Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Diamonds in the Rough

SERIES: On the Ranch (book 3)

AUTHOR: Jodi Payne & BA Tortuga

PUBLISHER: Tygerseye Publishing

LENGTH: 230 pages

RELEASE DATE: August 6, 2024

BLURB:

When Asher Allen heads west to become the nanny to a family in New Mexico for the summer, he’s expecting three kids who’ve lost their parents. He’s expecting to have to step in and save the day so their uncle, the cowboy who took them in, can get back to work on the family ranch. What he doesn’t expect is to fall so hard for New Mexico. And for his new boss.

Sebastian Martindale is about to give up and make a run for it when Ash arrives. His niece hates him, he never gets enough sleep, and he can’t juggle three small kids and the mountain of work that needs to get done. Despite his total exhaustion he’s skeptical when his mom hires a nanny, but once Ash shows up, Bastian isn’t sure how he’d managed without the man.

Together, Bastian and Ash have to navigate the children’s grief, the first day of school, helping the kids understand they have a home right where they are, and falling for each other at the same time. Can they work it all out and polish up the diamonds in the rough they find?

REVIEW:

I love that I’m “Back on the Ranch”!

Bastian needed help and his Mama took charge and made it happen! Suddenly having a ready made family complete with very active 3 year old toddler twin boys who are definitely a handful and a hurting 8 year old girl that is in mourning at the loss of not only her parents but her life back in Connecticut! Now she’s stuck on a farm with a gay uncle that has no idea what to do and only knew about because of the birthday and Christmas gifts he sent from New Mexico where he owns a very successful breeding ranch. When Ash arrives at his new nanny position clear out on a ranch on New Mexico he didn’t expect to see a handsome cowboy with one naked boy under his arm chasing its equally naked twin brother around the second floor balcony of the grand home. And thinking the boys would be his biggest challenge when their older sister is a grieving mess. Or to learn that there are gay cowboys! .

One of the biggest things I really loved about this book is that Bastian and Ash didn’t act immediately on their attraction. They had so many hard things on their plate with dealing with Sammy and her loss of her parents and the depression and night terrors she experiences. Add in the twin toddlers Will and Walt, potty training, trying to keep them corralled and out of mischief, and away from the new puppies. Then throw in food challenges, school challenges, daily doses of reality that smacked them in the face with every turn and romance and starting a relationship right off the bat wouldn’t have worked for me. But it was easy to see what attracted them to the other. This was a tough situation to inherit but Bastian and Ash worked well as a unit and tackled each problem as it arose. I did love that it was Sammy that inadvertently played matchmaker for the two when she outed her Uncle to Ash. Out of the mouthed of babes can lead to some very interesting developments.

As expected, I became ravenous for some good old fashion southwest cooking, especially the yummy Christmas style enchiladas, those men devoured. If it’s one of BA and Jodi’s New Mexico books I know I’m going to be drooling at the foods that they describe so vividly!

This may say it’s a series but it’s more  “a collection of standalone novels that center around cowboys who bring city men home to the ranch with them. They feature kids and animals, found family, chosen family, and plenty of opposites attract tension and obstacles.”

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Amazon