Winning Over the Rancher: A Clean and Uplifting Romance

by Viv Royce

A storm brings them together…

But can he get her to stay?

After a storm ravages his orchards, Colorado rancher Cade Williams reluctantly accepts help from big-city marketing expert Lily Richards. But it’ll take more than working together to revive his town’s summer Apple Fest for them to find common ground. When his roots and her dreams collide, will Lily and Cade take a chance on love?

From Harlequin Wholesome stories of love, compassion and belonging.

Heroes of the Rockies

Book 1: Winning Over the Rancher
Book 2: The Rancher Resolution

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published August 22, 2023

Reviews

[Kate Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

First in the Heroes of the Rockies series, in which Cade Williams isn't sure about his sister's best friend, Lily Richards, when she comes to see the grieving woman and her adorable 5-year-old twins. Perhaps it's because Lily is also there to create a program that might secure a permanent job as a marketing expert in a firm in Denver that took her on reluctantly. All Cade seems to care about is his apple and flower ranch, which has suffered in a recent windstorm. When Lily offers to head up a special festival to generate contributions for all the similarly suffering ranchers, Cade agrees to participate and finds himself attracted to the woman he is certain would prefer city life to country life. Is he wrong? She's not sure what to do after the festival, especially when what her late brother had left in his wake--so many debts and all that that means. When Cade hesitates to admit his feelings to Lily, she concludes she has to leave the ranch--until one of the twins tells her she has to visit the original apple tree before she departs. Wonder what she will find there...

[Marcie Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish reading "Winning Over the Rancher" by Viv Royce and stopped after 75 pages.
While the hero, Cade, is very protective of his sister, he is also very judgmental when it comes to Lily (the heroine) and her family. Lily is visiting the ranch under false pretenses and there for her own gain, but she is also very secretive. I didn't like either one of them very much.
Another peeve - Cade and Lily didn't meet in the first chapter like most H/h do in a category romance. Plus, the first chapter was very long and repetitive.
Sadly, Ms. Royce did not "win over" this reader with her debut for Harlequin Heartwarming.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this entire series over the weekend. While I liked the series overall, I felt the characters of Cade and his sister Gina were carbon copies of each other. Both blew hot and cold at a moment's notice. No matter how much April tried to help Cade, he always found a reason to get angry with her. I liked her character, didn't like his.

[Harlequin Books]

Small Town & Rural Fiction, Western Romance, Contemporary Romance, Wholesome Romance
Miniseries
Heroes of the Rockies (Book #1)