I am unable to connect. Good luck. This may work for you, but this is not for me. Reading is subjective. You may love it.
I thought this would be an amazing story. Heroine comes to the ranch to look for a place to work and stay. Her estranged brother, Chance, works at the ranch where she hopes to find an escape. The hero, Jack, is a grumpy widower with two boys. The heroine also has a secret that holds her back.
At this point, I am unable to connect. Good luck. This may work for you, but this is not for me. Reading is subjective. You may love it.
I thought this would be an amazing story. Heroine comes to the ranch to look for a place to work and stay. Her estranged brother, Chance, works at the ranch where she hopes to find an escape. The hero, Jack, is a grumpy widower with two boys. The heroine also has a secret that holds her back.
February 14, 2021
*** Book Q & A***
* How did the book make you feel?: It was well-written and illicited a lot of feelings. I really felt for the h. I was hoping for something more with the ending.
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: It was told in dual pov and the story flows well. I felt frustration for the h’s plight and how helpless she was, through little fault of her own.
* What did you think about the main characters?: They were frustrating! The h made poor decisions initially to basically be a an easy lay to the H’s brother. The H was very hateful and the other brothers were so judgemental and the slut-shaming was OTT.
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: I would’ve liked more chemistry and reconciliation between the H and h. I also loved the ranch setting.
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: dead wife, enemies to lovers, slow burn cowboy romance
* What did you think about the ending?: I would’ve liked another epilogue further down the road where the h really found happiness—and literacy!
* What is your impression of the author?: Lots of talent and great writing!
* How did the book make you feel?: It was well-written and illicited a lot of feelings. I really felt for the h. I was hoping for something more with the ending.
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: It was told in dual pov and the story flows well. I felt frustration for the h’s plight and how helpless she was, through little fault of her own.
* What did you think about the main characters?: They were frustrating! The h made poor decisions initially to basically be a an easy lay to the H’s brother. The H was very hateful and the other brothers were so judgemental and the slut-shaming was OTT.
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: I would’ve liked more chemistry and reconciliation between the H and h. I also loved the ranch setting.
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: dead wife, enemies to lovers, slow burn cowboy romance
* What did you think about the ending?: I would’ve liked another epilogue further down the road where the h really found happiness—and literacy!
* What is your impression of the author?: Lots of talent and great writing!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2018
I don't get all the 5-star reviews for this book. The Rydell's are NOT the place to be. Erin jumped out of the fire and into the frying pan with that bunch. Their hot/cold ways, the horrible things they said to her, the way they treated her? She may not get it, but I got it as a reader. They weren't better than her brother/mother. Jack treated her SOOOOO poorly SO much of the time. 90% of the book has him acting like a jackass and then BOOM! He's seen the error of his ways? Really? At one point he's all "I'm different, this is a thing blah, blah, blah" Then in the blink of an eye he's back to being a colossal jackass. It was SO FRUSTRATING!!! I couldn't read through another of these novels.
August 26, 2014
I absolutely loved this book! I came across Leanne Davis earlier this year and every single one of her books has been a one day ready for me.. I just can't put them down! And this one was the same! I love how nothing is rushed in her story lines. It's never boy meets girl, girl meets boy - they fall in love, BAM! they're getting married. Everything progresses so well and she builds the story, characters and the plot exceptionally. Jack is the hard working, serious hero and I loved everything about him. Erin broke my heart through the whole book, yet made me smile for her strong will and personality.
I can't wait to read more stories from Rivers Edge series and look forward to ALL of Leanne Davis books!
Ps. If you haven't read her Other Sister Series.. you're completely missing out so far! Actually it's all of her series I have loved; Zenith Trilogy, Seaclusion Series - keep em'
coming Mrs. Davis!
I can't wait to read more stories from Rivers Edge series and look forward to ALL of Leanne Davis books!
Ps. If you haven't read her Other Sister Series.. you're completely missing out so far! Actually it's all of her series I have loved; Zenith Trilogy, Seaclusion Series - keep em'
coming Mrs. Davis!
March 1, 2023
3.5 stars
The couple: Jack and Erin
Romance trope: contemporary
Series: River's End
Length: 336 pages
Plot: Erin shows up at River's End hoping to get a few months of breathing room by staying with her brother. Once there, she realizes that he's exaggerated his place at the ranch and she's not actually welcome there, except by one of the younger brothers on the ranch, Joey. Joey welcomes her to the ranch - and his bed - with open arms, but it's the oldest brother, Jack, who has captured her attention. Jack, a gruff widower with two children, seems to openly disdain Erin, and her life at the ranch becomes intolerable. But everything is not as it seems: Erin has trauma that she hasn't shared and Jack is dealing with his own grief at being a young widower with young children. It will take these two a while to open up to each other and themselves.
