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Wolf Creek Ranch #4

Better Together

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She doesn’t believe in love, but a marriage of convenience with her best friend might change her mind.

Colt has been in love with Remi for years, but she friendzoned him a long time ago. When tragedy strikes, Remi comes up with a plan to help--she'll marry him so he can get custody of his niece and nephew. All the odds are stacked against him, but Remi’s crazy proposal just might work.

Remi wants nothing to do with relationships, but when she sees how determined Colt is to help his niece and nephew, she can't stand by while they're taken from him. Her painful childhood might be locked up in the past, but she has a chance to give these sweet kids the life she always wanted. Marriage doesn’t have to mean risking her heart, right?

Being married to Remi is Colt's dream come true, but the hurts of her past keep her at arm's length. Can he show her that love is the path to healing?

Better Together is a sweet friends to more romance and the fourth book in the Wolf Creek Ranch series.

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 17, 2023

431 people are currently reading
597 people want to read

About the author

Mandi Blake

43 books834 followers
Mandi Blake was born and raised in Alabama where she lives with her husband and daughter, but her southern heart loves to travel. Reading has been her favorite hobby for as long as she can remember, but writing is her passion. She loves a good happily ever after in her sweet Christian romance books and loves to see her characters' relationships grow closer to God and each other.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
Profile Image for Amanda (BookLoverAmanda).
716 reviews1,030 followers
July 15, 2024
Better Together by Mandi Blake
Book 4 in the Wolf Creek Ranch Series
4.5 Stars

(Can be read as a Standalone but you best experience this by reading in order in my opinion)

Another great Christian romance by Mandi Blake! Loved book 4 and looking forward to continuing in the series! In this one, we have a sweet, clean, friends to more romance with a marriage of convenience trope that I LOVED.

Read if you like:
- Christian Contemporary Romance
- Cowboys and Small Town Ranch Settings
- Books with Faith Content Showing Redemption and Forgiveness
- Books with Family Elements
- Marriage of Convenience Trope
- Friends to More Trope

Colt and Remi are best friends in this story when something happens that is a tragedy to their family. They get married to have a better chance at gaining custody of his niece and nephew due to the circumstances. Colt has been in love with Remi for a long time but Remi has never loved herself enough due to her past experiences and mistakes to be able to care for him back. An emotional roller-coaster ensues from here as they learn how to be a married couple and parents to his niece and nephew.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, excited to see characters show up from different books of Mandi's here and there too! I loved the kids and seeing Remi and Colt embrace their new lives together. Colt was such a great guy, as usual in Mandi's books! :) I loved their chemistry and seeing them interact with the kids was precious. It really added a layer of depth to the story.

The ending had a little bit of conflict with Remi and Colt I didn't love but other than that, it was another SOLID read from Mandi and after that bonus epilogue, I NEED the next book!
Profile Image for The Squeaky Clean Reader.
390 reviews113 followers
July 22, 2024
Remi and Colt 😍😭🥰😍

So many things about this book and man was it such an emotional journey.

Did my heart break for every single character in this book? 100%

Like literally all of them.

It was such a rollercoaster. But bittersweet and beautiful all at the same time.

Stunned by the beauty of the writing, the back stories, the emotional turmoil, the depth.

Like WOW.

That's all I gotta say.

Oh and I loved the marriage of convenience and the kiddos.

Yep.

Wow.

All I got right now

💋Kisses
⚠️Y'all both have troubles pasts, with bad parents, drugs, addiction, foster care etc. All mentioned
213 reviews2 followers
June 9, 2024
This book was really good!! There’s great focus on family, healing, patience, love and faith!!!
Profile Image for Autumn.
101 reviews18 followers
July 20, 2024
5 stars y’all!!!!

this was the best friends to lovers i have ever read!! exaggeration not included. i loved the characters and how colt loved remi, but never piushed her and also never pushed her for more about her past, it was the sweetest. and the way remi sacrificed everything to help him with his niece and nephew was sooo inspirational!
Profile Image for Ashlee.
454 reviews13 followers
March 4, 2023
I'm not crying, you're crying! Okay maybe we're all crying after reading Better Together. But like happy, this is the cutest most wonderful thing kind of tears. Because oh my goodness, I loved this book. There were just so many raw, honest emotions. Plus, marriage of convenience is my favorite trope and you don't often see it in a contemporary setting (though it does seem to be becoming more popular which I'm totally here for!).

