I always enjoy Kate Pearce's work. This one surprised me. It wasn't one of my favorites.

I can say that I didn't like Danny's father anymore in this book , than I did in previous books. I can also say that I wasn't thrilled with either of Faith's parents. It seemed to me like most of the people in this town had some kind of grievance about something. It didn't feel like a happy place.

Trying to be completely honest, I know the situation with the possible outbreak was used to bring Danny and Faith closer. I thought more time was spent on the cows than on Danny, Faith, their past situation and their romance.

I also feel kind of cheated. After reading through pages and pages of cow infections, trying to piece together their back story with information only gained by a process resembling dripping water, the back and forth uncertainty of them as a couple, throwing in the ridiculousness of Faith's relationship with her business partners, and then Jeff's revelation, we got one scene with Faith and Danny and the book ends.

There was a long, and often tedious path to the end of this book. It was so unlike the author's previous works, I had to double check the identity of the writer. There was more struggle than romance in this book.

I only wish that the last chapter could have been drawn out to include the reactions to Danny and Faith's decision, or something about Danny's decision about his future, his career; or, ANYTHING about what was next for them. I admit to being disappointed. It was just a LONG, ok read for me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed the Advanced Reader Copy of this book received from NetGalley.

Every time I think I can’t despise the Miller patriarch any more, I read another story about one of his kids and learn more about his lifetime of deception. To be honest, he has done some atoning over the years. But he does his atoning in a roundabout way and never seems to apologize for the wrongs he has done along the way.

The depths to which their parents went to keep Faith and Danny apart when they were teens, and going through one of the most devastating times of their lives, is hard to fathom. Especially when it comes to Faith’s parents because they seem so loving and kind and thoughtful. Because of what happened to them all those years ago, and the half stories they’ve gotten about each other, they have a long road to travel. But what’s great about both of these characters is they try really hard to forgive and not judge. They both know people change a lot from the time their teenagers until they’re established adults.

More than Faith, Danny’s story just breaks my heart. While Faith got every opportunity to follow her dreams (outside of her romantic dreams) and build the life she wanted, Danny was held back at every turn until he was well into his 20s. And even then, there were many stipulations put on what he could do when since he was part of running his family’s ranch.

Obviously, from what I’ve said so far, there are a lot of serious issues for these two to work through. That doesn’t mean there isn’t fun and lightness to this story, too. The author strikes a wonderful balance between the joy and angst. There’s a bit of a side story that was great that I would have loved to see expanded. It doesn’t detract from this story that it’s not expanded, but I would have really loved for the particular couple to have gotten their own book.

As usual, Kate Pearce kept me fully engaged and turning the pages.

Sweet Talking Rancher is the 5th book in Kate Pearce's Millers of Morgan Valley series, a series I've been following, but like the previous novel in the series, The Rancher Meets His Match, I found this second chance at love, western romance less than thrilling for several reasons, and those reasons resulted in my giving this novel a 2-star rating.

Danny is the Miller brother featured in this novel. At age 34, he's still living and working at his father's cattle ranch. He's a really nice guy, kind, sexy, and hard-working, but an event that occurred 17 years earlier has kept him commitment-free. His utterly irritating father, Jeff, is recovering after a heart attack, making him even more argumentative and judgmental, and piling even more responsibility on Danny's shoulders--and Danny's older brother is the one who inherited the ranch, leaving this reader to wonder why Danny is content to do all the work yet reap none of the rewards.

Seventeen years earlier, and while still in high school, Danny was in love with Faith McDonald, and got Faith pregnant. After running off to Las Vegas to get married, they learned that they couldn't marry without parental consent. While there, Faith went into labor, had the child and ended up in a coma. Danny was whisked back to the family ranch, knew nothing about what happened and never heard from Faith again. Their respective parents made very sure of that, but 17 years later, Faith has been married and divorced, has become a veterinarian, and is finally returning to Morgan Valley to replace the veterinarian who is retiring, and because the local populace saw how brokenhearted Danny was, everyone blamed Faith, and it seems no one in the valley is willing to forgive her easily. This was a good set-up for a second chance romance, but in this reader's opinion, the novel simply got bogged down in too much irrelevant material to hold my interest.

The main action in the novel revolves around local calves and cattle and numerous cases of scours, which is easily transmitted and can be fatal. While Faith and Danny attempt to treat the sick and dying cattle and their calves, and to track down the source of this infection, far too much time was spent dealing with and trying to control the the scours epidemic (cattle diarrhea), than was spent on Faith and Danny attempting to sort out the truth of what happened 17 years earlier, why neither of them attempted to reconnect, and their discovery of what their respective parents did to make certain that these two young people would never see or talk to each other again, and the same complete disconnect was true of their now 17 year old son, Marcus, who was given up for adoption while neither Faith nor Danny had any say in the matter.

While Sweet Talking Rancher is billed as a romance, there was little to no romance involved in this novel, what we got instead was a long time coming as these two characters finally straightened out what was done to them, and reignited their lost friendship. In so doing, they spent more time arguing and misunderstanding each other's motives than they did in rekindling the love they once had for each other, and to say that their HEA ending was abrupt is putting it mildly--it took up all of the last page in the novel.