Commentary: There were both really good and bad things about this book, so I left it at a 3.5 rating. I loved the slow burn between the couple. It made it more meaningful when they got together, in my opinion. The fact that the hero had to wrestle with his own ideas of a woman's agency and sexuality, vis a vis her liaison with his brother, made it even more delicious.
I also loved the fact that Erin struggled with reading; often books offer up easy solutions to dyslexia and other reading disorders, such as a couple of tutoring sessions. Here we have a heroine so beaten down, who really believes she's just stupid, and she won't take the help that's offered because she thinks it won't help - that's what she's been told her whole life. I connect this to the conversation she had with Jack's son, where she explained that sometimes girls will have sex with you because they want to be liked, not because they want to have sex. That was her personal experience. She wanted to be liked, loved, wanted, needed. Nobody filled that role for her and she was still searching for that acceptance. It took a long time for Jack to see that and to give her that. He knows he messed up by not offering her that sooner, especially since almost everyone else on the ranch followed his lead and treated her badly.
But on the bad side, there was Jack's treatment of her. I know - he shows character development. But it's the Harlequin school of character development, the kind that only appears at the very end of the book. That makes it more difficult to believe that it's true because he spends more of the book not liking her and treating her badly, and then in the last ten pages, he has a revelation that he loves her and has all along! I also don't like that the story left some loose ends, but perhaps they are addressed in the next book (I'm not sure though because it's about a different couple).
Next book in the series: River's Escape
The couple: Jack and Erin
Romance trope: contemporary
Series: River's End
Length: 336 pages
Plot: Erin shows up at River's End hoping to get a few months of breathing room by staying with her brother. Once there, she realizes that he's exaggerated his place at the ranch and she's not actually welcome there, except by one of the younger brothers on the ranch, Joey. Joey welcomes her to the ranch - and his bed - with open arms, but it's the oldest brother, Jack, who has captured her attention. Jack, a gruff widower with two children, seems to openly disdain Erin, and her life at the ranch becomes intolerable. But everything is not as it seems: Erin has trauma that she hasn't shared and Jack is dealing with his own grief at being a young widower with young children. It will take these two a while to open up to each other and themselves.
Commentary: There were both really good and bad things about this book, so I left it at a 3.5 rating. I loved the slow burn between the couple. It made it more meaningful when they got together, in my opinion. The fact that the hero had to wrestle with his own ideas of a woman's agency and sexuality, vis a vis her liaison with his brother, made it even more delicious.
I also loved the fact that Erin struggled with reading; often books offer up easy solutions to dyslexia and other reading disorders, such as a couple of tutoring sessions. Here we have a heroine so beaten down, who really believes she's just stupid, and she won't take the help that's offered because she thinks it won't help - that's what she's been told her whole life. I connect this to the conversation she had with Jack's son, where she explained that sometimes girls will have sex with you because they want to be liked, not because they want to have sex. That was her personal experience. She wanted to be liked, loved, wanted, needed. Nobody filled that role for her and she was still searching for that acceptance. It took a long time for Jack to see that and to give her that. He knows he messed up by not offering her that sooner, especially since almost everyone else on the ranch followed his lead and treated her badly.
“Good luck, Jack. I hope it works. She is a really lovely person.” Jack’s face scrunched up. Damn. Allison was right. Erin was a sweet, kind, shy person so wrapped in her own shame. And he had missed that all. He cleared his throat. “She’s not my girlfriend or anything. She’s just… my friend.” He had a damn long way to prove that. To let her see that.
But on the bad side, there was Jack's treatment of her. I know - he shows character development. But it's the Harlequin school of character development, the kind that only appears at the very end of the book. That makes it more difficult to believe that it's true because he spends more of the book not liking her and treating her badly, and then in the last ten pages, he has a revelation that he loves her and has all along! I also don't like that the story left some loose ends, but perhaps they are addressed in the next book (I'm not sure though because it's about a different couple).
But she did. She was sweet, and quiet, and finally, here at the ranch she got to simply be who she was.
Next book in the series: River's Escape
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2014
I love this author. Her new series has unconventional characters with such emotional depth. I’ve read western romances before and was curious when I saw Leanne was going to write a series about a family of cowboys who lived on a ranch. It seemed like such a departure from anything I’ve ever read from her and wondered if it would still have a gut-wrenching story and characters that are so heartbreaking with their past and current situations. Well I shouldn’t have worried, the heroine, Erin Poletti, life has to be one of the saddest I’ve ever read.
When you read anything from this author don’t expect some cookie cutter romance you’ve read a 100 times. This has to be one of more unconventional love stories I’ve ever read. When reading this you need to try and put yourself in Erin’s shoes. She is a 26 year old women who is illiterate and has been made to feel unloved her whole life and expects no kindness from anyone. Does the author try and cure her of these things during the course of the book, NO – the hero Jack Rydell tried but 26 years of feeling less than nothing isn’t just going to go away and I liked that the author didn’t try and make us believe it would.
