Customer Reviews

The Chief Ranger (Harlequin American Romance)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Yosemite Park Ranger Vance Rossiter has lived with doubts and guilt for months ever since the failed mission. He was in charge in the attempt to save the Darrow couple trapped on the top of the mountain, but they died; turning their five years old child Nicky into an orphan.

Rachel Darrow's brother and sister-in-law lost their lives on the top of a Yosemite Park mountain a few months ago. Although she would prefer to never go to the scene of the tragedy, her six year old nephew's therapist Dr. Karsh suggests this might be the catharsis that will help bring closure to the traumatized little boy Nicky who never saw his parents' bodies; and even somewhat help her overcome her deep anger, resentment, and fear. Vance and Rachel want to avoid each other, as seeing one another makes the memory worse. However, both go out of their way to help Nicky. Soon love enters the equation, but is that enough to heal three broken souls.

This is a terrific contemporary family drama starring three individuals still disturbed by the same tragedy that changed each of their lives. The trio are fully developed with each haunted by what happened on that fatal day. Dr. Karsh's catharsis for his young patient proves that and much more for all three as Rebecca Winters provides a great tale of grief and love.

Harriet Klausner

THE CHIEF RANGER is the first novel of a two book set, the second book being THE RANGER'S SECRET.
I recommend reading these books in sequence one right after the other. I particularly enjoy romance novels that portray honorable, moral protagonists written by authors with great skill in character and plot development and who keep bedroom scenes behind a closed door. How delighted I was to finally find Rebecca Winters. For those looking for an author who can tell a great story that leaves you wanting more, look no further. Her skill at story telling, character creation, and plot development has placed her at the top of my list of most sought after authors.

The protagonists in THE CHIEF RANGER are Chief Ranger Vance Rossiter and Rachel Darrow. Vance is a widowed Marine who lost his Marine Nurse wife of eighteen months to and IED in the Middle East about five years before. Shortly after loosing his wife he resigned and became a Ranger. He is now the Chief Ranger at Yosemite National Park. About a year ago Rachel's brother and sister-in-law refused to heed a storm warning and froze to death on the top of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park leaving behind their five year old son, Nicky. Vance still blames himself for their deaths even though he had no authority to remove them from the mountain against their will. For the past year Nicky has been plagued with nightmares and neither he nor Rachel has been able to come to terms with his parent's deaths. Dr. Karsh, Nicky's therapist, has suggested that both Nicky and Rachel visit Yosemite National Park in an attempt to find closure.

The first meeting between Vance and Rachel is not a pretty one. Rachael believes Vance should have been fired from his position for not doing enough to prevent the deaths of her brother and sister-in-law and she tells him so in no uncertain terms. Vance not only says nothing to defend himself, he agrees with her and Rachael storms from his office. The stage is now set for Ms. Winters to use her considerable skill in character and plot development to tell a dramatic tale about overcoming grief and tragedy as a six year old boy bonds with and changes the life of a larger-than-life hero. Even though Vance and Rachael's relationship started with sparks of chastisement, the nature of the sparks quickly became sparks of attraction, admiration, and trust.

If I were called upon to say anything negative about Ms. Winters writing I would have to point out one of my pet peeves. When are romance authors going to learn that the power plant in an automobile or an airplane is called an ENGINE, not a motor? Nevertheless, this novel has earned a solid five stars in my opinion.