Will this older woman—younger man romance give the town something to talk about? 

He bailed on a wedding to the wrong woman, only to fall right into temptation’s next trap.

Runaway groom Brett Harston has long been the subject of town gossip—and so has Sarabeth Edmonds, who’s returned to Royal after leaving her hateful ex-husband.

Soon an innocent kiss to rile the rumor mill unleashes a red-hot attraction they can’t resist.

Will the wealthy rancher fall hard—or will she be the one to run this time?

Titles in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Heir Apparent include — Back in the Texan’s Bed by Naima Simone – At The Rancher’s Pleasure by Joss Wood – Blue Collar Billionaire by Karen Booth – The Trouble with Bad Boys by Katherine Garbera – Texas Tough by Janice Maynard – Trapped with the Texan by Joanne Rock – How to Catch a Bad Boy by Cat Schield – Bidding on a Texan by Barbara Dunlop –

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  At the Rancher’s Pleasure
Series:  Texas Cattleman’s Club: Heir Apparent #2
Author:  Joss Wood
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Publication Date:  March 1, 2021
Rating:  4.5 stars

Frankly, I love a good older woman/younger man romance… emphasis on the “good” part of that statement.  Some are just so silly and unrealistic that I don’t even finish them.  And that’s a shame because in today’s world age should not be a deciding factor if two consulting adults should love each other.  It does add an additional layer that, when handled well, makes the story more compelling, more intimate, and more enjoyable for the reader.

At the Rancher’s Pleasure is a sexy, sizzling, delightful romance that I completely enjoyed from start to finish… and then wished for just a bit more.  We met Sarabeth briefly in her son, Ross’ and Charlotte’s story, Back in the Texan’s Bed, and while I liked the glimpse of her then – she is so much more in her own story.  Married at a young age to an older man, Sarabeth seemed to have it all until she discovered her husband’s affairs and asked for a divorce.  Unfortunately, Rusty is and always will be a nasty jerk, and his underhanded actions in the divorce proceedings damaged her relationship with her son Ross, and her daughter, Gina.  Sarabeth learned how to survive, actually how to thrive as she came into her own, eventually, as a successful, secure, extremely wealthy businesswoman and owner of a cosmetic company.  Her children are adults now, she has a new grandson she wants to be near as well as continuing to nurture her reconciliation with Ross so she’s back in Royal, Texas for now.  The gossips are up to their usual tricks, but Sarabeth had no idea that she would soon fuel that gossip with the help of one wealthy, handsome, younger man.

Brett dodged a big mistake when he walked away from his wedding the night of the rehearsal dinner.  He knew that the relationship with Lexi was part nostalgia from their teen years, part rebound from her divorce, and part falling into his old habit of rescuing damsels in distress.  Fortunately, he realized their wedding would be a mistake, and became a runaway groom to the town gossips.  After two weeks away, hopefully, enough time for the chatter to die down, Brett is back in Royal… and is he ever in for one huge surprise when he realizes who has rented his guest cottage, and the part Sarabeth’s about to play in his present and their future.

I really enjoyed this couple.  They believe that their sexy fling is just that, temporary satisfaction, yet all the time together is building a bond between them that will eventually scare them both into making rash decisions.  Sarabeth is such a strong character.  She’s been through all the emotions possible, she’s survived the unthinkable, and she is finally secure in herself and her place in life.  Brett put a spin on her future, one she’s afraid to take the risk of wishing for.  She’ll make mistakes, but her strength shows through every action she takes, even the wrong ones.  Brett is a self-made man, proud yet humble.  He believes that he’s not the settling down type, yet this woman has changed him in ways he wasn’t expecting.  He doesn’t want to rescue her but stand beside her through life… if she’ll let him.

At the Rancher’s Pleasure is certainly full of sexy encounters, love slowly building in spite of intentions, some nastiness from the past, a couple to root for, and hope for the future.  I enjoyed this one so much, and should you love a really good romance full of sizzling chemistry, emotions, and strong characters then this one would fit you perfectly.

I own a Kindle edition of this title.

Available in paperback or for your favorite e-reader, mine is the Kindle.