A Rancher's Vow

The Stones of Heart Falls #5

by Vivian Arend

Ten billionaire cowboy bachelors you need to meet! #SilverStoneStud

Do what’s right, no matter what, is a lesson Charity Gruzing learned from her beloved grandma and older sister. Which means although her appreciation for her friend Dustin Stone is high, she knows he’s not for her. She’s barely making ends meet, he’s one of the Heart Falls elite. She works in the Silver Stone office, he’s one of the ranch owners. Friends is the only option.

When a click-bait article names twenty-four-year-old Dustin as one of the country’s “most eligible billionaire bachelors,” it doesn’t take long for the curious and the annoying to arrive at Silver Stone ranch. As the youngest of the Stone siblings, Dustin’s determined to be there for his family the way they’ve always been there for him.

When Dustin offers to get out of Heart Falls to allow the billionaire fever and viral online storm to die down, Charity ends up along for the ride, and friends become friends with benefits. Suddenly she’s his pretend girlfriend, and it’s everything she’s ever dreamed of—only it’s not real. Maybe, just maybe, she’ll get to the end of the deception without her heart being broken.

Except it’s not her heart that’s in danger…

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Westerns, Cowboy Romance, Friends To Lovers

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 17, 2023

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Vivian Arend loves to share the products of her over-active imagination with her readers. She writes contemporary, western, and light-hearted paranormal romances. The stories are humorous yet emotional, usually with a large cast of family or friends, and a guaranteed happily-ever-after. Vivian lives in British Columbia, Canada, with her husband of many years—her inspiration for every hero and a willing companion for all sorts of adventures.

Reviews

[QuinnReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting Past the Germs



Charity Gruzing and Dustin Stone have a cute, funny, awkward, and very steamy friends-to-more, fake relationship that is such a good way to close out the series. Even with stalkers, paparazzi, and cantankerous relations.

I love how welcoming nearly everyone is when Charity joins the ranch as an office admin. The sole hold out? Well, let's just say that I absolutely LOVE how she takes him to task. It's awesome! How he responds is refreshing and a little unexpected.

As for the couple du jour, I love watching their relationship shift and morph into something special. The way they look out for each other, along with the intense chemistry, make this such an easy listen.

There's a revelation at the end that is sweet and endearing. Matchmakers beware. 😉

I received an author's copy of the audio book. The narrator is again Tatiana Sokolov. I can understand why Vivian works with her so much. She's easy to listen to and gets the tone right for each scene.

Story: 4.5 stars
Narration: 4 stars
Listening Speed: 1.8x

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this one makes me a bit sad, it's the last of the Stone family. I'm glad that author is going to keep writing about those in the community, because it's great!

This one is odd in a way, through out the series everyone has treated Dustin like a kid and sure he was to them for so long, but he grew up, yet the family didn't always see that. It helps that Dustin is very much a go with the flow kind of guy. I hated what happened to Dustin at the start and how it overwhelmed him, the family and everyone at the ranch. I loved that Charity stepped up to help.

I found their path to romance to be a bit odd at first. They were friends, there didn't seem to be a ton of attraction, yet when things got tough Dustin was able to lean on Charity. There were times she stuck up for him when no one knew but her and the person she talked to. And these 2 were great together. In the end, I liked that there wasn't a big sweeping romance, more it was the quiet everyday things that built between them for years and then one day both of them really saw what was in front of them and were very happy with where they were. I do think it's interesting that as this went on, the whole Stone family could see more, just took a bit for Dustin and Charity to get there.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love revisiting the Stones...and Dustin is definitely a fav!

