Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle

The Cowboy Collection

by Donna Alward

After a hard day's ranching, Wyatt Black wants to kick back with a cold beer. But when he steps onto his porch, he has unexpected company - his tiny abandoned niece!

Against her better judgment, Wyatt's neighbor Elli Marchuk agrees to help him for a few days

Elli soon falls in love with baby Darcy, but it's the child's grouchy, gorgeous protector who's got her head over heels....

Genres: Romance, Westerns, Harlequin, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Western Romance, Audiobook

187 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2010

About the author

Since 2006, New York Times bestseller Donna Jones Alward has enchanted readers with stories of happy endings and homecomings that have won several awards and been translated into over a dozen languages. She’s worked as an administrative assistant, teaching assistant, in retail and as a stay-at-home-mom, but always knew her degree in English Literature would pay off, as she is now happy to be a full-time writer. Her new historical fiction tales blend her love of history with characters who step beyond their biggest fears to claim the lives they desire.

Donna currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and cats. You can often find her near the water, either kayaking on the lake or walking the sandy beaches to refill her creative well.

Find out more at www.donnajonesalward.com

Reviews

[Elle (Ligia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm conflicted on the rating for this book. I guess I'll settle for 3 stars.

I got the audio for this book and after seeing the cover I just couldn't resist reading it... or well, listening to it. And while it didn't turn out to be amazing, it was pretty good still.

One afternoon Wyatt gets back home to a six-month-old baby on his porch. A crying six-month-old baby. He's freaked out, to say the least, and her nonstop crying is giving him a headache. So what does he do? He asks his neighbor Elli for help.

Only Elli knows little more than he does about babies, and she's carrying a painful past as well. Caring for little Darcy may just open old wounds, wounds she's not ready to revise.

Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle was... how to put it... nice? sweet? cute? I don't even know, maybe all three. There were plenty mixed emotions running around. A hard-headed rancher with a tough past and a still grieving mother taking care of a small baby is bound to set the rollercoaster running.

I guess it was a good book to pass the time. I couldn't resist the baby on the cover! LOL

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had this book recommended to me by a friend and not having had read this author or this line before I wasn’t sure what to expect. I have to say I was not disappointed!

Alward’s solid writing and compelling story telling will definitely have me looking for her other titles. The characters in Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle are not only likeable but also believable, complete with hopes, dreams, regrets and redemption. Wyatt’s unexpected situation forces Elli reluctantly out of her personal heartbreak and onto the journey of recovery for the sake of an adorable helpless baby. A partnership which initially begins as a necessary evil ends up inspiring a hope so strong it makes change not only possible but immensely rewarding. I can’t wait to dig into Ms. Alward’s backlist – thank heavens for e-readers!!

[Calisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual Donna Alward wrote an emotional and enjoyable book in Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle. It wasn't what I expected by the title, but then again it is open to interpretation so That leaves it for the reader to assume until you read this story. I loved Elli and Wyatt. Darcy was irresistible. I was sad to finish this one, but I find myself that way with nearly all of her books. I will read this one again from my keeper shelf. I may have to buy it for Kindle now.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a 6 week old baby-girl is deposited onto Wyatt Black’s doorstep, both he and his reluctant neighbor, Elli Marchuk, must overcome fears that have driven both of them to run from their past, and ultimately trust in each other. Their growing love for this child, who unknowingly becomes the catalyst for healing past hurts, is at the centre of a heartwarming story that, like all good romances do, leaves you feeling hope for good things to come.

I don’t read a lot of contemporaries but I think Donna Alward is a master at the everyday, simple lives that most of us lead. Her characters feel real – they drive beat up cars, they have messy kitchens and the homes are like the ones that most of us live in. They aren’t secret agents or Lords of the Manor, but there is something genuine about them that makes them really easy to tuck into with a cup of coffee, and (ironically) escape into. This is the perfect book for a rainy March afternoon, tucked in on your couch with a cup of coffe, while ignoring the toys scattered on the floor– because that’s what life is, isn’t it? And Donna Alward gets that. Pick it up, and then get yourself to eHarlequin and go through her back list. You’ll be doing yourself a favour.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Babies and Brides

"I don’t read a lot of contemporaries but I think Donna Alward is a master at capturing the heart of the everyday, simple lives that most of us lead. Her characters feel real ..." from a review posted by an eHarlequin.com member. To read more go here.

[Oana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, a nice book to read!

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of those romance novels that's only for certain kinds of readers. If you're the kind of reader who feels that cozy romances (in which there's no sex or violence on the page) are just a bit too racy for your tastes, then this might be the book for you.

