Sammy Marshall has been living on the Hope Springs ranch for as long as she can remember. She ran away from her abusive family and took refuge at the ranch, the one place she has always felt safe. She has vowed to never be like her mother or father and now Sammy is out to prove it to herself.

Ryder Daniels had to grow up fast. When his parents died in a tragic accident he was left as a teenager to raise all his siblings and be both mother and father to them all. Sammy Marshall has been part of that family for years when she moved to the ranch as a teen. Ryder and Sammy have been best friends since the beginning and nothing can come between their friendship.

When Sammy announces that she wants to have a baby, she turns to Ryder and asks him to help her find her “baby daddy”. He being her best friend agrees to help and they go out to the local bar to start making a list. When Ryder thinks of Sammy with another man, his deep feeling for Sammy surface and he tells her no man is good enough. She looks at him and asks if he wants to be the father of her baby. This is where the story gets interesting. Will Ryder take Sammy up on her offer? Will Sammy agree to Ryder’s conditions? Can Sammy learn to trust someone with her heart?

This was such a sweet story of friendship, family, and love. Maisy Yates has an incredible gift for drawing the reader into the story from the very first page. Although this was the first book in the series that I read, I had no trouble catching up on the back story of the supporting characters. Thank you so much to the author Maisy Yates, Harlequin and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to review. It was fabulous! All opinions expressed for this review are unbiased and entirely my own.

I wanted to like "The Hero of Hope Springs" by Maisey Yates a lot more than I actually did. I'm generally a fan of grumpy heroes and friends-to-lovers stories, so based on the synopsis, I thought for sure this book would be a perfect choice for me. I realized in advance that it was part of a series, but it was marketed as a standalone, so I didn't think it would be too much of a problem that I hadn't read any of the previous books. Instead, it felt like I had jumped into the middle of a story with more characters than I could easily keep straight at first. There seemed to be details missing that may have been provided in previous books, too. For example, the author never explained exactly what had happened to the male lead, Ryder's, parents. We know they died when he was only 18 and Ryder became his younger siblings' guardian, but how exactly did they die? Did his aunt and uncle die at the same time? If not, how did he also become his cousins' guardian? These events obviously had a huge impact on Ryder's life, but I didn't fully understand the chain of events that led to his present-day circumstances.

I also felt like I had missed something between Ryder and the female lead, Sammy, because for supposed best friends, they didn't much seem to like each other most of the time. I can't say for sure, but perhaps it was because the book launched directly into the conflict between them and we didn't have a chance to see them interact naturally first. On multiple occasions, Ryder described Sammy as his "sunshine," but he never seemed to be happy when he was around her; there was nothing playful or lighthearted about their relationship, aside from Sammy's weird obsession with sugar cubes. As a result, their relationship and the book itself seemed very intense and more angsty than it needed to be.

It took me a while to warm up to Ryder because he was just so set in his ways and stayed stuck in grumpy alpha hero mode for so long. He was obviously a good person and loved his family fiercely, but for the longest time, he had to have everything his way or no way at all. He eventually learned to compromise and he also let go of a lot of the grief he'd been carrying related to his parents' deaths, which made him seem like a completely different, much more likeable person. Unfortunately, I did not warm up to Sammy, even though I felt bad for her because of what she went through with her parents when she was a child. She was so flighty and immature, which made it easy for me to understand why everyone around her thought her plan to have a baby was a bad idea.

I wasn't really a fan of the book's writing style either. The story seemed to drag in several places because there were so many internal monologues. Both Ryder and Sammy had a lot of old hurts to work through so I understand that some introspection was necessary for character growth, but there was so much of that in this book that it became repetitive. I ended up skimming through a lot of it just so I could get to the end faster. In addition, it made some of the conversations confusing because there would be a line of dialogue followed by a lengthy internal monologue before another character would finally answer. Half the time I had forgotten what they were responding to and had to go back and find the previous line of dialogue again!