I was sad when I came to the end of River’s End but I know there are more books coming in this series about the other brothers and I hope in those we get to continue to see Erin continuing to work on her issues and that eventually she and Jack can finally have that conventional relationship.
When you read anything from this author don’t expect some cookie cutter romance you’ve read a 100 times. This has to be one of more unconventional love stories I’ve ever read. When reading this you need to try and put yourself in Erin’s shoes. She is a 26 year old women who is illiterate and has been made to feel unloved her whole life and expects no kindness from anyone. Does the author try and cure her of these things during the course of the book, NO – the hero Jack Rydell tried but 26 years of feeling less than nothing isn’t just going to go away and I liked that the author didn’t try and make us believe it would.
I was sad when I came to the end of River’s End but I know there are more books coming in this series about the other brothers and I hope in those we get to continue to see Erin continuing to work on her issues and that eventually she and Jack can finally have that conventional relationship.
hard-pass
May 27, 2024Hard Pass
Note to Self: Check Nikki’s review
Note to Self: Check Nikki’s review
May 21, 2019
**********Contains Spoilers*************
The quality of the writing in this book should have rated 2* but I gave it 3* because the story kept me interested enough to finish the book.
The character's were 2 dimensional and not well developed. The issues of the h were repetitive as if the author was worried the reader would forget them. My main issue however was there were contradictions that would pull me out of the story. First, I don't know why I felt the h was closer to the age of 18 but when it's disclosed that her age is 26 , it was a bit shocking and had me turning back to the beginning to see why I felt she was much younger. Second , she can't read, has an old beat up car and no cell phone BUT was able to drive across Washington and find her brother on a 1000 acre ranch in an area she has never been to. How the heck did she manage that without being able to read a map, street signs of directions?? It already stated her car was old so no navigation, it says she's never owned a cellphone so no Suri or Google to do voice directions ....??? And the last thing that had me turning the pages back to check was that in the beginning it states she never had a father , her mother had lots of boyfriend's when she grew up. Later in the book when she discovers how old Jake is, she says she thought he would be closer to her dad's age.. prefered that he would have been closed to her dad's age. If she never had a father , how would she know what her dad's age is? While she does have a stepfather , she met him as an adult. He was her current boss and married her mother after the h started working for him. She's 26, not sure she would call her new step father " dad" especially after he tried to rape her...but I could be wrong about that. Ugh
The quality of the writing in this book should have rated 2* but I gave it 3* because the story kept me interested enough to finish the book.
The character's were 2 dimensional and not well developed. The issues of the h were repetitive as if the author was worried the reader would forget them. My main issue however was there were contradictions that would pull me out of the story. First, I don't know why I felt the h was closer to the age of 18 but when it's disclosed that her age is 26 , it was a bit shocking and had me turning back to the beginning to see why I felt she was much younger. Second , she can't read, has an old beat up car and no cell phone BUT was able to drive across Washington and find her brother on a 1000 acre ranch in an area she has never been to. How the heck did she manage that without being able to read a map, street signs of directions?? It already stated her car was old so no navigation, it says she's never owned a cellphone so no Suri or Google to do voice directions ....??? And the last thing that had me turning the pages back to check was that in the beginning it states she never had a father , her mother had lots of boyfriend's when she grew up. Later in the book when she discovers how old Jake is, she says she thought he would be closer to her dad's age.. prefered that he would have been closed to her dad's age. If she never had a father , how would she know what her dad's age is? While she does have a stepfather , she met him as an adult. He was her current boss and married her mother after the h started working for him. She's 26, not sure she would call her new step father " dad" especially after he tried to rape her...but I could be wrong about that. Ugh
November 29, 2018
River's End begins when Erin's mother dies and Erin has no where to go, so she finds the last place she heard her brother was. Not that Erin and her brother are close, or even like each other, but she has no where else to go. She never expected to find a ranch with several brothers living on it, especially not Jack, who she knows she should stay away from, but he can't seem to leave her along.
These two have a strange relationship, and it gets worse when Erin has no idea what's going on around her, or what to do next. But, along the way she must figure it out if she's going to survive from then on.
This book started out interesting, and slightly intense. But, then the same conversations kept happening over and over again, and it was very annoying.
Also, I really didn't like Erin, or Jack, and I had a hard time connecting to either of the characters.
Other than the strange drama that happened this book was pretty much rinse and repeat over and over again. I felt like if there had been more depth to the story it would have been better, but alas it wasn't.
This one was just not for me, and over all I really didn't like it.
These two have a strange relationship, and it gets worse when Erin has no idea what's going on around her, or what to do next. But, along the way she must figure it out if she's going to survive from then on.
This book started out interesting, and slightly intense. But, then the same conversations kept happening over and over again, and it was very annoying.