[Michelle the Romance Witch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn what a way to end an epic series. These two were beautiful and sexy as hell together. I hope this world never ends but Dustin and his Charity were fabulous

[Christina Montminy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Dustin & Charity are a great pairing, friends first, then because of a social media post everything changes for them. I enjoyed how both were strong characters, they had a great sense of humour & strong values & family ties. Their friendship is turned into a fake relationship that evolves into real love as they struggle with hashtags & media & a stalker, that has sent Dustin & Charity to his uncles ranch for a bit. As their journey continues we get to follow all the new events in the Stone family & watch them gather around Dustin & Charity giving support & caring as they grow together. I really loved finding out that a matchmaker had been involved in Charity getting her position on the ranch & was actually surprised at who it was. This book along with all the other in the series & connected series give readers a great sense of family & love of family & I definitely recommend this book & the others to read.

[Lexee Toste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! It pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention the entire time. I loved getting to see Dustin find his love and being open to it after watching the rest of his family find and fall in love. Dustin and Charity have been friends and due to the click bait article that Dustin is caught up in, they are now fake dating and in close quarters. Charity has liked Dustin and hoping to take it past friendship for awhile and this ends up giving a great opportunity for that to happen. I loved how these two communicated throughout the story! It really worked for me and I adored it. It made them so adorable and I loved how they worked through what was put in front of them. I had a lot of fun reading this story and am sad that this is the last one in the Stones of Heart Falls series, I can't wait for the next spin off, Skyes of Heart Falls.
The narrator did a great job with the story and bringing it to life.

[Dar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love a good friends to lovers story! Charity and Dustin had slightly started blurring the lines before they ended up fake dating. The chemistry between them couldn’t be contained, and they were both pretty laid back about it. But as things went on, and the real feelings developed, they both held back a bit, until they didn’t. Lots of Stone family interactions, and a new Stone added, and an old Stone brought back into the fold. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, these stories are visits with familiar friends, and it was wonderful to have the Stone’s come full circle, from Caleb to Dustin, and the full family love they share <3

[Gretchen Kindberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect Stone finale 🤗

Fans of the Colemans and Stones (and all related Heart Falls goodness) have been waiting quite a while for Dustin to grow up and be ready for his HEA. I don’t know about anyone else, but I was not disappointed, right down to family making amends.

Dustin and Charity didn’t really have a Meet Cute, but the reason for their needed escape was definitely snort worthy haha The timing was well-paced, and it was fun to get to know Dustin as an adult and Charity in general.

With some twists and turns - and a flashback - they found their way, and I can’t wait to get a vignette with all the kids and new baby(ies) coming!

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a bittersweet ending to the series,I don't want it to be over I have loved getting to know these sexy cowboys and the woman who steal their hearts.
This is Dustin's book I always thought he was such a cutie in the other stories before this one...but now he is more mature and grown up.
Charity feels like Dustin is way out of her league and they are just friends,because there could be nothing else between them...she feels she has nothing to offer him.
Dustin stirs up a Ruckus because he has appeared online as one of the most eligible bachelors and it brings unwanted attention to the ranch.
He needs to get away for a while and so goes to his uncles ranch to help out there,Charity is volunteered to go with him to obtain some receipts from the ranch.
Also while they go and visit the ranch it has gotten out that they are in a relationship,so decide to embark on a fake relationship to quash Dustin's bachelor label and for the media to leave him alone.
But Fake feels all too real especially when the passion begins to take over and they are so compatible in and out of the bedroom.
I really enjoyed this story by Vivian Arend I fall completely in love with these cowboys she has created.
I love the sense of family and the banter between all the men and women...it is so entertaining.
Dustin and Charity are so adorable and I loved how comfortable and easy they were with eachother,but Dustin has a stalker that could destroy all that he is building with Charity.
This is such a great book and I listened to it in audio and Tatiana Sokolov is perfect in her narration of this story.She manages singled handedly to make this book come alive and change her voice for all the different characters in this story she is such an excellent talent.
Dustin and Charity are Amazing and I loved getting lost with their Fake relationship romance it is super sexy,and sweet.
Loved it .
Brilliant
5 Stars .

