I enjoyed this book a lot. Lorri is reeling from a divorce and Ryder is still dealing with the loss of his wife and son 7 years ago. Ryder is not happy when his father sells family land to a developer, even though the developer is selling 5 acre plots. Lorri comes to Dalton Mill to escape her past, and buys one of the homes in the development. A chance meeting for the two, and even though neither one feels like they are ready for a relationship, guess what happens? Charming book.

Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Although the beginning of this was sweet, with eventual ex-husband Craig giving Lorri the mastiff puppy, which they name Mister, it also failed to engage me as much as I expected. I'm going to blame that on myself, however, as I was trying out a program that reads the book to me rather than reading myself, so I may have been more focused on that aspect than the actual story itself, bad me. In any case, Mister is a loyal, lovable hit and I liked Lorri, but considered Craig a selfish jerk. Lorri's friends, aside from the "foot-in-her-mouth" Stacy were also likable thought I didn't feel we intially got to know them well. Again, may have just been the format as I didn't give that up until later. Ryder on the surface initially seems the typical cowboy type, reticent, lover of the land, and shunning "having fun" as his friends urge after the death of his wife and child some years ago. Seven, he would remind you quickly. That quick response is evidence of the depth of the pain remaining.

Given the title of the book, I was expecting the ranch to be a more prominent part of the story, especially after its introduction by owner/managers Ross and Reese. Ryder is their only backer, it's a family thing, and they're excited to have gotten a request from a country music star and prominent photographer to host their wedding events. Ryder, again, the loner cowboy sort, opts to camp out after agreeing to allow them to use his home for the couple. Don't get me wrong, the ranch doesn't just vanish from the story but it isn't really as important a part of the plot as I'd expected, either, aside from the symbolic images the title conjures up.

Ryder and Lorri, of course, do eventually meet after we're treated to their individual stories in alternating sections. I'm not sure I'd call Ryder rescuing Lorri from a cranky steer at the fair a "meet cute" but it served its purpose. I definitely liked that it also didn't instigate an immediate, hot relationship. They approach their friendship slowly, both cautious of being hurt again, and it rang more true than most "meet cute" couples' meetings.

I won't detail the plot further as part of the fun is simply being that proverbial fly-on-the-wall as you watch these two wary people slowly open up to each other as they find out they have more in common than not. Oh, and Mister, the huge mastiff puppy (think it said he'd weigh in at about 180 lbs) certainly has a role to play. If you're a Hallmark fan, you'll love this one. It's an easy read, with characters with depth, surrounded by likable friends and family, with twists and turns on the road to happiness. Definitely worth a read.

Thanks #NetGalley and #StMartin'sPress for introducing me to the "Wedding Ranch" characters. Now, true, Mister might be a bit intimidating on first meet but he's a real character, too.

This was a really sweet story! I could easily see it being turned into a Hallmark movie. I loved the town and the wedding ranch, and I especially loved Mister, the dog ☺️. Was it a little bland, for lack of a better word? At times, yes. There were some scenes were I wanted to start skimming because it just seemed like nothing was really happening. But the overall story was good.

I think most people will guess what is going to happen but the story did not drag and make it go round and round. I wonder if I missed any books before this that told more of the story. Ryder never did admit how mad he was when lorri turned out when she was trying to get out of the housing development. He had to recognize her car. The ex-husband was a jerk and I think he thought he was hurting her with the dog. She showed him. The feeling she had for her brother Jeff was justified but I’m glad she made peace with what happened. Good book easy read and I will wait for more.

This book was great and had it all. I really enjoyed this story and book. I love it all. I will read more of them. Naigle had me hooked.

North Carolina - Present Day

Lorri Walker has been through a lot lately. Despite her husband's gift of a puppy for Valentine's Day, plus his promise to be more attentive, he soon announced that he's in love with someone else, and wants out of their marriage of fifteen years. With the divorce finalizing, Lorri sells their house, and buys one in the new settlement of Dalton Mill. The house is big enough, and with enough land, for her to work from home for the graphic design business she is employed by. And it's perfect for her huge puppy that her ex-husband gave her. Mister is a mastiff and a crucial part of Lorri's life now.