Overall, l don't think I can recommend "The Hero of Hope Springs" for anyone except existing fans of the Gold Valley series, who are already invested in these characters from previous stories and want to see them get their HEA. Based on some of the other reviews I've read, this book may not be the best example of the author's usual writing style or tone. For that reason, I will probably give Ms. Yates another chance in the future and hope that I connect with that book more than I did this one.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sammy Marshall has always been the bright spot in his life, she is always there with a smile to make his day better. She has seen him through some of the darkest times of his life and because of her care and lovable personality it was easy for him to secretly fall for her in the last few years. But he has always thought he wasn't a good fit for her, that he should just stick to being her friend.

But now his special little savior is asking for a favor, one that has the power to change everything between them if they let it. She wants a baby and she wants him to father it, but he wants something else from her entirely, he wants it all. But she isn't so sure she can give him what he wants...

The Hero of Hope Springs is a heart-string tugging tale that will take you into the lives of best friends Sammy and Ryder. These two have been through a lot together, but always just as friends. When Sammy proposes the idea for Ryder to father her child it takes thing between them to a whole new level, one that has Ryder wanting to give her his last name. But she isn't sold on the idea of love and marriage, she watched her parents fallout and it did a number on her, and is definitely not something she wants to put her own child through. But little by little Ryder helps her to see what they could be, and suddenly the subject of happily ever after doesn't seem to scary. I loved watching these two find their way into each other's hearts, it took some patience and time, but once the love took hold between them it was nothing but happiness. I've got to say this is a new favorite from Ms. Yates for me, it was such a touching and emotionally rich story, it left my heart is so darn happy! Highly recommend!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

I have mixed feelings about this book. The theme is one of my favorites - friends to lovers. Ryder and Sammy have been friends for seventeen years. Ryder was her refuge from her abusive father, and Sammy brought light to the darkness of his life after his parents' deaths. Their friendship gets complicated when Sammy decides she wants to have a baby and asks Ryder to be the father.

Both Ryder and Sammy have some deep-seated issues working against a successful relationship. Ryder gave up all his plans for the future when his parents died so that he could care for his younger siblings, cousins, and friend. He instantly became a father to them all, plus having to run the ranch. The responsibility was overwhelming, but he stepped up and did it. However, as the years went on, Ryder decided that marriage and children weren't for him. He'd done his bit and wasn't interested in starting again. Looking even deeper, Ryder saw that opening himself up to love would open him up to the same devastating feelings of loss if/when something were to happen.

Sammy is all about maintaining control over her life. She says what she wants to say, not caring if it shocks those around her. In her interactions with men, she always holds part of herself back. She's proud of her independence but doesn't see that she has allowed her past to control her present. Sammy's latest confrontation with her mother makes her realize that she wants more from her life, and she thinks that having a baby will fill that hole.

The development of the relationship between Sammy and Ryder was volatile. It quickly becomes apparent that Ryder has been attracted to Sammy almost since the beginning. He's an honorable man and has kept his attraction buried rather than take advantage of her. His protectiveness and a bit of jealousy pop up when she starts talking about finding a father for her baby. Sammy doesn't take well to Ryder's comments and challenges him to do the job himself. She didn't expect the combustibility of the first time he kissed her and freaked out at the loss of control she experienced. Over the next few weeks, the physical connection between them grew, but both of them fought against admitting their feelings for each other. Their confrontation after Ryder finally confessed his feelings was heart-wrenching. Sammy was terrified that he mistook obligation for love and could only envision a repeat of her parents' marriage. I ached for her as she ran from those fears and rooted for her to face them and overcome them. I hurt for Ryder too, because he finally knew that he wanted it all, only to have Sammy turn down his love. He also had some self-examining to do and was a bit surprised at what he learned about himself. Once they each faced those issues, they were ready to embrace their feelings fully. The ending was good, but I would have liked to get through the baby's birth.

The problem that brought the book from 4 stars to 3 stars was the amount of page-space spent inside Ryder and Sammy's heads. I think their interactions would fill maybe three or four chapters. It felt as though most of the rest was spent inside their heads. And most of that was thinking the same things over and over and over. By the last third of the book, I found myself starting to skim whenever this happened. I may have missed some things because of it, but it was too repetitive to hold my interest.