Also, I really didn't like Erin, or Jack, and I had a hard time connecting to either of the characters.
Other than the strange drama that happened this book was pretty much rinse and repeat over and over again. I felt like if there had been more depth to the story it would have been better, but alas it wasn't.
This one was just not for me, and over all I really didn't like it.
January 3, 2021
I don't know about this one... Her relationship with Joey did make me uncomfortable.
I wouldn't have minded if Erin dated Joey way before the story started and then the book focused on her story with Jack, but that it happened during the story and the reader was reminded it again and again, nope!
If we remove Joey, it was a good hate to love, although I didn't really understand the ending... It was not good HEA feeling. I hated the whole Rydell clan, with the exception of Ben who was the only one who wasn't judgmental. He was a good kid.
Hated Jack and his brothers, especially Joey, and even Charlie I couldn't stand him, the little shit!
I didn't like Erin either, all the pity party with her never ending woe is me, me is stupid lool!
3 stars, could have been better
I wouldn't have minded if Erin dated Joey way before the story started and then the book focused on her story with Jack, but that it happened during the story and the reader was reminded it again and again, nope!
If we remove Joey, it was a good hate to love, although I didn't really understand the ending... It was not good HEA feeling. I hated the whole Rydell clan, with the exception of Ben who was the only one who wasn't judgmental. He was a good kid.
Hated Jack and his brothers, especially Joey, and even Charlie I couldn't stand him, the little shit!
I didn't like Erin either, all the pity party with her never ending woe is me, me is stupid lool!
3 stars, could have been better
March 28, 2017
Y'ALL...this is one of my favorite series. I can't believe more people haven't jumped on the bandwagon. I don't review books anymore because, well, real life got in the way, but I strongly encourage all the romance readers out there to give this one a shot! It's one of my favorites. Great heroes. Great chemistry. Give it a try! :) XOXO (Previously - Reading, Eating & Dreaming)
October 3, 2021
10/2021 - reread
KU. Free.
I’ve read this 4 or 5 times now and love it every single time. Davis finds does an amazing job of bringing harsh realities of several lives coming together while still being real, relatable people.
I loved, cried with, hope for, and celebrated with all the characters. You can’t help but be drawn to all the Rydells and Erin.
KU. Free.
I’ve read this 4 or 5 times now and love it every single time. Davis finds does an amazing job of bringing harsh realities of several lives coming together while still being real, relatable people.
I loved, cried with, hope for, and celebrated with all the characters. You can’t help but be drawn to all the Rydells and Erin.
March 10, 2019
He acts like he hates her for like 90% of the book and suddenly is in love with her? Yeah okay.
November 17, 2020
This is my first Leanne Davis book. This is also the first of like 13 books in this series. I’m looking forward to reading more especially the books regarding this family. There are some really good secondary characters.
Erin has no where to go except to her last relative Chance, her brother. She’d rather go anywhere but to her brother but she’s desperate. When she gets to what she thinks will be a rundown ranch like her brother said she’s surprised to see a beautiful sprawling ranch. Jack is the oldest brother and the head of the family and wants nothing to do with Erin or her no good brother Chance. Joey his brother feels he owes Chance so he stays on until Joey wakes up and sees he’s not a good person. So Erin stays as well.
There is so much that goes on in this book is hard to say more then that. Erin is a hot mess with an incredible lack of self-esteem. Jack has a mountain of grief and responsibility he sometimes doesn’t know what end is up. At times I wanted to smack all of them in the head. There are a lot of lessons to be learned in this book. Do not judge, trust your true gut feelings and patience and love will prove true in the end.
Erin has no where to go except to her last relative Chance, her brother. She’d rather go anywhere but to her brother but she’s desperate. When she gets to what she thinks will be a rundown ranch like her brother said she’s surprised to see a beautiful sprawling ranch. Jack is the oldest brother and the head of the family and wants nothing to do with Erin or her no good brother Chance. Joey his brother feels he owes Chance so he stays on until Joey wakes up and sees he’s not a good person. So Erin stays as well.
There is so much that goes on in this book is hard to say more then that. Erin is a hot mess with an incredible lack of self-esteem. Jack has a mountain of grief and responsibility he sometimes doesn’t know what end is up. At times I wanted to smack all of them in the head. There are a lot of lessons to be learned in this book. Do not judge, trust your true gut feelings and patience and love will prove true in the end.
March 27, 2020
An Emotional Read
Erin’s story is heartbreaking. Saddled with a worthless brother, dead mother, perverted stepfather and her secret shame, it’s amazing she turned out as sweet and kind as she is. Ranching requires a certain toughness and lack of sentiment to be successful and Jack is very successful. His family and their ranch are all that matter to him until the day a small young woman drives up looking for her brother. I devoured this book in one night. The characters feel so real that you expect them to step off the page.