Despite her heartbreak, and growing up in the big city of Raleigh, Lorri fits right into the small town community of Dalton Mill. She loves the atmosphere, and friendliness of the locals, and the peace and quiet of her neighborhood. When she's invited to the county fair, she looks forward to getting to know the area better. What she doesn't expect is being tackled by a local man when a 4-H bull gets loose and nearly runs her down. The concern shown by the man, as well as others, endears the community even more to Lorri. Plus, the guy who saved her isn't too bad to look at.

Ryder Bolt, life-long resident of Dalton Mill, has never forgiven his father for selling much of their land to a developer who built five acre plots with, what Ryder calls, "McMansions". And now he's just saved a resident of that development. But she seems pretty normal for a big city girl. Ryder isn't interested in dating or anything relating to commitment after the loss of his wife and son in a car accident seven years ago. Lorri, however, isn't interested in dating either, so maybe they can be friends.

Ryder has been helping his niece and nephew, twins Reece and Ross, with their new venture, The Wedding Ranch. It's on a piece of Ryder's land that he's leasing to them, and their hard work has become so popular that a well-known country singer wants to hold his wedding there. Agreeing to keep the news quiet, he does let it slip to Lorri one day, unaware that she is a high school friend of the singer. Not only that, but Lorri has done some of the graphic design for The Wedding Ranch. It seems there are a few things that Ryder and Lorri have been keeping from each other. Neither knows of either's past.

THE WEDDING RANCH is a story of recovery for two people who have emotional scars. The title is a bit misleading as the premise revolves around Lorri and Ryder, and very little to do with the wedding facility. It's a sweet tale but with a shocking revelation that some readers may pick up on early in the book. Don't be surprised if this novel doesn't end up on the Hallmark series of movies! It's a perfect fit.

I wish to thank NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a sweet, romance set in a small town that includes two people coming together after very painful life experiences. It is not a book that keeps you guessing but is a well told story. The dog is one of the main characters so if you are a dog lover this one is most definitely for you. I found the story to be predictable and maybe not as believable as the obstacles they have to overcome are ones that are not easily forgotten. I wish the part about her brother had not been included but maybe that is just me. I recommend it for those that love a good, clean romance novel.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I found this book slow, tedious, and like every Hallmark movie. However, it will be purchased and well-loved by patrons. It's just not for me.

I have to admit that I struggled with this one for several reasons. The characters were okay, but I felt like a little bit of insta love happened when I know that the male character was far from ready - he was still grieving over his dead wife and dead son (from 7 years earlier). I would NOT want to be involved with him because it is so clear he has not moved on. And there were too many extra things that happened that ultimately served no purpose - her lying, cheating ex husband gets married at the wedding ranch right down the street from her house? I expected sparks to fly, etc, but no - nothing happened. And so much was talked about that happened previously (how the country music star and his fiancée met, etc) - did I miss a book I was supposed to read before this one?

This story is about Lorri (the woman that was cheated on - after I found out her ex cheated on her during high school snd she knew about it, I no longer had any respect for her) moves to a new city for a fresh start. She meets Ryder, the widow who has been grieving his wife and son for 7 years. Yeah - I don’t think I could start a relationship with him when he still has shrines to his dead wife and son everywhere.

This book is okay, but I probably won’t read any more in this series (if there will be more).

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated above are mine without biases.

I wasn't able to finish this book. The writing is not bad, the plot just doesn't drive me to finish it. I was okay with knowing what happened from the first ten chapters and didn't care too much about the characters.

This is a great story, I really enjoyed it!

After her divorce Lorri decides to start a new life in a new place, there she meets Ryder and they become friends, he also has his own luggage and swore never to have another relationship, but then the more time they spend together, feelings start to develop and I love them together, their friendship and the way they help each other get over their pasts.

This is a sweet story that will make you swooned so hard!

I only made it a couple of chapters into this one, but to be fair, a lot happens in the first couple of chapters. The main character’s marriage completely falls apart, which doesn’t seem to be a big deal. She moves on with life without much feeling, and I found her to be really unlikeable. I also found the writing style to be really stilted. It just doesn’t flow well, and I’m not at all invested. Moving on from this one.