Ryder has loved Samantha since she showed up on his property not long after his parents’ death and suddenly became responsible for all his younger siblings. Dealing with the grief and having to abandon his dream plans was made bearable by Sammy’s presence. Her beauty inside and out was like sunshine in his life, but he always held back from anything but a platonic relationship, because Sammy came from her own terrible situation. Ryder realized she needed a protector and friend, and that was more important than his desires.

Now that Sammy wants a baby and throws it out there that she’d like him to be the father, he can’t hold back any longer. Once this barrier comes down, Ryder is all in and not just about co-parenting. He’s not just some nice guy to hold her hand, he’s a real flesh and blood male who’s been longing for her for years. Loved Ryder!

Sammy has led people to think she’s a free spirit, casual about love and hookups, but in truth she needs control. Any of her romantic partners have been casual because that’s the way she protects herself. Not letting anyone in too close. Sammy’s seen the affects of an all-consuming “love” with her parents, volatile and abusive, and she wants nothing to do with that. However, Sammy would love the chance to have a baby and give it all the love her big heart has to offer. When Ryder unexpectedly agrees to her request, she doesn’t bargain on everything that includes: passion and commitment and it scares her.

I just love a good unrequited love romance. Ryder finally getting the girl he’s wanted after so many years was a pleasure to watch. I love seeing him let go of his reserve and let me tell you these two were hot together! Sammy never let anyone that close, so she finally gets to experience a whole other facet of romance, one where she can trust the person she’s with and let go. She feels wanton and needy for Ryder and I just loved it!

As usual, the small ranching town of Gold Valley is vividly described, making it come to life so I can almost smell the pines, and feel the breeze. Maisey Yates writes the most delicious cowboys, but more than that she writes beautifully emotional stories that make you care for each and every character. The Hero of Hope Springs is part of a series, but each book can easily be read and enjoyed as a standalone.

I enjoyed this read. However there were a few things that simply rubbed me the wrong way. Overall though, I liked the story and characters. If you have read other books in this series Ryder and Sammy will be familiar to you. I was super excited for their romance because I liked them and strongly felt they belonged together. Add in their painful, complex pasts and their long-term shared history and quite honestly it seemed like a easy homerun. For me though, this book came up just a little short of the perfection I imagined. Don't get me wrong. The characters were still amazing, the emotions were deep, the storyline was well written and engaging and plenty of feels are generated along the way. I just wasn't 100% committed to or happy with how it all came together. Still, I felt that this was a very good read and a solid entry in this great series.

I've read several, but not all, of the books in this series and have to say that I think you could read this as a standalone and still enjoy it. Ryder Daniels became the main carer for his younger siblings when his parents were tragically killed when he was eighteen years old. He gave up on his football scholarship and college dreams to be their carer and to run the family ranch. During those initial dark days his ray of sunshine was Sammy Marshall, the emotionally and physically abused daughter of neighbours who sought refuge with him and the Daniels clan. She's been his sunshine now for more than seventeen years, his best friend who knows him better than anyone else and someone he always strives to protect, even from himself.

After talking with her estranged Mum, Sammy decides she knows what's missing from her life, she decides she wants to have a baby of her own. She wants to conceive it naturally but isn't sure who she wants to be the father so she asks her best friend's advice. That best friend in Ryder . . . and that's when their relationship changes!

To discover what happens next you'll need to read this moving story for yourself. The extended Daniels family is brilliantly portrayed. The inner angst and turmoil experienced by both Sammy and Ryder is emotively depicted as they both need to overcome traumas in their past to enable them to move on to a happy future together. The family dynamics are, at times, hilarious but there's also lots of heartbreak been experienced by them all countered by having lots of love in their lives. It is a friends to lovers romance with brilliant characters, a suitably bumpy ride with obstacles along the way to keep you turning pages to see how it can all be resolved. It is a moving family story and I look forward to reading more about them all in future.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

