My 4-star review of The Wild Valley: A Second Chance Cowboy Romance by Maya Alden. I love Maya Alden’s books and have especially enjoyed The Wildflower Canyon series set in ranch country. The Wild Valley is the third installment in this series and gives us the story of Cade Mercer and Sarah Kirk…

The Wild Valley: A Second Chance Cowboy Romance by Maya Alden

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love Maya Alden’s books and have especially enjoyed The Wildflower Canyon series set in ranch country. The Wild Valley is the third installment in this series and gives us the story of Cade Mercer and Sarah Kirk. Sarah is a vet that recently came back to town after her father passed away and she is needed to take over his Veterinary practice. All the ranches in Wildflower Canyon desperately need her vet expertise to handle their animals even though Sarah is the so called black sheep of the town and most of his residents won’t let her forget that. She’d left town 10 years ago after she’d accused the town’s golden boy of SA and nobody believed her - including her own father, her boyfriend at the time (Cade).

In the time that Sarah was gone time may have somewhat stayed still for her as she worked to heal from her wounds but it had moved on for everyone else including Cade. Cade had married and is now widowed but he has a daughter, Evie. When Sarah returns and has to treat the animals on Cade’s ranch she is forced into some proximity with him and Evie. Cade, still believing that Sarah betrayed him and is a horrible person, treats Sarah horribly and tries to prevent sweet Evie from forming any attachment.

However, as time goes by and the truth comes to light Cade will be forced to see that it is not Sarah that is the villain in this story. Despite Cade’s treatment of her, Sarah is a professional and she will stop at nothing to help the animals of his ranch that seem to be suffering from some type of sabotage. She is also working to clear her name and has the support of a great group of friends that she has found in ranch county, a supporting cast of characters that you’ve met in either the first or second book in this series.

There is a lot more going on in the plot but I do not want to mention it because I believe it would contain spoilers that are part of the mystery unfolding in this story. For this book, I would definitely say check the Trigger warnings. Poor Sarah went through quite a lot. And it took Cade awhile to get his head out of his you know what.

Oh and for those who are following the series you get a little more insight into Kaz. I am hoping we will get his full story soon.

I received this book as an ARC but if I hadn’t I would have purchased or borrowed on KU as I read everything by Maya Alden.

Tropes: Second chance, Bullying, Groveling hero, Betrayal, Ranch setting, found family

Trigger Warnings: SA/rape (past, not by the MMC), Bullying - see the author’s notes in the book for more detailed TWs

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