The Maverick of Copper Creek
Copper Creek Cowboys, Book #1
By R.C. Ryan
ISBN# 9781455572250
Author’s Website: http://www.ryanlangan.com/booklist.html
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Jerjen
The Maverick of Copper Creek by R. C. Ryan is such a great book. It has a little bit of everything: mystery, murder, friendship, romance and heat.
Ash MacKenzie left home almost a decade ago because he could no longer take his father’s anger and criticism. He left behind his father, mother, brother and grandfather and his best friend, Brenna. He is determined to prove to himself and especially his father that he can make it on his own and become successful. He does not return home until he receives word that his father has been shot in the back and killed. When he gets back home, he realizes how much he has missed his family and his home and especially Brenna. He realizes that he no longer has a chance to mend things with his father, and that is one regret he will always carry with him.
Brenna remembers when Ash left her and all the heartache she felt after he was gone. She has tried to move on with her life, even going so far as to become engaged. But old feelings are hard to forget and after seeing Ash once again, Brenna realizes she has never gotten over Ash. Will they be able to get over past heartaches and have a second chance at love?
Besides the murder of Ash’s father, someone is targeting either Ash or Brenna and making attempts at their lives. They were both almost hit by a speeding car twice and a fire was set on Brenna’s ranch. Which one is the intended victim and what is the reason behind the attempts? They need to find out the answers to these questions before the murder attempt becomes successful.
The mysteries involved in the story were both carried on throughout the entire book and although I had figured out the who, I did not know the why. There were a lot of twists and turns and a lot of suspects to choose from. One of the things I liked about this book is the fact that, for a change, the police chief was very capable and is not displayed as incompetent. In so many mysteries, the police official are made to look as though they have no prior experience solving crimes. I found this refreshing.
The characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional. They are people that seem very real and human and they are very easy to like and care about. The MacKenzie family is very close knit and and take care of their own and those they love. That is another thing I really like about the book, the fact that there is a whole family to fall in love with and care about. Brenna realizes that, at an early age, she not only fell in love with Ash, but with the whole MacKenzie family. It is a family that you would want to be a part of or be friends with. No one knew that a third brother existed, except for Ash’s father, and I like the way he was accepted and made to feel like part of the family. This is a family that I want to learn a lot more about.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The descriptions of the ranches and ranchers and the community are very well detailed and at times I felt like I was right there, watching the activities first hand. There is a lot of action contained within the pages of the book and there is never a dull moment.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a family saga with romance and mystery. I am not sure that I would want a young adult to read this book because there is some heated romantic scenes, not too explicit but more than I feel would be appropriate for an young adult. There are three brothers that we were introduced to and I am hoping that each of them will have their own story. I enjoy reading romance books and I enjoy reading mystery books. This book is a perfect blend of both genres and I found it hard to put down. I have not read any other books by this author but I plan to pick up more of them to read.
