The Last Chance Ranch [Kindle Edition]

Ruth Wind (Author), Barbara Samuel (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Fans of Barbara Freethy and Susan Wiggs will devour this full length contemporary romantic tale of food and dogs, redemption and second chances by RITA award winner Barbara Samuel.

As a romantic teen, Tanya Bishop married a passionate, intense man who ultimately ended up nearly killing her more than once. When she finally killed him to save herself and her son, Tonio, she was sent to prison, and her son went into the custory of her husband’s cousin, Ramon Quezada, who runs a ranch for troubled boys. When Tanya is finally released, Ramon offers her a home and job, working in the kitchens of the ranch, where she can have a chance to develop a relationship again with her son—and maybe learn to love again herself. A highly emotional, uplifting story of second chances from a writer of rare power, The Last Chance Ranch is a timely and moving romantic novel.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 399 KB
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005OELLLY
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #96,354 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Barbara Samuel has won the highly prestigious RITA award 6 times, and has been a finalist many times more. She has more than 30 books to her credit, including 8 titles of women's fiction.

She has made her way by writing since she was eighteen, penning newspaper and magazine articles, columns and opinion, before settling in with an ancient IBM typewriter and even more ancient house, rescued from the wrecking ball, to write fiction.

She also writes as Barbara O'Neal for Bantam books, and you can read more of her blogs and stories at www.awriterafoot.com and www.barbaraoneal.com.

Barbara lives in Colorado with her partner Christopher Robin, a British endurance athlete who insisted Barbara could learn to orienteer (the jury is still out), a high strung and beautiful chow mix, and two cats, all rescues. Her great passions are reading and writing, walking and travel, and she's happiest when she can combine them all in some exotic locale.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tragedy and Second Chances, February 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Last Chance Ranch (Silhouette Special Edition) (Paperback)

From back of the book: "For years Tanya had dreamed of the day she'd be free, and able to be with the young son for whom she'd sacrificed everything. Antonio was her baby, her entire reason for living.

Ramon had known that someday, some way, his adopted son's mother would return. For Antonio, he'd tried to build a secure and loving home. But for Tanya, his deep brown eyes spoke of passion, not just security...life, not just existence. Only he could give her back her son, but could she find the courage to accept everything else he offered?"

The story begins with a tragedy: Tanya Bishop shot and killed her drunken, abusive husband and was sent to prison for murder. Eleven years later, she returned to claim the baby son, Antonio, that she'd left behind. In the intervening years, Antonio has been raised by his father's cousin, Ramon Quezada. Now, Tanya faces the concern of how her son will accept her as well as her growing awareness and attraction to Ramon.

Letters that Tanya wrote to her son during her imprisonment are interspersed throughout the story, and provide a loving insight into Tanya, her life and the pain of not being with her son. This is a touching story that tugs on the heart strings as we watch Tanya become reacquainted with her son - first as a stranger (the new cook) and then her acceptance by Antonio as he realizes that she is his mother. Well written and highly recommended!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful reading, February 4, 2012

By 

Suzanne "drewid" (Nowhere UT USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Last Chance Ranch (Kindle Edition)

I admit to reading as many of this authors books on kindle as I have been able to get my hands on. And I recommend all her books. She is a real storyteller. Now, this book was very thought provoking and really made me think. The lead character is truly a victim but she is not laid low, she fights her way back with grace and of course, the love of a good man. This is a gritty, emotional, romance, with a lot of heart. It describes how abuse and violence can lead anyone to do unthinkable things, it's about a woman on her own, a woman not helped by the so called safety nets put up by society. Tugs on the heart strings, a very good read.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Busman's Holiday, March 1, 2005

By 

Carol (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Last Chance Ranch (Silhouette Special Edition) (Paperback)

I picked up this paperback at our library's book sale. What a wonderful afternoon's read by the pool. Dont ususally read about abused wives too often because it's too close to my profession, but this story was solid.

Annie kills her so abusive husband in his final effort to break her into bits. Of course a restraining order is only paper and thus fails to stop him in any way for long. She goes to prison and asks her husband's cousin, Ramon, to raise the child. Great choice and the guy turns out to be a Prince!!! He raises Tonio as his son along with running the Last Chance Ranch.

Tonio's discovery that'Tanya' is his mother ends the book on a good feeling. The notes she writes to her son at the beginning of each chapter are heart wrenching. Mothers always have to make the sacrifices.

This story ended happily; I wish they all could.