I am not normally one for reading romance novels, but now and then it is nice to wander off into a different genre for a short visit. I love cowboys/ranchers (by the way, Ryder is technically a rancher, not a cowboy. It is not the same thing) and I was able to go visit a wide open ranch in my imagination since the whole Covid thing is really putting a damper on the whole traveling experience this year. Ryder and Sammy have been friends for 17 years. Sammy comes from an abusive family while Ryder and his siblings/cousins have had to find their way through the years after the early death of their parents. Sammy's bond with Ryder and his family is strong, but one day the type of bond starts to change. Sammy is a free spirit and does not like labels or being tied down. After an argument with her mother, Sammy decides she wants a baby for her own various reasons. Ryder gets pulled into her plans and before they know it, their friendship changes and goes into a gray area that is the precursor for change. I do not want to spoil anything for people who have not read the book, but it was a decent, fast read with romance and serious growth in Sammy and Ryder's characters. I enjoyed the growth, put Sammy's reasoning seemed flaky at best and did not make sense. The ending dragged a bit, but overall was a good read.

I received a free copy from the publisher Harlequin in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and are not swayed by the early copy.

Review will be published on CelitcsLibrary.com by 5/23/2020

The Hero Of Hope Springs, by Maisey Yates, is available at booksellers on 7-21-2020. Hero is part of Ms. Yates Gold Valley series. Rather than centered around one family this series is centered around a place, Hope Springs in the Gold Valley, Oregon. Lost of cowboys and ranchers.

Our hero is Ryder Daniels, head of Hope Springs Ranch and his cobbled together family. He's too old for his age, too much responsibility at a young age does that. He's a fixer and is use to being in control and having to make all the decisions. He's boring and needs to lighten up. Sammy Marshall is one of his cobbled together family, since she was a teenager. She's Ryders sunshine, the only light he thinks he has in his life. They both are emotional wrecks but in different ways, he's stoic and she's flighty. They solve their problems, marry and have a baby on the way. Good stuff. Bad stuff is so much inner dialog that I stopped reading it. Every little thing they were thinking. While they were thinking they weren't doing. The worst part is that what dialog I did read wasn't much help and tended to repeat itself later on. At this time some of the other family members have promise so here's hoping the next book is a complete winner.

#MaiseyYates #NetGalley #TheHeroOfHopeSprings #GoldValley #HQN #HarlequinBooks #Cowboys #WesternRomance

I really wanted to love this book because I have loved pretty much everything I have read by this author but unfortunately I could not get into this book at all. I tried numerous times to read it but it just didn't do it for me. Maybe it is because I do have so much going on in my life right now and the fact that I have been stressed out about the fact that we are moving. I might try again in the future and update my review but for right now I am going to give it a 2 out of 5.

Holy Inner Monologue, Batman! I think I could have absolutely ADORED this one from Maisey Yates. The chemistry between Ryder and Sammy was lovely—they were friends, they were lovers, and it worked. But oh, how lost it became in pages and pages of repetitive thinking.

IDK if I’m remembering incorrectly or if Ms. Yates’ writing has become more introspective over the years, or even if I’ve just become less patient, but when there’s three full pages of inner turmoil and reasoning between every line of dialogue...it’s just not for me.

However, it bears repeating; I did love Ryder and Sammy together. The development of the relationship over time, and how Ryder took pains to make sure Sammy was safe and could trust in and rely on him. Skimming through the rest to those moments was so, so rewarding. As was the ending.

Looking forward to Logan’s story. Fingers crossed it’s more action, less mulling; more show, less tell. But even if it’s not, I’ll be back. I’m too invested in this family and this series not to be.

I'm blown away by this deeply emotional friends-to-lovers romance!

Sammy and Ryder have been best friends for so long, so much a part of the same pseudo-family formed from tragedy, that they really can't see the forest for the trees. Until Sammy gets the idea that she's ready to have a baby, and now Ryder has to confront his long-buried feelings for her.

This easy-going romance delves deep into these characters' hearts and souls, shaking the very foundation of their friendship, laying bare all their hidden biases and emotional crutches. The powerful chemistry between them has been there all along, but their seemingly incompatible approaches to life kept either of them from considering more.