[Just Read and Imagine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dustin’s life at Silver Stone is anything but normal after being doxed by a stalker. Labeled Silver Stone’s billionaire bachelor, reporters are trying to get an interview with the #silverstonestud.
Dustin’s friend Charity was recently hired to keep the office organized for ranch foreman Tucker Stewart. Needing information from his Uncle Frank, Caleb sends Dustin and Charity as his fake girlfriend to Crooked Creek to get it themselves hoping that when they return, things will have settled down. Coming home as a real couple, both are targets and now friends and families are working to keep them safe.
It has been a pleasure listening to this series with Tatiana Sokolov narrating. She is one of the best. This is the final book in the Stones of Heart Falls series and I am looking forward to reading what Vivian Arend has next. Recommended read.

[ButtonsMom2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5

Sexy and sweet!

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the books in this series and I’m sorry to see it end. However, I know that there are more great books by Vivian Arend for me to listen to.

There was a bit of suspense and mystery in this story. My heart was hurting a bit when something happened that I wasn’t expecting. Dustin and Charity went from friends to fake boyfriend/girlfriend to friends with benefits and finally getting their well-deserved HEA.

Tatiana Sokolov did another great job performing this audiobook.

A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me at my request; my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.

[Teresa Christianson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great friends to lovers story.

Dustin and Charity are friends and then she gets hired at the ranch for office work. Then Dustin gets thrown into social media and not in a good way. With media encroaching on the ranch he decides to leave to protect the family. Then Caleb suggests he head to their uncles place and Charity should go with to get paperwork that they need but he has not been sending to them. Soon Dustin and Charity are friends with benefits, but what happens when they both start having feelings beyond friends? Who s behind Charity's apartment getting trashed? Will they ever fall nd out who exposed Dustin's information to the media?

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dustin Stone & Charity Gruzing

The baby of the family is getting his story. He is friends with Charity but then it becomes a game/decoy to take the heat off of Dustin when a story goes viral and the family is inundated with the press. She pretends to be his girlfriend and an adventure starts for the two of them. Pretend becomes real for both of them, and then danger finds them.
I love the involvement of the whole family in this story. Ginny and Tucker have their baby, Ivy & Walker have a birthday to celebrate with their daughter, and even Uncle Frank is involved and turns over a new leaf.
Family is everything for this bunch and it just gets better with each story.

[Dawn Cruikshank · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Rancher's Vow

Wow! Vivian gave us the story of the last Stone boy to fall in love. This story is about Dustin and Charity. It's amazing how the media played a big role in these two's lives. Finding out that the Stone family became billionaires and the media circus began. Charity's life was basically like that before she really knew the Stones so she could sympathize with them. Anyway, we got to enjoy these two falling in love. What a lovely way to get to know the Stone family again. FANTASTIC job Vivian! I would recommend this book! Can't wait for the next series to start!

[dianna fifield · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is a must read

I have to admit I read all of this series and the companion series that go with it twice each story weaves a tale of each of the characters fa young age to adults with all the ups and downs of daily life. But the bottom line is family supports each other as well as those who are from another mother or father that become woven into the circle as family! A must read make sure you start at the first journey of the series and and follow the others that work in between the original series you will enjoy each and every one

[Michelle Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dustin is the last of the Stones bros but he's got a good head on his shoulders especially when he's helping others. Things go sideways 4 him and he can't figure out who and why would someone do this kind of disrespect to him. When he leaves 2 hide a little at his uncle's he has a special woman with him. She managed 2 turn a hard man around that shocks everyone in the family. But when things get a little harry, guess who shows up shocking everyone? I loved it alotttttt!! He is very humble when he finds out a few things. I can't wait 4 more 2 come ASAP!!!!

[Lissa J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super sweet, cowboy contemporary romance. Consent is key in this series. No angst. Nice open door scenes that while vanilla are still steamy and help balance out the sugar.