Erin’s story is heartbreaking. Saddled with a worthless brother, dead mother, perverted stepfather and her secret shame, it’s amazing she turned out as sweet and kind as she is. Ranching requires a certain toughness and lack of sentiment to be successful and Jack is very successful. His family and their ranch are all that matter to him until the day a small young woman drives up looking for her brother. I devoured this book in one night. The characters feel so real that you expect them to step off the page.
July 11, 2019
Epic saga
This book brought tears to my eyes. I started it and finished it in two hours! Jack and Erin are awesome! Must read!
This book brought tears to my eyes. I started it and finished it in two hours! Jack and Erin are awesome! Must read!
December 18, 2020
This is a classic contemporary cowboy romance with likable characters and an easy to follow predictable story line.
June 28, 2022
Solid 4 stars.
Slow-burn, moderate-high angsty, and emotional romance. It was a book that I greatly enjoyed. The writing style was simple and effective. Although some of the conversations and story flow sometimes felt going in weird directions, I guess that the style brought realism to the book. Not all conversations in real life go straight from point A to point B with result C. I myself know how many times I have had chats with family and friends that ended with a particular detail or event being repeated exhaustingly more than once like a vicious circle. So, all in all, this book was written in a very realistic and plausible way that I could understand and give lee-way to.
The romance between Jack and Erin was very believable. Angsty at times, with the tell-tale heart throbbing on my part and even tears in some parts. The two leads were realistic in their flaws. Erin, with her deeply rooted insecurities, all emanating from her loose childhood and illiteracy, reacted in-character in the book and is better understood as her full backstory is unveiled. Still, as much as she was helpless and a victim of realistic circumstances, she was still a survivor, courageous enough to keep struggling (unlike her mother). And I really appreciated that. River's End atmosphere was thus the perfect remedy for her to heal and learn to live differently. While some of Jack's cruel words did cut deep, I still could understand where his own flaws came from. Although, he had much better upbringing than Erin, all he still ever knew was his small town world. Sure, he did know grief and responsibility since a very young age, and he may be a solid family man at 35, but in matters of love, he was still very much a novice, with a sweet first love and some one-night stands. So, Erin, in all her raw beauty, insecurities and simplicity was the perfect foil for him to emotionally grow. I was a bit miffed by the way he mishandled 'the morning after' family awkwardness scene (before Joey's arrival), but again, I can understand the realism of the brain freeze-out that one may feel in that kind of moment. I loved that their romance developped slowly and that finally, Jack gave it his all to woo relentlessly a skeptic Erin in the last six months. Sure, I would have loved a bit more of epic romantic angst and more lyrical prose in some places, but that would have probably be outside the realistic mold of this book.
I really wished that the epilogue was much, much longer, with at least a sneak peek at the married life of Jack and Erin (note: no proposal by the end of the book, but I am convinced that this will happen at some point in the H/h's future). I guess that we will get bits and pieces of them in the other books of the series, but it would have been great if there was at least a mini-novella on the continuation of Jack and Erin's love story. But oh well, this was still a great romance read, that I would warmly recommend for fans of small town romances and slow burning sweet angst. Definitely on my re-read personal shelf.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2018
Honestly it took me a while to get into the book because it doesn’t don’t keep my interest. There was a lot of back and forth between Jack and Erin as well as the relationship between Joey and Erin. I felt that if the author had skipped the relationship with Joey and Erin and wrote it strictly about Jack and Erin it would have been a much better story.
That being said I still enjoyed this author and have read other books by her and will continue reading her other work.
That being said I still enjoyed this author and have read other books by her and will continue reading her other work.
January 24, 2019
10 stars!
AMAZING. This book completely exceeded my expectations! I LOVED IT. If you are fan of slow burn romance, You must read it.
AMAZING. This book completely exceeded my expectations! I LOVED IT. If you are fan of slow burn romance, You must read it.
April 1, 2020
I finally buckled down and bought this book in paperback even though it’s free to download onto my kindle on Amazon. That’s how I first found out about this book, this author, this series, that so blatantly and irrevocably changed my entire life. You see, I hadn’t been much of a reader since middle school. I worshipped Twilight, took my copy of it everywhere I went, like it was my bible. I purchased New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn as quickly as my parents would allow and stayed up all hours of the night reading and soaking in the world of Forks, Washington. What I didn’t realize was that, after reading those books and living in that world for so long, nothing would ever compare. I wouldn’t find another book for YEARS that made me feel as unconditionally devoted to characters and their world. But…about ten years later, I got a Facebook ad recommending a book about a cowboy, his family, and his life on a ranch. Was it fate or was it coincidence that this novel, too, was set in the beautiful state of Washington? The first book of the series, River’s End, was free on Amazon to download and I happened to have won a kindle in a contest at work a few months prior. The kindle sat in my closet, unused, until that day. I turned it on, downloaded the book, and began reading. About five hours later I finished with toddler-size tears running down my face. I was in shock. I couldn’t believe I had finally found a book that held my heart so completely. It was only then that I subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, so I could finish the rest of the series. LOL. And that series still isn’t over!! Leanne Davis is STILL writing books about the Rydell’s and I’ve never been more complete or felt so at home in a world as I do with this family. As I previously said, this novel changed my life completely. It’s difficult to find the words to express my gratitude and dedication to Leanne’s work, but I’ll try my best.
