Another wonderful heartwarming story from Harlequin. The characters are wonderful and the conflict is perfect. Loved this one!

I enjoyed this one in which two college friemnies are reunited in fake dating plan to protect his ranch. But we all know how those fake dating plans actually end up working.

This is the 4th book in the “Love Oregon Series.” Whitman is a rancher, with rumors of being a player and he is a candidate for county commissioners office. Piper is a match maker living in Portland. Piper and Whit have known each other for some time since their debating days. Whit has had a love hate crush on Piper. Whit needs a long-term girlfriend as his opponent is painting him out to be a player. Whit needs to win the county commissioner position to keep the greedy developers at bay. Piper agrees to help Whit out as being his girlfriend but when their feelings for each other take center stage; the two get more than they bargained for.

Will Whit win the county commissioners position, how will Piper and Whit’s romantic relationship work with the two living in different areas of Oregon, can Whit convince Piper to make the move to his ranch?

I received an ARC via NetGalley Harlequin - Romance, Harlequin Heartwarming and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

This is a captivating romance novel featuring well-developed protagonists, Whitman and Piper, whose journey from quasi-frenemies to lovers feels natural and satisfying. Despite incorporating popular tropes like fake engagement, the plot is skillfully crafted, allowing the romance to shine through authentically. While part of a series, the book stands well on its own, showcasing the author's strong writing and humorous dialogue. Although some may find the abundance of secondary characters distracting, the overarching theme of overcoming past hurts and embracing a brighter future resonates throughout the story.

I loved the last Grace romance I read, The Firefighter’s Rescue, and looked forward to another. Is it possible Reunited With the Rancher was better? I’m not sure, maybe more assured, not as romantic-y-romantic, but I loved Grace’s couple as individuals and together. In particular, Grace’s heroine, Piper Wallace, is larger than life. She jumps out of the page. Her hero, Whit Benton, is her perfect partner and foil, understated, stalwart, not introverted exactly, definitely self-contained. They’re perfect for each other.

College debating rivals and an unforgettable, perfect stint as partners, Piper and Whit are reunited seven years later. The sparks fly; the attraction, ever simmering in the past, revives front and center. The publisher’s blurb fills in details:

Can he win the campaign…
And her love?
Rancher Whitman Benton is determined to protect Outcrop, Oregon, from greedy developers, but if he wants to be seen as a serious candidate for county commissioner, he needs a stable long-term girlfriend. When matchmaker Piper Wallace steps into the role, their sweet rapport becomes headline news—not to mention the memories it brings back of their fiery debates in college. But can a successful fake relationship become a real contender?

Premise-wise, Grace doesn’t break romance ground: reunited rivals, with incipient attraction, are brought together for a good cause. They are surrounded by Piper’s extensive, lovable Wallace clan, a myriad of matchmakers, but Whit and Piper’s banter proves how compatible they are, how grounded in care and affection for each other and their community. But they’re uncertain about their feelings and how to work out being together: they fake what isn’t fake, they like each other, which too many romance writers ignore. There are rifts, however: Whit is estranged from his family; Piper has a clan of love and getting-along-ness; Whit is committed to helping his town; Piper loves living in Portland. He’s tamales; she’s espresso. The premise and details attached, not ground-breaking. Grace’s magic lies in the execution, in her clever writing, her adept balance of humour and pathos, the richness of the characterization and the world she builds to house them.

Grace rocks metaphors, capturing her characters in them. For example, this is how she describes Piper and Whit’s debating past: “Their relationship had balanced on a knife’s edge between friends and enemies, with the handle of that knife firmly in Piper’s grasp.” When Piper walks back in Whit’s life, thanks to her brother and Whit’s campaign manager Dan, Whit remembers what it’s like with Piper in the room: “Conversation with her could feel a little like bull riding, you had to just hang on for as long as you could.” Snippets of delight come at the reader: what they show us about Whit and Piper and, English lit geek that I am, how cleverly constructed the metaphors are. Dan and Ash propose Piper as Whit’s fake girlfriend: “Whit’s eyes were wide as he looked first at Dan, then at Ash and finally at Piper. ‘Her?’ Okay, Whit was man enough to admit he was still a little bit afraid of Piper Wallace. And that fear was completely justified…Ash stepped in front of his sister like she was an unruly colt, then he knelt down to look in her eyes. Whit could see why the guy was so successful with horses.” It’s funny, it’s engaging, it moves the narrative.