Nice ending to the Stones part of the series if you've been following along. Feels like a filler novel in the series as everyone is perfect 😇 but it is nice to have those HEA good feels.

I'm interested in Tansy and Fleur's stories, two fun characters in Heart's Falls.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

A spectacular conclusion to this fabulous series!! Loved reading Dustin's love story with Charity!! These two were perfect for each other!! With their fake relationship turning real, this couple had many hurdles to cross together before they could have their HEA!! Loved this book and highly recommend you grab this book and this series!!

[Michelle OConnor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bruncle Dustin

I’ve just finished rereading each book from the Colemans to the Thompsons to the Stones and it isn’t over yet -thank goodness! Dustin gets his HEA and we get to see more of the Stone family! It’s a win!

[Jennifer Deslauriers · Rating 5 out of 5]

On dirait que comme c'est le 5ième tome, j'embarquais moins.. les personnages reviennent et tout.

Mais finalement, j'ai adoré la fin et je m'y attendais pas.

Le plus jeune frère, ne pouvait pas trouver mieux.

[Emilie · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’apprécie cette série depuis que je l’ai découverte il y a presque deux ans et je me suis dit qu’il était temps de découvrir le dernier tome qui porte sur Dustin, le benjamin de la famille Stone, ainsi que sur Charity, une de ses amis proches. Suite à un article erroné, Dustin est déclaré comme l’un des 10 « cowboys millionnaires célibataires » les plus éligibles. Seulement même si c’est faux cela va attirer beaucoup de vautours au ranch familial et Dustin va donc devoir prendre la décision de s’éloigner quelque temps pour éviter d’attirer des problèmes à sa fratrie. Charity décide de l’accompagner pour ne pas qu’il soit seul et lui fait une proposition: prétendre être sa petite amie afin de régler cela pour de bon. Mais très vite elle devient bien plus que sa fausse petite amie quand ils décident d’aller plus loin et de devenir sex-friends. Les limites deviennent floues. Charity vit son rêve: être avec Dustin. Si seulement cela pouvait être réel… D’autant plus qu’une fois ce plan terminé elle risque d’avoir le coeur brisé. Sauf si ce n’est pas son coeur à elle qui est en danger…
J’ai trouvé que c’était un très bon tome, certainement mon préféré de la série d’ailleurs.
J’ai beaucoup aimé Dustin qui est mature, drôle, prévenant et protecteur.
Charity est très attachante avec une histoire touchante et un passé intéressant. Elle est drôle et à beaucoup de caractère.
Tous les deux ont une relation touchante basée sur une très forte amitié.
La trame est intéressante avec une touche d’action et de suspens que j’ai beaucoup aimé. Les thèmes abordés sont intéressants.
J’ai été contente de retrouver le reste de la famille Stone pour voir ce qu’ils étaient devenus.
Ce tome conclut très bien cette série qui m’a permis de découvrir la plume de Vivian Arend. Je lirai certainement d’autres romans de cette autrice dans le futur.
Je recommande cette série si vous aimez les séries de cow-boys, familiales, avec des personnages attachants.
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[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous book. I really loved the story. Nice having a mystery solved.

[Janet M]

Just Right!

I absolutely loved this story. I would recommend it to anyone who loves romance. Great story and couldn't wait for the end.

[Melissa Loggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one even though the relationship moved a bit fast.

[Maddie Mossbarger · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rankings of the series -
Book 4, Book 3, Book 5 and 2 (tied), Book 1

Such a great series!

[Amanda Eiden · Rating 4 out of 5]

dustin was my favorite stone boy out of them all, this was such a fun read

[barbara beaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book

This book keeper my interests all the way through to the end just as interesting as all the others vin this stories

[Jada]

dnf at 25%

[Nancy Skillin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need English to be able to read Please!!!!

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The youngest and last Stone brother

Friends to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, 1 bed, steamy. Large family, small town. Series final.

Dustin and Charity were great together. Loved them and the story.

Excellent narration.