I absolutely adore the fact that Cole fell first and he fell hard. There's just something so endearing about a man who finds a woman he loves and really strives to show her that he loves her, but not in a forceful kind of way. Colt definitely played the slow and steady game with Remi. His constant presence and reassurance was so sweet and ultimately what helped Remi see he truly loved her. But Remi also learned a lot about loving herself, which is so inspiring. Even though she knew God loved her, it took a lot to find that love for herself. Plus the added tension of Remi and Colt stepping into an instant made family while dealing with crazy Tasha. This book was a roller coaster. One worth riding.

In preparation for this book, I started the series from the beginning. As you settle into the groove of the setting, plots, and the lives of the characters, each book in the series just keeps getting better. Theoretically, each book double be ready as a standalone but you see a lot of the same characters so I think reading them in order is most beneficial. Also, there are still several characters from these books who should get their own stories, in my opinion so I'm cheerleading for more installments!

I received a complimentary copy of this book and I'm leaving an honest and voluntary review.
Profile Image for Kirby.
866 reviews42 followers
March 13, 2023
Mandi Blake has become one of my favorite authors over the last few years, and I always look forward to her new book releases. Better Together was particularly one I couldn't wait to read it, as I'm personally a fan of both the marriage of convenience and friends to something more tropes. Plus I've been looking forward to Colt and Remi's story ever since their characters were first introduced, and let me tell you that not one part of this book disappointed me. It's probably my favorite Mandi book to date, and showcases just how much of a talented storyteller she truly is.

Remi and Colt have both come from hard circumstances, and the people that they should have been able to trust growing up have always only let them down. Of course this left scars, and even though they've both found their way to Jesus, they still struggle with knowing how to move past everything they've had to experience. When a situation is thrown at Colt that he's not sure how to handle, Remi jumps in to help save the save by suggesting a marriage of convenience. Only problem, on Colt's end the feelings have always been real, and he's not sure how to handle knowing that this isn't the case for Remi. As the two friends move their relationship into something more, circumstances will arise that will call into question everything they thought they'd come to know.

From start to finish, Better Together is an emotional roller coaster ride that tugs at the heartstrings, and reminds us all that no matter how messed up we might feel we are, we are never too far gone to find our way back to our Heavenly Father. This story dives into some pretty deep topics, and it definitely had me ugly crying. Without straying too far off course from this review, I'm just going to mention that I was going through a pretty tough time while I was reading this, and it honestly was exactly what I needed to read during so.

In a time where many Christian fiction titles are becoming much less faith based, I continue to be appreciative of the fact that Mandi writes books that keep the faith element at the front and center, and continues to give her readers swoon worthy romances that are both heartwarming and clean at the same time.

I can't possibly recommend this one enough, and the bonus epilogue at the end has me already excited to read the next book in the series.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Thanks so much to Mandi Blake for allowing me to advance read and review this one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for Angeline.
738 reviews23 followers
February 19, 2023
Ahh, this was just too cute! I have been really enjoying this series and this one is my favorite so far. Better Together is the fourth book in Mandi Blake’s Wolf Creek Ranch series. Marriage of convenience is one of my favorite troups so I was really excited to read this one. And I couldn’t wait to read Remi and Colt’s story, I knew that it was going to be good.
Remi was an interesting character but I loved her. She was kind and full of life. Life had not always been kind to her and she made her mistakes, but God was kind. It was cool to read about Remi learning to trust God more and to trust Colt. I loved Remi’s relationship with Colt, he was her steady. Remi had to learn to let go of her past and trust that God was faithful through everything.
Colt was an awesome character. He had me from the beginning. I loved his heart and how he cared deeply for those around him. He was such a sweetheart to Remi and you could tell that he loved Abby and Ben, his niece and nephew. Colt had to learn to trust in God’s plan and wait on Remi.
Remi and Colt were just wonderful characters. I fell in love with them from the beginning. They were relatable and I loved watching them fall in love. I really like how they were friends first and how real their friendship felt. I felt so bad for both of them, they had been through a lot. It was sweet to read about Remi and Colt as they came together to raise Colt’s niece and nephew. They were trying their best to love the kids and each other.
The romance was lovely and I adored the kids. Abby and Ben helped make the story. They were kids and it was cute to read about them interacting with Colt and Remi. I love the family aspects of Blake’s books. I also love how Blake weaves faith so seamlessly into her books. God was at the center of her books. Remi and Colt were learning to trust in God’s plan and to go to Him when life felt hard.
Better Together is just an amazing book! I would totally recommend it! It can be read standalone but I think that it is better read as part of the series. I am so excited to read the next book. Better Together is a clean Christian contemporary, marriage of convenience, friends to more romance.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
Profile Image for Sarah VanBuskirk.
41 reviews2 followers
February 27, 2023
It’s always an honor to be apart of an ARC team. I loved this story. Sweet Christian Romance, but not the tie in a pretty neat bow kind, the kind where it’s messy and real and Colt might know what he feels and wants but Remi is a hot mess (which I can 100% relate to). I had so many sad and happy tears in this book so you know it’s good. Colt and Remi’s story is so sweet and patient as he waits for her to sift through her past and figure out her emotions. I love that they learn to love together with neither having great influences in their life of what love is. They both have to lean on the one who shows us the perfect love of forgiveness and grace, Jesus. Accepting forgiveness and grace for past sins and moving forward with that restoration is really hard for Remi. Colts persistence to show Jesus to his best friend Remi is for sure swoon worthy!! This book also deals with addiction and how it can destroy families, and how difficult it can be to move past your mistakes and not let them define you. This story came at a great time for me as my husband and I have taken a break from drinking alcohol this year. Reading this gave me more courage to to do that. Although this is a romance novel it had a few suspense moments where I was holding my breath and on the edge of my seat to see what could possibly happen next!!


