Scandal with the Rancher

Very good story

Reviewed by Molly Edwards for Readers' Favorite In Scandal With the Rancher, Ronan "Booze" Kelly finds himself restless after building his trading empire, until his idea to start a ranch leads him to widowed rancher Marguerite McMasters, who refuses to sell him her land or admit to the attraction between them. Ms. Justiss creates her characters the same way she did her story line: uniquely. They are perfectly chiseled for their roles and the secondary characters were as captivating as Booze and Marguerite. The charm and wit that Ms. Justiss added to each character really was a wonderful part of the book. Booze's character is awesome. He's definitely a tall, dark charmer and one that I wish could be mine for just a night! His story was wonderfully created and I loved him. Marguerite's character is almost as wonderful as Booze's. There were a few things about her that I didn't like, such as her typical school marm attitude, but overall, she was well created and it didn't take long for her to capture my heart. In the end, her character was a perfect fit for Booze and I enjoyed reading about her. Julia Justiss is a new author to me and certainly one I'm glad that I had the chance to read. Her writing style is unique and captivating and, from page one, she had me hooked. Each page brought me further to the heart of the story and kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. When a book keeps me that hooked, it's well worth the high praises! This is definitely a book that I would read again. If you love romance, history, and characters that are meant to be in your life, then grab this book. It's written by a superbly talented author and one that will be on my shelf forever! Hats off to the author for making me a new fan!

"Scandal with the Rancher" by Julia Justiss is a historical romance that tells the history of Whiskey River. I loved the Whiskey River series. This was a great way to see how it all began. This is Ronan "Booze" Kelly and widowed rancher Marguerite McMasters' story. Booze is not the settling down type of guy. Marguerite is working as a school teacher. She will not sell her land. But how far will she go so she so she can make payments on her land? There is intense chemistry and attraction between them. You will enjoy their adventure in starting Whiskey River. I received a copy of this book for a honest review. FYI, includes mature content.

Julia Justiss takes us back to the beginning so that we can see how it all began. Booze Kelly is an intelligent and dynamic man who sees a need and fills it. He founded an empire built on brains and strong drink. I was entranced by his charismatic personality and sharp wit. This man is potent, but he's met his match in Marguerite McMasters. She's a widow with a dream of breeding horses. She'll do what's necessary to achieve her goal. Her powerful attraction to Booze won't stop her nor will a vengeful woman. I liked her feisty spirit. Their battle of wills sets the tone of this story. Do they have a chance at a future together? I couldn't stop reading until I found out. I liked the setting, the characters and the plot. Julia Justiss filled in the blanks with this well written historical. I love seeing how Whiskey River started and I'm hungry for more.

I enjoyed this historical romance. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that towards the end I sacrificed sleep just to get to the ending. Ronan "Booze" Kelly is used to getting what he wants. He is very powerful, but a known womanizer. Marguerite is a widowed school teacher just trying to keep the land that she and her husband purchased before his death. There was instant chemistry and attraction between them, but Marguerite couldn't act on it becuase she had the school board in Whiskey River to answer to if she was found doing anything inappropriate. There weren't a lot of secondary characters that played much of a role, except for one trouble maker of a woman who's ego and attitude is bigger than the state of Texas, and she was good at manipulating and bullying the town and her husband. She definitely added tension and drama to the story, even if I wanted to push her off a cliff.. These are the kinds of stories that remind me of why I like historical romances. They are about a simpler time (not easier time, just less technology).

I really enjoyed this story and learning more about how Boots and Marguerite met. It shows how strong these two were and what they brought when they got together. Truly a force to reckon with and a great addition to the series. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

A passionate affair turns into happily ever after. Ronan “Booze” Kelly could have any woman he wanted. But once he set his eyes on the widow Marguerite McMasters, no other woman would do. Marguerite is a proper lady and though she feels the attraction to Booze, she resists him to save her reputation. Booze was known for having a wondering eye when it came to women. Everyone in knows he will never settle down and get marry. Marguerite had a dream and she wouldn't let anything get in the way. When Marguerite and her husband Aiden moved to Whisky River, they planned to start breeding horses. After Aiden died, Marguerite worked hard to keep their dream alive. It was a big mistake when Marguerite gave in to her temptation to Booze when he came out to visit her one day. Marguerite didn't want a bad reputation as it would ruin her teaching career. But it was too late when spiteful Lydia sees Booze kiss Marguerite. After that, Lydia sets out to ruin Marguerite any way she can, turning the townspeople against her and causing her to lose her job. How far will Booze go to protect Marguerite? Will he be able to convince her that he is a changed man and wants to marry her? As a fan of the Whiskey River series, I was excited to read Booze Kelly's story to see how it all started out. This is a very well written story. It answered a lot of questions that I had about Booze's legacy. If you have read any of the other books in the series, you don't want to miss this one.