This is one of those books where there really is no conflict because all of the main characters are too-good-to-be-true nice people and there is virtually no external evil to speak of. So the author has to try to manufacture a conflict for the final climax of the story out of this big fat nothing that's going on. It's boring and hokey to read about this artificial conflict that lasts all of 30 seconds before quickly getting resolved as the protagonists fall all over themselves to tell each other what great people they are. But different strokes for different folks. If that's what you like in a book then look no further.

As for me, I need a story with a few more teeth. I found myself gagging and rolling my eyes at several places and my mind wandering at others. The basic story is that Wyatt comes in from a day of ranching to find a baby on his doorstep. She turns out to be his illegitimate half-sister's child, Darcy. The sister, Barbara, left a letter saying she "couldn't do this anymore" and apologizing for dumping Darcy on him but insisting that she wouldn't have if "there was any other way." Upon reading the letter, I mistakenly thought that maybe something interesting might happen later on. Barbara's note seemed to indicate that she was in trouble and I thought maybe there was an abusive boyfriend or mafia connection or some such that might liven up the climax, but that's not the case. In fact, we kind of never find out just what "the case" is. Later on we hear that Barbara has been admitted to the hospital for a psych evaluation but we don't really find out the exact nature of that hospitalization. Did she try to commit suicide? Did she have postpartum depression? Was she a druggie? Was she just so exhausted and overwhelmed with being a single sleep-deprived mother that she went a little nuts? It's never explicitly said just what's going on with Barbara, which I find unnecessarily frustrating.

Wyatt carries the baby, which has been sitting on his porch exposed to the elements for some hours, inside. She wakes up and starts crying and he freaks out because he "doesn't know anything about babies" and runs over to his neighbor's house to solicit Elli's help. Quite frankly, I thought the depiction of how clueless Elli and Wyatt were about babies to be WAY over the top so as to be completely unbelievable. These are two allegedly functioning adults with at least a high school education and yet neither one of them can figure out how to put on a diaper? Or think that a fellow living being needs to be fed on the regular? Way unbelievable. And the description of Elli getting "flashes" of knowledge from her baby-prep class just made it worse. Elli was pregnant and carried her baby almost to term. She had a prep class to prepare her for caring for the child.....and yet she's THIS clueless about what to do??? Good God, how was she planning to care for the son she almost had? Like I said, this depiction of their ineptitude was WAY overdone and didn't jive with the rest of the story. I could maybe have swallowed that Wyatt was that dense about kids (though it still would have made me roll my eyes at the use of such a cliched stereotype) because he didn't have any siblings when growing up and had an abusive childhood, but to ask me to believe that Elli was just as useless was a bridge too far.

Elli ultimately agrees to help Wyatt take care of Darcy and they spend the next two weeks playing house together and dancing around the topic of getting involved. The romance was very lackluster. It started off on the wrong foot and never really got right. When Wyatt first introduces us to Elli in his inner monologue he doesn't have one positive thing to say about her. He refers to her as stupid and lacking in sense and only goes to her for help because she's literally right next door and a woman. He doesn't think about how, despite the circumstances of their first encounter, her pretty face had been haunting his dreams or anything like that. There's absolutely NO attraction to speak of from his side. Not to mention that he was unforgivably rude to her at their first meeting and never apologizes for it.

It's only after Elli is there at his house, solving all of his problems and providing him with delicious home-cooked meals that he starts having tender feelings for her. It really makes the romance seem more of a side affect of circumstance rather than an epic love story. At one point, Wyatt even comes straight out and says that Elli reminds him of his mother. Eww. Elli, meanwhile, suffers from very low self esteem and is still mourning the loss of her son. Her feelings for Wyatt also seem very much wrapped up in the fact that being around Darcy is allowing her to heal a bit of that hurt. She also has a bit of that "wounded bird syndrome" where she feels compelled to try to heal Wyatt from his abusive past. Actually, Wyatt's got his own dose of wounded bird syndrome because he too feels compelled to heal Elli of her terrible loss. So all in all, the romance felt a lot more like a couple of damaged people latching on to the first set of circumstances that felt semi-comfortable and deciding that it must mean true love.

A convenient roadblock is thrown up to keep the romance from progressing anywhere in that the social worker sent to determine if Wyatt is a fit legal guardian for Darcy says that child services "requires" that any romantic relationship have been going on for at least 12 months. I don't really know anything about the foster care system in Canada, but this seems like a pretty bogus rule. Everything I've heard about foster care in general is that it's overloaded with kids and there aren't enough fosters to go around. Are they really out there disqualifying family members who are willing to take in kids, have a completely clean record and a stable home to provide simply because they've only been with their girlfriend/boyfriend for say, 11 months?