“I will never let anyone again hurt you over this. Do you understand me? No one will ever hurt you again.”
Jack Rydell is everything.
He is a strong, capable, pensive, handsome, loving father, husband, and, in this book, partner. He is the world. He’s my world. He’s my Edward Cullen, if I can be so bold. There is no other comparison I could make that would do him justice, but to compare him to an immortal. At the beginning of our story, Jack is cautious and a bit hardheaded. He is wary of Miss Erin Poletti when she shows up, unannounced, to the Rydell River Ranch in desperate need of her brother, Chance. Jack hates Chance, but not without reason. Chance has shown nothing of himself but laziness and greed. He is a terrible worker and seems to be riding on the back of Jack’s brother, Joey. Erin is nothing like her brother, but Jack doesn’t know that. He sees her, and all he can picture is another no-good, rotten human, coming to cause him trouble. The reason behind Erin’s sudden appearance was the death of her mother. She had been living with her mother and her step-father for some time, and her mother committed suicide, leaving her alone with her horrid stepfather who tried to assault her. She ran to her brother, Chance, as a last resort, in hopes that she could stay with him for a while until she could get back on her feet. Little did she know that she’d find companionship and love in this big, welcoming ranch. But not without plenty of trials and tribulations.
The first person to show her kindness is Joey, Jack’s youngest brother. At only twenty, he’s still a bit of a boy in his own way. Soon enough, Erin and Joey become intimate and, through no fault of her own, Jack despises her for it. As our story carries on, Joey loses interest in Erin which doesn’t bother her one bit because she’s begins to view Jack in a new light. Jack was married once before and has two young boys. His wife died and he has been grieving her ever since. It isn’t until he realizes his feelings for Erin, that he begins to move on. It’s beautiful to watch the shift in Jack as our story progresses.
“I can love you, Erin, and there doesn’t have to be an excuse for it. Or a reason. I can love you because you make me smile and laugh, when nothing else has for a long time. I can love you because I feel better just thinking of you, let alone, what you do to my heart when you’re near me. It’s not new. It’s not even that big of a surprise. It’s just us.”
Let’s talk the chemistry between Jack and Erin. It’s there even when you don’t realize it, at the beginning. Jack’s visceral reaction to Erin, when he first meets her, is simply because he’s already drawn to her. He doesn’t realize it and he hates himself for being attracted to someone that he deems untrustworthy. Erin is the opposite. She’s blind to her attraction to Jack because of Joey. Joey is the pretty boy of the family, he’s got a model face, gorgeous eyes, and a dazzling smile. She sees past him, to Jack, but only feels his disdain, so she never lets herself wonder. It’s only when Jack begins teaching Erin about horses and life on the ranch that she feels comfortable enough to open herself up to the idea of him. She begins to see him in a new light, especially when he’s around his boys. He’s patient and caring and it’s incredibly attractive. Erin and Jack grow to become friends before they become lovers, it’s a slow and gradual process that leaves the reader feeling desperate and passionate. Nothing feels right until Jack finally admits that he is in love with Erin. And that profession? It will blow you out of the water. In the context of this story, it’s huge. Gigantic. This love Jack feels, after years without a companion, it’s earth shattering. Erin is a little slower in her admittance. She has very poor self-esteem, so it takes her some months to believe Jack is truthful in his profession. But that makes it all the more sweeter in the end.
Apologies about the length of this review, I know it’s much longer than most of mine, but it’s well-deserving. Leanne Davis one author that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Anytime someone asks me for a book recommendation, I always give them River’s End. To me, it’s the perfect catalyst into the romance community. It hijacked my heart and I’ve never been the same since. For this, I’m forever grateful to Leanne. This book deserve a million stars and all the accolades. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, Leanne.
He held her gaze and stood up straighter. He finally whispered, his tone nearly guttural. “Why Joey? Why did you choose Joey?” She didn’t look away or pretend to be clueless about what he was asking. She licked her lips and whispered. “Because I didn’t know any better.”
“I will never let anyone again hurt you over this. Do you understand me? No one will ever hurt you again.”
Jack Rydell is everything.
