Reed by R.C. Ryan

A fresh start. That's exactly what Ally Shaw needs and what she's found in Glacier Ridge, Montana. Creating a simpler life with her young son and reconnecting with her only remaining family-it's all part of Ally's plan to chase away the pain of her past. But when a dangerously irresistible cowboy rescues her little boy, Ally can't deny she's excited about what else the future might bring.
 
Reed Malloy was a wild horse who wouldn't be broken. Devoted to his work on the land at the expense of everything else, he'd never met a woman who could hold his interest... until Ally. And now, beautiful Ally and her fearless, freckled child have this cowboy wanting more. This isn't Ally's first time at the rodeo, though, and convincing her to trust him isn't easy. But there isn't anything he won't do to keep her safe... and make her his.
 
Series: Malloys of Montana #3| Publisher: Hachette Audio | Narrator: Loretta Rawlins | Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Publisher | Ratings: 2 Cups 
Challenges Read For: All About the Trope (forced proximity)- Blogger Shame - Literary Pickers (campfire cooking) 

I’ve really enjoyed the Malloys of Montana series but this one wasn’t really my cup of tea.

 

This one was off to a good start…a hot cowboy saves an adorable little boy from being hit by a car then said cowboy falls for the little boy’s mother, who ends up needing a knight in shining armor. Then Ally becomes one of those TSTL characters and that was pretty much the end of all the yummy goodness.

 

Seriously, I felt no sympathy for Ally. She made the choice to move back in with a person she knew hated her and treated her child horribly—so, the way I see it what happened to her was her own fault. Honestly, I was rooting for the author to kill her off so Reed could be with someone who actually had a brain.

 

I liked Reed, for the most part. He was determined, hardworking, and ready to go to bat for Ally and her son. I did have to question some of his actions near the end of the book. His choices just seemed a little off the wall and dangerous.

 

The romance seemed a little off to me. While I felt like Reed truly fell for Ally, it seems like Ally was hesitant and had to be talked into falling for Reed. At times, I felt as though Ally was only with Reed because she had nowhere else to go.  

What kept me reading listening to this one was the mystery. It centered around the death of Reed’s parents and had been an ongoing arc in the series. As this one was the last in the series, I knew everything was going to come to light and I was eager to see how it would end.

 

One of my main problems with this book was the way Kyle’s father was handled. Throughout most of the book, he’s hailed as a war hero who gave his life serving his country. Then, suddenly, when Ally needs something that prevents her from falling for Reed, he suddenly becomes this horrible man. I’m not a fan of author’s building up characters as war heroes then tarnishing their reputations.

 

I found Loretta Rawlins to be a bit robotic in her narration. It took a few chapters to get used to her style, but eventually I found her to be easy to listen to and she did manage to hold my attention.

 

Overall, I still think Reed could have done so much than Ally. This one wasn’t my favorite in the series, but still worth the read solely for the end of the mystery.

 

Malloys of Montana Series

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Reed