But whether this is a real rule or just something the author made up for plot convenience, it's used to keep the romance from happening. Now if Wyatt and Elli dare even so much as cop a feel, Darcy could be whisked away to foster care and Wyatt just can't let that happen so he has to push Elli away. Elli, meanwhile, understands what's at stake, but still gets her feelings hurt when Wyatt does this. I kind of both felt like she had a point and wanted to smack her. On the one hand, I got tired of listening to Elli's self-pity when she knew full well why Wyatt needed to keep their relationship platonic. But on the other hand, Wyatt's behavior wasn't really that of a guy who was desperately warring with himself over his overwhelming attraction. He seemed pretty okay with it all. I guess this is a cozy romance thing but I really wished we got a bit more spark and longing going on between these two. The lack of it just added to the feeling that they weren't really in love with each other. They just happened to be around each other a lot.

Aside from the non-plot and the lackluster romance, as some of the other reviewers have said, this book needed a good editor. The narration and the dialogue were very repetitive. Elli must have said or thought the phrase "Wyatt's trying to do the right thing" at least a dozen times, for example. And their conversations were stilted and not how real people talk. Just a dud of a book all around, really.

[LWB Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wyatt Black has no clue what to do when he finds his baby niece Darcy abandoned on his porch. He is a rancher and knows nothing about babies. Fortunately his neighbor Elli Marchuk is willing to help him with baby Darcy till he has figured out what is going on here. Wyatt and Elli fall in love with baby Darcy and she is their number one priority till Darcy’s mum returns. They feel attracted to one another but both carry a lot of emotional luggage and this stands between them.

To be honest, I had low expectations when I started this story. Why? Because it is a novella, it is only 187 pages long or perhaps better said short. Me and short stories are usually not a good combination, I almost always miss a certain depth in the characters or plotline and it usually feels rushed. But Donna Alward pleasantly surprised me with Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle. It is a beautiful, even-paced, emotional and solid read about two people who try to heal themselves and leave their past behind.

The story works for me because it is not rushed. The whole story takes place in approximately 2 – 3 weeks; it is even-paced and only deals with the relationship of Wyatt and Elli. So no complex plotlines or lots of characters, just a classic love story between two people. Because the storyline is pretty straightforward the strength of this story lies in the character development of Elli and Wyatt. Both are strong, likeable and totally caught in the maelstrom of emotions that baby Darcy brings along.

Wyatt is a rancher, handsome, strong, and a bit blunt sometimes but also gentle, caring and responsible. He had a lousy childhood; his father drank and beat him and he took care of his mom instead of the other way around. To compensate his father’s absence and lack of responsibility he always felt the need to fix things or people and still does. He tries very hard not to be like his father, but his parents’ marriage has scarred him. Having Darcy in the house makes him realize he is nothing like his father and that he is worthy of a family.

Elli is a strong and caring woman who lost her baby; on top of that she has lost her job and got divorced. Now she tries to pick up the pieces of her life and tries to figure out what to do with it. The last thing she needs is to fall head over heels again for a rancher and take care of a baby. But taking care of Darcy is forcing her to face her grief and start living again instead of hiding from the world. And while spending time with Darcy and Wyatt she discovers what she really wants out of a relationship.

I was really rooting for Elli and Wyatt, I so wanted them to be happy and have their HEA. Thanks to Darcy they both had to scrutinize their lives, they helped each other to fathom things about themselves so that they can move on with their life. At the end of the story both have a better understanding of themselves, making them well-rounded characters. Elli and Wyatt’s conversations are vivid and some were very recognizable, making the story only more real. Do not expect steamy love scenes, there aren’t any and I did not miss them. This story does not need it for it is packed with real-life emotions.

With this story I now have Donna Alward on my radar. Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle is a powerful, emotional and classic love story. It kept me captive and rooting for Elli and Wyatt to the last page. It is feel-good romance at its best and I loved it!

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle
This is a typical Harlequin Romance story. There is definitely something appealing about an attractive masculine man with a cute baby, and this pair is irresistible.
Although it is obvious where the plot is going once he asks for help from attractive neighbour Elli, the book gave me great pleasure.
Both of the protagonists have had sadness and tragedy in the past, and this has to be dealt with and overcome before the story, and their lives, can move forwards.
The book made me smile, and it also made me cry.
I particularly enjoyed the section when the social worker turns up unexpectedly, and had she been a couple of minutes later would have caught them "in flagrante."
The book is so well written that I wholeheartedly believed every word, and the author's style is very unobtrusive, so the story unfolds very smoothly.
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway, so thank you very much, Donna.

[Kym McNabney · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I spotted PROUD RANCHER, PRECIOUS BUNDLE by Donna Alward at the store, besides the cowboy on the cover, the authors name caught my eye as I'd read another of her books, A LONE COWBOY. In that book I was impressed by the unique challenge of the hero. I thought the well written book was a real page turner.

