I am very pleased to say that today is my stop on the blog tour for Second Chance at the Ranch by Maxine Morrey.

It’s never too late for a second chance at love in this uplifting and warm-hearted romance.

It’s never too late to find love…

When Juliet Scott falls for ruggedly handsome Pete while away travelling, she never imagines how different her life will be to that of her sister, successful and beautiful model Hero.  Based on a cattle station in the vast Australian Outback, Juliet’s life is now simple, down-to-earth and honest, and the perfect antidote to the chaotic celebrity lifestyle that Hero leads in the UK.

With her striking brunette hair, perfect posture, and mesmerising green eyes, it is no wonder Hero has come so far in such a superficial industry.  But when tragedy strikes, Hero finds herself in the arms of her sister, recuperating from a terrible accident on the other side of the world.

With her modelling career in tatters, and her scars more than just skin deep, Juliet worries that Hero will hide behind the mask she wears forever.  But does Australia have something, or someone, to offer that London never could?

Well…what can I say.  I am a fan of Maxine Morrey’s, having already read Winter’s Fairytale, The Christmas Holiday and The Christmas Project (click the links to check out my reviews), all of which I loved.  So I was excited when I discovered her newest novel, Second Chance at the Ranch.  This is a very different novel to Maxine’s previous offerings.  It is a little harder, a little more emotional – it doesn’t have the light-hearted edge that her other novels have.  Please do not think this is a bad thing – the grittier nature of this novel really adds to its appeal.

Hero is a top class model, with the glamorous life to match.  Her beauty is unrivalled, making her highly sought after worldwide.  When her sister Juliet falls in love with Pete and moves to the Australian outback, Hero finds herself torn between two worlds; one glamorous but superficial, and the other rough and simple but full of love.  When Hero has a tragic accident she finds herself following her sister to Australia as she tries to put back the pieces of her life.  She also finds that she can no longer hide from a past that she has spent a lifetime protecting herself from.  I am pleased to confirm that whilst this novel does have a sad side, I am pleased to confirm that we also have some romance!

I really loved all of the characters in this novel.  Hero is such a beautiful person, both inside and out.  Despite living in such a superficial world, she still retains a sense of realism.  Her anchor to the real world is her sister Juliet, another lovely, well-rounded character.  She pushes her sister to reveal her true self not only to her, but to others too.

This novel is full of sadness, tragedy and pain, but it is also the story of a sisters bond, recovery and love.  Whilst there is romance in this novel, I really felt the love between Hero and Juliet – a bond that really could not be broken.  I could not be happier to recommend this novel!

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📖 📕

Thank you to Maxine Morrey and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour and providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Author Bio

Maxine has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember and wrote her first (very short) book for school when she was ten.

As time went by, she continued to write, but ‘normal’ work often got in the way.  She has written articles on a variety of subjects, as well as a local history book on Brighton.  However, novels are her first love.

In August 2015, she won Harper Collins/Carina UK’s ‘Write Christmas’ competition with her first romantic comedy Winters Fairytale.

Maxine lives on the south coast of England, and when not wrangling with words loves to read, sew and listen to podcasts.  Being a fan of tea and cake, she can (should!) also be found doing something vaguely physical at the gym.