To say that I expected better from this author is putting it mildly. I know she's capable of a much better, more emotional, and deeper connection to and between her main characters than was evidenced in this novel. I strongly advise reading this series in the order in which it was written, as there are so many repeat characters and the connections between them in this novel, that you'd need a scorecard to keep them all straight.

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

Could Danny and Faith rekindle love from many years ago?

Danny Miller and Faith Miller had been high school sweethearts, and everybody was surprised when Faith left town. She finally returned to Morgan Valley to help her brother with the family veterinary practice when people thought she had broken Danny’s heart leaving him. Very few people in Morgan Valley knew the truth of why Faith had left, and Danny wasn’t talking.

The ranchers were taking sides, but everything came to a head when there was a disease outbreak at the neighboring ranch that Danny and Faith treated because that is what neighbors do in small towns. But helping the neighbors helped Danny and Faith realize that the love between them was still there after all that had happened.

I grew up on a cattle ranch and reading Sweet Talking Rancher makes me miss home!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions

Second chance romances are one of my favorites. So it couldn’t be better that one of my favorite series, Millers of Morgan Valley has just that. Sweet Talking Rancher the fifth in the series by Kate Pearce. Faith McDonald, Danny Miller’s teenage sweetheart has returned to Morgan Valley. It has been years since she left but no one seems to have forgotten especially Danny. As they work together to find a cause and solution for happening to the Miller cattle, the past and present come together.

Living in a small town myself I fully understand how people in a community can take sides. No, they shouldn’t but they do and talk about it too. I liked this couple, hoping that they could see each other as they are now if only everyone would mind their own business. Realistic read with characters that I wanted to find the happily-ever-after now that they are older and more mature.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An absolutely wonderful story. Had everything in this book. Loved the couple who had been through so much but still found their HEA! Excellent read!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/30626934-sherry-bohrmueller

Sweet Talking Rancher is the 5th book in the Millers of Morgan Valley.
Kate Pearce continues to bring a well-thought-out storyline with multi dimensional characters.
This is Danny Miller's story. He's the dependable brother, always willing to step up to help a fellow resident of The Valley. But hes got secrets And the past he can't quite and the past he can't quite get away from.. When his first love returns to town everyone is ready to make sure he knows she's back. And although 17 years have passed there is still so much left unsaid and unresolved. Now's the time to finally get closure and determine where they fit in their new lives.
Faith McDonald wasn't expecting to be welcomed with open arms but she certainly didn't expect the outright hostility she got from the people she grew up with. Yes she left 17 years ago without any explanation and hasn't been back since. And yes she left behind a good man. But she had her reasons and it was no one's business but hers and Danny's. Now coming to terms with the past and trying determine how they fit together as she works to build her father's is to build her father's veterinary practice and bring it into the 21st century.

This is the 5th book in the Miller’s of Morgan Valley book. And it’s about Danny Miller. I really enjoyed this story. It about hope, and being able to get a second chance at a relationship with the person you thought you’d lost forever. Danny and Faith went through some hard things when they were only teens. And didn’t think they ever be together again. The pain from their last affected their lives. Danny is such a sweet and kind man. And Faith is strong and tough. I’ve absolutely loved this series. And definitely recommend it.

Faith McDonald is back home in Morgantown, California after a seventeen year absence. She has sold her share in the veterinarian practice she co-owned and returned to partner with her fellow vet and brother so her dad can retire. Her exit from town seventeen years ago wasn't pretty so the locals aren't all happy to see her back. After all she's the woman who broke rancher Danny Miller's heart. Not that any of the locals were told the real story. Danny Miller didn't even know all of the real story. Seeing Danny again was going to be difficult but Faith knows she can handle it. Yes, she and Danny have a past but the questions is, can they have a future?

Danny Miller still lives in the ranch house he grew up in with his dad and brother. His life is the family ranch. He isn't quite sure how he feels about seeing Faith McDonald again after her seventeen year absence. She never responded to the letter he sent. But he never forgot about her and what they once had together. Desire awakens when Danny sees Faith again and that's hard to fight when they spend so much time together dealing with the lethal infection spreading throughout the Miller calves.

Sweet Talking Rancher by Kate Pearce is the fifth book in her Millers of Morgan Valley series. This is a second chance romance and it is quite well-written. It's filled with heartwarming scenes and lots of family joy and angst. I liked the main characters' personalities. Danny is calm and mostly controlled. I didn't blame him the few times his temper flared. Faith has some self-confidence issues to deal with but she is such a caring person I couldn't help but like her. I have really enjoyed all the books in this series. This book is a great addition to the series but can be read as a standalone.

I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This is an excellent story that is well written and full of emotions. As each of the Miller brothers are slowly finding their HEA, Faith returns home and all of the old feelings she and Danny shared seventeen years ago, can’t be denied. I loved Danny and Faith’s second chance at happiness once a lot of misunderstandings were cleared up. And now, as adults they take control of their future and are happier than they have ever been. This is a great love story that I thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley and are voluntarily leaving a review.