PROUD RANCHER, PRECIOUS BUNDLE didn't disappoint with the storyline, as well as the writing. I rarely read a non-Christian book anymore, and although this was not an inspirational novel, it contained very limited bad language and no sexual scenes. I'd love to see Alward switch over to Christian fiction. She'd sure to become one of my favorite authors if she did.

[Gwnhwyfer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting a straight-forward "mystery baby brings two people together" plotline. I wasn't expecting to see such depth in the characters, especially in so short a book (my Mills and Boon version clocked in at 187 pages). Elli is not usually the type of character that I prefer to read (which I didn't realize until I had started the book) (divorcee who had a child - nothing against the character herself, just not my cup of tea...so sue me ;)), but it's testiment to Donna Alward's writing that I kept reading (and cried at the end). She drew me in! ;) And it's set in Alberta! ;)

This is my first book by Donna Alward, but I will be reading more...

[F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A man 🧑🏻, a woman 👩🏼 and a baby 👶🏻, who will unite them as nothing 🔗, as never before ⏳, but who will also awaken many ghosts of two very painful pasts 🙍🏻🙍🏼‍♀️.

The novel satisfied me a lot, especially because its degree of verisimilitude is quite high 👌🏽, unlike other authors ✒️ and other books 📚.
The only necessary change would be the extension 📏, given the complexity of the plot and with that, all around the VERY BRIEF "recovery process" of the baby's biological mother 🤱🏻 and in relation to the social worker 👩🏼‍💼.

Maybe review the title? 🤔

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rancher just getting started with his ranch comes home from work and finds a baby on his doorstep. It belongs to his sister--someone he's never quite been sure was his sister. But he can't betray his family, what little he has of it. So he goes next door to the woman housesitting there hoping for some help. She has secrets of her own, but she can't abandon the baby...and things go from there. It's a nice little romance.

[Gillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is it weird that my favourite character's gotta be Darcy, even though she'd never spoken a word throughout the entire story? A very aww-worthy story, though I wished that it had been longer. I know that it's meant to be a novella, but I kinda wanted to see more scenes of our hero and heroine together with the baby.

Both Wyatt and Elli's backstory had been equally heart-wrenching, and this is the first time that I felt the same equal amount of sympathy towards both characters.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story.

Cute story.

This was a cute story that brought to light the effects of a single persons actions on others around them. It was also just sweet and romantic.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story. A good book for those times when you just want to read something that's not too angsty and that also guarantees a HEA ending. I plan to read more of Alward's books. She has a nice writing style.

[Taria Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute story, no sex but the tension and emotion made up for that. the narrator's voice kept reminding me of the guy that narrates A Christmas Story. yeah I know....lol.

Story - 3
narrator - 2.5

[Marran · Rating 3 out of 5]

a sweet little story

[Loretta · Rating 3 out of 5]

The emotional factor of loss and healing is what endeared this short story to me.

[Fedora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story with a tough rancher, his softhearted neighbor, and an adorable niece...

[Michelle Tempted By Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a sweet story. I wish it would have been longer. I am curious about Wyatt and Elli, after story ended.

[HappyRuth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful love story. Two people with many hertz coming to gather with a baby in the nick to fix all that hurts.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet

It's sweet, well written. Good and interesting story. Not boring at all. I liked the characters. And the way everything was developed.

[Elane Boone · Rating 4 out of 5]

He needed her help.

She had met her neighbor and did not think much of him and when he came to her door for help with a baby of all things, what was she going to do.

[Aysha P · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 2.5 stars, it was bland and somewhat lacking oomf. Additionally, to quote boogenhagen: "The h and H were really only visiting HPlandia, as the two of them were about as Alpha as concussed ducklings wandering about looking for their nest". That's all I can say, I didn't really love or really hate these two or this book.

[bunny ꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱ · Rating 3 out of 5]

My goodness, I've been looking for the name of this book for years! I read it over a decade ago on a family trip to Paris! I don't know how I got my hands on it considering I was around 12-13, but nevertheless I really enjoyed it! I'm happy to finally put a name to the memory :^)

[Fanona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written by a woman but audio narrated by a man. Felt very incongruent to me. Nice & clean & typical . if they'd just be honest & open with each other most of the angst would resolve quickly. This genre uses that ploy to extend conflict. Gets old real fast.

[Mattie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't like it. Np.

[Joana Correia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 STARS

One Review, One Gif
(All my reviews will have a gif that represents my feelings on that book, followed by a brief (or not) comment)

My gif. review on Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle, by Donna Alward




It was ok! just Ok.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Babies and Brides