Book Review for THE LAST RODEO by Delores Fossen

9/7/2018

The most important two words for this Wrangler’s Creek rodeo cowboy? I do...

Lucian Granger isn’t winning any Mr. Cowboy Congeniality awards. Known in his small Texas town as “Lucifer” thanks to his surly nature and knack for scaring people away from getting too close, the handsome rancher has no trouble ignoring the gossip. But when he’s in danger of losing the land he’s put his blood, sweat and tears into maintaining, Lucian sets out to prove he’s a changed man—by claiming he’s about to settle down with his invaluable assistant, Karlee O’Malley.

Their pending nuptials may be just for show, but from the moment they kiss, the proverbial fireworks start going off in his head—and in his heart. Before long, the man who’s usually as emotional as a brick wall is tired of pretending and wants to share a real future with Karlee. With his world suddenly turned upside down, Lucian will risk losing the business and the ranch if it means holding on to the one woman worth becoming a better man for.

With vivid images, quirky characters with their splendid uniqueness, playing with the words in a way that only a few do as well as Delores Fossen, words packed humor and endearment, the story of family drama, business troubles, and unrequited love unravels.
It is always a pleasure to visit Wrangle's Creek. The Granger family with their ongoing drama has been an entertaining saga to follow, filled with life with its messes, turbulent emotions, and more than their share of disorder and strain in the families.
Lucian has been the unknown factor in the family, the one in charge of the family company, yet avoiding all kinds of personal relationships, except with his longtime assistant, Karlee O’Malley, who seems to be the only one to understand him and cheering for him.
I knew there was more to Lucian, aka Lucifer, than the family let us know while following the series. He has been the fixer and caretaker of the family ever since his father walked away from his family. He has a tough responsibility on his shoulders, but he loves what he does, and it keeps him busy, his life and mind occupied, keeping his heart from more heartache and disappointments, making it easy to hide the stiff exterior of 'Lucifer'.
Karlee has had a similar role as a fixer in her own family. The mess that Karlee's mom and Lucian's father left behind was not easy to prepare, but Karlee and Lucien have always done everything they could to help their families while keeping feeling at the bay, to protect their hearts.
There are more twists in the tale that I could count, keeping the family, and the reader, on their toes, inhaling the tale to find out what will happen next. Each scene of the story is packed with intense feels, interruptions, drama, trouble, and instant reactions. It is a non-stop roll-a-coaster of emotions, shady business dealings, relationship messes, from farce and melodrama from the parental units to joy and passion, confusion and hard choices in Lucien and Karlee's lives.
Lucien and Karlee have an unrivaled connection, they get each other in a way few does because of the years working together, learning to anticipate the next move the other will make. Add that the attraction, the growing need for each other, and the confusion Lucien's ex with her demands of attention creates, and the emotions are gurning all over the place.
The Wrangler's Creek series is made of intriguing and entertaining stories, filled with high emotions, townfolks whom will take part of each and every twist of the tale, families that hold tight together despite the differences, drama, and constant trouble they create for each other.
Life is rarely smooth going or problem free, the Granger family having more than its share of the hitches of life, but they wither the storms together, coming through even strong than before.
An amazing, breathtaking, vastly entertaining family saga, filled with twists and unexpected turns, cowboy fiction at its best
~ Five Spoons

USA Today bestselling author, Delores Fossen, is an Air Force veteran who has sold over 100 novels. She's received the Booksellers' Best Award for romantic suspense, the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award and was a finalist for the prestigious Rita ®. Her books have been featured in Woman's Day and Woman’s World. In addition, she's had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines.