Love Somebody Like You Caribou Crossing #6 By: Susan Fox Releasing September 29, 2015 Zebra 
“Fox knows how to strike just enough sway between sweet and bitter, homespun and steamy.” --Publishers Weekly
With its breathtaking terrain and welcoming people, the Western town of Caribou Crossing is the perfect place for a heart to heal, and for love to blossom once more… Since the death of her husband three years ago, young widow Sally Ryland has kept to herself and focused on her struggling business, Ryland Riding. Folks assume she’s still grieving, because Sally has never shared the truth about her abusive marriage, or the trust issues that remain. But when a sexy rodeo rider from her past turns up for a visit, he’s a reminder of the feisty woman she once was—and maybe still could be… Ben Traynor was always attracted to Sally, but he didn’t move fast enough. Now what Sally needs is patience and gentleness. With an injury keeping him from his next rodeo, Ben has the perfect excuse to stick around and help with her chores—and her healing. And as Sally finds the courage to face her demons and open her heart again, she’ll have to decide if what she has with Ben is more than safety, gratitude, and short-term passion, but a forever love…
This is a beautifully written story, that touched my heart.
The difficult subject of spousal abuse, domestic violence is dealt with respect and dignity to the victim. The mental and physical manipulation her husband did to her, is shown clearly, the steps he took to isolate them is evident in the memories and flashbacks. With help and support from Ben, Sally finds her voice, the process of true healing starts, and she finds her place in the community. It doesn't happen overnight, the mending from the past takes time, the steps for that are clear, requiring more than just help and love from friends and family, but also some professional counseling. Ben's patience, care, and help to Sally is priceless. Together they built on to the business Sally has tried to handle on her own for so long. They make a good team, working side by side gives them equal setting in the relationship, and Sally's business start to thrive. Through the heartbreak and pain, that Sally had gone through, something beautiful and radiate grow, blossom, and flourish with Ben. The relationship they built together is an equal, healthy, and loving. They adore, care, and help each other, like true partners should. The process of healing that Sally goes through in the story is inspiring and heartening. The rough life of a rancher, and uncertainty of the rodeo lifestyle is tangible. But the story is not just about the darker sides of the life, there are moments of pure beauty, softly uplifting. Because life is not only about fear of survival or mucking the stalls, sometimes it is watching the sunset together, dancing in the kitchen, or picking wildflowers on the pasture, cause love and being truly alive wins... ~ Five Spoons 
Moving awkwardly and painfully, Ben got to work bringing the horses in, removing tack, and giving them a light grooming. He enjoyed being with the animals even though his shoulder ached something fierce.
He was finishing up when a middle-aged couple in casual Western clothing entered the barn. “Can I help you?” he asked them. The pair gazed at him curiously. The man said, “We board our horses here and we’re going out for a ride.” “Need help with anything?” “No, we’re good,” he said. “You’re Sally’s new assistant?” the woman asked. Ah, that explained Sally’s air of tiredness and strain. She’d had an employee who’d quit on her. Ben shook his head. “Just an old friend, passing through.” The couple gathered halters and left the barn. Ben gave the horses a little water. Unsure whether Sally wanted them turned out to pasture, he left them in stalls and went out to watch her lesson. A smile lifted the corners of his mouth at the sight that met his eyes. She’d set up three barrels in the cloverleaf pattern of a barrel racing course and she was urging a compact buckskin around the first barrel and on to the second. She looked intensely focused, yet vibrant and joyful— and years younger, like the old Sally. The horse wasn’t a patch on that striking silvery quarter horse she used to own, but Sally herself looked mighty fine. When she finished, the sound of clapping drew Ben’s attention to the petite, ponytailed girl atop a black-and-white horse just outside the gate to the ring, and to the woman in the bleachers. “You still got it, Pantages,” Ben called. Sally swung the horse around, her gaze finding him where he stood near the barn. She shook her head, took off her hat, and ran a hand through tousled redgold curls. “It’s been a long time since I was in shape to compete.” She glanced away from him to the girl. “But Jude here is a rising star. Come on into the ring, Jude, and you and Puffin give it a run.” For the next ten minutes, Ben sat with the mom and enjoyed watching Sally work with her student, who did indeed show promise. Following the doc’s instructions, he let his left arm hang free in the sling rather than supporting it with his other arm, which could push the broken bones into the wrong position. And he kept the fingers and wrist on his left side moving, to help prevent stiffness and swelling. By the time the lesson ended, two more riders, a middle-aged woman and a teenaged girl, had arrived in separate vehicles. Ben caught Sally for a moment, asking, “Anything I can do to help?” Sitting atop the buckskin, she gazed down at him. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m good. I’m using the same horses for my lesson with Margaret, and it’s the last one of the day. The other rider, Chrissie, boards her horse here and she’s going to work her in the small ring. She’ll look after her own needs.” She rolled her shoulders, loosening them. “Once I’m finished, you can tell me about Penny, okay?” “How about I take you for dinner in town? It’ll give us a chance to catch up.” Her eyebrows pulled together. “I don’t go into town.” “Huh? Why not?” A quick, dismissive flick of her head. “Takes too long. I’m too busy.” Wasn’t the town of Caribou Crossing only fifteen or twenty minutes away? Before he could ask, she had ridden away to join her new student, who was getting mounted. As the lesson started in the ring, Ben watched for a few minutes. The teenaged student wasn’t a barrel racer, just working to improve her riding skills. Sally had her trot and lope the horse in a variety of patterns around the barrels. She lacked natural talent, but had a great attitude. His stomach growled, reminding him that lunch had been too long ago. He went to the trailer to get a handful of cherries from the fridge. Sally hadn’t accepted his invitation. Nor had she invited him to stay for dinner, but it was getting late and they both needed to eat. Easy fix: he’d drive into town and pick something up. Takeout, some beer, and a bunch of flowers. Easy, friendly stuff. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be offended. 
Award-winning, international best-selling author Susan Fox (who also writes as Savanna Fox and Susan Lyons) is a Pacific Northwester with homes in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia. She has degrees in law and psychology, and has had a variety of careers, including perennial student, computer consultant, and legal editor. Fiction writer is by far her favorite, giving her an outlet to demonstrate her belief in the power of love, friendship, and a sense of humor.
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