Falling for the Hometown Girl (Marshall Ranch #2) by Shelli Stevens

Falling for the Hometown Girl by Shelli Stevens

Blurb:

Katie Marshall is known for her 'girl next door' reputation and for always playing it safe. So, when she books a bachelor party from Seattle at the Marshall Ranch, she isn't sure what to expect until trouble strolls in–Hunter Richardson, local bad boy turned successful software tycoon...and Katie's job gets a lot more interesting. 

Hunter has always struggled to find his place in Marietta. Now, somewhat reluctantly, he's back in his hometown and not looking forward to a week on a cattle ranch... but that all changes when he sees Katie, the girl he could never forget from high school. A girl he shouldn't want anything to do with. Soon, he realizes he wants much more from her than just a guided tour of the Montana landscape. 

Hunter’s plan had been to get through the week, before returning to Seattle and his million dollar gaming company. Instead, he finds himself falling for the hometown girl..


The nice, sweet girl and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks, so to speak. Well, not exactly but Hunter definitely wasn't one of the most popular boys in high school and there are reasons why he never wanted to come back to Marietta.
A bachelor party at the Mashall Ranch brings him back into town - and to the one girl he could never forget. Hunter is the owner of a successful gaming company but coming back to Marietta wakes a bunch of sleeping dogs he'd rather not confront again but Katie is the one person that he never wanted to forget. There is a mutual attraction, right, but will that be enough? With Hunter leaving at the end of the week, is there a chance for the two of them?

I really enjoyed reading about Hunter and Katie even though I was a bit upset with Hunter for pressuring Katie considering the circumstances. She is living in a small town where everyone knows everyone and where people talk and judge rather harshly and he knows it and he exactly knows what he asks of her.
Sure, she is interested as well but he was rather selfish, just thinking of himself and his wishes and never thinking of the consequences for Katie. Katie is sweet and you just have to like her and Hunter, well, he grows on you. Owning up for things he himself did wrong and being able to move on and forgive past wrongs are traits that I can definitely respect in a character and of course, there was also Eddie and what he did for him and for kids like him. He was always nice but, well, I already mentioned that I didn't like the way he pursued Katie so that made for a bit of a rocky start for us.

A nice story that I really enjoyed with a wonderful HEA - I like it and would also read other books by Shelli Stevens.

★★★★