The Cowboy's Comeback - Melissa Senate (HSE #2779 - Aug 2020)

Series: Montana Mavericks: What Happened to Beatrix? (Book 2)
            Montana Mavericks (Book 129)

He's the one who got away…

You never forget your first…

Anyone can see why Amanda Jenkins fell for Holt Dalton way back when; the hunky rancher and former bad boy is all kinds of adorable. So is his son, Robby, their dog, Bentley, and their cat, Oliver. When Holt asks her for a second chance, it is awfully tempting to imagine them as a happy family. First, however, the charming cowboy will have to convince her that he's playing for keeps…

Very good second chance story. Shy Amanda and handsome Holt fell in love ten years earlier when both worked at a summer camp. They spent a lot of time sharing hopes and dreams of the future. But Holt hadn't been entirely open with Amanda, avoiding the fact that he was there performing court-ordered community service. He made some poor decisions that landed him in trouble and didn't want her to see that side of him. When the end of the summer came, Holt broke things off with her rather than chance her rejection of him. Amanda was stunned and brokenhearted by the way he walked away from her.

Ten years later, they unexpectedly encounter each other. Amanda is a marketing professional specializing in social media and online marketing. It is a perfect job for her since she is still uncomfortable around a lot of people. Holt is a divorced father of a seven-year-old boy who works on the family ranch with his father and brothers. From the moment they met, it was clear that the sparks between them were still there. But both of them had been burned by past relationships. Holt's marriage broke up because his wife had no interest in being a mother, while Robby was the center of Holt's world. Amanda still hurt from Holt's actions years ago, plus she was recently left at the altar by her fiancé.

The development of their relationship was not an easy one. Holt never forgot his feelings for Amanda and wants a second chance with her. Amanda is very wary, remembering the pain from him walking away the first time. Holt's cause is helped by his son Robby, who needs the reading help Amanda can provide. I loved seeing how quickly Amanda and Robby bonded. There are some adorable scenes involving the two of them and the effect their relationship had on Holt. I liked Holt's determination and his patience with Amanda's fears. Things moved along quite nicely until an unexpected encounter with Holt's ex-wife brought his fears and insecurities back to the surface. I wanted to shake him for pushing Amanda away, and I hurt for Amanda, who had begun to trust again. Holt earned every bit of misery he felt. I loved how he finally came to understand how he sabotaged his relationship with her. I loved the unexpected events that showed him what he needed to do. I also liked that Amanda didn't sit around waiting for Holt to see the light and was ready to take things into her own hands. The ending was terrific as Holt finally put his fears to rest in an emotional scene with Amanda. 

I also liked the secondary characters. I loved the friendship between Amanda and Brittany. They are very different personalities, and I loved seeing the contrast between the two. Brittany is also observant and level-headed and gives Amanda good advice. Holt's father, Neal, is another important part of the book. He doesn't make a good impression at the beginning with his attitude and impatience with Robby. I hurt for both Holt and Robby when they had to deal with him. Neal surprised me at the end with some of the things he did. I have great hope for his relationships with his family.

Part of the book was also spent on the series question of "What Happened to Beatrix?" At the end of the previous book, In Search of the Long-Lost Maverick, Melanie asked Amanda's help to search for clues. At the end of the book, Amanda receives a response to one of her online queries that gives Melanie and her fiancé a possible answer. I look forward to the next book and seeing what comes of it.