Despite the humour in the above passages, they reflect Piper’s strengths, but also her vulnerabilities. Piper struggles with being “too much,” with being too different from her family, and with the uncertainty of her own worth after her boyfriend left her…a boyfriend she admits she was “settling for.” Whit, on the other hand, doesn’t have much family; it imploded after his parents’ and grand-parents’ divorces (there’s a lovely resolution for Whit, adeptly integrated by Grace). Piper and Whit have this in common: they’re apart, side-lined, except with each other. How community and family come together to validate them is one of the many pleasures of Grace’s romance. I hope Harlequin hangs onto Grace because we’re missing wonderful category romance authors and she’s now one of my favourites. Miss Austen agrees, in Grace’s Reunited With the Rancher, we find “no charm equal to tenderness of heart,” Emma.

Anna Grace’s Reunited With the Rancher is published by Harlequin Books. It released yesterday, Jan. 23rd. I received an e-galley courtesy of Harlequin via Netgalley. This does not impede the free expression of my opinion, expressed btw without the aid of AI.

Reunited with the Rancher by Anna Grace
Can he win the campaign…
And her love?
Love, Oregon
Rancher Whitman Benton is determined to protect Outcrop, Oregon, from greedy developers, but if he wants to be seen as a serious candidate for county commissioner, he needs a stable long-term girlfriend. When matchmaker Piper Wallace steps into the role, their sweet rapport becomes headline news—not to mention the memories it brings back of their fiery debates in college. But can a successful fake relationship become a real contender?
This is Piper Wallace and Whitman Benton's story.
Piper stopped abruptly.
“Whitman Benton.”
Her tone hadn’t changed since college, either. She still managed to say his name in a way that felt like a cross between an accusation and a greeting.
He pulled his Stetson off and nodded. “Piper Wallace.”
She readjusted the dog in her arms and glanced over her shoulder toward Main Street. “Thoughts on the emu mural?”
“There’s a twenty-foot mural of Larry the emu squawking ‘Welcome to Outcrop!’ on the old press building, right as you pull into town.”
He glanced up at the bright blue sky, then back at his college hate-crush. “You haven’t changed a bit, have you?”
She blinked at him, shocked. “Why would I change?”
Whit laughed, holding up both hands. “Okay, Piper. You win. I like the emu.”
Whit took a deep breath. Conversation with Piper could feel a little like bull riding; you had to just hang on for as long as you could.
“Did the new mural bring you here?” he asked. “Or are you on other business?”
I recommend reading.
Reunited with the Rancher by Anna Grace is a wonderful well written 5 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Anna Grace.
I received a complimentary copy of the book and was under no obligation to post a review.
Love, Oregon
Book 1: A Rancher Worth Remembering
Book 2: The Firefighter's Rescue
Book 3: The Cowboy and the Coach
Book 4: Her Hometown Christmas
Book 5: Reunited with the Rancher

DNF at 14%

Piper is not a likable character.
Everything is a debate to her.
That’s off putting.

Read the room.
She says that she has to be less in order to fit in, but I think she just lacks self awareness.

Going through someone’s home to explore when they said they’ll give you a tour later and then going to a random closet and pulling out items isn’t cute and quirky. And you’re only fake dating them. You guys aren’t friends at this point. You may have a past together, but that doesn’t mean you’re entitled to anything now.
It’s giving rude and stepping on boundaries.

I loved Reunited with the Rancher. I loved the two main protagonists, Whitman & Piper so much. They were funny, relatable, and strongly characterized and written. I rooted for them as a couple. And I felt so satisfied and happy when they got together.

In a market flooded with romance books, I have to be honest and say it's been a hot second since I've truly felt that way. Even though it has some popular tropes (quasi-frenemies to lovers, fake engagement), the way it was written was natural and clever. I didn't feel like the plot revolved around or was driven by the trope. Dare I say that it was actually...romantic...in the truest sense of the word?

When I received this book, I didn't realize that it was the end part of a series of books that told the romantic stories of members of a family. Because I hadn't read the other stories, I was worried I would't be able to read this independent of those stories. But be assured that that premise is far from the truth. It stands on its own quite well.

The author's writing is strong, and the dialogue and banter was funny. There were times I actually laughed out loud. I tell you, Harlequin trade paperback romances are so good, and I often feel like I am part of a secret "if you know you know" club with other Harlequin romance readers.

My only (slight) detraction might be that there were so many secondary characters (and scenes). I truly wanted more of Whit and Piper "alone" scenes (because I loved them so much). But that's minor, because there was a larger plot that made it necessary to involve these characters.

Anyways, I ramble. I recommend this book. I will definitely be seeking the other books in this series, and add novels by Anna Grace to my immediate tbr list when she comes out with new books.