He is a strong, capable, pensive, handsome, loving father, husband, and, in this book, partner. He is the world. He’s my world. He’s my Edward Cullen, if I can be so bold. There is no other comparison I could make that would do him justice, but to compare him to an immortal. At the beginning of our story, Jack is cautious and a bit hardheaded. He is wary of Miss Erin Poletti when she shows up, unannounced, to the Rydell River Ranch in desperate need of her brother, Chance. Jack hates Chance, but not without reason. Chance has shown nothing of himself but laziness and greed. He is a terrible worker and seems to be riding on the back of Jack’s brother, Joey. Erin is nothing like her brother, but Jack doesn’t know that. He sees her, and all he can picture is another no-good, rotten human, coming to cause him trouble. The reason behind Erin’s sudden appearance was the death of her mother. She had been living with her mother and her step-father for some time, and her mother committed suicide, leaving her alone with her horrid stepfather who tried to assault her. She ran to her brother, Chance, as a last resort, in hopes that she could stay with him for a while until she could get back on her feet. Little did she know that she’d find companionship and love in this big, welcoming ranch. But not without plenty of trials and tribulations.
The first person to show her kindness is Joey, Jack’s youngest brother. At only twenty, he’s still a bit of a boy in his own way. Soon enough, Erin and Joey become intimate and, through no fault of her own, Jack despises her for it. As our story carries on, Joey loses interest in Erin which doesn’t bother her one bit because she’s begins to view Jack in a new light. Jack was married once before and has two young boys. His wife died and he has been grieving her ever since. It isn’t until he realizes his feelings for Erin, that he begins to move on. It’s beautiful to watch the shift in Jack as our story progresses.
“I can love you, Erin, and there doesn’t have to be an excuse for it. Or a reason. I can love you because you make me smile and laugh, when nothing else has for a long time. I can love you because I feel better just thinking of you, let alone, what you do to my heart when you’re near me. It’s not new. It’s not even that big of a surprise. It’s just us.”
Let’s talk the chemistry between Jack and Erin. It’s there even when you don’t realize it, at the beginning. Jack’s visceral reaction to Erin, when he first meets her, is simply because he’s already drawn to her. He doesn’t realize it and he hates himself for being attracted to someone that he deems untrustworthy. Erin is the opposite. She’s blind to her attraction to Jack because of Joey. Joey is the pretty boy of the family, he’s got a model face, gorgeous eyes, and a dazzling smile. She sees past him, to Jack, but only feels his disdain, so she never lets herself wonder. It’s only when Jack begins teaching Erin about horses and life on the ranch that she feels comfortable enough to open herself up to the idea of him. She begins to see him in a new light, especially when he’s around his boys. He’s patient and caring and it’s incredibly attractive. Erin and Jack grow to become friends before they become lovers, it’s a slow and gradual process that leaves the reader feeling desperate and passionate. Nothing feels right until Jack finally admits that he is in love with Erin. And that profession? It will blow you out of the water. In the context of this story, it’s huge. Gigantic. This love Jack feels, after years without a companion, it’s earth shattering. Erin is a little slower in her admittance. She has very poor self-esteem, so it takes her some months to believe Jack is truthful in his profession. But that makes it all the more sweeter in the end.
Apologies about the length of this review, I know it’s much longer than most of mine, but it’s well-deserving. Leanne Davis one author that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Anytime someone asks me for a book recommendation, I always give them River’s End. To me, it’s the perfect catalyst into the romance community. It hijacked my heart and I’ve never been the same since. For this, I’m forever grateful to Leanne. This book deserve a million stars and all the accolades. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, Leanne.
He held her gaze and stood up straighter. He finally whispered, his tone nearly guttural. “Why Joey? Why did you choose Joey?” She didn’t look away or pretend to be clueless about what he was asking. She licked her lips and whispered. “Because I didn’t know any better.”
May 18, 2019
The concept of the book was interesting but, sadly, I felt like this book needed a really good editor to fix it up. There were so many repeated monologues, even within a page of each other, as if the author forgot what she had just written. Or maybe she was just trying to pad out the book. Either way I felt like my time was being wasted.
Then the dialogue was completely sloppy. Sometimes it was just downright confusing and other times I could picture the author saying: "I need the conversation to head in this direction, so they are going to suddenly say this." People were saying things that had nothing to do with what went before it without any reason apart from the author wanted them to say that.
There was a scene where Erin, who can't read at all, goes into a cemetery she has never entered before, finds the gravestone of Jack's dead wife and actually reads the inscription to herself. Um... Oops... Then she mentally notes the tombstones of Jack's parents amongst all the rest. Double oops. Just sloppy.
The whole buying the pool thing bugged me as well. Erin was meant to be very self-conscious, aware of how much she owed the farm and not wanting to be a burden/problem for anyone, and yet, at a 15-year-old's prompting, goes out and spends ranch money on a swimming pool? I just couldn't see it.
The characters were all over the shop, especially the way they treated Erin, and Jack spent more time being awful to her than nice to her, so I really didn't get into the idea of their relationship.