She was his best friend. Well, she’d decided she was his best friend. He’d decided a long time ago that she was his soul mate,but she hasn’t gotten the memo.
Why couldn’t the love score be even, just this once?
She looked up at him with that bright smile that kicked him in the chest like a bucking bronc, and his mouth watered. He had no control whenever Remi came around. 😍
1,007 reviews34 followers
March 6, 2023
Colt has loved Remi for years, but though they've become best friends, she's always refused anything more. Remi's childhood haunts her and she's convinced that she can never deserve anything good and would make a terrible wife or mother. When tragedy hits, she agrees to a marry Colt to help him get custody of his niece and nephew - but can she ever come to truly accept his love, let alone return it? Colt has been patient for years, and he's willing to continue as long as he needs to - but can even his patient love ever fully win over Remi and convince her they are truly better together?

It's been clear from earlier books in the series that these two have to end up together, but the journey was very well worth it. Remi has a LOT of baggage, and it's fortunate that Colt has the almost endless patience required to help her get to a point where she's able to start unpacking it. I'm not one for rhapsodising about heroes, but Colt is just such a great example of patient love shown in action. I loved watching these two find their way to the happy marriage they clearly deserved - not to mention Ben and Abby! A very satisfying story. The teaser for the next book in the bonus epilogue has me eager for the next story, too - how soon can we get it?? :-)

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.
Profile Image for Jerrye  Tellmeagreatstorylove.
819 reviews16 followers
March 15, 2023
I have been waiting for Remi and Colton’s story since book one of this series and it was definitely worth the wait! I loved their banter and their real friendship but their love story was the most bestest ever. It was going to take something big to get them together and Mandi did it with a marriage of convenience that soon became something much more. Abby and Ben are the cutest and most fun kids and it was so great to see how they all became the family they each needed. Instant family is hard but their faith gives them strength and courage to face the hardest days. I loved how things that might seem ordinary became special and that joy could be found in the midst of the worst situations. The real and raw conversations didn’t leave anything out and it was so good to see two people seeking the good of the other over themselves. Mandi just keeps getting better with this series and I can’t hardly wait to see what she does with Brett’s story. I know it will be wonderful too and I’m excited to read it. Definitely add this story and the series to your TBR. It’s one you won’t want to miss!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I am not required by anyone to write a positive review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.
Profile Image for Jessica Baker (A Baker's Perspective).
1,436 reviews84 followers
March 24, 2023
Colt. New book boyfriend right here. Readers that like strong, romantic, loyal, hard working swoony heroes are going to go crazy for him! This is my favorite hero from Mandi Blake, and I’m pretty sure no other will compare. And talk about a friends to romance troupe – this one is high up on my list. Sweet romances are definitely my jam and I know when Mandi Blake is the brains behind the story I am in for a treat.

Better Together has so many things I want in a contemporary romance. Banter. Faith. Marriage of Convenience. Friendship. Romance. Wonderful secondary characters that add to the charm of the story. And main characters with a past. Though I think both Colt and Remi made a bigger deal then they needed to about their pasts, I could sort of understand it. They chose to define themselves by their family, something we should never do. I know this first hand. But they both grew after circumstances pretty much forced them to, and I thought Blake navigated it perfectly.