Ryder is drowning in a sea of responsibility, while Sammy has to confront her own past, including her father's lies, and ask herself some tough questions. The story focuses on the emotional fallout from their foray into a physical relationship, and as such was exquisitely fascinating and breathtakingly intimate. In the end, their HEA is summed up perfectly:

“I guess we were just what each other needed,” she said softly. “I needed to hide in your shadow, and you needed some light.”

It took a while to get into this story, but once I did, I was completely absorbed and couldn't put it down. I can't remember the last time I was so captivated by such a character- and emotion-driven story. There's not much outside activity going on, but there doesn't need to be. The struggles that both Sammy and Ryder are going through are more than enough to make this story an absolute gut-wrenching but ultimately romantic journey of the heart.

I highly recommend it for the sheer passion alone. These are two people whose love was a long time coming, and well worth the wait. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Will her new venture be more than a lark to fill the empty hole inside her.

I discovered the Daniels siblings and relatives in The Bad Boy Redemption Ranch and they are all an intriguing bunch, each with a past and many scars hidden from view but lingering in their many doings.
Ryder is the down to earth boy changed man when he became the adult reference for his younger siblings and cousins. He had to set aside his own dreams and hopes to keep them all banded together. He succeeded in it, now, all grown up and having set their own path.
Sammy entered his life as a wisp, she brought back smile and light in his dim life, she became the sunshine he desperately needed to move forward. An anchor.
And while he would have loved to be more than her best friend, he never let anything out about his feelings, watching her from afar flitting from one man to another, a free spirit, like she wanted everyone to believe her to be.
Sammy is the wandering soul, or so she thought.
The young girl in her believed by getting close to the boys around her, she would grasp the affection she was lacking at home, but at the same time she holds back, unable to let go, afraid to put her fate in one another hands. Why sex moved to become a weapon, her mean to make men weaker even if for a short time. Thus she thought she had things all mapped out by only choosing safe guys.
Her whole life she has been misguided, mistaking sex for a band aid, a way to get closer to people for a bit of warmth when she in fact kept them at arm’s length. While the only man for her is the one she is the closest but also refuses to see as someone else than her friend.

They lied to themselves for 17 years, she voluntarily blind around him when he buried his lust. So when on a lark she decides she wants a baby, a very irresponsible decision from her side, she stirs up a hornet’s net, when masks fall down.

I loved Ryder, he is not perfect and he makes mistakes, but even if at time he refuses to acknowledge his true feelings, he is not a coward like Sammy, who has ran away her whole life. Playing the free soul, giving advices when she can’t even face her own issues, nor follow what she would counsel.
Sure, she should have had some counseling to help her but even when she had found herself a new family who took her in as she was, she was always the one bolting away.
4 stars.

I was granted an advance copy by the publisher HLQ Books, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

I was very excited to finally get Sammy and Ryder’s story and I will say it’s not what I expected.

I’ve liked the two of them since they first made a showing in a previous book. Ryder is just as stoic and steadfast as I thought he would be, but he’s also passionate and loyal. Sammy is much more calculating and unsure of everything than she appears to be. Of course, I loved seeing the other siblings and I truly hope some of them get a book.

Plot wise it was okay. There were several repetitive phrases and much more inner monologue than I was hoping for. These two have a lot of past hurts and each is hung up on it, which means there’s a lot a lot a lot of mental clarity trying to be worked out. The flashes of sweetness and joy were some of the best scenes. And off topic, I was annoyed at his being adamant about immediate marriage and her agreeing to it, only to complain afterwards.

Overall, it was a quick read with a comfortable set of characters who were easy to root for. I did enjoy this one, but sort of wanted more for Sammy and Ryder.

FYI: physical abuse of a child and teenager

**Huge thanks to HQN Books for providing the arc free of charge**

If you're a fan of Masey Yates's cowboys, then this latest installment of the Gold Valley series is not going to disappoint. The hero and heroine are wonderfully flawed and broken, but together they become whole. Of course, it takes them a while to realize that and through the ups and downs of their relationship, Ms. Yates does what she does so very well. She connects you with the characters on such a deep level that you laugh, you cry, but most of all you want the book to never end. When it does, you are happy but exhausted, and so very ready for the next book in the series. The supporting cast of characters is amazing and I hope they all get their own books and their own HEAs.

