The Wrangler and the Orphan (Farthingdale Ranch #4) ~ Jackie North

Jackie North has once again penned a tale worthy of the majestic backdrop of the Farthingdale Ranch in which it is set. The Wrangler and the Orphan was everything you’d expect from this author: genuine heartfelt relationships, not only between the MCs but the whole cast; gorgeous, breathtaking descriptions of the surrounding landscape; and a feeling of family, comfort, and stability that the characterises the ranch.

At the heart of this book is the characters, and those that live and love on the Farthingdale Ranch are a found family. Their backgrounds are all widely different, but together they support and protect each other.

Brody and Kit were two broken souls who needed each other. Apart from Quint, Brody, with a similar background of abuse, was the only person in a position to help Kit, as their shared experiences meant that Brody understands what Kit is feeling. The relationship between Kit and Brody was beautiful, even with Quint making his presence known, it gave the feeling of a little family within the broader family.

But, and I absolutely can't believe I'm saying this, I had trouble with the romantic/sexual side of their relationship. Kit was emotionally much younger than his already young 19 years with even Brody mentioning it at one point. Kit's relationship with his mother and the men she surrounded herself with, stunted Kit's emotional development. Brody starts him back on the path to growth, but the sexual relationship just didn't work for me at this stage. To me, anyway, it felt like there needed to be a bit of a time delay with Kit maybe going off to college or something and then coming back. With a bit of maturity and growth under his belt, he and Brody were a perfect match. It was evident how much the relationship could, and would work, but at the point of time of the book, it just didn't.

Even with my minor issues with the relationship between Brody and Kit, this book was still a beautiful experience. The love on the page was real, even if it was a little unbalanced.

I absolutely adored the frequent scenes with Clay and Austin; they added a lovely element to the story. The only thing missing was Jasper and Ellis, who had a small cameo, but I would have loved to see more of them. But then, they are my favourite couple, so I'm always ready to see more of them!!

The Wrangler and the Orphan was a beautiful story of both paying it forward and proving that love, kindness, patience and understanding can overcome many things.