DNF @ 40%

I couldn't connect with the characters at all, and the plot seemed totally ridiculous for the contemporary setting. I skimmed the later part of the book and it doesn't seem that I'm missing all that much by not finishing it.

Rancher's Wild Secret definitely kept me captivated for the whole of the story. Emerson is a 'yes, daddy, whatever you need, daddy' kind of girl. Her relationship with her father is one she thinks she needs to breathe, including agreeing to marry a man she doesn't love (or even sleep with) for the betterment of their family winery. She is willing to do anything to improve their standing for the family winery, until a new ranchhand shows up in the vineyard and she can't stop thinking about him.

Holden is there for one reason, revenge. He isn't there to bed the daughter of the man he hates for destroying his sister, but when the opportunity presents itself, he can't resist the urge to use her in his bed or in his revenge against her father.

I wasn't sure how the author was going to make this about love when it was clear Holden hated everything about the Maxfield name. What she ended up doing was not making it about Holden but rather about Emerson. It took her tearing down and subsequent rebirth in the journey of falling in love with a man she never would have found if it hadn't been for her father's indiscretions for Emerson to truly find herself.

I loved this story but fair warnings. There is nothing about Christmas in the book (As the cover leads you to think). The sex was HOT and teetered on the edge of BDSM so I would only recommend it for the 18+ crowd. It's not raunchy or tasteless but it is a little more graphic than other Desire books I've read.

Holden wants revenge on Emerson’s father. To get it, he marries her, thereby gaining a part of the vineyards that Emerson’s family owns.

That’s the gist of the story. I can’t talk about chemistry, because there isn’t any chemistry between Holden and Emerson. I can’t talk about how much I liked the story, because for the first time EVER, I did not like a Maisey Yates book. Hopefully this is an anomaly.

Holden McCall wants one thing from Emerson Maxfield; the means by which to revenge his sister's honor. Emerson is going to inherit a chunk of her family's winery upon her marriage and Holden wants to use those shares to get revenge on Emerson's father. So he seduces her and then blackmails her into marrying him. There's... not a lot else to the story. But it was still an entertaining read, setting up stories for sure for Emerson's sisters, Wren and Cricket.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out November 5th
ARC kindly provided by Harlequin Desire and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

RANCHER'S WILD SECRET is book one in the Gold Valley Vineyards spin-off series by Maisey Yates and promises to bring passion and drama to the forefront. Centering around a rancher and the daughter of his sworn enemy, this story of forbidden love is quick to hook a reader as secrets unravel, betrayal is exposed and love begins to outshine revenge.

Holden immediately grabs attention as a powerful man who will stop at nothing to get revenge for the wrong his family has suffered. He's complex and developed just enough to keep us guessing.

Emerson is high-spirited and loyal, but when secrets are exposed that change her entire outlook on the world she has been living in, she finds the strength to stand up for what's right, no matter how much it hurts her heart.

I highly recommend this book to anyone enjoying drama and passion mixed in with strong family presence and happily ever afters. I look forward to seeing how this quartet plays out!

The setting of this book was very contemporary with the influencers but the plot was so old fashioned. Forced marriage? It just seemed to ridiculous. And the fact that her father basically molested other women seemed pretty glossed over. I liked the heroine, I just wish she had more of a backbone.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin Romance via NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

This was a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Emerson Maxfield is daughter to James Maxfield, owner of Maxfield Vineyards. She loves her family and job at the winery. She is engaged to a man who she doesn't love but was recommended by her father. Little does she know but not all is right in her world. Holden McCall comes to Oregon to exact revenge against James Maxfield. James had an affair with his sister (who is younger than Emerson). After a miscarriage, Soraya, was institutionalized. No one treats his sister like that. Holden is out to destroy James and his winery.

The road to Holden and Emerson's HEA is one that is strife with heartache and distrust. I loved the dual POV format (it was slightly heavier on Emerson's side though). Getting a glimpse into the characters' thought process really helped me to connect to the them. Especially in the case of Emerson. I thought she was a little pushy in the beginning at times but seeing her thoughts really made me empathize her.

There were times here that I felt some places were a little drawn out and I wanted to skip over them but I didn't. You just never know if what you skip is important maybe further on in the book.

There were some scenes that were a little sexy so I would recommend this book for someone over the age of 18.

This book has an interesting plot. He plans to ruin a family but falls in love with his mark. I LOVED this book. I can whole heartedly recommend.

Holden is on a mission to ruin the man who hurt his sister and left her broken. What he doesn't expect is how much he likes his enemy's daughter, Emerson. Emerson's main goal in life is to please her father but when she meets Holden she realizes what has been missing from her life - passion. Finding out about her father's secret life tears Emerson apart but Holden is the perfect man to help her heal. Red hot romance.