Maisey Yates wrote an intense, emotional, amazing love story in The Hero of Hope Springs, part of her Gold Valley series. For as long as Ryder Daniels has known free spirit Sammy Marshall she has been his sunshine. She and her bright smile has saved him after losing his parent and has given him the strength to take care of his orphaned family. It was a lot, especially emotionally, for an eighteen year old, ready to fly from the nest, to deal with. Only Ryder knows that the person Sammy appears to be is an act; she is vulnerable and broken. He has kept his attraction for his best friend a secret for years. Sammy loves living a bohemian, arty life style and came to Hope Springs to escape the abuse from her father and lack of protection and love from her mother. There she found a home and a family that loved her. Yet, all this time, Sammy believes something is missing from her life and asks Ryder to help her. She soon learns that asking Ryder to father a child with her is complicated; especially when the heat between them ignites a spark, setting off fireworks. Not to mention the sizzling chemistry and electricity pouring off them. As potent as Ryder is, you know he will get Sammy pregnant the first time, before she decides to change her mind; which of course happens. Discovering Sammy is pregnant, Ryder informs her he want it all. The fallout from her parents’ abusive relationship, Sammy is fearful of letting Ryder to close. Ryder is going to need a few grand gestures to convince Sammy that he’s not proposing because he feels honor bound. Sammy is going to need to learn to trust herself, her feelings, and Ryder.

Ms. Yates wrote a wonderful, intense, emotional and sizzling story that should not be missed. She provided a tale rich with magnetism, chemistry, and charming characters giving Ryder and Sammy a chance to find that happily ever after. I highly recommend The Hero of Hope Springs to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

The Hero of Hope Springs is the tenth novel in Maisey Yates' Gold Valley series, a series I've been following and thoroughly enjoying since it's inception, and again, Maisey Yates has given us two sympathetic and angst-filled characters, and their story and complicated relationship kept me awake until I finished reading it at 5:00 a.m.. Since I did have a few issues with this novel, which I'll get to, it nevertheless was an addictive read, and it gets a 4-star rating from this reader.

In this novel the focus is on Ryder Daniels, who lost his parents at age 18, gave up his plans to attend college and pursue his dream of a football career, and instead, as the eldest, took the reins and responsibility of raising his younger siblings as head of the Daniels family. If you've been following this series, you'll also know about Sammy Marshall, an abused and ignored young girl who Ryder found hiding in his barn 17 years earlier, and who eventually moved out of her abusive home and onto the ranch, and has been living in her trailer as an almost member of the Daniels family ever since. Ryder has made peace with what he gave up when he became head of the Daniels family, enjoys knowing that he raised his siblings well, and is proud of the way his hard work and dedication have resulted in a thriving ranch and a well-adjusted, cohesive family. Losing his loving parents was devastating, and aside from going out of town periodically for brief hook-ups with virtual strangers, Ryder has decided that love and marriage aren't for him because he's already raised a family, and he learned the hard way at such a young age that losing those you love is simply too painful--but then there's Sammy and a old-fashioned romance trope I wasn't expecting.

Sammy has always seemed like a free and independent spirit, and Ryder has been her closest and dearest friend and savior since she was in her teens. Now, at 33, she makes a living with her handmade jewelry, and has had a number of not terribly satisfying relationships. She feels an undefinable need for something more in her life, something to fulfill her need for a loving family that is hers alone, and she eventually identifies that desire as her need to have a baby. She's not enthused about in vitro fertilization, nor is she seeing anyone in particular that she'd want to father her child, but once Ryder sees her after an evening of flirting and dancing at the local watering hole, she finally tells him her plan and eventually gets him to agree to father her child the old-fashioned way, and that's where the real trouble begins.

While I very much liked both of the main characters in this well-written novel, the notion of any modern, free-spirited woman believing that giving birth to a child will fulfill her in some way isn't a notion I happen to share, and, for a free-spirit like Sammy, I found it rather incongruous. I also found Ryder's insistence on marriage prior to agreeing with Sammy's plan very old-fashioned as well, but at least it was the responsible thing to suggest, and Ryder is all about taking responsibility. In this era where being an unwed baby-mama has come to be an accepted norm, is Sammy's request all that unusual? Or is something else really what is driving her?