I loved this story so much! The characters were amazing, I am a new fan of Nancy Naigle and I can't wait to read more! 5 stars for this one!
Lorri freshly divorced, decides to change her life, move to a new place and start fresh. She has a place in mind, and with her friend, goes to visit and as luck would have it, she finds the place of her dreams. Lorri and her big dog Mister set out on a new adventure in a new town, trying to leave her old baggage behind. When she is saved at the county fair by a handsome guy, Ryder, they instantly become friends and end up having a great time.
Ryder has lot's of baggage he hasn't been able to move forward from, but when he meets Lorri, he enjoys her company, and the way she makes him feel. But he swore he'd never have another relationship again.
These two characters are both damaged, yet through each other they can hopefully heal each other! This is an amazing story, I didn't want to put it down!

This was a sweet, clean, second-chance romance (in the sense that they had both been married before). It is set in a smallish town and has an adorable meet cute at the county fair. It was a little slow at times and I predicted “the twist” way before it happened. If you’re looking for a sweet, Christian romance, this is for you!

This was a great romantic comedy that addressed some important serious issues. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am still not writing professional reviews due to some life and family issues. Do I recommend the book? Absolutely!

North Carolina author Nancy Naigle, known for romantic women’s fiction set in small towns, is bringing out her latest, The Wedding Ranch, in December. Ironically, the book begins with a divorce as Lorri’s cheating husband gives her a mastiff puppy and then leaves her to marry the dog trainer.

Since her life has changed with the divorce, she makes up her mind to leave Raleigh to create a new life, and she searches for a suburban home with room for her dog Mister to roam around. In her new home in fictitious Dalton Mill, North Carolina, Lorri switches to a work-from-home mode for her graphic artist profession.

She quickly makes friends with her neighbors and a farmer named Ryder who vows, like Lorri, not to get involved with anyone again after a traumatic loss. Ryder is also upset that his parents sold their farm to a developer, who built homes on 5-acre lots, one of which Lorri purchased. Fortunately, his grandfather deeded Ryder his own farm, but he remains irritated about development on farmland.

The Wedding Ranch, run by Ryder’s niece and nephew on land they rent from him, is a wedding venue booked by Lorri’s long-time friend, Cody. After a misunderstanding at the reception, Lorri and Ryder share several dances, igniting a spark that they both resist.

If readers think this sounds like a Hallmark movie, they wouldn’t be far off as two of Naigle’s previous novels have been the basis for two Hallmark movies.

Nancy Naigle, whose background is in banking, is retired and spends her time writing, antiquing, and crafting. Her books Christmas Joy and Hope at Christmas were both adapted for film on the Hallmark Channel in 2018. In addition, she enjoys riding her palomino Tooter.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting August 14, 2022.

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

Not my favorite trope of a couple already married second chance, this one just was to simplistic. DNF. Writing style didn’t jive with me

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC to read and review.

Loved this story about love,life,death and family. The main characters in this story are Lorrie , after her divorce moves out of the city to Dalton Mill. She decorates the house the way she wants and of course, she has her dog Mister to keep her company. She makes new friends with her neighbors and meets Ryder . You have to read this book to see how that happens, see if their meeting actually turns into something . Follow Lorri and Ryder on their journey . See how life can throw out things to you , especially ones you don't have control over and need to make a decision that you can through them. A GREAT READ. As always a book you don't want to put down. If you are a fan of Nancys books or not, this is a book a highly recommend.

Nancy Naigle's The Wedding Ranch is the story about two characters, Lorri and Ryder, who have experienced loss in their lives. After meeting in an unusual way, the two form a friendship that both of them desperately need at this point in their lives. This book is about the power of second chances, friendship, family, loyalty, and moving forward. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this well-written, uplifting book. Great read!

The Wedding Ranch was not what I expected. With the title being what it was, I thought the Wedding Ranch would play a much bigger role in the story. In truth, aside from the main characters attending a couple of wedding there, it actually had hardly anything to do with the storyline. I think a title like Second Chances or Lost and Found or Bruised Heart would suit the book much better.

The storyline was exactly what one would find in a Hallmark movie. It’s light and simple with the kind of ending you want from Hallmark. If that’s what you’re seeking, you’ll be satisfied with what you get.

Unfortunately, I found the main characters (particularly Lorri) hard to like. Lorri and Ryder lacked the emotional depth I enjoy when reading a story that is more character driven than plot driven.

I’m sure many other readers will enjoy this light and simple romance. Sadly, it didn’t work for me.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley