Once and for All

This is one of those "gotta read" romantic stories set in 21st Century Northern Nevada's Cowboy Country. Sam Hyatt, a veterinarian in a small Nevada town, and Jodie De Vanti, a high-powered Vegas lawyer whose father owns and operates the Barton Ranch, find themselves attracted to one another but separated by seemingly insurmountable barriers. Sam despises Jodie's father, Joe Barton, because Joe sued Sam for having caused the death of a valuable horse. Barton lost his suit but alienated Sam who resolved never again to treat Barton's animals. Until an alarmed Jodie calls him one day in the absence of her vacationing father to treat a prized stallion that had panicked and crashed into a piece of farm equipment. Sam's love of animals leads him to respond. Sparks fly. But Jodie harbors a dark secret which, she is certain, would cause Sam to despise her even more than he hates her father. Compounding matters, Sam's brother and his wife died in an accident caused by a drunken driver, leaving the couple's two teen sons under Sam's guardianship. The responsibilities of raising two teen boys coupled with his deepening feelings for Jodie are a volatile mix bound to explode sooner or later. And explode they do, baring Jodie's deep, dark secret. As the story unfolds, developments move with the speed of light. It seems that every page brings a surprise twist that the reader may believe can't be topped--until the next page. As I mentioned at the outset, this is a gotta-read. Jeannie Watt is a consummate observer of cowboy culture and life in rural Nevada. Her ability to record her observations and her command of the dialogue of everyday people have drawn me to her writing from the beginning of my introduction to her books. If you're a fan of Jeannie's, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't read her works, Once and for All is a top-flight book to start with.