Every time I read one of Blake’s stories, it’s automatically my new favorite. BUT I don’t think any of her novels are going to top this one as being my favorite. Remi and Colt are the sweetest couple, and I didn’t want to say goodbye to them. Hopefully they’ll make a cameo in the next book in the series! I highly recommend Better Together for contemporary romance fans. It’s got plenty of chemistry, and a love story that will leave you unable to put the book down.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
229 reviews6 followers
March 8, 2023
This was such a good book. I have been looking forward to Colt and Remi having their story. The author took their storyline in a way that I would never have been able to imagine as I looked ahead to it. I love the idea of "better together", and that theme was wonderfully woven throughout the book. I also loved that Colt saw that Remi was perfect for him, even though none of us will ever be perfect. Remi had a hard time seeing that, but she was finally able to realize that the Lord and others could love her and see her differently. This is a great romance sprinkled throughout with faith, as well as a number of twists and turns.
454 reviews3 followers
March 14, 2023
I feel each book gets better than the last in this series. This book is a stand alone HEA set in a small town. I love that you continue to see characters from the previous books. This is Colt and Remi’s story. Colt has secretly loved Remi over the years but he was strictly in the friend zone with her. Colt receives bad news about his brother and his wife and Remi steps up to the plate to help Colt with his nephew and niece. The characters are strong and so love the setting of the ranch. There is suspense to this book up until the end. Loved the ending which made me fall even more in love with the characters
Profile Image for Sandra Smith.
263 reviews1 follower
October 19, 2025
I went into this book blind and was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the characters and the heartfelt story of healing and love. I can see why it’s been so popular—it’s been on my library waitlist for over six months, and it was worth it!

Remy and Colt’s journey to find love was emotional, real, and incredibly rewarding. There were moments that made me smile, moments that made me hold my breath, and moments that simply warmed my heart. It’s a wholesome, faith-filled story with just the right amount of cowboy charm.

Let’s just say this book has convinced me to keep exploring this genre—I’m officially a fan of Christian cowboy romance.
4,523 reviews38 followers
March 17, 2023
Better Together is a Christian, heartwarming, inspirational romance. Remi held my attention for the entire book. She had such a hard life. Despite having become a Christian, she did not feel God's love. Watching her grow in her relationships with both God and Colt was a pleasure. And wow, she really loved those kids! Colt is a patient, stand up guy who deserves his HEA. Ms. Blake threw in a little suspense as well with the kid's aunt. I could not put down this delightful, well written book but I was sad to read the end!
Profile Image for Demi.
1,424 reviews33 followers
March 17, 2023
Colt and Remi have been best friends forever. Though Colt harbors feeling deeper than friendship Remi just can’t think that way. Remi is sure that her past will be enough to ruin any relationship so she stays firmly away. Thinking of Colt moving on and having a family hurts her deeply though. A situation arises that is bigger than both of their feelings and wants and they both set about solving it as mature level headed friends. Can what begins as a marriage of convenience turn into true love after all?
643 reviews1 follower
March 9, 2023
Mandi Blake has written a story about a couple that have been let down by the people that should have done better to raise and protect them. Colt and Remi were rejected by their parents, but have done their best to overcome their earlier difficulties. Colt has loved Remi since the day he met her. Remi doesn’t feel worthy of anyone’s love.
Now Colt is facing the most important challenge in his life, will he be able to handle it? Remi has offered to help him, as his wife!
Profile Image for Sharon S.
992 reviews6 followers
March 16, 2023
A wonderful clean addition to the series by Mandi Blake.
Four lives come together to make a new beginning.
Colt has been attracted to Remi for years and feels she is his soulmate. Remi says they are friends and will never be more. Remi has a lot of secrets from her past.
Colt wants a wife and a family sooner rather than later. Remi’s past experience with her mom changing partners multiple times doesn’t make her interested in marriage.
Colt gets custody of his niece and nephew and life gets even more interesting.
I received this book as an ARC reader and am giving my unbiased review.
Profile Image for Megan Peters.
39 reviews1 follower
January 21, 2024
This is like melting pot level of cheese. You know it’s cheesy but still is good at the same time. Honestly enjoyed this read & how easily it was to read. Couldn’t put this book down once the story picked up. I wished it didn’t jump parts of the story… like Remi told Colt he could stay with her in the bedroom & the next chapter it skipped to something else. I felt like these were important parts to them coming closer together & becoming a couple.
269 reviews
March 8, 2023
Marriage of convenience is not normally my cup of tea. But Better Together was definitely not the normal and I loved it! From the circumstances that brought about the marriage to the final chapter I found myself cheering them on and sad to close the book. I definitely recommend this excellent read.
Profile Image for D..
1,800 reviews
March 17, 2023
I was really touched with the story. The premise for Remi marrying Colt is heartwarming. The characters were so well written that I got really immersed in the story and did not want to put it down. This is a great story. I received an ARC copy of this book from the author and I am leaving my honest review.
Profile Image for Natasha Wall.
Author 3 books12 followers
March 6, 2023
This story was another favorite. Colt and remi had you laughing, crying, happy. You see the love that blossoms from friendship to a love that can't be broken . Colt had faith for their relationship and never gave up. A true love story
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
2,669 reviews12 followers
March 13, 2023
Excellent!

