Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Fun start to this series about four brothers, each in a different branch of the military, and their attempt to regain possession of the family ranch. In a convoluted inheritance process, when Mason's father died, the control of the ranch went to their Uncle Zeke. He has passed away, and his son doesn't want it, so their Aunt Heloise offers it back to the brothers. But she has particular requirements for them to meet. All four brothers must marry within a year, with one of them having a baby on the way at the end of that year. They must fix up the ranch and have one hundred cow/calf pairs on it simultaneously.
Mason is none-too-happy about the requirements, but he'll do whatever he must to get the ranch back in the family, and he'll drag his brothers kicking and screaming along with him. As the oldest and the first to be leaving the military, Mason takes the lead by placing four "Practical Wife Wanted" ads online - one for each brother. He starts going through the responses while he waits to leave Afghanistan, separating the ones that sound promising until he gets to one that tickles his fancy.
Regan Anderson is tired of waiting for The One. She decides to become a single mother through artificial insemination. She quits her job as a bank loan officer to start a new career as a consultant and moves to a smaller apartment to save money. When she arrives home after her last day on the job, she pours some wine and, feeling bored and lonely, browses the web. When she comes to the "Practical Wife Wanted" ad, she's just tipsy enough to respond to it. I loved her Austen-esque, over-the-top email to Mason.
I loved the communications between Mason and Regan while he was still overseas. She was surprised to hear back from him and made sure he knew she hadn't been serious in her response. But Mason is determined that Regan is exactly who he wants and refuses to give up on convincing her. I liked how they went from emails to chats to Skype. I loved their exchange of questions and answers and how much they had in common. It didn't take long for Regan to start thinking that maybe this would be possible after all. Mason sealed the deal when he showed up on her doorstep, ready to add his in-person attempts to the mix. He suggests that Regan accompany him to the ranch for a month and see it for herself.
This is where things get tricky. The ranch is in much worse shape than Mason expected. Uncle Zeke let things go near the end and sold anything that wasn't nailed down. Further complicating matters, Zeke also died owing money to many people. These people now look to Mason for repayment. I wanted to shake Mason and tell him Zeke's debts weren't his problem, but Mason's sense of honor won't let him do that. Mason's frustration leaps off the page, but he's determined to succeed. I loved that Regan was with him each step of the way and seeing her go from city girl to ranch woman. It isn't easy, and the problems are realistically portrayed. There are some heart-wrenching scenes as Mason deals with his memories of the ranch and its current condition. There are also heartwarming scenes, such as the neighbors who come to help, not collect, and the help Regan gets in recovering some of the things so important to Mason.
I loved seeing the relationship between Mason and Regan develop. Working and living together 24/7 gives them a lot of time to get to know each other. Mason's honor and commitment continue to inspire Regan, and her feelings for him grow stronger. There are times when his single-minded focus makes her feel unseen, but he usually pulls himself out of those situations quickly. Mason's love for Regan grows stronger as he sees her throw herself into restoring the ranch. However, there comes the point where Mason starts to lose faith in his ability to make it happen. I loved seeing Regan bring him back from the brink and laughed out loud at how she did it. She also steps in with his brothers and makes her own pitch for their cooperation.
I loved the ending and seeing the progress made when Mason and Regan get married. It was great to see all three of his brothers arrive for the wedding, knowing that Austin was now there to stay. I can't wait to read his story and see how his wife hunt goes.
#netgalley
Mason is none-too-happy about the requirements, but he'll do whatever he must to get the ranch back in the family, and he'll drag his brothers kicking and screaming along with him. As the oldest and the first to be leaving the military, Mason takes the lead by placing four "Practical Wife Wanted" ads online - one for each brother. He starts going through the responses while he waits to leave Afghanistan, separating the ones that sound promising until he gets to one that tickles his fancy.
Regan Anderson is tired of waiting for The One. She decides to become a single mother through artificial insemination. She quits her job as a bank loan officer to start a new career as a consultant and moves to a smaller apartment to save money. When she arrives home after her last day on the job, she pours some wine and, feeling bored and lonely, browses the web. When she comes to the "Practical Wife Wanted" ad, she's just tipsy enough to respond to it. I loved her Austen-esque, over-the-top email to Mason.
I loved the communications between Mason and Regan while he was still overseas. She was surprised to hear back from him and made sure he knew she hadn't been serious in her response. But Mason is determined that Regan is exactly who he wants and refuses to give up on convincing her. I liked how they went from emails to chats to Skype. I loved their exchange of questions and answers and how much they had in common. It didn't take long for Regan to start thinking that maybe this would be possible after all. Mason sealed the deal when he showed up on her doorstep, ready to add his in-person attempts to the mix. He suggests that Regan accompany him to the ranch for a month and see it for herself.
This is where things get tricky. The ranch is in much worse shape than Mason expected. Uncle Zeke let things go near the end and sold anything that wasn't nailed down. Further complicating matters, Zeke also died owing money to many people. These people now look to Mason for repayment. I wanted to shake Mason and tell him Zeke's debts weren't his problem, but Mason's sense of honor won't let him do that. Mason's frustration leaps off the page, but he's determined to succeed. I loved that Regan was with him each step of the way and seeing her go from city girl to ranch woman. It isn't easy, and the problems are realistically portrayed. There are some heart-wrenching scenes as Mason deals with his memories of the ranch and its current condition. There are also heartwarming scenes, such as the neighbors who come to help, not collect, and the help Regan gets in recovering some of the things so important to Mason.
I loved seeing the relationship between Mason and Regan develop. Working and living together 24/7 gives them a lot of time to get to know each other. Mason's honor and commitment continue to inspire Regan, and her feelings for him grow stronger. There are times when his single-minded focus makes her feel unseen, but he usually pulls himself out of those situations quickly. Mason's love for Regan grows stronger as he sees her throw herself into restoring the ranch. However, there comes the point where Mason starts to lose faith in his ability to make it happen. I loved seeing Regan bring him back from the brink and laughed out loud at how she did it. She also steps in with his brothers and makes her own pitch for their cooperation.
I loved the ending and seeing the progress made when Mason and Regan get married. It was great to see all three of his brothers arrive for the wedding, knowing that Austin was now there to stay. I can't wait to read his story and see how his wife hunt goes.
#netgalley