I really like the Millers of Morgan Valley books. It's always good for me to get a series with overlapping characters and strong family ties. Kate Pearce provides a fast paced read with not only a good solid romance, but sometimes a nice picture of agricultural life (the goods and the bads) that you don't often get in books.

Interesting read. The story is of long lost love and if after 17 years will Faith and Danny reconnect. Faith comes home after 17 years to help her brother take over their father’s veterinarian office. Living in a small town of course she runs into her 1st love rancher Danny Miller. The whole town is giving Faith the cold shoulder and good guy Danny tries to change their minds. The two are thrown together when the calves at the Miller’s ranch come down with a unknown ailment. Two have died and a neighboring rancher has the same problems. I found the ranch life interesting, really gives you to inside what a hard life ranching it is. The mystery of the origin of the infectious disease wasn’t hard to figure out. It did drag on in the story before Faith and Danny figured it out. Of course the two had their own past history to work through and the Miller’s are all back for Daisy’s wedding. Helps if you read the previous books, but can be a standalone.
I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story.

I received this book from NetGalley for free and for me to write my review.

I have read all the books in this series and this is my favorite.

Danny Miller is still living at and working the family ranch. Faith McDonald has returned after being gone for 17 years. Danny and Faith were high school sweethearts. The have not spoken since they went to Vegas to try to get married only to find out they were not old enough.

Faith's father is retiring from the vet practice and she has returned to take over with her brother. People in town think that Faith ran off on Danny and she is not welcomed back into town.

Danny tries to talk to her about her disappearing all those years ago and she doesn't want to discuss what happened.

Of course, returning to Morgantown you get to keep up with old friends. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a second chance book are just a good HEA book.

Complementary copy given for honest review and opinion from NetGalley.
Everyone thinks they know why their relationship ended, but only they know the truth. But they actually do not even know the whole story. This is a precious romance that is a stand alone that shows that some loves do stand the test of time and distance.

ove the stories of the various Millers. This one is heart wrenching. The two fathers make mine seem not so bad after all. Parental love can be overreaching. I am eager to read more about the Miller family.

This was an intense read. Danny and Faith have lived for years with unanswered questions over their heads, and it takes them quite a while to work through those questions and feelings. They face anger, guilt, grief, and insecurity. But I really appreciated Danny's efforts to smooth Faith's reentry into Morganville and the way he treated her with respect even before he had his answers. Given the misinformation and time gap involved, I thought both of them behaved fairly maturely. Also, they had some thoughts about adoption that I have never read before. All of that is over the backdrop of the infection bringing down calves. In the end, there is love and forgiveness and even Jeff Miller has come to terms with a few life lessons. This is a good book for when you want a realistic family drama with lots of emotion and heart.

Faith and Danny get a second chance to get it right

After their teenage romance went up in flames, Faith left town without looking back while Danny channeled his hurt and anger into working his family's ranch. Now Faith is back, taking over her father's veterinary practice, and finding out that there's no going forward without first trudging through the emotional debris she left behind.

I loved seeing the Miller family again and I love how the author works in the rest of the family history and changes without losing focus on the primary romance. Danny is such a terrific guy, and though it took me a while to warm to Faith, in the end I could really sympathize with the decisions she was facing and the choices she made, regardless of the fallout.

If ever a young couple deserved a second chance, it's these two. There's so much love that only their life experiences could help them discover buried deep in their hearts. Their HEA was a perfect joy to read. I love all the Morgan Valley books, especially the Miller family. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Kate Pearce has written a fine set of stories about the Morgans and now the Millers of Morgan Valley. A small cattle town in the Sierras. I have enjoyed reading this series as new books come out, but they can be read as standalones. Boots, chaps, horses and cowboys - what could go wrong?

Gosh don’t I love myself some cowboy! Danny Miller has been working for his father and his father’s ranch forever. He was in love once, but was ghosted, so he has made a life alone. Then she moved back home to help run the family Veterinary clinic.

Faith McDonald has been asked to come home and help run the family Veterinary Clinic with her brother. For years she has resolved to never come home, until her parents asked. Now she has to finally deal with Danny and why he just up and left her!

Danny and Faith have to work together to prevent an infectious disease from spreading to all the ranches. Together they work well, but can either move forward? Never mind Danny’s opinionated outspoken family’s interference OR finding out the truth from all those years ago. Sweet Talking Rancher by Kate Pearce was a wonderfully fun read!

A lot of hard conversations needed to be had in, Sweet Talking Rancher. It takes awhile but they finally get to them. Neither Danny or Faith came off as immature so I'm not sure why their parents made the chooses that they did 17 years prior. Big question marks for me. A lot of concentration on the ranches and little on their relationship. would have liked to see more focus on Danny and Faith.

A quick and fun story to read. Their past is heartbreaking, but can they overcome it to deal with their feelings with a new approach to the future?

As teenagers they faced insurmountable obstacles in their relationship. Parents stepped in and handled it in the best interests of their children. Was it fair to either Faith or Danny? Time will tell as they face a life ahead in the same small town.

I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinions.