Susan F. (scoutmomskf) - , reviewed Claiming the Rancher's Heir (Gold Valley Vineyards, Bk 2) (Harlequin Desire, No 2767) on + 2626 more book reviews
Good enemies to lovers story. Wren Maxfield and Creed Cooper are co-owners of competing wineries. Maxfield Wines tend toward a more posh clientele, while Creed's Cowboy Wines have a more down-home reputation. When Wren's sister proposes a joint venture between the two wineries to promote their products, Wren and Creed must work together to make it happen. The difficulty is that Wren and Creed are like oil and water. Whenever they are in the same room, the sniping and bickering are nearly constant, each insisting that they don't like the other.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Wren and Creed. They both proclaim out loud that they hate each other, but the sparks that fly say otherwise. They use their antagonism to keep each other at a distance, as mentally they admit to intense attraction. When a fierce argument explodes into passion neither one can resist. Wren ends up pregnant, and Creed insists that they marry to ensure that he has a role in the baby's life. Wren is reluctant but agrees to a temporary marriage to soothe Creed's fears.
While Wren and Creed's attraction is undeniable, they quickly realize that they don't know each other. It was fun to watch them get to know each other's likes and dislikes and begin to believe they can make a go of the marriage even without the dreaded L-word. Both Wren and Creed have issues from their pasts that affect their willingness to allow their emotions to be part of their marriage. As Creed's support of Wren causes her to look at her life and her dreams, she realizes that her feelings for him have changed. I ached for her when she confessed those feelings to Creed, and he pulled away. It took some straight talk from one of his brothers to open Creed's eyes to his feelings for Wren and why he pushed her away. I liked the ending and seeing him finally let go of his guilt and believe in a happy future with Wren. The epilogue was terrific and had a nice twist at the end.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Wren and Creed. They both proclaim out loud that they hate each other, but the sparks that fly say otherwise. They use their antagonism to keep each other at a distance, as mentally they admit to intense attraction. When a fierce argument explodes into passion neither one can resist. Wren ends up pregnant, and Creed insists that they marry to ensure that he has a role in the baby's life. Wren is reluctant but agrees to a temporary marriage to soothe Creed's fears.
While Wren and Creed's attraction is undeniable, they quickly realize that they don't know each other. It was fun to watch them get to know each other's likes and dislikes and begin to believe they can make a go of the marriage even without the dreaded L-word. Both Wren and Creed have issues from their pasts that affect their willingness to allow their emotions to be part of their marriage. As Creed's support of Wren causes her to look at her life and her dreams, she realizes that her feelings for him have changed. I ached for her when she confessed those feelings to Creed, and he pulled away. It took some straight talk from one of his brothers to open Creed's eyes to his feelings for Wren and why he pushed her away. I liked the ending and seeing him finally let go of his guilt and believe in a happy future with Wren. The epilogue was terrific and had a nice twist at the end.