The heart wants what the heart wants…

Web designer Zoe Wilson has two good reasons to avoid Cafferty ranch. First, she’s scared of horses. And second, she absolutely does not want to bump into her first love, Jake Cafferty. Too bad her best friend just happens to be Jake’s sister.

When she asks Zoe to update the ranch’s outdated website, Zoe agrees—happy to lose herself in the digital world. But the more time she spends near Jake, the more all those feelings from years ago rear up in her heart, kicking like a wild bronco…

Jake never told anyone, but Zoe broke his heart when they were kids. Now she’s back, and the gruff cowboy vows there’s no way he’ll let that happen again. But there’s something about Zoe that he just can’t resist, and he soon finds himself falling for her all over again… Hard.

When Zoe gets accepted into a prestigious program, she doesn’t want to give up on their love. But Jake can’t bring himself to leave the ranch.

Can these two broken-hearted souls finally come together? Or will they be torn apart for good…

Titles in the Cafferty Ranch series include — Wild Love -♥- Wrangling Love -♥- Rugged Love -♥-

This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  Wild Love
Series:  Cafferty Ranch #1
Author:  Leslie North
Genre:  Modern Western Romance
Published:  May 19, 2022
Publisher:  Relay
My Rating:  4 stars

Wild Love begins the Cafferty Ranch series with a reluctant second chance romance… reluctant because both Zoe and Jake remember all too well how their romance ended once before and they’re in the same location now because of circumstances beyond their control.  But, perhaps, they’re in the right spot to fall in love again and have the ending be far different than before.  Or, history will repeat itself, only time will tell for this couple.

After the death of their parents, Jake and his sisters have done their best to preserve the legacy of the family ranch, each in their own way.  Yet, it’s fallen on Jake’s shoulders to do everything possible to save their rapidly sinking legacy.  He seems to feel that only he can do this but it will take a team effort to keep the ranch afloat.  And perhaps a bit of outside help as well when Zoe comes to stay for a month.  Jake is as stubborn as a mule, and takes advice just about as well as one, too.  He’s going to have to learn the hard way that second chances don’t come around that often… and that Zoe is worth being first in his life and everything else second or in moderation.  The ranch is important, and emergencies happen – but the woman he loves has to come first or this just isn’t going to work between them.

Zoe is an excellent coder and web designer, along with her magical photography and right now all of those skills will be put to use in updating Jake’s family ranch’s website, hopefully bringing in more clients.  His sister Shannon might have fast-talked the details to Jake in letting him think Zoe was only back for a weekend but in the end, his heart was glad to see his love again… their breakup still hurt but being near her again was setting off emotions he just didn’t have time for.

I’m not sure who was the more stubborn of these two, it might actually be a tie.  I understood Zoe’s reasons and certainly felt that her fear of horses was very real.  I loved the way that Jake helped her get past those fears, it was imaginative but it worked.  Jake’s fears were real as well, even though he didn’t need to take on all the responsibility I got why he did.  Neither was all wrong, and neither was totally right – they needed a compromise, and I was glad to see how that came about.

I enjoyed Jake and Zoe in Wild Love and I’m definitely looking forward to Eli’s story up next.  A quick, emotional, sexy beginning to the series, one that I’ll be following.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from Booksprout. The opinions expressed in this review are my own – good, bad, or indifferent. I was not financially compensated for this review and no expectation of a positive review was promised.*

**Release date: May 19, 2022

Available for the Kindle (as this title will be in KU)