I don't think I will attempt any more books in the series.
Then the dialogue was completely sloppy. Sometimes it was just downright confusing and other times I could picture the author saying: "I need the conversation to head in this direction, so they are going to suddenly say this." People were saying things that had nothing to do with what went before it without any reason apart from the author wanted them to say that.
There was a scene where Erin, who can't read at all, goes into a cemetery she has never entered before, finds the gravestone of Jack's dead wife and actually reads the inscription to herself. Um... Oops... Then she mentally notes the tombstones of Jack's parents amongst all the rest. Double oops. Just sloppy.
The whole buying the pool thing bugged me as well. Erin was meant to be very self-conscious, aware of how much she owed the farm and not wanting to be a burden/problem for anyone, and yet, at a 15-year-old's prompting, goes out and spends ranch money on a swimming pool? I just couldn't see it.
The characters were all over the shop, especially the way they treated Erin, and Jack spent more time being awful to her than nice to her, so I really didn't get into the idea of their relationship.
I don't think I will attempt any more books in the series.
June 9, 2019
Too much "stupid"
The story line was prettty good. The one thing I grew to hate was the word STUPID. In fact I got to the point I was ready to scream if I heard it one more time! Because Erin could not read, she kept calling herself stupid. I think it was so far over done it made me mad. All through the book she called herself stupid because she could not read. When they wanted to teach her to read, she said no. When Charlie's thrid grade teacher wated to teach her, she said no. I'm sorry, I just could not see the purpose of all of this. This part of the story line was pointless because it went no where. See, even now with me just talking about it, it's too much! I loved all of the characters in the story, even Joey. The one person you love to hate through most of the book. This book would have been so much better if she would have stuck with a story line of a young woman finding help from her sadistic brother and love from her rescuer. It had a good bases for a great story. She just got carried away with too much stupid.
The story line was prettty good. The one thing I grew to hate was the word STUPID. In fact I got to the point I was ready to scream if I heard it one more time! Because Erin could not read, she kept calling herself stupid. I think it was so far over done it made me mad. All through the book she called herself stupid because she could not read. When they wanted to teach her to read, she said no. When Charlie's thrid grade teacher wated to teach her, she said no. I'm sorry, I just could not see the purpose of all of this. This part of the story line was pointless because it went no where. See, even now with me just talking about it, it's too much! I loved all of the characters in the story, even Joey. The one person you love to hate through most of the book. This book would have been so much better if she would have stuck with a story line of a young woman finding help from her sadistic brother and love from her rescuer. It had a good bases for a great story. She just got carried away with too much stupid.
October 8, 2019
I don't often review the books I read, but this one I barely finished. The premise was good so I went into it with high hopes but they fell apart quickly. I had to force myself to finish because I really struggled with how wishy-washy the Rydell guys were. Erin spent the majority of the time whining about how stupid she was...and while I'm sure abuse manifests in this way, it got old fast. You can't be willing to do whatever you need to do to survive and continue to feel sorry for yourself to this degree. Having said that, she was treated horrendously by both Joey and Jack and this literally in the last chapter Jack realizes it's because he loves her? *eye roll* And the Charlie situation wasn't handled well, being left open at the end. I can't imagine an 8 year old being as mature as this one was with wanting to help her learn to read then immature as to 'hate her' because his dad now loved her. Just seemed extreme to me. I won't continue with the series.
January 31, 2019
Flat
This book had tons of potential and a few different story lines it could have went with but it was overly repetitive. Nothing ever progressed in relationships there was no real climax there was no real sex I mean sure three characters had sex but it was just mentioned. This book could have been awesome even without the sex I was really hoping it would have a cliffhanger and so many things would happen but that’s not the case either. I won’t spoil it but nothing gets resolved there is no character progression it’s just a lot of shame very little romance. I wouldn’t recommend reading this one or the series real disappointed.
This book had tons of potential and a few different story lines it could have went with but it was overly repetitive. Nothing ever progressed in relationships there was no real climax there was no real sex I mean sure three characters had sex but it was just mentioned. This book could have been awesome even without the sex I was really hoping it would have a cliffhanger and so many things would happen but that’s not the case either. I won’t spoil it but nothing gets resolved there is no character progression it’s just a lot of shame very little romance. I wouldn’t recommend reading this one or the series real disappointed.
July 31, 2018
I had a really hard time with all the Rydell brothers. They came across as uncaring, cold asshats most of time. They treated Erin like shit and she just took it. I had some patience with Erin as she was used and abused her ENTIRE life and was never taught any life skills. However, the Rydell clan after finally knowing her back story still continued to treat her poorly, at times, offering lame, half hearted apologies. I just couldn't really get behind any of them making it difficult to get behind the romance.
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May 10, 2015Free 05-10-15 (NA Romance, Rancher/Cowboy)
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