Sammy has been Ryder's ray of sunshine and his unspoken fantasy for the past 17 years, but will fathering her child bring these two closer together or tear them apart? Will these two characters ever come to grips with their unstated needs and motivations? Since I don't do spoilers, you'll have to read this engaging and emotional novel for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Whether you agree with Sammy's plan or not, there are some surprising turns ahead and it's another darn good read that I'm happy to recommend.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

Review will post end of July/first of August at Romance Reviews Today: http://romrevtoday.com/

THE HERO OF HOPE SPRINGS – Maisey Yates
A Gold Valley Novel
HQN Books
ISBN: 978-1-335-01351-4
July 21, 2020
Contemporary Romance

Gold Valley, Oregon – Present Day

For fifteen years, Samantha “Sammy” Marshall has lived in a camper on Ryder Daniels and his family’s land. The group of misfits also includes Ryder’s sisters, all of whom have fended for themselves through thick and thin and see each other as one big family. One night, Sammy tells Ryder that she feels like there’s something missing in her life and she plans to take care of it but needs his help. Turns out she wants a baby. No, she is not asking Ryder to be the daddy, instead, she is wanting his opinion on who would be good in Gold Valley to be the potential father. While he sees red at what he feels is a foolish decision, he doesn’t let on—at first—but soon he makes it clear to her that it’s a stupid idea. Then Ryder offers himself to Sammy as the baby daddy.

Sammy grew up not feeling wanted by her parents. After her father died, she walked away from her mother at the age of seventeen and hasn’t seen her since. Sammy earns a meager living making jewelry to sell and relying on the emotional support of the Daniels’ family, with Ryder the patriarch who was left to raise his sisters after their parents died in a crash. Adding Sammy to the “family” was easy, and Ryder thinks of her as just another sister to keep an eye on—until he no longer sees her as a sister, but a desirable woman. After he offers her the chance to have his baby, they give in to the insatiable passion that’s been burning between them since he learned about her baby plan. Will they make a baby…and find love together?

Sammy’s plan to become a mother takes an unexpected turn for her in THE HERO OF HOPE SPRINGS. Ryder is like a big brother to her, so it’s understandable that he is protective of her when she concocts a plan to have a baby. After feeling unloved and unwanted growing up, Sammy wants a baby to love and care for. Ryder wants to get her to change her mind. It’s crazy and she’s not thinking clearly. What if she gets a guy to agree who wants more, or he turns out to not be the right guy but it’s too late? Offering himself as the “sperm donor” was something done in the heat of the moment. Ryder thinks he can get her to change her mind, but it doesn’t stop him from looking at her as a sexy woman.

The banter between Ryder and Sammy highlight THE HERO OF HOPE SPRINGS. It’s clear they care for each other, but their longtime friendship will change forever if they become lovers. First off, he isn’t just going to impregnate her and then walk away. He wants to nurture and protect her, even as she resists that idea. Sammy is used to being independent and doesn’t want any man to “take care of her.” Who will win the battle of wills between them?

THE HERO OF HOPE SPRINGS is part of the extensive Gold Valley series by Maisey Yates, but like most of them, can easily be read as a standalone. Readers will fall in love with Sammy and Ryder. Their longtime friendship is on the line in this fun and endearing tale. Can they find love—and a happily-ever-after together? Find out in THE HERO OF HOPE SPRINGS.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

The Hero of Hope Springs was another sweet and tempting romance from Maisey Yates. I love this world she's created. I always know I will have a nice read ponce I open her books.

Another fabulous book by Maisey Yates.
The story might seem familiar, but the romance was what I needed at this time. Both Rydre and Sammy made delightful characters who had hurt in their past and who had to heal and find love together.

I loved how they brought out the friends to lovers Trope seamlessly. The story had love happening in the words slowly and steadily.

Overall, a lovely romantic read on a slow evening.