This book grabbed my heart and my breath. It is an intense clean, Christian cowboy romance with humor, drama, and a message of faith and God's love. I received an advance copy but my review is honest and voluntary.
1,659 reviews11 followers
March 15, 2023
Be still my heart! Who wouldn’t fall for Colt? His love, patience, support and friendship for Remi is heartwarming. Remi is slow to accept his love but when he needs her support she is right by his side. The family dynamic is delightful and there are some real fun moments too.
I received an ARC of this book but voluntarily leave this review.
2,390 reviews17 followers
March 15, 2023
This is a sweet story with Colt and Remi. I liked that he was so patient with her through her struggles. I also enjoyed the children who are so sweet. This is a heartwarming clean romance.
Profile Image for Sheila Wheeler.
45 reviews4 followers
March 22, 2023
There will be spoilers….Oh this book! It was a roller coaster of emotions. I cried. I laughed. I sighed. Colt was fun and lovable if not just a little too perfect. Remi has a lot of baggage but when she commits she is all in. I love their relationship. I love their chemistry. I do wish it would have circled back or acknowledged that they getting married did help them adopt the kids and that Remi did have good intuition. My heart broke for those kids. Abby was such a 4 year old. I had my 4 year old being nosy and asking questions when I was reading. She was so sweet and cute. It was predictable that the aunt was going to cause trouble but it was in a way I was not expecting. Remi reminded me of Angel from Redeeming Love. Accept that sweet man’s love already! She said that she had been with men before but when she finally has the heart to heart with Colt she doesn’t mention it. To me, that would be an important topic, being that they were newly married. Overall I really enjoyed this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Barbara Campbell.
1,777 reviews42 followers
June 19, 2024
Pretty sure I didn't breath the entire time I read this story! I have been waiting for Colt and Remi's story since book 1 of this series! I knew it would be power packed with emotion... and it was! And it swirled around my 2 favorite tropes.. Marriage of Convenience and Friends to Lovers. Sigh.... favorite of the series so far.. and honestly I cannot imagine it being topped!
Profile Image for Tawni Suchy.
Author 11 books709 followers
March 17, 2023
This is hands down my favorite Mandi Blake book EVER! Colt and Remi have steamrolled their way into my top 5 all-time favorite reads. I don’t know how Mandi pulled off a slow-burn marriage of convenience between two best friends but she did it flawlessly. The faith element tied it all together, growth, healing, love, found family, I could go on and on—this book has it all. Ben and Abigail added an extra dose of goodness to an already awesome story. There was a suspense element that kept you on your toes. The tension between these two was incredible (and kept clean!) I’ve loved Colt and Remi since we first meet them in “Truth is a Whisper” and as the following books unfolded we got a deeper peek at their relationship which made me even more excited for them to get their HEA. Each book in the series makes me want to move to this Wolf Creek Ranch and experience the community Mandi has built over these four books. Each book has its own HEA but they build on each other and I wouldn’t want you to miss out on this full series! I can’t wait to see what Mandi has in store for Brett and Thea 😍!
(I received a complimentary copy but was not required to leave a positive review.)
Profile Image for Shebb.
774 reviews
March 18, 2023
Another fabulous read by Mandi Blake!

Remi and Colt's story has been building since the beginning of the series, invoking sympathy for Colt and his unrequited love for Remi. Thankfully, this story explores a relationship between the two... yippee!

Their story isn't without "down" moments, with many difficult choices, and although they both endured sad and broken upbringings, Remi buried her hurts deep and allowed her past to dictate her future. So amongst the external hurdles they both face, the biggest hurdle for Remi is herself.

Yeah, cue the need to give her a big, squishy hug. 🤣

Colt is just a wonderful, stand-up kinda guy, so I hurt for him when he was overcome with grief and humongous expectations.

I also loved meeting Abby and Ben! Their rambunctious behaviour tired me at times (ha ha!), but I cheered for them even during the tough moments.

Oooh! I also loved seeing the Blackwater Ranch peeps, with lots of Camille sightings! So nice to revisit other series characters. 😍

A fabulous read with the holy trifecta of romance, children and animals. 🤣

NB I received an ARC of this novel.
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